Just a quick teaser to get the word out, we are holding a sword themed hammer in at our shop in Wolcott CT. we are naming the event Swords Through the Centuries, The creation and use of the sword. Details, Pre-registration info and schedule to follow. I am excited as the list of Demonstrators and presenters so far is awesome!
MP
THIS YEAR'S DEMONSTRATIONS INCLUDE:
Pattern welding demonstrations by J.D. Smith,
an American Bladesmithing Society Master Bladesmith and instructor at Peter's Valley Crafts School, Penland Craft School, and Massachusetts College of Art.
Lecture and demonstration of Viking fighting techniques by Dr. William R. Short, an author and independent scholar specializing in Viking-age topics,
notably medieval Icelandic literature, Viking-age material culture, Viking-age weapons, and Viking-age combat techniques.
Lectures on the evolution of sword design and fighting styles by Stephen Pasker, founder of Autumn Tree Productions, LLC, a historical education and entertainment organization. In addition to being a blacksmith, Stephen
serves as the Fight Choreographer of the Vermont Renaissance Festival.
Lecture on 17th century sword design by Donald Dupuis, a skilled maker of reproduction swords, furniture, firearms, and other reenactment goods.
This is just what we have confurmed , As the date gets closer we will announce additional demonstrations!
On line registration is now open and we are limiting the attendance to 75. http://www.dragonsbreathforge.com/hammerin.html
We need a few more people signed up to be able to run this event. If we do not get another 5 people signed up by the 18th of Oct we will be forced to cancel. So if you were planning on going and are waiting to the last min. please don't wait please sign up now. I would hate for this event to not run, we have some AMAZING demos planed!
MP
Also here is a full list of the demos
Swords Through the Centuries Hammer-In
Hosted by Falling Hammer Productions & Dragon's Breath Forge
Pattern welding demonstrations by J.D. Smith, an American Bladesmithing Society Master Bladesmith and instructor at Peter's Valley Crafts School, Penland Craft School, and Massachusetts College of Art.
Lecture and demonstration of Viking fighting techniques by Dr. William R. Short, an author and independent scholar specializing in Viking-age topics, notably medieval Icelandic literature, Viking-age material culture, Viking-age weapons, and Viking-age combat techniques.
Lectures on the evolution of sword design and fighting styles by Stephen Pasker Shellenbean, founder of Autumn Tree Productions, LLC, a historical education and entertainment organization. In addition to being a blacksmith, Stephen serves as the Fight Choreographer of the Vermont Renaissance Festival.
Lecture on 17th century sword design by Donald Dupuis, a skilled maker of reproduction swords, furniture, firearms, and other reenactment goods.
Peter Swarz-Burt of Dragon's Breath Forge will be giving a two part demo on making crucible steel, sometimes referred to as wootz, from widely available raw materials. The Saturday portion will include explanation of the materials to be used along with loading of a representative crucible. In the mean time the crucible furnace will be running with a three crucible load, so attendees will be able to see all parts of the melting process in the initial demo. On Sunday there will be a second demo showing the forging of a crucible steel bar as well as techniques for patterning and etching the pattern.
Mace Vitale is a ABS Journeyman Smith and board-member at Guillford Crafts Center. He will be doing a demonstration on silver wire inlay.
A lecture and/or demonstration of medieval German combat techniques by Christian H. Tobler. Christian's work in translating and interpreting Sigmund Ringeck's commentary firmly established him as an important contributor to the growing community of Western martial artists. He has been focused on the study of medieval Fechtbücher since the late 1990s and has taught classes at the Schola St. George Swordplay Symposium, in the San Francisco Bay area, and at four of the annual Western Martial Arts Workshops. He has also lectured at the 38th International Congress on Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 2002 he was named to the Advisory Board of Swordplay Symposium International (SSI). Christian is also the principal instructor and founder of the Order of Selohaar.
Dick Sargent of Peter's Valley Craft Center will be using an "Aristotle" furnace to smelt a bloom of steel similar to the material used in much of the world until the Huntsman crucible process was developed in the 18th century. Here are a few resources for the type of smelting he will be demonstrating: 1, 2, 3.
Matthew Parkinson of Dragon's Breath Forge, ABS smith and instructor and Peter's Valley Craft, Guilford Arts, and Brookfield Craft Center, will be demonstrating sword forging techniques and discussing proper sword construction.
Jamie Lundell of Dragon's Breath Forge will be demonstrating layout and carving techniques for knot-work on knife handles and fittings.
Michael Coffey of Dragon's Breath Forge will be demonstrating Yuwake, a traditional Japanese technique for casting non-ferrous metals in a water bath.
J.A. Loose, a noted bladesmith and jeweler will be demonstrating his Niello techniques. Niello is a traditional European melted inlay material that creates a black line.
we will also be holding a Knife show on Sunday from 2-4 that all a welcome to attend.
Still subject to change but here is the preliminary schedule for the hammer in.
Saturday
Beginning at 9AM in the out side
demonstration area Peter Swarz-Burt will be demonstrating making of
crucible steel using a propane fired furnace he will load a
representative crucible and begin the firing of three more through
out the morning.
Beginning at 9AM Dick Sarget will
begin running a small refining furnace (sometimes call an Aristole
furnace) also in the outside demonstration area
Beginning at 9:30 am in the out side
demonstration area J. Arthur Loose will make Niello a silver sulfide
used for inlay.
10AM in the forging area Jamie Lundell
will demonstrate laying out and carving of Knot-work.
11AM ABS Mastersmith J. D. Smith will
Demonstrate making pattern welded steel also know as Damascus using
Kerosene rather than flux.
12PM-1PM LUNCH!!!
1PM In the forging area J. Arthur Loose
will demonstrate inlaying with Niello , including preparing the
channel inlaying the Niello and filing back the surface to show the
inlay.
2PM In the forging area Mace Vitale
will inlay a wooden handle using silver wire.
2:30 In the lecture area Donald Dupuis
will give a talk on sword blade production in the 17-18th
centuries.
3PM In the forging area Matthew
Parkinson will give a talk and demonstration on sword design and the
forging sword blades.
4PM In the lecture
area William Short will present his work reconstructing viking sword
techniques.
5pm-6pm DINNER!!!!
6PM In the lecture area Stephen Pasker-Shellenbean
will give a talk titled “Ways and Means- Use influencing form in
sword designâ€.
7PM-8PM
In the forging area Stump the Smith in two rounds the smiths will
take forging challenges from the audience. The audience will then
chose the winner to be crowned the winner.
8PM-9PM
Drinking soda and telling lies!!!!
Sunday
10AM in the forging area Peter Swarz-Burt in a continuation of
Saturdays demonstration Peter will demonstrate forging crucible steel
into a bar then grinding, polishing, and etching a window to show the
pattern.
11pm in the forging area Micheal Coffey will demonstrate Yuwake a
traditional Japanese technique for casting Non-ferrous metals in a
water bath.
12pm
LUNCH!!
1PM in the lecture area Christian Tobler will give a presentation on late
medieval swords and swordsmanship.
2:00-4:00
Open Knife show open to the public grab a table and show what you
got!
J A loose had been forced to back out , JD Smith has agreed to take over his slot.
