TEXARKANA, Texas - A longtime tradition at the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing continues at the institution's new Texarkana College location.
The Fall Piney Woods Hammer-In starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, and continues the next day, Oct. 13, same start time. It will provide an up-close look at bladesmithing for novices looking to learn more or experts who want to sharpen their skills. It will run until 5 p.m. both days with registration between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Offered by the American Bladesmith Society, the Hammer-In features a variety of demonstrations and informative presentations about such topics as hand forging, grinding blades, exotic handle materials, stainless san mai blades, silver wire inlay, Damascus blades, heat training blades and both frame and d-guard handles. Hands-on forging will be available.
Mike Williams is one of the instructors who'll share knowledge. Both ABS master smiths and journeyman smiths will participate. Vendors and knife makers are also attending this event.
"Basically we have accomplished knife makers give demonstrations on the various aspects of the craft," Williams said. "It's all demonstrations. We'll have people hand forging a blade, people using the power tools to forge a blade. The various aspects of heat treating, finishing - all the aspects of making a good knife."
The annual event's been organized for more than three decades. The bladesmithing school just moved its location from Washington, Arkansas, to Texarkana.
"This kind of gives people that are interested in the craft or possibly taking a course to see what we do and get a taste of how we do it without committing to signing up for a class or anything," Williams said. "It's an introduction for people to see what we do."
The Fall Piney Woods Hammer-In is geared to all levels of interest, teaching advanced techniques and tips to veteran knife makers and providing demonstrations for those who've just begun tapping into their fascination for knife making.
"We want to get their interest up by watching us do something," Williams said. "It's pretty basic on those levels. The guy will heat it up and hammer it into a blade shape and those things are the most basic, but they also get the most interest in the long haul."
In addition to the chance to learn about the craft, there will be a drawing for a new, handmade Damascus knife.
What makes for a good blade? A couple things. "It's got to be the correct geometry. We call it not too thick, not too thin - the edge shaped properly so that it really cuts well. And then it has to have a really good heat treating procedure heat treating is the true soul of the blade," Williams said, adding that the best steel in the world isn't any good unless it's heat treated properly.
And what makes for a good bladesmith? "You have to really want to do this. It's something that's difficult to do. It's very hot. We work with hot steel. It's hot, it's dirty. To be a good bladesmith you have to be really hungry to make that blade really, really well. Not just a blade but your best blade," Williams said. He's been doing it more than 30 years and says he learns new things weekly.
(Registration fee: $60. Purchase tickets or find more information at Americanbladesmith.com or via the event page on Facebook. The Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing is located at Texarkana College, 2500 N. Robison Road in Texarkana, Texas. A Saturday lunch buffet is available at an additional cost.)