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Georgia Knifemaker's Guild The Georgia Knifemaker's Guild. Furthering and fostering the passion of knives, knifemaking, and related interests

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  #1  
Old 01-10-2013, 04:21 PM
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RedHammer RedHammer is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cummings Georgia
Posts: 5
Redhammer wants to learn

Hello everyone, this is Aubrey Groover. Some of you may have seen me swinging my 6lb. at the Fall Trackrock; I stayed at Luke Snyder's forge most of the time.

The reason for my Thread: Having set aside this Winter/Spring to become a proficient smith and gain guild membership; I want to work with as many of you as I can. To that end please treat this post as 'Heads up' that there is an enthusiastic potential smith's assistant available (me).

I am located in Lawrenceville Ga, and near Commerce Ga (where my forge is).
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  #2  
Old 01-11-2013, 07:12 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Acworth, GA and/or Hanging Dog, NC
Posts: 3,583
Spring edition of Tracrock is April 12-14.
Don't get stuck in one place, you can learn a lot more if you move around, observe and talk with some of the other folks participating.
Next, if you want to get serious about this, put the 6# iron mangler away and learn to use some hammers you can control. Bladesmithing is more about finesse and control, leave the brute force to the blacksmiths.
If you watch Scout for about an hour, the light will brighten.

Nothing wrong with working with Luke or David, both are good guys, but it helps to move around and see alternate ways. I understand the hands-on desire to get in there and do it.....gets us all going.
(You would be very exceptional to become a "proficient" smith in a few months. Pro's don't become pros ovenight.)

I'm in Acworth and my time is limited since I stay booked with students when I'm not away. John Costa and Dan Moye are over in Watkinsville as well as David and Luke, probably a longer drive but easier to make. Check with them on forge time. I'm sure there are other bladesmiths closer to you, but drawing a blank right now.


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Carl Rechsteiner, Bladesmith
Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild, Charter Member
Knifemakers Guild, voting member
Registered Master Artist - GA Council for the Arts
C Rex Custom Knives

Blade Show Table 6-H
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  #3  
Old 01-11-2013, 02:11 PM
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RedHammer RedHammer is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cummings Georgia
Posts: 5
Thank you for the advice Carl, and taking the time to post it; your right about it being a hefty goal.
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  #4  
Old 01-17-2013, 08:25 AM
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Fiddleback Fiddleback is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 109
You're welcome to come over and check my place out. I don't forge much though, and certainly cannot teach forging. What I can teach is more about grinding, general knifemaking, design, and business practice and work ethic. If you think you want to check it out, give me a call. The # is on the website. Be warned though, I'm more of a manufacturer than an artist. Lots of folks in this guild are better makers, and certainly better teachers than me.

As to the assistant thing, I do take apprentices, and hire assistants. But I have a lot of questions before taking a person for either position. Luckily for beginners, not many of those involve specific skills. First requirement is that you have your own health insurance.
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  #5  
Old 01-18-2013, 05:15 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2002
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Runs the shop like one of those old galley ships you see in the old movies about the Romans. Typical Cajun......lure you in with the smell of jumbali then set it just out of reach.
Seriously, you can learn a lot of basic knife design and finish in Andy's shop. He's a good guy inspite of what I say about him.


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Carl Rechsteiner, Bladesmith
Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild, Charter Member
Knifemakers Guild, voting member
Registered Master Artist - GA Council for the Arts
C Rex Custom Knives

Blade Show Table 6-H
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  #6  
Old 01-18-2013, 12:19 PM
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Adam Reese Adam Reese is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Augusta, Ga
Posts: 29
I can personally second what Carl says about Andy. (Not the galley ship stuff) If you have a chance to get to his shop, do it! I rode up from Augusta one day just to stand around and watch/ask questions. Andy thought I was nuts for driving that far, but it is worth it. Just the fact of being able to see hands on how someone else works will help you tremendously. He has made a lot of knives and has his system down pat, and he will openly share with you anything you ask.

Also, if you do get a chance at Trackrock, hang around with Carl and Scout. You can learn a lot from them too. I was talking to Carl one time and he was heating up a 1 inch round stick of 0-1. I went to get a sandwich and when I got back he had a finished hunting knife, complete with S guard and bog oak handle. He even had a sheath for it.... I still can't figure that one out. (Just kidding, of course)

Seriously though, Carl is a forging master and there is a lot to learn from him. It makes you wish Trackrock lasted about a month.

-Adam
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  #7  
Old 01-19-2013, 06:02 AM
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Crex Crex is offline
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Adam van Winkle, that must have been some sandwich! Careful Brother, I have days where I have trouble convincing folks I even know how to light up a forge.....

Scout's the one to watch. He's one serious little man. He completed three blades at the last TR all by himself. One was cable damascus his dad welded up (his dad's first forging experience). We managed, in between all the other goings on, to get that one HT'd, handled and finished the next day (no sheath, but still a major accomplishment). He turned around and gifted the knife back to his dad.


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Carl Rechsteiner, Bladesmith
Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild, Charter Member
Knifemakers Guild, voting member
Registered Master Artist - GA Council for the Arts
C Rex Custom Knives

Blade Show Table 6-H
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  #8  
Old 01-19-2013, 11:57 PM
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Adam Reese Adam Reese is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Augusta, Ga
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Okay, okay.... I may have embelished just a little....

Carl is right about Scout. That little guy is amazing! I wish I could have started at his age. Either way Redhammer, there is much to be learned at trackrock, so like Carl said, move around, ask questions, but most importantly observe. You can learn a bunch just by watching other peoples techniques and incorporating what works for you into your own.

-Adam
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  #9  
Old 02-08-2013, 11:43 AM
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RedHammer RedHammer is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cummings Georgia
Posts: 5
Thanks guys, and I'll give you a call soon Andy. Hope to see yall at the winter meeting, and Trackrock is definitely on the schedule.
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  #10  
Old 02-11-2013, 08:45 AM
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Fiddleback Fiddleback is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Atlanta
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The address on the website is still set to my home address. I haven't had the web guy change that. The address of the business is:

115 Enterprise Drie 115H
Cumming, GA 30040
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