Jump to content

20th annual Batson bladesmithing symposium


Alan Longmire

Recommended Posts

Just got the flyer for this year's Batson hammerin, hope to see you there! B)

 

April 4-6, 2008

 

 

Celebrate the Twentieth Anniversary of the

 

Batson Bladesmithing Symposium & Knife Show

 

with a Home Coming & Rendezvous

 

At

 

TANNEHILL IRONWORKS at Exit 100 off I-20, 11 miles West of Bessemer, Alabama

 

The Alabama Forge Council is celebrating the 20th Anniversary by letting everyone in free.

Please pre-register. Send your name, address, and phone number by post card to Judd Clem,

111 Yorkshire Dr, Athens, AL 35613, or by phone 256/232-2645, or by e-mail ajc665@peoplepc.com.

Your Park fee is paid by the Alabama Forge Council.

 

The primary Demonstrators will be Wade Colter descendant of Mountain Man Jim Coulter and Rick Dunkerley from Montana, Richard Williams from Dollywood in Tennessee and Alan Longmire from Tennessee.

 

All the past demonstrators are invited back for a Home Coming.

The past demonstrators may demonstrate or just meet you, the participants, at a Special Demo Site.

See attached sheet for names of past demonstrators.

 

Old Timey Rendezvous Area with Southern Cheyenne George Levi, period dress, tents, trade blankets, demos, etc will be provided for participants and past Demonstrators.

Contact Billy Watson, 334/365-1482, or Jim Batson, 256/971-6860, for details.

 

Adult & Youth Hands-On Forging Sites for Boy Scouts and other youths. We should have the best Knife Show ever. Bring your best knife for the Cutting Contest and a knife for the

Railroad Spike Knife Contest.

 

There will be more Knife Suppliers, Tail Gate Sales and Tool Venders than ever before.

 

The AFC will depend on Donations of the participants and the Auction to defray the expenses.

FEATURING

 

KNIFE MAKING-------------------PAST DEMONSTRATORS

DAMASCUS STEEL -----------------------------------------RICK DUNKERLEY

FRICTION FOLDERS & KNIFE MAKING--------------------------------WADE COULTER

BUCKSKINNER'S KNIFE & HAWK FORGING------------------------------------- ALAN LONGMIRE

BLADE FORGING-----------------------------------------------------------RICHARD WILLIAMS

SHEATH FITTINGS & JIGS----------------------------------------------ALEX DANIELS

HEAT TREATING------------------------------------------------------DON FOGG

HAMMER & GRAVER ENGRAVING--------------BILLY BATES

W W SCAGEL KNIVES----------------------JAMES LUCIE

ABS KNIFE JUDGING --------------B R HUGHES

PROMOTION & MARKETING---------CAROLYN HUGHES

DIGITAL PICTURES & THE INTERNET----------------MELVIN PARDUE

SILVER WIRE ENLAY & FANCY FILEWORK -------------------JOSEPH KEESLAR

HANDS-ON BLADESMITHING ----------HARRY BROCK, DALE HUCKABEE & GLYNN HOLMES

AUCTION------------- COLONELS TIM RYAN, ANTHONY GOODRUM & DAVID CORNETT

CUTTING COMPETITION-----------------------------B R HUGHES & JAMES BATSON

LEARN TO SCRIMSHAW-------------------------------------MARY BAILEY

RENDEZVOUS SHEATHS----------------------------TOM STERNS

LEATHER SHEATHS-------------------------KENNY ROWE

MUSIC-------------PEGGY & CHUCK PATRICK

TAIL GATE & KNIFE SUPPLY SALES

 

 

 

AGENDA

 

Thursday, April 3, 2008

1 to 6 pm.........................……….........................Check-in

6 to 7 pm...........................………..Demonstrators Dinner

Friday, April 4, 2008

7-8 am...........................………...........................Check-in

8-12 noon.....................……….................Demonstrations

Lunch.

1-5 pm........................………..............Hands-on Seminars

7-9 pm...................……….................Cutting Competition

 

Saturday, April 5, 2008

7-8 am..........................................………............Check-in

8-12 noon............................………..........Demonstrations

Lunch

1-3 pm.....………....Knife Show & Collectors Exhibition

3-6 pm..................................……….........…........Auction

7-10 pm …………………………..Music & Round Table

 

Sunday, April 6, 2008

8-12 noon................................……….......Demonstrations

Departure

TANNEHILL IRONWORKS

An Alabama State Historical Park consists of an Iron & Steel Museum, Tannehill Furnaces, Craft Cabins, 195 improved campsites, Gristmill, cotton gin , 45 historical buildings, etc-

 

DIRECTIONS

Tannehill Ironworks is located at McCalla, Alabama about 11 miles west of Bessemer. From I-59 & I-20, take exit 100 and follow signs to Tannehill (about 2 miles). From I-459 take exit 1 and follow signs (about 7 miles). http:www.tannehill.org

 

BY AIR

Fly into the Birmingham Jetport which is located 40 miles from Tannehill. Transportation can be provided,. Request in advance from Judd Clem (256/232-2645).

.

 

LODGING & ACCOMMODATIONS

 

FOOD is available at the snack bar, Furnace Master Resturant & Country Store.

 

CAMPING is available at Tannehill Ironworks near the Demonstration Area on Mill Creek. Improved (water & electricity) & Primitive camping. For reservations call 205/477-5711. Check in at Country store.

 

MOTELS, there are many motels & restaurants off I-459 and I-20/59 toward Bessemer and Birmingham.

 

Sleep Inn, 205/424-0000, $59.99+tax for two double beds, 1259 Greenmor Drive @ Ala-52 at exit 6 off I- 459 about 15 miles from Tannehill. Demonstrator's Motel.

 

Hampton Inn, 205/425-2010, $89+tax for two double beds, 4910 Civic Lane @ exit 108 off I-20/59 about 11 miles from Tannehill.

 

Best Western, 205/481-1950, $70+tax for two double beds, 5041 Academy Lane @ exit 108 off I-20/59 about 11 miles from Tannehill.

 

Jameson Inns, 205/428-3194, $73+tax for two double beds, 5021 Academy Lane @ exit 108 off I-20/59 about 11 miles from Tannehill.

 

AUCTION

The Alabama Forge Council is a non-profit organization with over 300 members. The Forge Council gives more than thirteen scholarships a year to deserving Blacksmiths. The cost of this event and the Clarence Kilby Scholarship are funded from this auction.

 

 

BE AWARE!

No Alcoholic Beverages are allowed

at Tannehill Ironworks

 

 

 

 

 

April 4- 6, 2008

The Twentieth Anniversary

Batson Bladesmithing Symposium & Knife Show

Home Coming & Rendezvous

at

TANNEHILL IRONWORKS @ Exit 100 off I-20, 11 miles West of BESSEMER, ALABAMA

 

Participate in the CUTTING COMPETITION on Friday night. Bring a sharp knife with forged blade 10 inches or under & total length not over 15 inches. Handle must be pinned with a wrist thong for safety.

 

Bring examples of your work for the KNIFE SHOW, COLLECTION EXHIBITS & AUCTION

that will be held on the afternoon of Saturday April 5, 2008 from 1 to 3 pm.

 

The KNIFE AUCTION will begin immediately after the KNIFE SHOW.

 

Collectors and knife enthusiasts are encouraged to attend the Symposium and

learn first hand how modern knives are forged and made.

 

Participate in the Railroad Spike Knife Contest. Bring a unique railroad spike knife

 

REMEMBER to BRING

KNIVES FOR KNIFE SHOW---------ITEMS TO DONATE FOR THE AUCTION

TOOLS & MATERIALS FOR TAIL GATE SALE-----YOUR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

 

 

 

 

Alabama Forge Council

Judd Clem

111 Yorkshire Dr.

Athens, AL 35613

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 50
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Hmmmm...I haven't been to Batson's in several years. Awful tempting and on top of geting to meet you Alan I see Don's going to be there!

Guy Thomas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool. Last year Mel Pardue was listed for that digital pictures thing too. I'm not sure if he ever did that, but he did give some great impromptu classes on folder design, marketing, materials, business and I forget what all else. A lot of spontaneous classes and discussions seemed to pop up all weekend in addition to the scheduled events. Loking forward to going again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When are you doing your demo Alan?

 

 

I have no idea, it's not on the schedule. :huh: As I understand it's fairly unstructured, and I see they're supposed to start at 8 AM, but I can promise I will not be doing anything beyond drinking coffee and grunting at 8 in the morning. :lol:

 

I plan on bringing enough stuff to do several basic hawks and small axes, plus a few knives since I seem to have been volunteered for that as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting the schedule Alan. You beat me to it. I would like to remind everyone that registration is FREE this year. We would appreciate donations to the auction. All money raised at the auction will go to off set expenses. Alan you had better get the coffee and grunting over with early. Jim usually has demonstrators hammering away by 8 a.m.

 

See you there

Dale

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're all signed up- can't wait! Been looking forward to this for months. We've heard so much about Batson's, but never thought we'd get the opportunity to be there. The fact that we're gonna get out of the snowbelt for a few days will be just a bonus!

 

Alan- compare & contrast with Bowie's- same informal ambiance, just a much greater volume of learning opportunity? Will there be late-nite forging opportunities, like at Ron's? I saw somewhere that their setups are mostly coal- should I pack our new gasser? (We've got zero experience with the hard stuff.... charcoal yes, coal no...)

 

Adlai- I think we'll be going thru Columbus on the way down - maybe we can collect up a bunch of us along the way & caravan...

 

It'll be great to get this kind of inspiration in the Spring so we'll have all summer to use what we learn. See you alll there!

 

randy & joe

"Despereaux?"

"Yes...?"

"You didn't cower."

"It looks like a sword."

"It's a CARVING KNIFE!"

"It's BEAUTIFUL..."

"It's DANGEROUS!"

"Do... do you have any more?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alan- compare & contrast with Bowie's- same informal ambiance, just a much greater volume of learning opportunity? Will there be late-nite forging opportunities, like at Ron's? I saw somewhere that their setups are mostly coal- should I pack our new gasser? (We've got zero experience with the hard stuff.... charcoal yes, coal no...)

 

 

Beats me, it's my first time there too! :unsure: I've always heard good things about it, though. Guess we'll find out, eh? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like the beginnings of a plan, Adlai! Anybody else who might be running down thru Ohio/ Kaintuck/ Tennessee - chime in. We'll see who's coming from where & when, & see if we can put something together!

 

Alan- looking forward to seeing (and learning from) you again!

 

randy

"Despereaux?"

"Yes...?"

"You didn't cower."

"It looks like a sword."

"It's a CARVING KNIFE!"

"It's BEAUTIFUL..."

"It's DANGEROUS!"

"Do... do you have any more?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Demonstrators will have gas and coal forges for their use. Their choice. We use coal forges at the green coal sites and the primative demonstration sites. There will be a gas forge set up at a site for demonstators who want to give a non-scheduled demonstration. As for late night forging. The cutting contest will be Friday night. And Saturday night has been set aside for some "Pickin' and Grinnin' entertainment. There have been times when we fired up a forge after scheduled events, but not very often. Usually everyone is ready for some rest so they can be back at it at 8:00 the next morning.

 

Dale

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the info, Dale. Sounds like a full weekend, for sure. I sure don't envy the demonstrators spending 3 days trying to pound their wisdom into a noob like me (pun intended).

 

That's one of the things I like about the Hammer-ins I've been to so far (Bowie's) - being able to try something I've learned while someone who knows what they're doing is right there next to me. Even if I have to wait 'til 4:30AM to do it, if someone's foolish enough to let me (Thanks, Stephen!!). Obviously I don't expect that at Tannehill (Southern hospitality can only be expected to go so far...), but I was curious as to how long the folks kept the fires burning. If I do get an opportunity for some hands-on, it'll be sausage gravy on top of all the eyes-on learning I'll get.

 

Looking forward to getting my knowledge & skills to the next level, & eventually getting to the point that I can share what I've gained with someone who's where I am now.

 

randy

"Despereaux?"

"Yes...?"

"You didn't cower."

"It looks like a sword."

"It's a CARVING KNIFE!"

"It's BEAUTIFUL..."

"It's DANGEROUS!"

"Do... do you have any more?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Randy, things kick off by 8 a.m. each morning. Someone will be at the green coal forge area by then or shortly after and will fire up a forge as soon as someone is interested in starting. We usually wind down by around 4 p.m.. That gives folks a chance to rest and eat supper before the cutting compitition on Friday night and so the auction can start on Saturday. There will be two green coal sites. One for those 16 and younger and one for 16 and older. Someone will be at the sites pretty much all the time to help. Also there will be scheduled times when one of the demonstrators will be there to do their thing. In other words there will be someone around to give you a hand with whatever you want to try.

 

Dale

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Randy, Im going to go. Let me know if you guys are gonna pass through Louisville, KY. It would be cool to connect up with you and head down in a group.

Larry Sharp

When the world ends, I want to be in Kentucky because they are 25 years behind everybody else. Mark Twain

 

My Webpage

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Larry - We'll make it a point to go that way! I'm not sure when we're heading down, but as it gets closer we'll firm things up...

 

Beau - hope you can make it, it'll be good to see you again. (There may even be chili.... no beer, tho')

 

randy

"Despereaux?"

"Yes...?"

"You didn't cower."

"It looks like a sword."

"It's a CARVING KNIFE!"

"It's BEAUTIFUL..."

"It's DANGEROUS!"

"Do... do you have any more?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Looks like I'll be there, come hell or high water. I'm lookin forward to seeing you all there. I was once a regular at these things but kinda dropped out over the past few years.

 

Now I'd better get my butt in gear and finish a few so I'll have something to show.

 

Edit: I'm really lookin forward to picking your brain for info, Alan.

Edited by GEzell

George Ezell, bladesmith

" How much useful knowledge is lost by the scattered forms in which it is ushered to the world! How many solitary students spend half their lives in making discoveries which had been perfected a century before their time, for want of a condensed exhibition of what is known."
Buffon


view some of my work

RelicForge on facebook
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Edit: I'm really lookin forward to picking your brain for info, Alan.

 

 

:ph34r:

 

Just make sure I'm not wearing my special anti-brain-picking lead foil hat under my regular hat! :lol: Hope I don't disappoint you too awful much. :unsure:

 

I'm lookin' forward to it also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, James, but that would be a SERIOUS detour for our particular caravan....

 

But speaking of which - our above-mentioned wagon train is scheduled to depart Erie, PA (near the lake of the same name) at or about 2:00AM on Thursday, 4/3, pass thru Columbus, OH, around 7:30, hitting Louisville, KY, maybe 11:00, & hoping to get to Bessemer, AL sometime early evening, 5:00 or 6:00-ish PM.

 

Anyone who would like to join up along the way is welcome. The itinerary is flexible, so let me know if we need to make adjustments. Interested parties can PM me here, or e-mail me at nelsclan@yahoo dot com.

 

Hope to see you all there!!

 

randy

"Despereaux?"

"Yes...?"

"You didn't cower."

"It looks like a sword."

"It's a CARVING KNIFE!"

"It's BEAUTIFUL..."

"It's DANGEROUS!"

"Do... do you have any more?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...