Iämpedahler waldmetz (Ennepetal forest knife)

 This is one of the latest incarnations of a breed I simply love to make these days - and it seems others do actually approve as well, for some already found a home elsewhere... ;-). This one´s a tester, which I made from silver steel for a change to further the game a bit... selective and conservative temper of about 58HRC (the steel with a carbon content of 1% can take a lot more), but that way it gets really, really sharp. It will be a personal eating and snack knife for me. The bevel is a high convex grind to zero.

 The handle is a bit of a pain in the arse to make, for it never comes out straight... ;-) but slowly I get the gist...

 Personally I like this twist a lot, even if it is quite basic and of course I have a lot to learn still... but I am getting there...

The leaf structure is made with the peen of a Scandinavian smithing hammer... I am currently dreaming up other design possibilities as well... we´ll see how it all comes out...

The knife´s now in for a spoon and fork and awl to go in a pouch.

Overall the knife design is surprisingly complex and handles a lot of tasks quite well. Lacking any scales or handle materials makes it easy to clean as well as really sturdy. It also does not stain as fast, even if it gets a patina. It is suited for eating, snacking and camp cooking as well as lighter to heavier bushcraft tasks, and the handle is big enough to offer you a decent hold on the knife. The downside is of course that the handle gets hot quite easily and cold as well... but you could easily tie it to a stick to use it as a makeshift harpoon or for harvesting leaves or fruit from a tree. Also it looks pleasing to my eye at least... I like it and want to work on the design more. I will keep you posted!

A hike to the Zee Aylienz annual season´s out - party

 This year again Zee Aylienz had invited to the annual season´s out BBQ, and smiths and vikings listened. We listened carefully and grinned. And met for a hike to the wonderful site of the BBQ. No looting and pillaging was allowed, so we offered help instead, to help Karo, who organized the whole thing a bit to get things running smoothly. Nick and Kathrin, and Michael and myself also met beforehand for a little bimble beforehand to smell the roses, so I packed my gear, and off I was to take the bus into the green, green woods. At the railway station I nearly bounced into Michael, whom I nearly missed... But no harm done, we arrived at the rendezvous point together and had a bit of strange conversation during the ride. The thugs on the rear bench nearly fell arse over tit when he took out his Mora to show me he´d sharpened it;-) made my day. Anyway, we met with Nick and Kathrin, and off we were.

 Into the rocks....

 Kids will be kids, I guess...;-).

 There are eagle owls nesting in the rocks, so we tread carefully and were relatively silent, except for the ruckus;-).

 Turns out Michael missed his rock climbing a lot....

 But soon we had other things to do... the terrain became a bit demanding.

 "You sure that´s the way?" "If you could tell me the way?"

 On top of the hill we had a cuppa coffee (thanks, bro!) and a cuppa tea, and a chat, basked in the sun and simply enjoyed great company.

 Then the road went ever on, we had some time to make, for rendezvous time was 1 pm at the Ranger´s station.

 Ever seen something like this at the end of October?

 Then we hit a piece of road, and, crossing it, went down into the woods to get to the forest ranger´s station. Now I know Mr. Knaup, who runs the site, which is more of a sustainability centre these days, since I was a kid living in the woods, and I was looking forward to meeting him. When we were on top of things, my bloody cellphone ringed. It was Karo, who was a bit desperate for the firewood was soaking wet and she could not get a fire started. I reassured her we would be there in no time, and we arrived well early still.

 And, I can tell you what, it was hell of an effort to get the damn fire this far! The wood was soaking wet, the tinder did not work at all, and, even if we first wanted to make a challenge out of lighting the fire with flint and stone, we simply gave in and took the cigarette lighter instead. We had little time left, before the goofs would arrive, and hungry nerds are not a good sight;-). But it was a great experience, since we worked together like a good team. Soon it was roaring wildly, and noone could complain there was no fire hot enough to roast sausages on. We will learn, however, that this is not an insurance against Aylienz complaining.;-)

 Martin is Karo´s man, and we gave him a short tutoring on how to whittle a stick. Some of you might laugh and make fun out of someone not knowing how to whittle a stick, but let´s keep things straight: It´s not commonplace anymore to know this. You have to know how to use a computer and a cellphone, not how to cook on open fire. We hope we have kindled some interest towards the topic, and I personally find it great if someone who did not know the how-do beforehand goes home content in knowing he had learned something adventurous. I hope the knowledge serves him well!

 Karo and Stevie. Stevie brought his little one, and both of them enjoyed themselves.

 This is wet timber, see?

 Then Nele arrived with a tray of beer and the goodies...

 And the goofs and Jan came in one by one after a hard ride. Jan relaxing in the sun and enjoying and "altogether too hot fire".

 No kidding, they complained the fire was too hot!;-)

 Nele having fun with a pumpkin.

 ....

 The guys and gals getting nice an toasty;-).

 Everyone was having a nice chat and sharing some tall tales.

 We got on with some cooking, and made steaks, pumpkin slices, potatoes, pumpkin stew, stuffed mushrooms and mushroom soup from the forage we brought with us, one sorry boletus and some nettles and yarrow.;-)

 The others enjoyed sausage and home-made salads.

Suddenly the mountainbikers were off towards home, but some few remaining, but in a steady trickle the were off, too. Then Olaf, Burkhardt, Tim, and the absolutely pain-resistant blacksmith hound Marie came by. We had a good time, and shared a lot of stories, both hilarious and sad, we had a beer and shared great food. The stars came out, and Nick played on his didgeridoo for us. Suddenly the world was an enchanted place, and everything made perfect sense.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye, and under the stars the last embers burned down. NIck, Kathrin and myself made for the hike down into the valley and towards home, since the last bus was gone. In the next village I simply took a taxi,  and when I was home, I went to bed with a warm feeling in my belly and my heart.

Thank you, folks, it was a great meeting!

Great Hammer-In with my weirdo friends;-)

 Some good week ago we met at the smithy again for a hammer-In. Olaf had called, Burkhard, Tim and Peter, Kai and Nick came to the smithy to do some smithing and BBQing afterwards. Nick did his first knifemaking tutorial with a Scandinavian iron-age loop-handle design he had never forged himself... very ambitious and a bit over the top, if you ask me, but he did very well. And since Tim thoroughly enjoyed himself, no harm done really. I tutored a bit besides, but only homoeopathically, and we all left with smiles...

 Olaf, Kai and Burkhardt having a chat. I forged a warhammer together with Olaf, and he really seemed to like it. And, bro, you brought too much! For Olaf brought a right truckload of good ol´steel, including some damascus and would not hear me decline it... So, lot of thanks to you. Olaf is one of the nicest guy I have met in the last years, in spite of his somewhat rustic appearance and a lot of "Huscarl" talk.. just a friend you like to have around. It was a right pleasure to work together, have some nice chats and sip a coffee.

 Kai wasn´t too lazy, either. He forged this leaf - handle knife. Spring steel. He is absolutely into leaves to date and makes huge progress in the moment.

 Those are his most recent works, three tongs he forged... blimey!;-)

This was Nick´s and Tim´s achievement, and I really like the fact that it was a genuine team effort.

 We lit the fire for the BBQ quite soon.

 This, by the way, is Marie, Burkhardts doggie, real cute, if you ask me, in spite of her complete ignorance of sharp and hot metal. She even caught some sparks without so much of further notice....

"Marie, dein Liebster ist ein Tier...";-)

Some of the stuff Olaf brought... I love those ancient hatchets, the smaller one presumeably out of three layer laminate!

Then, all of a sudden, it was dark, and we were hungry. I had prepared my trademark champigNOMMs;-) with a guacamole / Obazda sour cream stuffing, two good beef entrecotes, four pork chops, Nick had four pork chops, bread, salad, and the others contributed their part until we had way too much food. But we were hungry, did I mention?

 We sat and ate and chatted the night away.

 At 12 pm we added the next layer, and ate and talked some more.

Then, well into the night, we packed up, and I rode home on the deserted bike lane all stuffed and with the warm feeling of a great day in great company. Life can be great.

YAHI - Yet another hammer - In

 The other day we met at the smithy to have another hammer - In and some barbecueing afterwards. Daniel dropped by to show off the sword he bought at Hohensyburg medieval fair and to have some smithing. We had some argument about the ethics of swordplay, and I sincerely hope he is not angry with me for speaking my word. I guess it is a good thing he is taking up reenactment, and will live up to the responsibility that goes with owning a weapon, blunted blade or no. Nick dropped by, and I had a chance to have a look at his first knife, a neck knife with a bone handle, made out of selectively tempered spring steel. I helped a bit with the quench, but otherwise it´s all his work. I would have fitted the handle a bit differently, but that´s all my preference. I especially love the sheath with atenned piece of bone. He used a concoction of walnut, coffee and onion peels to colour it. Sweet! Have to try it myself.

 Willy was there, too, and relished in working on this 3 to manual press we want to use in smithing. I simply love to see someone loving what he does, and I can safely say that we were quite a different bunch of smiths were it not for Willy´s knowledge, skill and misanthropic humour;-).

 Daniel made a fork for carving up "Spießbraten", a German version of "Shish-Kepap". BIG ones, in fact. He made it from silver steel. Although I do not understand his choice of steel, it´s not my business, and it´s made very cleanly.

 Willy made this spoon from mild steel.

 Nick´s first fork... cudos, bro!

 This, however, is the first damascus knife Daniel made long ago in the smithy of our old master, Matthias Zwissler. Monster damascus from the world´s biggest damascus billet (2,4 to), 75Ni8, 15N20 and 1.2842 steel. Hats off!

 Hats off for Daniel for providing us with delicious sausage and BBQing in the bargain.

 And a quick fork Daniel made for grilling.

I also considered to make a gif from those two pics of Nick having a beer, I guess that slightly leery smile tells a thing or two about the AFTER-smithing party;-).

 I guess this goes without saying, but when forging, do not drink alcohol!

We had lit the fire, and had a chat and a delicious meal provided by Daniel, and some good work done. We chatted, and Volker joined us, we laughed and told stories and shared our time, and talked about what we want to do and what we had done and where we want to get. We talked about dreams and schemes and plans, and the stars came out, and an owl flew overhead, and the deer passed in the distance on a field.

 This is what I did to my little integral that day, some tiny bit of sloppy engraving. I normally am not overly fond of overdecorated thingies, but since this is one brutally capable bastid, ther´d be no harm, I thought, and this is a skill I still have to work on.

 I try to get some kind of face out of the buttcap. As is, I tanned it with iron oxide in vinegar / salt / citric acid concoction. I still have a lot of work to do on it, but to date I am relatively content with the outcome.

The other side.

I also finished quenching this La Tène Celtic short sword, and it came along nicely, passing the British saber test (Bending five inches out of true to either side, see if it comes out straight) and the Zlatoust test of lateral strength (Whacking it flat over a round piece of wood), so I guess, the temper is there. I still have to memorize, though, that the overall hardness of a sword quenched in the modern European style is lower than that of a knife. I am still working it out how to do some slective edge-quench without loam / Hamón technique on a double-edged blade, but I have some ideas...;-)


It was a great day with good food, and as usual, quality people, and projects getting there. Life can be great, if we can keep it simple.