[TheForge] Bowie`s hammer -in

[Ron Claiborne]

 I  just want to take a few moments to tell all that came to my place
this week end that it was a thrill to meet each and every one of you .
      we had a great bunch of guys and gals here talking knives and
sharing information freely and with great enthusiasm, we had people here
that have great skills and fame  to the guy that is just beginning what
a privilege to have them here at my place showing and sharing with each
other , im sure we have infected future knife makers ,
    It is quit humbling to see the likes of people of world fame,
talking to a young new maker with  zeal and enthusiasm with no need
except to help them learn and to share as though they knew what that
meant to them when they were trying to get started
 we stand on large shoulders of people that took the time to help us and
i know these guys and they feel it's  a tribute to give it back  and
pass it on.

(THANKS GUYS ) ,
   Every thing went great  -James Gibson  forged a blade to perfection
as usual one of the best  forgers that i have ever watched   heck he
makes it look so easy dang it., and a good teacher to boot.
  Lynn lamdrum  give a complete demo on heat treating , very informative
his insight to this subject is always interesting   thanks Lynn for
teaching this old dog new trick .
  then they took the knife and did a cutting and chopping and bending
demo - with the con distions that this was performed under it was a
great success it did not crack till it was bent past 90 and the next day
we retempered it and it stood up great to all test and looked like a
horse show  thanks i think i can make a bowl draw knife of it (GRIN)
   then we  ate and to say we had good food would be a understatement ,
Jim Prill is a fine cook the food was fantastic , Jim will never be
homeless , I think he had 20 proposals and they were only 5 women there
(GRIN)  i tried to get phyllis to get his brisket recipe , wow what good
eating ,I met Jim  at Larry's Harleys  hammer -in last year and he was
at Larry's this spring  i ask in then would he come to knoxville to cook
for us we are lucky to have him cater this hammer -in it was highlight
of the day for sure , for the rest of the day we talked knives till we
dark what fun
   the next Day Sunday
             it was early to rise and the morning was really nice and
cool  birds singing and the day light winking through the tree leaves
soon knife maker started coming in getting coffee and working their way
to the spot where we could all be seated
My Friend Jimmy Hyde read from the word and we gave thanks for the day
and the time we had together .Josh Blunt played the bag pipes what a
great  sound and a great job he did thanks Josh it made my day and
started us all with a pleasing start .
 Larry Harrley  started to talk on the bull chipmunk fears ,and the
entertainment began  i think my side are still hurting after all had
left i had a long talk with the resident chipmunk and told him that next
year we would give him more notice that humans with long knife s were
coming and he would not have to wage war  , but as Larry what a Bull
chipmunks roar will do , he told me he has faces raging boar Hog that
did not place the fear that he had from that bull chipmunk ,
       then he forge welded the jelly roll and did a great job we
learned a lot from larry and he was answering questions while working
with the press , great  teacher and he also makes it look so simple
thanks Larry ,
   then Max Burnett  showed us how to forge weld chain saw damascus
again these guy make it so simple even a new maker can after they are
done teaching they can do it  max is a soft spoken Gentleman from the
deep south and just a a treat to learn from  kind of  person you feel
has no secrets that he want share with us all a great teacher and Max
came from a long was to teach us at his own expense thanks Maxs  for
taking the time to help us out .
            we also had others here  willing to teach Mike Alexsander
taught mosaic pins Richard William's  just drooped by and he helped
teach forging to shape thanks Richard had i known you were teaching i
would have watched one of the good guys for sure
        ;Rob Frink we can not thank you enough for your generosity , for
letting us use you fine grinders  and they are the best i think i will
never sleep till i have one in my shop a must and now if i can convince
Phyllis we will have one soon  great tools guys you have to use it you
want believe what they can do heck even i could make a good grind with
his grinders
 and i caught him grinding with his grinders what a good picture Rob  so
when you say you don't we can prove different (GRIN)
  it was good to see faces with names  i have made good friends over the
years and i in some cases have never got meet them thanks for being here
i got more from it than you maybe
 and if it was a success it was for all the help of you guys willing
donate thing for the cause  a special thanks to Mike Fitzgerald for the
steel we worked with steve Pryer and dana akers and Ed Caffery for
letting me post on your forums
 Earl Johonson and tj for all your help
 thanks guys
                      sorry this is so long but could keep going but i
have to stop some place
 thanks to all  i had the time of my life
Bowie