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| NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS | |
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Organized in 1978, the
Appalachian Blacksmiths Association is an affiliate of ABANA. We represent blacksmiths,
bladesmiths, and farriers in West Virginia and its surrounding states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. To join the ABA, click on Appalachian Blacksmiths Association
© 2009 Nothing herein may be reproduced unless permission of the submitter and/or the Appalachian Blacksmiths Association is given.
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Cover Story: download cover page in pdfCover story is a re-print of the September 21, 1895 Scientific American cover story about a blacksmith forging a rose. To download the original article, go to www.scientificamericanpast.com There is a charge of $0.99.
President's Message Thanks to all who attended Rice’s Landing and for helping celebrate renewed hopes of restoration of Young’s foundry and machine shop. Over one thousand dollars from the auction was donated to Rivers of Steel in a check presentation. (Page 15) I met George “Bly” Blystone who is now the caretaker of Rice’s Landing. PAABA and ABA presented Bly with T-shirts. Thanks to Chris Holt, John Steel and demonstrators Boyd Holtan, Bob Rupert and Bob Cruikshank. Mary Ann, our niece Alivia, and I enjoyed a Saturday at Fort Allen at a hammer in and plow days. Sixteen of our members met for supper Friday night (May 1) before the Spring Conference at Cedar Lakes. The restaurant did well, the waitress worked hard, and we tipped her with money and a spoon signed from the ABA. The demonstrators for the Spring Conference—Joe Bonifas and his son Patrick—drew a good crowd. We did well on the iron-in-the-hat and auction. Joe's ladle, a demo piece, will be auctioned at the Fall Conference. After dinner on Saturday, the group met for a short meeting. We decided not to purchase Pure Iron (close-out sale), and we talked about moving the shop air compressor due to the noise it makes during demo’s. We also discussed general maintenance of the shop building. Eugene Ratliff said that his monthly hammer-ins on the 4th Thursday of the month were drawing 14 to 20 attendees. (Page 16) Aaron Cutright and Gary Thomas are starting up monthly hammer-in's at Cedar Lakes—Aaron will let us know dates. We decided to hold a covered dish picnic at the shelter beside the Cedar Lakes blacksmith shop on Sunday, August 29th. It’s a family event, and a door prize will be given. Eugene Ratliff talked with Sid Suedmeier, and he will fine tune Cedar Lakes’ Little Giant power hammer. One or our founding members, Glenn Horr of Berkeley Springs, WV, will be the featured demonstrator at our Fall Conference. He will be using air tools, so please bring safety glasses and ear protection. Hats and T-shirts will be for sale at the Fall Conference. Thanks, Tim
Rice's Landing Hammer InThe Appalachian Blacksmiths and Pittsburgh Area Artists-Blacksmiths have carried on a long tradition of raising funds for the preservation of W. A. Young and Sons Machine Shop & Foundry at Rice’s Landing, PA. This year’s joint Hammer-In continued that effort as we raised $1,006 for the shop. Tim Schiffbauer (Left--ABA Pres.) and John Steel (Right--PAABA Pres.) presented the money to the Rivers of Steel Foundation which now is overseeing the preservation effort. The 2008 joint hammer-in also raised just over $1,000 for the preservation of Young’s shop. Boyd Holtan, Bob Rupert, and Bob Cruikshank all demonstrated at the forge. Bob Rupert also served as auctioneer for the fundraiser. Kim Thomas also made a video of the machine shop beltline in operation as well as a video tour of the shop. The video is on YouTube at: www.youtube.com /user/ThomasIronworks, or link to it from the ABA website. ABA also received $262 as its share of the auction proceeds. Rivers of Steel plans to re-roof the building this year and improve tourist access.
Photo courtesy of Chris Holt, Editor--Pittsburgh Area Artist-Blacksmiths Association Spring ConferenceSee the print version of the June issue for a full write-up.
Patrick and Joe Bonifas, demonstrators at Spring Conference. Photo by Don Cornell.
By Dave Allen, Editor The forged rose on the front cover is a work of art. Not only is the workmanship superb, but the smith also studied the rose in nature. He even duplicated the way the stem tears when it is pulled from the bush. Now that is what you call dedication to artistry. I only wish we had a large format magazine so I could enlarge the Scientific American cover even more. You can download the 10 x 15 cover from the SA website for the bargain price of $0.99. In this age of power tools, I think we sometimes lose track of what can be done by hand. This is more apparent when you look at 18th and 19th century ironwork. I’m not sure, though, we can duplicate the old ironwork today. The skills we have developed have evolved to take advantage of power tools. The old smiths did not have this luxury, so they learned how to forge with what they had. We also do not have wrought iron to work with anymore. Today’s mild steel is not as malleable as the old stuff was. Thus, we may be stuck with mild steel and power hammers for the future. The 20th century also brought abstract art to the world. Monet did not paint flowers—he painted his “impression” of flowers. I have never understood Picasso’s painting. I have, however, marveled at Jackson Pollock’s “paint spills.” Who would have thought that Andy Warhol could sell soup can labels for millions of dollars? The rose on the front cover suited the Victorian style that was so popular in 1895—flower designs were the rage in fabrics and wallpaper. But selling that same rose today would attract few buyers other than collectors. At any rate, we now know where the logo for the 1982 ABANA Conference came from—87 years earlier from a different era. * * * * * * * * * Vernon Hogard, 79Longtime ABA member Vernon Hogard of Buffalo Center, Iowa passed away Sept. 18, 2008. He was a second-generation blacksmith and operated Hogard & Son, the shop his father started, until he retired. Vernon was a past president of the Iowa Blacksmith & Welder Association. Vernon joined ABA because of his friendship with Boyd Holtan. Boyd bought his Little Giant power hammer from Vernon in 1991. Jeanne Hogard, Vernon’s widow, joined ABA as a member this year. She wrote Boyd recently: “I enjoy the newsletter. I still have blacksmithing in my blood. I miss going to blacksmith meetings and cooking for the group. “I have no way to go to meetings because Vern did the driving. Vern passed away, so I also lost my blacksmith gang.” Jeanne, all of us at the ABA offer our condolences to you and your family. We also hope we can be your “blacksmith gang” if only through the newsletter. Best wishes.
Print and Publishing Information The Appalachian Blacksmiths Association Newsletter is composed and written by the Editor(s) except as noted. ABANA Blacksmith Affiliate Newsletter Editors may reprint material herein provided its use is for non-commercial, educational purposes and appropriate acknowledgements are given. For all others, the material printed herein may not be reproduced without permission of ABA and/or the submitter. The ABA, its officers, its members, contributors, editors and writers specifically disclaim any responsibility, or liability for any damage, or injury as a result of the use of any information published in the ABA Newsletter or demonstrated at an ABA meeting or conference. Every effort is made to insure the accuracy and safety of information provided but the use by our members and readers of any information published herein or provided at meetings is solely at the user’s own risk. The Appalachian Blacksmiths Association is a non-profit, WV corporation, formed under Sec. 501(c)3, and is an affiliate of the Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America.
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