The Old Retired Guys And Anyone That Wants To Take A Vacation Day Hammer In #2

Once again we hosted an open house on a week day. The blacksmith and I were so happy that so many showed up. There wasn't an accurate count but we guesstimated there were 40+ smiths and 8 wives.  

 Bernie showing how the treadle hammer that he made works.

 The shop quickly filled up.

Some of the overflow hung out at the back door.

The women enjoyed a morning visiting before lunch was put on the table. 

Mike made his famous Cowboy Beans. He cooked them using his rim-a-que cooker. Here's his directions: It's a 16" (or bigger) rim, turned upside down and with 3 legs welded on. Angle iron or light pipe both work for the legs. Then cut a piece 1/8 inch thick stock to cover the hole in the middle. A solid rim works best, there will be enough air coming in the the lug nuts. When using charcoal, put 8 briquettes on the bottom of the dutch oven and about 16 on the top.

His beans, well, lets just say the pot was licked clean! It was 2 pounds of hamburger browned and one big chopped onion. Two three pounds cans of Bush's original beans, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cups of ketchup, and 1/2 cup of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce. Bake for 2 hours. Just before serving add a pound of cooked bacon bits. 

We again had quite a feast, ham, turkey, (about 5 pounds of sliced cheese that stayed hidden in the refrigerator), 2 pasta salads, many varieties of  chips, slaw, platters of devil eggs, sliced tomatoes, carrot cake, fresh peach crunch, angel food cake, zucchini chocolate cake, brownies, and probably something else that I have forgotten. Thank you to all who help contribute to the meal!

 What great fellowship!

We had all ages involved.  Kaiden is just 12 years old. He's been forging for a while now.

Scott has been a BAM member for years and always enjoys forging when he come, since he doesn't have the equipment at home.

Of course it wore him out . . . so he took a little nap and I was luckily enough to capture it.

The guys always tend to gather about someone else's scrap pile!

 They was lots of visiting going on all day.

More forging.

Luke happens to live about 2 miles from our house. His parents dropped him off for the day so he could join in the activities.

When Luke's Dad picked him up he wouldn't show him what he had rolled up in a bag. This was his presentation when he got home. Not bad at all for his first time forging.

Bentley was worn out and hot. He enjoyed all the petting he was given.
 

The day was filled with lots of exchanging of ideas.

Now that we've done this for the second year, it will pretty much be an annual thing, or so we hope.

Annual Knickmeyer Gathering

It was a gathering of some of the world's finest craftsmen. Most of them were master blade-smiths. The group was slow to gather starting on Monday. We left Wednesday morning but some were still coming in.

It was hosted by our friend Hank Knickmeyer and his lovely wife Bonita. Hank is a master of Damascus, especially knives. Bonita raises Jack Russell Terriers and Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. So there is never a shortage of some furry companions to pet.

 A small group gathers on the patio to discuss their works.

Daryl Meier and the blacksmith had a lot of catching up to do. We met Daryl many decades ago and would often see him and his works at the National Muzzle loading matches in Friendship Indiana. Check out his work at Meier Steel.

This is a piece Daryl carries in his pocket, a small sample of his Damascus work.

Grace Horne from Sheffield England, the first woman to be certified in the knife making field. She has only been making knives since 1994.

Here is a piece first worked up in wood. It's scissors with a folding knife on one blade.

This is a project of 10 different dressmaker shears. They are for cutting silk. Each one sells for $500.

This pair is headed to the Sheffield museum. That is gold in the center.

Outside the shop was always a good place to visit for a lot of conversation. . .   Lo, John, Nathan, . . .

. . . .more visiting.

John works with the huge Nazel hammer.

 Lo takes her turn.

 Daryl visits with David Oscarman about a technique.

This is a sample of David's work, pens, as in fountain pens. However he creates many other things that you can check out here. David Oscarman works. These pens are made using sterling silver and enameling them, the cost is in the $5000 range. 

The friends, both old and new, the food, the fellowship make for wonderful memories for years to come.

What he's been up to.

He taught a class at the BAM (Blacksmiths Association of Missouri) conference. The class was on making Suffolk latches. It was a class for advanced students. 

He did a demonstration for Prairie elementary school in Mission Hills, Kansas. It was their sesquicentennial celebration. 

Our friend Margie demonstrated broom making on the equipment her husband Phil made, Yes made from scratch! (She will love seeing her name in print)

We had a famous hammer maker at our house for dinner (Sorry Bev I didn't get your picture). Nathan makes the finest hammers way up in Minnesota!  Check out Jackpine Forge on Facebook.

Here is the blacksmith's favorite from Nathan. 

This is about an 17 inch cross. It will hang perfectly on the wall, but for a funeral he came up with a stand. The cross sells for $35, the stand $15. (There is a smaller version available too.) I took it to a local florist and had the real flowers added.

A few days later this one was made up using artificial flowers. Both of them are beautiful. 

We attended the AACB conference in Tennessee (Appalachian Area Chapter of Blacksmiths) last weekend. Here is Susan Hutchinson working on a goat head.

Our friend Pattie entered the forging contest. What a hoot that was cheering her on.

I found this sign in the tail gating section at the conference. Score one for me!

Until next time!

The end of the year review.

It's been a great year. We added  a 3 day show that wasn't planned which turned out to be a big show. It was at the Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association. 

This is a branding iron the blacksmith was asked to make for them. Next year they will be branding cedar shingles at their shingle mill.

Remember, the blacksmith likes most custom orders. This was my request from a few years ago. It's time now for me to request another one as this one is too full. I've also put in a request  for a table to hold some of my vintage sewing machines. There is also one request that is getting close to the top of his list, a fireplace screen for us.

Not often do you get to capture 3 blacksmiths in one photo.  This was at Arrow Rock Missouri this fall. Don Nichols on the left was demonstrating there. Margie and Phil Cox center, along with us on the right, were  there for the day and to celebrate their anniversary.

Denny Quinn is another blacksmith in our association. Here he was demonstrating at Deustch Country days in Marthasville. 

 Bob Stormer was also demonstrating in the primitive area of Deutsch country days. 

 Jeff  Goris was the tinsmith at the same event. His wares are beautiful. 

In November we hosted the Missouri Community Scholars Network. Someone in that group shared this picture of Bernie's shop.

 They also took a nice shot of his 50 lb Little Giant trip hammer

This is an adorable video I took out the front door, of Bernie and the grand daughter. She looks like such a natural driving the antique Farmall. It's is dated 1941, it belonged to her great-grandfather. He would be so proud of that little girl driving it.

This is the first of two deer the blacksmith harvested this year.

 He likes to do these European mounts. 

 This is rock hauling day. The grand kids look so eager to help.

To start the new year out, we always go to the Headache Hammer In at Washington, Missouri on January 1. This shrimp is one perk of attending! Yum, yum.

Dori and her Dad, Jon do a little forging on New Years Day. She is doing it in her grandfather's forge, Washington Forge.

Finally, I leave you with this cross candle holder he made. It was for a trade item at a bi-monthly meeting. 

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous 2016.