[TheForge] New knife steel

Wed Dec 29 09:29:15 EST 2021

Hi all,Getting back to the original post, the new(er) knife steels are important to me as they allow the knives to be put in the dishwasher without too much worry about pitting.  The extra amounts of Moly (1% or higher) allow the steel to resist chloride pitting.  Even the Japanese 440C modified (not shown in the article) has a moly content high enough to accomplish this.Finding inventory or forgeable materials can be difficult.Happy new year all,Michael Schermerhorn/Boston

-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce <freemab222 at gmail.com>
To: blcksmth <blcksmth at reagan.com>; Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wed, Dec 29, 2021 7:45 am
Subject: Re: [TheForge] New knife steel

NOB has that problem too?  Here in NJ, we had to shut down -- and give the
members a dues vacation -- for the *first year* of this pandemic (what a
hell of a thing to have to call it!), and folks have not renewed back to
pre-pandemic levels.  (I just hope they're all still alive!)  On top of
that, it continues to be a problem to get folks to do the real tasks of
running the group.  It's not that anyone is promising and not delivering --
they don't promise in the first place.

Since I was a major player in getting this group started, 25 years ago, I
feel committed to keeping it going -- but only just so far.  My love is to
run workshops, and in the past we've repaired anvils (about six times now),
built gas forges (twice), built six lightweight forging stations -- anvil
stand, forge table, firepot, hood, and vise stand, fabricated forging
presses, guillotine tools, and probably a few I can't recall at the
moment.  I did not run all of those, but possibly more than half of them,
and I'd like to get back to doing that sort of thing.  I also like coaching
newbies at our weekly open forge meet -- which was canceled for a year due
to the pandemic -- but that now has started back up and I have hope for it.

But most of my efforts have been as Newsletter editor, getting very little
assistance from the other Directors.  I have put my foot down and won't do
another issue without some input (proofreading, at least) from others, and
in any event I will be responsible for only two more issues before I resign
as editor.  On top of that I am the treasurer, I handle our roster, and
deal with the miscellaneous issues such as insurance and "annual report" to
the state, which really don't take up much time.  I was chairman as well
but another Director volunteered to take that role -- and now he's
graduating college and will likely leave the state >sigh<.

If anyone knows some magic trick to get Directors to shoulder more
responsibilities, or to recruit members to join the Board, or, for that
matter, to recruit new members, I'd like to know them.  Over the years,
I've probably been the most active Director when it comes to nominating
members to the Board.  I don't know what more I can do beyond that.  Our
open forge meet (not run by me, but with me present as much as I can) has
been a reasonable recruitment tool, but not sufficient.  I'm hoping the
resumption of meets open to the public (the last of which was flooded out
by Hurricane Ida) will be a recruitment tool as well.

Meanwhile, I lurk on Reddit blacksmithing sites and see postings from
wannabe blacksmiths all the time.  Some want to be professional swordsmiths
who obviously have never forged an S-hook, but more often it's more
reasonable inquiries.  Unfortunately, I cannot discern who is where and I
expect a small minority of these folks are in NJ.

Bruce Freeman
NJBA

On Tue, Dec 28, 2021 at 3:09 PM blcksmth via TheForge <
theforge at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> We did have a joint meeting at Ky Green's smithy a few times. The joint
> meetings were always a good time. Bill Hahn was a unique gentleman.
>
> NOB is changing too. Most of the founding members are now at the
> Master's Forge. It is becoming difficult to find new members willing to
> take the helm.
>
>
>
> On 12/28/2021 1:33 PM, Walter wrote:
> > Bob,
> >
> > I sure wish NOB and WRABA could get back together like we used to at
> > Bill Hahns.
> >
> > Walt
> >
>
> --
>
>
> Bob Willman
> The Eagle's Anvil
> Bowling Green, Ohio
> WB8NQW
>
> I know of no safe repository of the ultimate powers of our society but the
> people themselves;
> and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with
> a wholesome discretion,
> the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by
> education.
>
> Thomas Jefferson
>
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