Some older Bladesmithing

(I know I've been a bit short on postings here the last week - so this is almost a place holder!)

One of the things I'm supposed to be working on is getting some additional work posted up to the Wareham Forge Gallery of Past Work section of the web site. Not only more recent pieces, but also some older work. I've been going back and scanning images from slides to do this.

Some (much older!) Bladesmithing:

'Robbin's Sword'

About 1990?
Forged spring steel, etched, antler hilt with cast tin alloy guard and inset

'Legbiter'
1979
Forged mild steel, leather disk hilt
(Big story here - this blade has seen actual combat use)

Layered Skinner
Mid 1980's
Layered steel, brass guard with olive (?) hilt

One of a series of small layered steel with carbon steel cores I made and my brother sold while he was living in the high arctic. The lower layer count seen is typical of my first work with the method.

Etched Knife

Details ?
Likely forged spring steel, etched.
At one point I was doing a large amount of decorative acid etching.

Carved Seax
2007?
Pattern Welded steels, deer antler hilt (carved by Steve Strang)

This was one of the first knives on which I used the combination of twisted rods for the back welded to a flat slap with carbon core edge.

Vikings to Vinland - Lecture Feb 24

Thor’s Day Thursdays

A new presentation the last Thursday of every month for the duration of the Vikings: Master Mariners, Traders and Artisans exhibit.

1st Presentation
February 24th at the Sarah Jane William Heritage Centre.
62 Temperance Street, Bowmanville

Clarington Museums and Archives presents the first in the series of guest speakers and discussion followed by a tour of the Viking Master Mariner Exhibit. Light Refreshments served. 7 to 9 pm. $7 Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Vikings to Vinland

The Norse of the Viking Age were the boldest explorers of their times.
Although much is made of raids on England and France, perhaps their greatest adventure was travelling from their homes in Scandinavia westward across the North Atlantic. Settling in Iceland, then Greenland, eventually they would reach the shores of the land they called Vinland, what we know as Atlantic Canada. Just who were these explorers? Where did they go? Why didn't they stay?

Join Darrell Markewitz, creator of the Norse Encampment living history program for Parks Canada at L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC, for a lively discussion. The presentation will be illustrated with images from his many trips out to northern Newfoundland. Handle replica objects from Vinland and the greater world of the Norse.

HOW TO HISTORY - Norse Broadaxe

I was approached recently by James & Julie Eason of How to History - who asked if one of my 'work in progress' clips could be included on their (excellent) web site. Part of our initial conversation ran like this, a response to my question about the evaluation process they use for selecting new materials:

I appreciate your concern and vetting is an area that is a constant
struggle. I sometimes take several hours just to write a simple 150 word description for a video. My wife and I have some backgrounds in various arts and crafts but it'd be far from truthful to claim expert status. For that matter, it seems that interpretations of established fact even in scientific circles is in a state of constant flux.

The spectrum of subjects and timelines we're attempting, means there are many areas we're just not going to have depth on. A technique that was applicable in one place and time may not be true for another. We do try to review video content prior to approaching authors for their permission and try to reason whether their interpretations jive with our own understandings. We are definitely trying to stay away from the trap of content for content sake and stand ready to address changes and corrections as we become aware of them. Feedback will always be welcome.

For instance, we had a friend in Canada do a video for us making nails
where due to his limited resources, he accomplished the task without a
nail header. A doable technique but probably not the best. We're
currently looking to supplement his work.

All that said, we try to be mindful that not all of our contributors or
subscribers have full access to period tools and materials. Where
possible, we try to make the distinction between the two.

The clip they selected for a first addition was 'Forging a Norse Broad Axe' Readers may remember commentaries here on this project, the creation of Viking Age ship building equipment for L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC.

I am extremely happy with the introduction James & Julie wrote about the video. I'm sure my readers will find other materials on How to History that they find of interest!
(full URL : http://www.howtohistory.com/ )

Contemporary Blacksmithing in Uzbekistan

A bit of background. As most of you know, I have had a large presence on the internet for a very long while. Although it has become the primary connection point for potential customers, it also can bring in a lot of unwanted e-mail spam. You never know however, what might end up an interesting and valuable contact. A couple of weeks back, I got the first part of a communication from someone who included Cyrillic characters in the text, along with a pile of images of blacksmithing work. I responded, and got a second, more informative, letter in return. I have edited the two letters from Ibragimov Timurbe into one. Remember that English is not Ibragimov's primary language. As well I have included some the images of his father's artistic blacksmithing work.

Dear Colleague!!!
I am a son of Blacksmith. We are very glad to find you!
You know, being very enthusiastic in my father occupation I would love to know a little bit more about blacksmithing from people who are real professionals in wrought iron! If you don't mind We'd love to know your opinion about our forged items. What do you think about them? We make all forged items only by means of our hands and of our best friends - hammers! Look at them!!!

We are not actually from Russia or Ukraine but we are certainly from one of the post Soviet Union countries. We are from Ferghana city, Republic of Uzbekistan. We haven't got our own Web site but I can send you other works of my father's if you like.

Before going into this profession, my father had graduated the High school of Arts and became artist, then he entered the University and studied for 5 years before becoming a qualified builder. He really wanted to make something different when he was a student and went into blacksmithing, having merged two his abilities (building and making art) into one. My father has been working for over 25 years in this occupation but now it's really hard to make a living just building an art in our country, so my father decided to move to Russia this year. He was invited to work by blacksmith organization in Yekaterinburg city, Russia.

Please write us any opinions, ideas of yours, you are always welcome!!! We even will be very glad to have other ideas of Professionals! We will be very grateful!

С искренним уважением, Ибрагимов Тимур Икрамович!
My best wishes!!!

Ibragimov Timurbek
ibr_tim(at)bk.ru