The 2012 Forging on the River Conference to be held on the grounds of The Metal
Museum, March 30 – April1st, 2012. This year’s conference features Alfred
Bullermann of Freisothe, Germany  – http://www.bullermann.de/ – as well as
Haley Woodward  – http://haleywoodward.com/home.html – and Colby Brinkman of
The Austin Metal Authority – http://www.austinmetalauthority.com/ .

Alfred will be building an amazing bench to be permanently installed at The
Metal Museum. Haley and Colby will amaze you with their tricks of the trade.

In addition to the chance to learn from a Master Blacksmith, Forging on the
River provides metalsmiths and enthusiasts the opportunity to network with
others who share their passion for the craft, exchange work and ideas and
work collaboratively on projects, while enjoying the Metal Museum
exhibitions and grounds. We have all kinds of exciting and inspiring
activities planned for the weekend, so this event is a definitely a “Must
Attend”!

Conference registration features a deep discount for students at $80.00 for
the three days. Non-Student Registration is $100 before March 1, 2011;
$135 after Feb. 28, 2011.  One $80 companion ticket may be purchased with
each full registration.  ALL MEALS ARE INCLUDED in the conference fee, so
this is a huge bargain. You may enroll online at
http://www.metalmuseum.org/store/c/14-Forging-on-the-River.aspx

Please help us make this year’s Forging on the River Conference the best
ever by passing this email message on to your friends and fellow smiths.
We are grateful for your support!

Also, you may want to consider donating to the Saturday night live auction,
which will be attended by some of the biggest collectors in the mid-south.
The proceeds of the auction will go to support The Metal Museum and its
unique programming, including the 2013 Forging on the River Conference.

To learn more visit http://www.metalmuseum.org/FOTR or email me -
holly@metalmuseum.org

HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY TO ALL OUR MFC FRIENDS!!

Benny & Linda Crevitt

GCCK Spring Hammer-in at Paul Lebatard’s shop in Vancleave Saturday April 16th 9 am till……….Free food, soft drinks, and lots of fun!!!!!!!
Pass the word.
Call for more info or directions.   228-238-7461  or 228-826-4137.

Editor’s Note: This article and pictures were provided by Kenneth Joseph Mazzarol, Public Relations Person of the Blacksmith Association of Western Austrailia. We feel that it provides a great insight into demonstrations and forging around the world and have decided to post it here. The only editing done was to clarify which pictures are being referred to. Click on the images to see them larger. Enjoy!

The two pictures on the left may give you some idea of my set-up at the local Shows. It is a plow or harrow disk mounted on three legs over a tuyre with a bottom valve for emptying the ash. The blower was made in Sydney probably circa the turn of the  century. I invite kids in to make a little mediaeval spoon from a number 7 horse shoe nail. The kids are properly dressed in an apron, safety glasses, and boots. I got the boots from FESA, our Fire Service, who kindly gave me a small used pair. The child turns the handle to produce a draught to liven up the charcoal nuggets. They enjoy the experience of dressing up and blowing the fire and finally hammering the red hot nail flat then forming a small spoon in a jig on the anvil. I use pointy nose pliers to finally form the handle. The finish is achieved by brushing with a brass wire brush which gives the little spoon a brassy patina. Brushing may be done hot or cold, the ends of the brass wire seems to ‘paint’ the brass on. After it is finished I plunge it into my bucket of water then whip it out producing clouds of steam from the hot tongs, adding a little drama to the proceedings.

The first picture on the right shows the finished spoon and in the second picture are some little pendants which when suspended from a piece of string will tell you your fortune from which ever way they swing. I always try to bring a little magic to what ever I make because people are generally superstitions to some degree and it all helps the mystique of the blacksmith producing wondrous things with his fire, anvil and hammer.

These little mediaeval spoons have been made throughout Europe by Gypsies for centuries and are said to be very lucky because they are related to the horseshoe. A lady told me this as I was mucking around one day with a horseshoe nail trying to make something useful. She said she had been in Europe and seen the Gypsies selling them as lucky pendants. In mediaeval times women would wear the spoons pinned to their dresses for measuring out small quantities of condiments into the cooking pot. When I am working, I give them away free to women who have a spoon collection or to children who show some interest in what I am doing and ask questions. If you want to make them as part of your repertoire, be my guest.

Take it easy
Jo