Hello All

[Luketheviking]

Hello! Not really a new member as I have lurked for several years. I have been blacksmithing since I was 14 but unfortunately due to work and where I lived I wasn't able to do much the last few years.  Now that I have a new house and a dedicated shop that I am getting set up, I hope to get fully back in the swing of things.  I love seeing all the great knowledge and ideas being shared her and hope to start contributing soon.  I started with bladesmithing and blacksmithing but the last few years have gotten into machining and gunsmithing as well. Sorry for the long introduction but I figured it was time to formally introduce myself and stop hiding in the shadows.

 

Cheers!

Luke S.

[George N. M.]

Welcome aboard, or at least to the visible and participating passenger list, Luke.  Do you happen to know any folk named Arnold in Hope?

There are plenty of folk here who have an interest in Viking ironwork if that is an interest of yours.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Luketheviking]

I have met a few people by the last name of Arnold around her actually! and yes sir, I originally started doing historical ironwork, I worked for a period at a castle in North Arkansas of all places, and worked for several years at Historic Washington state Park in SW Arkansas.  I hope to get back into some historical work before too long.

[George N. M.]

A good friend of our's maiden name was Arnold and she is originally from Hope.  I know she still has a flock of family in the area.  The folk you have met are probably her kin.  Small world.  She is now in Casper, WY.  If you are talking to any of them, she has an unusual first name, India.

A few years ago I recall a castle building project in AR where they were using original methods.  I thought of inquiring about smithing for them but that would have involved running a coal or charcoal forge in AR in the summer.  The more I thought about it the less fun it sounded.  As I understand the project has either gone belly up or into hiatus.  How far along did it get if you know?

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand.'

[Luketheviking]

That is a small world! And yep that was the one and same castle. I was the on site blacksmith the last year they were in business. It was a really cool project and it was a shame that the investor pool had so many problems. As far as I remember it was only three years into the twenty year project. It definitely got hot working the coal forge in the Arkansas summer heat with no modern amenities on hand. 

[ThomasPowers]

Have you been to the ABS school in Texarkana?  I'm originally from NW AR with my Father from Fort Smith and Mother's kin from Cedarville; I was born at Fayetteville while my father was a student at the UofA.  Now how many decades does "starting at 14" entail?

I have been "asked" for several castle projects; none of them properly financed or set up---like: No pay but you can build a house and shop to live in that will be property of the owner or the owner's heirs.  That stopped when I became diabetic and healthcare became an overriding condition.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Howdy Luketheviking! 
I’m right across the state line from NW Arkansas about four hrs north of you,

ive read some stuff about that castle it’s a shame that they couldn’t complete it, 

[ThomasPowers]

In general things like Castles and Cathedrals took a LONG time to build; I'd give it another century or two...

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome aboard Luke from the Ozark Mountains. Have you heard of the (BOA) Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas, which has a central chapter in your neck of the woods? Sadly covid has wrecked havoc on our NW chapter meetings and such. Our website lost the webmaster, who kept it updated, but here is a link to it anyway. Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas | Dedicated to the Preservation of Metalsmithing

[George N. M.]

Thomas:  The castle projects you mentioned sound like the same situation as various "faires."  Years ago I was approached about being the blacksmith at a Ren Faire in Colorado but the situation was similar to what you described.  All site improvements became the property of the faire owners.  Also, a person had to commit for 6-7 consecutive weekends over the summer and you would have had to work hard over the rest of the week to replenish your goods stock.  I had also heard tales of how the owners had treated other folk and they weren't good stories.  All in all, too much work for someone who had a 40+ hour/week day job and who lived a couple of hours away from the site.  It might have been financially a good thing but it was too much commitment and with the red flags it did not look like the money was worth the aggravation.

It might have worked for someone who was a "rennie" who lived on or near the site, could take a weekday of two off, and could dedicate their time to building stock during the week.  I have heard that for some people living on the ren faire circuit can be a fun life but you are a gypsy when moving from faire site to faire site through the year with all the benefits and problems of that.  Probably most rewarding for a younger person or couple for a few years rather than a career.

And, for a smith your shop would have to be at least semi-portable to move from site to site.  As, of course, you know, that is doable for a weekend hammer in or demo but it could be an issue if that was a facet of your life year around.

Now that I am semi-retired I have sometimes thought that being a smith at a historic site up in the mountains could be a cool gig for a summer.  If it was a mine I could also put my geology and mining experience to use.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[ThomasPowers]

Some offers are like "free steel"---it isn't free if it takes large amounts of time and energy and fuel to work it down to usable sizes.

One I remember was actually from an acquaintance; they owned a lovely piece of property to build on; (good stone, wood and water); but there was no way to fund it and they were not willing to set it up in a trust to reflect the work and contributions of the people involved.  Instead it would go to their heirs which we knew disliked the project and the people.  As the Owner was in their 60's and not taking care of their self I didn't think it had much of a future.   I did offer to do some forging for it; but as a free gift.   It never got off the ground.

[Luketheviking]

13 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Have you been to the ABS school in Texarkana?  I'm originally from NW AR with my Father from Fort Smith and Mother's kin from Cedarville; I was born at Fayetteville while my father was a student at the UofA.  Now how many decades does "starting at 14" entail?

I have actually, when I was 16 I took on of the classes while it was still in Historic Washington and thats what eventually sucked me back down to this corner of the state. And just under 1 and a half decades so far ;).

 

The castle really was a cool project and it was a great learning experience, maybe one of these days someone will buy it and do something cool with it.

10 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

Welcome aboard Luke from the Ozark Mountains. Have you heard of the (BOA) Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas, which has a central chapter in your neck of the woods? Sadly covid has wrecked havoc on our NW chapter meetings and such. Our website lost the webmaster, who kept it updated, but here is a link to it anyway. Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas | Dedicated to the Preservation of Metalsmithing

I have! Im pretty sure one of my buddies from NWA is part if BOA. Ive never heard if any chapters down in the Southern part of the state sadly. And thats terrible, COVID has definitely made things rough the last few years.

[ThomasPowers]

I'm really hoping things will get where I can go to my Grandfather's 97th birthday in the Spring in Van Buren.  We've missed the last one trying to keep him safe.