2013 - HOST SHOP VISITS OR SPECIAL EVENTS
Contact Lin Rhea - 1-870-699-5095 - to volunteer
your shop or host activities
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04/27/2013 FISKS HOST SHOP VISIT
Our first shop visit of the year will be April 27th at the home and shop of Jerry & “Bob” Fisk, 10095 Hwy 278 W, Nashville, AR 71852. They hosted in April last year and it was the largest crowd ever at a shop visit with over 80 members and guests. The visit will begin at 10:00 a.m. and last until mid-afternoon. Jerry’s home # is 870-845-4456. Email is jerry@fisk-knives.com
Below are the activities planned so far.
*Twisting Damascus – Three demo’s by Lin Rhea, Mike Williams & one other.
*Leather sheath making demo’s by Kenny Rowe off and on all day.
*How to set up your milling machine.
*Carving on the handle and file work of the blade- JR Cook
*There will be 5 beginning forging stations set up to forge your own blade for those that want to do so. Those that offered to bring forges, extension cords and tools, please do so and Thank You.
* Someone will demonstrate the excellent “Little Johnny Forge” made by Johnny Jones.
*How to forge a J hook. This is a blacksmith type demo that will give you something you can use in your shop and improve hammer control for your forging.
*Question and answer session with Mastersmiths and Gary Crowder on making folders.
Bring surplus items you have for sale or trade.
Lunch will be prepared by Darby Neaves - Namman’s BBQ. The cost will be $10 per person for the meats and various sides and well worth it. He provided the meal last year also. Bob and others will prepare desserts.
Sanding belts donated by Norton and 1084 steel donated by Aldo Bruno (New Jersey Steel Baron) will be given away. Logan Pearce and Jerry have handle material to give away and Jerry has 15N20 steel to give away. Lots of door prizes.
A cutting competition will be held after lunch similar to last year.
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Arkansas Knifemakers Association
David Etchieson, Secretary/Treasurer
60 Wendy Cove, Conway, AR 72032
501-554-2582, aka@alliancecable.net
www.arkansasknifemakers.com
January 24, 2012
On December 3, 2011 approximately 20 AKA members and guests enjoyed a visit at the home of Master Bladesmith Jim & Jenny Crowell near Mountain View, AR. The weather was cloudy and windy but it did not interfere with the planned activities. We appreciate Jim and Jenny for hosting this event for the third year in a row and want to acknowledge the following people that helped prepare for it; Jerry Petty, Lin Rhea, Alan Hutchinson, David Lemoine and Chuck Reeves. Allen Newberry supplied pictures.
Master Bladesmith Lin Rhea began the demo by forging a hammer head from a car axle which was probably 4140 steel. To save time he had pre-shaped the flats and drilled small guide holes for the handle. The piece of axle steel was 4” long. The first guide drill hole was 1 1/4” from the peen end and the second drill hole was 2”.
Chris Montgomery assisted Lin as a striker. The head was removed from the gas forge at an orange heat. A handled wedge or chisel shaped drift was used to begin the handle hole. Lin would hold the drift while Chris hammered. After each heat they would hammer the drift 2-3 times, cool the drift in water then rotate the head and hammer 2-3 times from the other side. They would alternate working from each side until the holes met. A second handled drift with a square edge was used to punch the slug from the hole. A third oval shaped drift was used to shape the hole for the handle. They then used the oval drift again to punch all the way through the head while holding over the hardie hole. The drifts were cooled frequently to prevent them from losing temper. The drifts had handles because of the heat and to make it safer for the striker. An angle grinder was used to smooth the bulging sides left from the punching process. The flats or angles on the head were shaped with a hand hammer. The peen was drawn out with the power hammer. The angle grinder was again used to shape the edges of the peen. The hammer face was made flat with rounded edges.
The head was normalized twice by heating in the forge and letting air cool. The third time was with a torch to critical temperature and then water was poured or squirted onto the center of the face to harden. This would leave the edges slightly softer to prevent chipping. The head at this point could be used as is or ground, sanded or polished to suit. The 4140 doesn’t require tempering.
Everyone enjoyed a wonderful lunch of chili prepared by Jenny Crowell with sides prepared and provided by others. David Lemoine made three excellent dutch oven peach cobblers right before lunch and served them piping hot. Alan Hutchinson supplied chips and dip. Dr. Irvin provided venison for chili.
Immediately after lunch we held the mandatory annual business meeting to elect board members. Terms for Alan Hutchinson and John Perry were to expire at the end of 2011. Jim Crowell and Alan Hutchinson were nominated to fill these two vacancies. A vote made it so. Jim’s term will end 12/31/14. Alan’s will end 12/31/13. Terms for Chuck Ward, Lin Rhea and David Etchieson expire 12/31/12. Terms for Ray Kirk and Lee Ferguson expire 12/31/13. Terms for Jerry Fisk and Jerry Petty expire 12/31/14.
Jim arranged a cutting contest that consisted of a rope cut, 2x4 chop, cutting water bottles sideways, cutting an apple that was resting on top of a bottle and finally cutting a water bottle from top to bottom. The contestants were Lin Rhea, Ronnie Foster, Jerry Petty, Wayne Graham, Chris McDonald, Terry Wright and Bill Kirkes. Jerry Petty cut the 2x4 in 9.4 seconds and did well enough in the other events to be named the winner.
After the cutting contest Jim finish ground a factory “Browning” blade of his design. He started with a 120J belt, then 220J, then a 60 micron to roll the edge, then the 220J again on a leather backed platen, then 30 micron for the final edge roll and finally a blue scotchbrite. He then stropped the blade on ceramic V sticks and was able to easily cut cigarette papers. He then also easily cut free hanging 1 1/2” rope making the pieces fall in a bucket and sliced the same rope by simply pushing the knife blade through it without any sawing motion. Impressive.
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2013 Show Reservations
Next year’s show will be February 16-17, 2013. Seventy makers from the 2012 show have already reserved for 2013. I’ve been contacted by several new makers requesting tables because of the good reports they have heard. I’m expecting the tables to sell out relatively soon. If you had a table in 2012 and want to return in 2013 you need to return the application along with a deposit or full payment quickly. Contact me if you need another application. If you want to be included on the colored advertising rack cards or in the first magazine ads, I must have your application and payment no later than May 1st so the cards can be printed in time to take to the BLADE Show. We are getting so much new interest in the show that the “first paid, first served” rule will apply. It is possible that all tables could be reserved before May 1st.
2013 ARKANSAS CUSTOM KNIFE SHOW
Admission $5.00 - Open to Public
VIP ADMISSION AT 9 A.M. SAT. & SUN.
February 16 Saturday Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
February 17 Sunday Open 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Reservations needed to attend the Gala Reception - February 15 - Friday night 6:00 p.m. - Doubletree Ballroom
TABLE RESERVATIONS-Requires deposit or full payment
(All table reservations and money due by 9-1-2012)
Custom Knife Makers - $250.
Dealers - $250.
Suppliers - $125.
Mail to:
David Etchieson
60 Wendy Cove
Conway, AR 72032
Reserve your tables promptly as we continue to get lots of interest and requests for tables at this top quality show!
APRIL 1 IS THE DEADLINE TO GET YOUR NAME LISTED IN THE COLOR BROCHURE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE BLADE SHOW AND OTHERS.
KNIFE JUDGING NEWS....
All knives will be judged on Friday night at the Gala.
All table holders are invited and encouraged to bring
knives to be entered into ALL catagories. This enables early viewing, as well as early viewing Saturday morning. Winners are asked to get their knives photographed early Saturday before they are sold.
RSVP TO DAVID ETCHIESON YOUR NUMBER ATTENDING GALA.
aka@alliancecable.net or 501-554-2582.
Little Rock, AR
Robinson Center Exhibit Hall
424 West Markham
Located adjacent to the Doubletree Hotel
Hotel Reservations 1-800-937-2789 or 501-372-4371
www.DoubleTreeLR.com
For show information, contact David Etchieson aka@alliancecable.net or (501)554-2582
Chuck Ward Photography will be there for your convenience to photograph your knives, and will photograph the Award knives, call him at 501- 778 - 4329 for information.
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**UNCLE AL'S SECOND THURSDAY MEETINGS**
Al & Sheila Lawrence graciously host a meeting at Riverside Machine in DeQueen, AR, the second Thursday of each month. It begins about 5 p.m., dinner is available, and you are encouraged to bring a knife or your latest creation to "show and tell." Demonstrations, how-to instructions, and informative topics are shared by "experts." These folks have been doing this a long time and we are all so thankful for their service to knifemakers. Supplies are for sale and a photographer is there to photograph your knives.
JOIN US...YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID....
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