Organizations and groups have the occasional hammer-in.  There's a maker or two who puts on multi-day "classes". There are a handful of Comm. Colleges that have programs in Blacksmithing or Bladesmithing.  

For a period I was a full-time professional sharpener. (More than just knives). I've travelled and visited some makers.

Life has brought me back to this and now I'm wondering if anyone here has experiences with these classes or schools?  Whether they're through the ABS or some other org.

Check out this thread by Thadbow a few weeks back.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=110;t=004924

Matt

NW Georgia shouldn't be too far from Haywood Community College.  There is a 2-week ABS intro class held there 2 times a year.  I went several years ago and it is money well spent.

Went to the ABS forging school out in Arkansas several years ago. J. R. Cook was one of the instructors, met Jerry Fisk and he took a few of us to his shop. Great experience, learned a lot from some top knife makers.

I've been to the ABS Haywood Community College/Great Smoky Mountain Hammer In three times...Best way to get a jump start on Bladesmithing.  Thinking of going again in the next couple of weeks. Some really top notch exhibitors.  For $65 and a hotel room, it's an educational bargain!  tippit

  http://www.americanbladesmith.com/index.php?section=events&subsection=show_events_details&events_id=41

Thanks guys.  So they're considered good investments even for a guy who doesn't have his own forge yet.

(I mean, apartment life doesn't lend itself to *anything* I'm "into".)

The class should be the first money spent. That gives you a direction to go instead of spending a lot of money on things you'll end up not using.

I went to the ABS intro class in October of 2002 and took classes every year for several years and still occasionally take a class. But now I am privileged to teach at the schools as well.

Even though I never made it to these classes I'd have to agree. I don't think they even had any such thing back in the late 80s. When I finally got involved in the ABS in "04" and learned just what I didn't know I started attending every hammer-in or "class" I could get to. Very definitely money well spent.

The next hammer in is march 7-9.  it is the off season for hotels so most are pretty reasonable. I'll be there.

Any thing closer to the midwest coming up anytime soon?

bretto