Hello all:

Ok I just stumbled onto these folks..www.becomeabladesmith.com by a fluke accident. I never, ever in my life read so much drivel before, and believe me I have read more than my fair share.

These folks say that you can become a "Licensed Bladesmith" in 6 weeks and make up to 200K US the first year and...here's the real kick in the head (at least for me)..Bladesmiths are exempt from State and Federal laws!! Gee ..I didn't know that....

OK..what can we do to get these folks shut down? This is a bogus scam if I ever read one.

Now I will admit that the ABS and I do have several differences of opinions and we do not see eye to eye on more than a few things but for some reason this whole "send in your money and in 6 weeks you can become a Master Bladesmith" thiung just gets under my skin...

So what can we do to prevent this from continuing??

JPH

P.T Barnum was right!!! There is one born every minute , and there is somebody out to fleece him before he's born! What a load of trash!!

Spreading to word to bladesmith forums is preaching to the choir . I suppose starting with the Better business people would get something going.
Finnr

MAN, that xxxxxx me off. I've sent emails to the American Bladesmith Society and the University of Phoenix (because that site is part of a bigger site called "Phoenix State University" which is meant to trick people into thinking its part of a real school).

There is probably nothing anyone can do, but....

No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people - H.L. Menken

This operation, Phoenix State University

Edited July 24, 200817 yr by nett
yes

I wouldn't be suprised if they slapped up a reccomendation by one IPH, author of "The Comprehensive Bladesmith".

Edited July 24, 200817 yr by Nick

ok this is probably a stupid question but did anyone notice that the master bladesmith course is cheaper than the journeyman course?

Hummm now...East Sahara in Las Vegas??? Methinks I will swing by there real soon and see what their offices look like...what ya want to bet it is a mail drop? Not that there's anything wrong with mail drops, as I use one for my business mailing address (and on my cards..You never know where a business card ends up orwith who and since I have a rather large firearm collection...well...), but this outfit who is so proud of what they are should have a whole slew of offices right??

Yeah these folks have really gotten under my skin. And the further I dig the more irritated I become for some reason.

JPH

The inter-net is loaded with this kind of stuff, unfortunately, and for some reason there is nothing ever done about it.

welder19

Hummm now...East Sahara in Las Vegas??? Methinks I will swing by there real soon and see what their offices look like...what ya want to bet it is a mail drop? Not that there's anything wrong with mail drops, as I use one for my business mailing address (and on my cards..You never know where a business card ends up orwith who and since I have a rather large firearm collection...well...), but this outfit who is so proud of what they are should have a whole slew of offices right??

Yeah these folks have really gotten under my skin. And the further I dig the more irritated I become for some reason.

JPH

If you happen to be near vegas on aug 12-14th or so, send me a PM and we can get together, i'll be on vacation and in las vegas from the afternoon of the 11th till the morning of the 18th, with a conference thusrday night friday and saturday =P We could check the place out together, me with my camera too.

I sent the fplks a e mail asking for a run down of the courses, Where could I find and visit a campus and more information about the licensing. I have not heard anything back......

Boy I'd certainly trust a place that doesn't realize that Journeyman is a lower level than Master! Yup you pay the extra money and you will get a certificate that says you are less than the cheaper course! Also teaching smithing by on-line is pretty funny; first thing I suggest to new folks is that they find a local smith to show them the ropes!

I'd send them e-mail but I don't want to get on their spam list.

whats really sad is all the time I suffered as an apprentice under Laddie Buck, aka Bill Wyant, when I could have taken this great short cut by spending $200 and avoided all that hard work.....

I do think that's the biggest load of hooey I've ever seen related to our craft. And I've seen a lot of hooey.

I see an opportunity here. We could start selling digital anvils and simu-steel. Perhaps a Wii controller interface. The possibilities are endless.

Wii Bladesmithing? Forge the ultimate virtual sword?


I like it.

AIIIIIIIIIIIII; Christopher you are an evil man; if you do that may your hammer shatter and your anvil chip! I already get too many kids showing up at the forge who *know* how to make a sword from video games and movies! (I actually have a "project" piece I let them work on until they give up; it's had 5? of them so far and is not even started well.

Ha Ha Ha Wii smithing what a hoot i'm sure they'd have someone with little motion sensors on make the template for the game, that's a riot

I already need to make enough tools. Now I'm going to have to make Wii to keep up, I don't think so. Have you ever tried to forge integrated chips and lasers?

I'm with you Thomas, there are too many kids out there that would love to "Forge" their own sword because they can do it on the video games and once they realize what's really involved they realize they'd rather be stuck in front of the brain scrambler playing video games. It's a sad thing for sure.... Kids now days need to get up off their butts and do something constructive. It reminds me of the people that stare at you when you are working and ask "Why?" What do you mean "why?" I'm doing this because I enjoy it and because perhaps I haven't tried it yet. I used to get that all the time when I used to make pulse jets. You'd think that kids would be a little more interested in home built jet engines.

Edited July 28, 200817 yr by Zsartell

Yes I've forged integrated circuits, your clinker ammounts go way up and all you get is the satisfaction of seeing them slag down... Don't breath the fumes!

Yeah my generation (and younger) have a zero attention span. I used to do 3D modeling and we'd get a lot of young guys that wanted to make their own spaceships and make their own version of Star-Trek episodes. Most of them would realize pretty quick that it takes a lot of time and discipline to make anything interesting, and would quit.

So yeah, I can see how the same thing would hold with smithing. That's why you sign up for a quick $200 course, right?

We just need a blacksmithing version of the Dance game... you know the one at the arcades where they step on the squares... hammer hammer peen cut heat dip heat hammer... feel the beat... :P

If you happen to be near vegas on aug 12-14th or so, send me a PM and we can get together, i'll be on vacation and in las vegas from the afternoon of the 11th till the morning of the 18th, with a conference Thursday night Friday and Saturday =P We could check the place out together, me with my camera too.

Justin:

I am in Henderson actually..depending upon the map you have I am either 18 or 21 miles from Las Vegas... It use to be the boonies but now I am getting neighbors... My wife is expecting delivery of her new car today and that address of these folks is right on the way...we will do a drive by when we get the call that her car is in...will advise ya all as to what we see, if we do see anything.,..

JPH

I sent an e mail to them nic eoflks right after I read JPH post. I aksed if I could visit their campus and for more information about licensing. Have not heard anything from them at all....

These people are an insult to real hardworking bladesmiths and knifemakers worldwide something does need to be done!

Sounds like a call for the blinding light of publicity; get a crusading media person to do an expose of the place; shoot you have a world famous bladesmith and author of bladesmithing books that can "evaluate" the materials they provide in a on-screen interview...

You guys are too rough on them. All sorts of good information there; as a matter of fact, it says I can even set myself up in a spare bedroom. I reckon you folks are just jealous because I am going to be a Master Journeyman thing or whatever before you.

Oh, and I took their 2 week online brain surgery course. I haven't had one patient die yet from the brain part of it. They did die however from the hammer blow I used to anesthetize them. That's why I'm gonna take the 1 week anesthesia course next ~ my wife is getting tired of me digging up her flowers in the backyard to hide the patients.

;~)