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The Matherton Forge Iron Age Challenge II

"The Rematch!"

 

July 20, 21 and 22 2012

 

 

Remember Nasticles?  He's back! We thought we had defeated him but he's back and talking more trash than ever! Nasticles says the first time was a fluke and that we smart alec iron pounders just got lucky and that we can't do it again!   Despite the sound thrashing, and the scars, we gave him before he still maintains that his bronze weapons and armor are more than enough to beat our black metal and once again challenges us to defeat him to prove the bronze age is indeed over and a new metal is ready to rule the world.



The challenge:  In three days, using raw ore and ancient smelting methods, produce an iron age blade capable of cutting Nasticles down to size, once and for all.



Attendance fee - Nothing! This is not business, just knife friends having fun, but do bring a bag of real wood charcoal, we will need a lot.


Friday, July 20, the bloomery furnace will be fired at around 9:00 a.m., hopefully with bloom consolidation and forging beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 21, starting at 9:00 a.m., blade forging, grinding, and other aspects such as heat treating as time allows before dinner time. 

6:00 P.M. Dinner and knifemaker show and tell, bring food and blades! Dinner is potluck, we will supply some basic sustenance for any indigent, itinerant bladesmiths, but Nasticles and his horde took all our T-bones, well the whole cow for that matter. So if you want the really good stuff bring it and grill it, we can set you up with a heat source, and we will have a cookout.    After dinner there will be a special single malt scotch tasting event and bladesmithing discussion. Entertaiment by local area residents, should they decide to go Maple River cooler sailing again!

Single Malt Scotch tasting event (and more bladesmith Q&A): 
It was so popular and fun before, we will do it again! To participate - (obviously you must be 21) bring a bottle of single malt scotch with purchase receipt.  A reciept for a scotch of $30 or more gets your name entered into a drawing for a $200 Matherton Forge gift certificate (anything made by Kevin. And Kevin will not be allowed to enter the drawing this time); each $10 beyond that in price will get your name entered again.  So, for example, say you bring a receipt showing a $75 bottle of scotch, you will get 5 tickets, or entries, in the drawing.  All power to the shop shop will be shut off before the scotch tasting begins.

There will also be an award for the scotch voted best overall.



Sunday, July 22, at 9:00 the process of finishing the blade and putting it to the test of cutting will proceed.

 

In case you haven't caught on by now, this event is not a formal hammer-in, I do so many of those I get burned out, but instead just an opportunity to hang out with other blade makers while attempting something very cool and have fun! Think of it as a camp-out where we get to grill, laugh, chat and mess around with all things concerning blade making; kind of a weekend summer camp for big kids who want to make blades.

 

Where: Matherton Forge

5615 Tyler Street,
Hubbardston (Matherton), MI 48845
989-981-6780

 

We had great fun with the folks who camped out in the back yard last year, and anybody who wants to bring a tent is welcome to do so.

 

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All images and text Copyrighted © 2006 Kevin R. Cashen, www.cashenblades.com, all rights reserved.