If you have never attended a hammer-in, I think you will enjoy the experience, this will be the biggest hammer-in we have ever done, with the most content ever. The facility at the Miami County Fairgrounds is great. The Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil Blacksmith organization, SOFA, is our host. Sofa also hosts the Quad State Round-up every September, which draws close to 1,200 blacksmiths and bladesmiths, so they are very experienced with large hammer-ins. This makes the ABS Great American easier for the ABS because our host know what they are doing.
There are two main forging stations: each with either coal or gas forges and a third demo area in an open-air barn. Each station also has its own power or air hammer. An area for green coal, or hands on forging, has several coal forges with all the hand tools required. The classroom sessions are in the air-conditioned hall, we also use this same building for the knife show, auction, dinner, and judging. It is always a dilemma to choose what to watch or participate in each day, demonstration, classroom or hands on, but what a great dilemma to have. You see the great line up of demonstrators, mostly new, so I think we will enjoy learning all the techniques and ideas.
Come prepared to have an energy filled weekend of learning. This will be your opportunity to learn from Masters, Journeyman and very talented peers. We all will have a chance to learn from each other as we enjoy this weekend.
