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The American Bladesmith Board of Directors voted at the board meeting on June 5th to approve Heavin Forge School in Belfast, South Africa as a school that can offer ABS approved bladesmithing classes. I will be providing additional information on the school and the instructors shortly.

Congratulations to Master Smiths Kevin and Heather Harvey who operate Heavin Forge Bladesmithing School in Belfast, South Africa.

Congratulations to the School and ABS!

Is there going to be a jury in the abroad schools for JS and MS tests?

Is there going to be a jury in the abroad schools for JS and MS tests?

Christophe

No. The Master Smith and Journeyman Smith Judging Panels each consist of seven (7) Master Smiths and the judging will remain in the USA. The next opportunity for eligible MS or JS candidates to present their knives to the Judging Panels will be in June 2015 at the Blade Show in Atlanta, GA.

The MS or JS Performance Test also remains the same and can be administered by an ABS Master Smith anywhere in the world. The ABS YouTube video below is an excellent example of the JS Performance Test being administered by Master Smith Kevin Harvey in Belfast, South Africa. After passing the JS Performance Test and satisfying all other requirements the candidate will be eligible to present his knives to the JS Judging Panel in the USA.

[media] http://youtube.com/watch?v=28BzKl3SM4k [/media]

Thank you, Dan.

These are the same tests we did in the ABS introduction class. I guess we still have to do these tests before JS judging?

Christophe

Any testing performed at the Introduction to Bladesmithing course was for practice and to test the blades that the instructors helped you with during the class.

The actual JS Performance Test will take place later after making arrangements with a Master Smith to conduct and supervise the test of a knife made completely by you within the specifications listed in the JS rules on the ABS Website.