Aha! A lurker! (Intro and small pic dump)

[Matt Stahl 0]

I hope this is an appropriate place to put this...

 

Hi, my name is Matthew, I'm 20 and live in Michigan. I became interested in bladesmithing a few years ago when returning home from a Civil Air Patrol event up in Alpena called Encampment and spent a few days with family at a relative's cabin, where a certain cousin of mine had built a crude forge using cinder blocks, fueled it with hardwood, and told me about Mad Dwarf Workshop while we screwed around heating junk up and then beat on it with a tiny hammer over a big rock (didn't get very far there).

 

I went on to discover this wonderful site and its immense wealth of information and

I've been lurking since, and now have finally worked up the guts to introduce myself and show a few things I've made.

 

I currently travel around the Midwest, Northeast, and (rarely) the Southern regions of the US as part of a small crew installing electronic locks at hotels and the like.

Aside from smithing, I dabble in a handful of other hobbies as the weather and amount of time between jobs permits (armoring, nalbinding, glass/flintknapping, tanning, etc.) -and while I can't say that I'm good or excellent at any of them (or sometimes even successful), I've found there's always an exciting kick that comes with creating something with purpose with one's own hands.

 

Here are some pics relating to my other hobbies. I apologize if the pic quality isn't great; the only camera that I currently have is the one on my phone.

 

 

This is my first knife shaped object. Too dull to be functional, with the exception of cutting butter or maybe a wheel of cheese

 

First "real" knife. I made it some weeks ago for myself for use at work; for this reason along with being pressed for time since a job was coming up, I was fine with not trying to make it look pretty.

 

And this is the previous knife's sibling, made about two weeks later upon request by a friend.

 

Finally, my current endeavor. Hopefully it will be a dagger when completed.

 

Thanks for looking, and making a great forum!

[melf 3]

As someone with the same amount of interests/Hobbies I canrelate to the "master of none" feeling you describe. But since we are the jack of all trades I look forward to the moment we can combine the single things we have learned to become a great good picture. And you are very good on your way! I like the things you showed here. Keep going with it

[Collin Miller 139]

Looks awesome! Your work shows all of the tell tale signs of great potential. Keep it up!

[JJ Simon 127]

Very nice.
There are quite a few good smiths in Michigan,
Zeb Demming is one who comes to mind.
Look him up, you might be close to him.

[Daniel J. Luevano 4]

you've got some great skill in bladesmithing and amazing skill in armor smithing, love the Zelda inspired spaulders! have you considered selling them? Not to me because currently i am without income but on etsy or something, someone would love to have quite a bit of your work, specifically the spaulders.

[Matt Stahl 0]

Thanks for the replies, tips, and feedback; it really means a lot!

 

As far as bladesmiths, and smiths in general in Michigan, I know there's got to be some down here in the lower peninsula (I'm about an hours drive out NE of Detroit), but right now I can only remember that there are some bladesmiths in the UP. I've been wanting to get involved in the Michigan Artist Blacksmith Association and go to a hammer-in or event to meet some people & learn what I can, but I haven't been to any just yet. I figure it's all just a matter of getting connected.

 

The Legend of Zelda spaulder may have been a bit misleading since there are two pics of it (sorry about that). Unfortunatley it's only one shoulder. The reason for the second picture is just to get a slightly different angle that revealed some of the script along the edge of the shoulder, which says "Nayru Din Farore" in twilight princess Hylian. I haven't thought about selling that specific spaulder since it was made out of stainless bbq grill scrap from an area that was thin enough to be cut by hand with snips, which is probably a bit thin for spaulder material, let alone that there's a little secret crack in the armor (shh! Don't tell!). But anyway, making something good enough quality to be sold with a measure of confidence, and then selling it is pretty much the ultimate goal.

I have sold a knapped glass arrowhead pendant on etsy before, but that's it.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Matt Stahl

[Kevin Colwell 170]

tim zowada and Kevin Cashen are in Michigan, too. They are outstanding, and nice fellows. Deep, though, when it comes to metallurgy.

 

Welcome. You have some talent. Keep at it, and let us watch!

kc

[dragoncutlery 85]

never met tim hung out at kevin's a few times and deep when it comes to metallurgy is not a bad thing

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