Hello Everyone.
I wanted to take a couple minutes to introduce myself. To say I'm excited about this new forging hobby I found is an understatement.
A little about my background, I started learning Leather and Metal craft from my high school shop teacher 24 years ago. To this day that man is still one of the closest and dearest friends I have. I've been creating items out of leather ever since. I have been making knives for the same period of time by utilizing the stock removal method. I have always preferred Damascus because of the patterns but had to search for the piece that had the pattern I wanted not knowing how it was actually made.
I'm sure everyone in this community hears it quite often, but having a conversation at work one afternoon about "Forged in Fire" is the reason I am here. I tend to live in a shell outside of my professional life. At any rate, I have found the part of this craft that I have been missing for the past 20+ years!!
During the 8 years I served in the Marine Corps after high school, I learned all about welding with that being my secondary MOS (Military Occupation Specialty). Since watching the show, I have been binge reading the heck out of this forum and have already crafted my own forge based on Ed Caffrey's recommendation in past posts, as well as quench tanks, burn table, post vise stands, you name it. I used some mild steel and am currently working on making tongs to learn with my hands how to make the metal move how I want.
I wanted to take the next step and Joined the ABS last week. I am going to the ABS Bladesmithing Symposium in Troy Ohio in August. I will be the guy with a notebook sitting in the corner, trying to stay as incognito as possible while absorbing knowledge like a sponge. I'm really happy to have found this new venture of crafting that I plan to carry with me for the rest of my life.
My goals
#1 Have fun and enjoy the experience
#2 Learn as much as possible
#3 Teach anyone anything that I can help with
#4 Combine my own flavor to what I have learned.
#5 Achieve Mastersmith status if it takes me 40 years.
Thanks to everyone for having me,
Take care,
Tom Bennett
Eighty Four, PA
Welcome to the ABS Tomas. Looking forward to seeing some of your work.
Want to see more of my work follow me on Instagram:JasonVolkertKnives
Want to get in touch with me [email="[email protected]"]Email[/email] me.
Welcome to the ABS
E William "Pitt" Moore
Fiery Pitt Forge
Tomas, There's a bladesmithing symposium Saturday and Sunday in Auburne, Maine. It'll be well attended. If you feel like a road trip, come on over. New England School of Metal Works.
Glad to have you with us.
Tomas
Welcome to the ABS and Forum.
Anthony
Thanks for the welcome Gents. I have been doing my homework in regard to resizing pictures. There is thanks owed to so many members for their efforts in explaining the process. Steve Culver's Article explaining the reasons for editing photos was a stand out and was very well written. Thank you Steve. I have read all of the rules and plan to attach pictures following, if it goes a stray, I apologize before hand. I won't add any pictures to this post after this, just wanted to share. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I forged my first knife!! Piece of leaf spring 5160. If the picture upload works, there will be a couple of it thru progress as well. What fun compared to just grinding!!
Id love to hear any feedback/critiques.
I feel I should mention that the first picture is just to show the sheath. The knife is a German Bowie owned by a coworker. I did not make that knife.
Nice work!
Want to see more of my work follow me on Instagram:JasonVolkertKnives
Want to get in touch with me [email="[email protected]"]Email[/email] me.
Welcome Tomas - nice to have you.
Save some room in that corner in Troy for me Tom or at least let me compare notes! Glad that you joined and see you there!
