A day in the smithy with Willy

 On Sunday, weather was great, so I saddled my steed and rolled out to the smithy. It turns out Willy was already there and was doing some work. There were few customers, but still, children came along and we did a bit of forging with kids. Willy is currently going strong, what with his own smithy he always keeps with him on his car trailer. The progress he makes is great to see, and he is doing some big-scale work such as garden handrails and -doors and other big artisan blacksmithing stuff.

 He told me he wasn´t that much into knifemaking anymore, and I can much relate to that. It´s simply not that challenging anymore to pound iron flat and put an edge to it. I have taken other challenges, such as Damascus and those leaf-handled knives, but still, sometimes you just want something more eloquent. I try to combine artisan elements with my knives and have just started some reconstruction projects, but Willy is currently going huge with either tiny, extremely eloquent jewellery work - in steel, not silver- and classical artisan work for garden and home. In my opinion, this is a great way of learning from each other. Bro´, it´s always inspiring!

 Contrary to all my talking, I had little time and, as I freely admit, little energy, so I just made one of the highly practical bush knives while I waited for the kids to come.

 Willy made a coal shovel for his own forge.

 Oh, and this is Noris, kind of a blacksmith´s groupie already, dropping by frequently to do some small projects. We forged a little ring for the collar of his little doggie. It certainly shows he´s got practice, and he was righteously proud of his achievement!

 This is what I made, the bush knife from ancient spring steel with a high-tech ferrum oxide high density desert destroyer tactical operation high endurance forte TM coating for the blade;-), meaning, I left the oxide on. Also a chain link and a belt hook for a sheath system.

 I was thinking of making the handle a flower, but there was too little material - I was a bit spontaneous in making this blade. I also did a quick paracord wrap.

 The spine thickness is quite moderate, the knife has seen little stock removal. It´s well balanced, and the steel keeps a great edge, very fine and well hard enough. I love that steel.

We had a coffee and a piece of cake, cleaned up, and parted, as the sun sank. Nice day.