who are you?

[Archie Zietman]

So...who are you, apart from bladesmiths?

[Alan Longmire]

Say, isn't this how the firey beards forum got started?

 

My day job is archaeologist for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. I have 25 counties to look after, keeping the roads safe from (pre)history, and sometimes the other way 'round.

 

I actually consider smithing to be more what and who I am, the day job pays the bills and provides insurance and the like. It's really kind of like working two jobs, actually. Good thing I like 'em both!

 

the following is an addition after seeing some of the other stories!-Alan

 

I was interested in smithing and all aspects of metalwork from an early age, but was clumsy and lacking in confidence. I'm a late bloomer in many respects, but once I finally developed a little eye-hand coordination at about age 19 I started accumulating books on the subject, and a few years later started accumulating equipment. I'd probably still be there if my then-girlfriend, now wife hadn't sent me to a smithing class at John C. Campbell Folk School, thus providing the kick in the rear I seem to need to get things done.

Edited January 18, 2006 by Alan Longmire

[sandpile]

I am a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend of some very nice folks.GRIN.

 

As for who every body else sees. I am semi retired. I was in business for myself all my life. Always having cattle and horses and dogs. Had a petroleum business, truckstops, conveience stores and a wholesale distributorship for all kinds of petroleum products. Early on, had a hunting , guiding, packing and outfitting service for hunters in three states. Bought a wrecker service, did not keep it long. I could not stand to pick up the little ones injured in the DWI cases.

 

I guess you would call me a horse trainer, cow puncher that had to do a lot of different things to keep the bills paid for the cattle and horses, in this dry country.GRIN.

 

I now work three days a week for the prison here in Dalhart. This pays for my health ins. It cost $1,150 a month, eight years ago, when I let it lapse.

 

Been making knives and spurs off and on for thirty years. Blacksmithing enough to make what I needed.

 

Chuck

 

5/16/09---68 years old.

NEW NEWS--I am now-retired and working part-time making knives and blacksmithing. having a ball.

 

Life is great--Glad wrinkles don't hurt.

Edited May 17, 2009 by sandpile

[Jake Powning]

I'm a professional swordsmith and celto-norsofile. live in a remote community in the calidonian highlands of New Brunswick on the Atlantic coast of Canada (east of the eastern standard time zone) Population 35 It's the village where I grew up. I have two daughters and a lovely wife, who is also my business partner, helps me with corresponding with customers and stuff (like numbers and money, wich I have no head for whatever!) I have a few horses, used to work with them in the woods before I realized if I was gonna make swordsmithing work for me, I would have to devote all my energy to it. got a bluetick/basset hound keeps me company in the forge.

I spend allot of time playing traditional Irish music and studying Ancient Celtic folklore, (the Mabinogion, the cattle raid sycles and finnian sycles, also allot of the more resently collected oral tradition), this has a profound affect on my work and allong with my deap love and respect for the natural world is the subject of most of my work directly or indirectly. I've resently been focussing allot on spiffing up my knowledge of the Nordic traditions, including the Norse Myths wich I was already quite familliar with, the Icelandic Sagas and the Finnish kalevala, wich is really interesting and different than the indo european myth sycles. and also on understanding and recreating runic inscriptions in my work, I think i'm starting to get a bit of a handle on them.

anyway thats me. Oh yeah and I'm 28.

How about you Archie?

Edited January 16, 2006 by Jake Powning

[Archie Zietman]

Me? hmmm...this might be a very long post...

 

I live in Salem Massachusetts, US of A, but I was born in Oxford England, near the University (where my dad went) spend a lot of time there during the vacations (all of my family live over there) Born 4 months early (should have been born in late september, but was born June 19th) with everything wrong with me you could imagine, but pulled through (with many scars though, one going from mid back to my chest :ylsuper: )

 

Now I'm 15, play guitar, flugelhorn, Irish Whistle in D, and Throat Sing, love seeing theatre, acting, writing in any style (from morbid children's tales to personal stories to poems) I used to enjoy reading a lot, but not so much lately (though I am still fond of Ender's Game, Redwall, and Harry Potter).

Most of all I love climbing mountains to stand on their highest points and yell, and standing outside next to the street at 3AM and listening to the silence, and biking 3 miles to the art school by the sea and drawing the girls there (Yeah, I know what the ladies like. )

 

The most internally promenant side of me at this moment is the writing/romantic side, but that'd take too long to write out, and it's unnecessary for me to dump my sh*& on you.

Edited January 16, 2006 by Archie Zietman

[Bob Ouellette]

I am currently an art student at Northern Michigan University, studing blacksmithing and metalworking. I am planning on transfering to the American College of Building Arts in the fall to study archetectural ironworking. I have always loved history, studing a lot of the US Civil War in my early childhood.

 

I joined the Loudoun Border Guards Fife and Drum Corps when I was in the sixth grade. I currently play fife, Irish flute, D whistle, button accordion (just learning), and bodhrán (also still learning). It was through a performance that I did durring June of 1999 that I was first introduced to blacksmithing. My life changed much for the better thanks to my great friends and teachers, Anne and Cormac Quinn.

[Beau Erwin]

Currently living in the overly dry state of oklahoma, mossing out on any forging due to the conditions.

 

Always a lover of making things, started woodworking at an early age with my grandfather. Always had a fascination with knives, swords, armor and the like. Had been wanting to get into smithing for a long time and finally pieced myself together a forge to give it a try.

 

Now upset cause nature won't let me forge! GRRR. Think I'm gonna piece together a small charcoal forge for use in my grandpa's shop.

 

Currently working at Walmart and saving up money to take a long vacation to New Zealand, maybe longer.

 

Eager to learn more about bladesmithing and to expand my knowledge and improve my skills to that of some of the other makers on this board.

 

I like to draw, woodworking is fun, done some pottery which was also fun, did a little painting but not as good at it as drawing.

 

Been playing a medieval fantasy online game for uhh...much longer than any other game I've played, let's leafve it at that =P Years!

 

Went to college with thoughts of getting into the computer industry, but then decided on an Associates In Visual Arts. Think I'd like to get me a workshop built up someday of my own and work towards that as a profession or at least the main one with something on the side.

 

Also a fan of reading fantasy, Forgotten Realms books, some Dragonlance, Tolkien, the usual stuff. Think I might have to sometime find some books on myths and lore for the celtic and norse backgrounds as well, sounds interesting, plus it's sort of my background as well.

Edited January 16, 2006 by EdgarFigaro

[Adlai Stein]

When I'm not beating on metal I baby-sit 25 attorneys. I'm the records and facilities manager for the firm. I have a 16 year old autistic son who is my pride and joy. I have happily passed down my family’s smartass gene to him. He can't talk but he does have on hell of a sense of humor.

I'm also planning my second marriage this fall to a lovely woman who supports my hobby as long as she can fit her car in the garage before we go to bed at night. Compromise is the foundation of relationships and should always end in the words. "Yes Dear." She has a nine year old daughter who loves photography Soccer. She was a big help in taking the pictures for my tutorial on icicles.

 

Other hobbies include trying to own more DVD's than blockbuster and occasionally the SCA although these days I pretty much only go to Pennsic. I guess things are pretty mundane around here but life is good and I can't complain.

[Alex Roy]

I am a Highschool senior whom plans on teaching History ( in Highschool), I am a Capoeirista (someone who practices Capoeira) an Afro-Brazilian Martial art. I write poetry mostly in the transendental style , similair to Henry David Therou and Walt Whitman. I have vague traning in TIG welding and machining.

~Thats about its

[Bob Ouellette]

I had to go before I could finish my last post. I am an active member of the Blacksmith's Guild of Central Maryland (when I'm home), a member of ABS, A member of the Michigan Artist Blacksmith's Association, and a Member of ABANA. I am lucky enough to have parents that support my dreams of eventually blacksmithing/bladesmithing for a living. I have a working knowlege of stick and MIG welding. My brother is currently making electic guitars so between the two of us, we have a pretty impressive little shop. We share our tools (except my forging hammers). Some of the tools that we have recently aquired include a 6" jointer. Anyway, this isn't a shop description, so thats about all I can think of.

[Mike Ferrara]

I'm a farrier turned engineer turned back into a full time farrier...tired of moving outfits to Mexico. I've got two kids, both out of the house now. My boy is a marine and my daughter moved to some country called pennsylvania. Any one heard of it? Over the years I became more interested in blacksmithing and more recently bladesmithing though it's making horse shoes and nailing them on that pays the bills. I do a little fishing and archery (not so much hunting any more but I used to), play a little guitar, and do some scuba diving (mostly in caves). Oh, I forgot, I've got a couple of horses to cut down on the mowing and I ride them when I have to...ouch!

 

There you go. My whole life story in a single paragragh. LOL

[Kristopher Skelton]

Now- I'm sitting at my desk at work (it's lunchtime, don't worry ). To explain it as easy as possible I do data entry for a sizeable physicians/hospital group here in Seattle. A husband, stepdad and homeowner. I herd cats (well the three in the house anyway). I'm also a racecar driver and my own mechanic; I'm a "guru" for my car club. I'm a brewer; just put up a batch of oatmeal very stout (gonna be about 7% alc by volume when done) and some cider. I'm a member of the NorthWest Blacksmith Assn and I'm trying to convince the board to let me head the education committee so I can get the names, addresses and schedules of all of the people in the assn who are willing to teach. I also hope to come up with a more formailzed set of criteria so people have a better idea of what's expected of them as they set out on their own (based on the ABANA Journeyman criteria). A wholly self serving project that I feel could benefit the rest of the group

 

I read. Lots.

 

In previous lives this go around: I was an engineering student (at U of Washington). Couldn't get into it though, which was fine because just after I decided I'd had enough of those a-holes my student aid ran out. Still paying for it but kinda glad I didn't finish. I know, weird.

I was also an assistant Aikido instructor at two schools. The training was very varied and the list of arts that I cross trained with would take too long to type, but I had good instructors who invited lots of different styles to come train with us and encouraged us to visit other schools. The styles of Aikido that I trained in (Shirata-ryu/Classical and Hombu style) both incorporated lots of weapons training, which is probably what kept me coming back I was invited to be an archery instructor by the archery coach at my community college (who was/is a coach for the US Olympic team) but had to decline because of the Aikido. Probably just as well, I don't think it would have lasted very long, but I enjoyed shooting (and getting credits for it to boot!).

I tried to learn guitar but never really got in to it. Typical teenage boy I don't play any other instruments and right now I'm not particularly drawn toward playing anything.

 

Those be the high spots I'm 28 as well.

[CProkopp]

I'm an actor/theatrical designer who makes shoes, knives and clocks. In 1972 I got my degree in Theatre Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University. Happily married with two grown kids of each gender.

Someday, I hope to play Shylock. As far as I know, I'm the only person with a real handicap to play the crippled Richard III. This after I spent years in exercise and training to conceal my odd walk on stage!

[son_of_bluegrass]

A brief history of me (yes stolen from Mel Brooks)

 

I was born. At least mom says I was, I don't remember it myself though many swear I crawled out from under a rock. Dad was air force then so some moving around befor he reitred from that. Did 6 yrs college total (4 getting a BS in biology and 2 towards a MS in oceanography). After college did 4 yrs active duty in the army. They paid on my student loans. My first duty station was germany. I saw Bosnia and Kosove. Then I finished my active time in LA (lower alabama). Almost stayed there. Been forging a couple of years though not real steady like figure about a years worth of expierance. Currently earning money as a trim carpenter with asperations to work for myself soon. Iron work, wood work, tool sharpening.

[RKNichols]

I was born when I was very young in a log cabin I helped my father build....

 

OK, Born in Denver, Colorado, got my degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines in 1970. I married in 1969 but finished anyway. I am a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas and in Alberta, Canada (retired). . Two kids, one of each. Moved from Denver to Midland, TX, to Houston,TX, to Calgary, Alberta, back to Houston, then to Bettendorf, IA, to Cheshire, CT, to Longview, TX, and finally to Dyersburg, TN. I am the Quality Manager for a large API pipe mill over in Blytheville, AR. I drive 48 miles one way every day but at least I don't live in Blytheville. I have done oils, water colors, pencil sketching but a tremor in my hand put an end to that. Instead, I took up wood carving with razor sharp tools. I started smithing with a one-brick forge and a piece of RR track to make carving tools. Five years later I own a 167# Old World German Pattern Anvil, a WhimperBaby forge, many tongs, most home made, a stick welder and a wire-feed welder, and a couple of nice leg vises. I also am the proud owner of the imfamous Ruskie Anvil that I reviewed on Anvilfire. I hope to sell this at a huge profit at an up-coming Hammer In. I am also a freelance writer, having published on line at www.thefabricator.com (search for my name, Bob Nichols if you are interested. I usually write about blacksmithing). I used to play the guitar but have not touched it in over 10 years. Not sure why. I quit smoking 2 years ago and haven't been the same since.

[Bob Ouellette]

I was born when I was very young in a log cabin I helped my father build....

39900[/snapback]

I wake up at ten O'clock at night, half and hour before I went to bed, ate a lump of dry poison, went to work 29 hours a day, down mill, when I got home my father would beat us to death then dance about on our graves singing alleula

[Mike Turner]

I am a full time farrier. I had worked as a union lather in southern California for almost 15 years and my ex has it all to show for. I have been in wood working and metal working for most of my life.

 

Moved to the not so dry state of Oregon in March of 2005. I have two daughters (16 and 10) who live with their mother in California (mickey mouse state) . My (new) wife and I have 9 horses, 2 cattle, 3 dogs and 2 barn cats. We show and trail ride gaited horses. The majority of them are Tennessee Walkers.

 

I have always loved knives, growing up hunting and fishing in Colorado and Alaska. One day a friend of mine borrowed my knife and in just a couple of minutes returned it to me and said nothing, I went to use it later and the blade was trashed. I was trying to fix it and my wife said why don't you make a new one, and I said glad I thought of that. So now I am forging blades as of 12/05, not that I don't get enough forging horseshoes.

 

 

Mike

[J.Arthur Loose]

I was born in New Mexico to parents who were archeologists... at a very early age I decided that the Navajo and Hopi had really cool jewelry. Later, during high school in suburban Washington D.C., already thoroughly disillusioned with Modernism/Post/whatever you want to call it, I realized that what had attracted me to the Southwestern jewelry was in part, its cultural expression. It visually defined a people in a traditional way.

 

The result is that I went to Maine College of Art to study Jewelry and Metalsmithing. I'd like to remind Western Civilization that we too have tribal roots, and once had genuine tradition- orally passed down; visually evolutionary; organically based on tens of thousands of years of experience. We are fools to think it is irrelevant in the post-industrial world. The magic of holding a knife or piece of jewelry that tells a story is a seed I like to plant in unsuspecting heads.

 

I lived in NYC, backpacked the British Isles all the way up to Orkney & the Hebrides, lived in session pubs in Galway, moved to Vermont and the house my grandfather built where I plan on staying put. I play Irish Trad and any instrument with four strings... or at least four pairs of strings. I study Norse / Germanic mythology. I hated engines until I discovered my vintage 750four, which is simple enough to fix yourself... Riding is said to be the worst thing for horses; Reginn forged the finest sword!

 

In 2000, after working for a few well-known artist-jewelers, I plunged headfirst and caution-to-the-wind into bladesmithing. Having made only three knives, I got an SBA loan and went for it, full time. It's been a hard 5 years. I never called it quits... and perhaps I should have... but I've finally got food & beer in the fridge, a great GF, too many pets and the jewelry is just about to let me start making blades again.

Edited February 22, 2006 by J.Arthur Loose

[Tracy]

I was born in a bed (I wanted to be near my mother) in 1952 in Washington D.C. and grew up in Virginia. My memories of elementary school include learning to hide under my desk during a nuclear attack and my first real crush on a girl. I barely survived high school.

 

I am a musician (trumpet, french horn, bass and 6-string guitar), sailor, car racer,

back-yard mechanic, cook (king of leftovers!), RC pilot, inventor and tinkerer.

I have worked as a rock musician, swimming pool mechanic and life guard, radio disk jockey, and the last 29 years in the Gov't contracting industry managing projects and writing software for communications systems. I became liberated last summer and I am back in school learning web development because I couldn't convince my Wife or my self that I can live off of my knivemaking. Not that I'm not trying!

Like many of you have mentioned, the health insurance thing is a B**ch.

 

I moved to Florida in 1970 and met my wife while I was in college and she was still in high school. :ylsuper: I remember her dad was a little skeptical. Turned out I got a great new family. No Kids. Don't know what to do with 'em. Besides I'd have to share my toys! Lots of cool nieces (now Hotties) and nephews, though.

 

My hair is grey, I have most of my teeth and a bad back. For some wierd reason the smithing doesn't seem to hurt it. I drink bourbon, mostly.

 

Thanks for asking, folks love talkin' about themselves. Maybe I've forgotten something but I've made myself thirsty for now.

 

Flame On!

[Bob Ouellette]

Tracy where did you live in VA? Oh, and I kinda know what its like to be in school and have the city you're in be under attack. I was in a school wide mass on 9/11 in NW DC. I almost everyone left school early. I was one of the few to leave my Class B Army uniform on. No one's cell phone was working at all.

[BSchermann]

I'm a former Marine, current Machinist (more like machine operator) working in a Hydraulic/Pnuematic Cylinder Production Facility. Husband, Father of 3 (2 girls ages 9 and 5 and 2 3/4 year old ball of fire named Eli ). Between the family and a full time night shift job my knife production is currently very slow, but I'll squeek one or two out every so often.

 

I've had one type of knife or another since I was a kid. I've always been fascinated with the form and function of even the most basic cutting tools. I started selling commercially made knives several years ago as a side business. I would commonly get the question "Did you make any of these knives". I finally got tired of saying "No". Working in a machine shop I had access to a lot of worn out files and a couple of grinders....and that's where my addiction started. Since I started making knives I have been very lucky with meeting some very helpful people that have put me way ahead on the learning curve (Thanks kbaknife!!). Recently I have been forunate to be able to hang out in Jerry Rados's shop quite a bit which is a great learning experience.

 

Thanks for your time

Brent

[Tracy]

BobO,

Just off route seven about five miles east of the beltway in Falls Church.

We used to drive into Georgetown to buy beer (18 in the district). My buddys mom worked at the pentagon and we'd pick her up in the evenings. I was there when the National Guard was standing off the hippies and the guy put the flower in the rifle. Wierd times.

 

This is getting me all nostalgic. ......must.....forge.

[Bob Ouellette]

Ok, I know the area a bit. I make frequent over to Leesburg. My fife and drum corps has done a few performences down in that area. A parade or two if I remember right. Nice area.

[jdm61]

I was born in Kentucky and moved to Florida when I was 7. In previous lives i was an attorney and a junk mail peddler. I am now a slumlord in training. I took up smithing about a year ago and just recently took up guitar, because the whole sexual addiction thing wasn't working and i needed new and productive hobbies and I figured that I was too old for the Bolshoi and don't like running enough for the Olympics :ylsuper: I'm divorced and live with my really irritating airedale. Currently looking for a 19 year old mail order bride from Moldova or Khazakstan who will love me and cook me dishes containing curdled sheep's milk and beets in exchange for a green card Other than that, pretty boring life

But seriously, I had wanted to get inot knifemaking for years and just kept puttiit off. i tend to copy the styles of Bill Moran, when i can manage it and the Arkansas Mafia.

[Giuseppe Maresca]

I was born the 13 of December 1986 in Sorrento near Naples, Italy, the same place where I live now. I begin to love cutting tools and weapons maybe since I met for the first time my grandpa, the same day I was born.

I'm a collector of ancient weapons of any kind.

I love to paint, to work with clay, with wood, with metals, to cook and to do about everything you can do using hands.

I hate to study, but I'm a great reader of everything, expecially of modern and contemporary Italian literature. I really love good music, expecially Italian music (Fabrizio De Andrè and Francesco Guccini); I love also Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Santana, to say something worldwide known.

I love the motorbikes and I love to travel. One of my dreams is to go through the world riding a motorbike.

I start working blades when my granfather died, about 3 years ago. After I learnt to sharpen and polish the bladed I yet owned, I began to forge.

Now I spend a lot of time in Naples where I'm looking for a school of professional smith and welder (I give up with the university).

In the week end I make knives.

ciao

Giuseppe