[TheForge] Bill Gichner

[Robert Morris]

I also have a story about Bill Gichner that I tell frequently and think that 
it should be one to go into the archibves of the forge that Terry is 
compiling. About 10 years ago, I was talking to another smith at the Furnace 
town Hammer-in, telling him that I was starting a blacksmith school at the 
Carroll County Farm Museum, the home of the Blacksmith Guild of Central 
Maryland. Bill over heard my conversation and called me over. He said that 
he had heard me and wanted to know what I needed to start the school. I 
started by saying that I was planning on four forging stations so I need 
four forges, four anvils, four vises,.... Bill interupted me and said "let 
me put it this way, when are you coming to get it?" The next week Bill 
Heinakamp and I took a trailer to Iron Age Antiques. When we returned to the 
museum we installed the equipment and opened the school for classes. Since 
that time the mesuem has given the guild more room and Bill has added more 
equipment. The school is operated by the Blacksmith Guild of Central 
Maryland, has a full schedule of classes and has 8 forging stations and 
operates all year round. It would probably not have had as good a start or 
expanded as well without Bill Gichner.

Bob M.

>From: "Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at marktwain.net>
>Reply-To: Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>To: "theforge" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] Bill Gichner
>Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:39:33 -0800
>
>I've told this story before, but with Bill's passing this will probably be
>the last time.
>
>Several years ago Bill was at the Ozark Spring conference in Potosi Mo. My
>son Daniel who was about 14 at the time made the mistake of telling Bill
>that his tools were over priced, and that he could get the same thing for
>half the price a couple trucks down the tailgate area. Bill let him have it
>big-time about buying quality tools.  Daniel stood there and took it like
>someone that had gotten caught swearing.  But Bill didn't stop there,  
>every
>time he saw Daniel for the rest of the conference he would give him another
>leacture.  By the end of the weekend Daniel was like a hunted man, and
>always kept an eye open to where Bill was, and made a wide detour around 
>him
>to avoid future lectures.
>
>Robert Ehrenberger
>Shelbyville, Mo.
>
>----Original message----
>From: RICK KORINEK <rickkorinek at rcn.com>
>Message-IDRe: [TheForge] Bill Gichner
>
>I know Bill Gichner is on the minds of many of you who knew
>him over the years.  I am one who has come to this craft
>recently and did not really know him.  I am hoping that you
>will continue to share your accounts of him and his
>contributions to your own carears and to the craft.  This
>will give us new-commers a better sense of him and the
>history of our craft.  I suspect he is one of the giants on
>whose shoulders we stand.  Thank you very much.
>
>-Rick
>Rick Korinek
>Emerald City Forge
>46 Joseph Road
>Framingham, MA
>508/320-7425
>
>_______________________________________________
>Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
>theforge mail list group photo site is
>http://www.photoaccess.com
>Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
>password:  anvil
>___________
>
>