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2003
Board of Directors
Les Cook
11222 Sagewillow
Houston, TX 77089-4536
281-481-2457
Richard Boswell
281-356-5205
Dave Koenig
281-855-2869
Larry Hoff
281-890-8822
James Porter
1925 Anchor Way Dickinson TX 77539
281-337-5384
Frank Walters
281-491-7328
FALL HAMMERFEST
at
Oldenburg
On Saturday October 4, 2003, the well known team of Bill Fiorini will demonstrate Damascus Knife making and Kirsten Skiles will demonstrate high relief chasing. More info on these special guests is at their web site http://home.centurytel.net/Fiorini_and_Skiles. Kirsten will begin at 9 a.m. and go till noon. Bill will begin at 1:30 and go until 4:30 p.m. They will be demo-ing under the big tent we are setting up, so come out rain or shine! See the HF Flyer for costs.
Our bi-annual Sales and Show event at Oldenburg is schedued for October 3-5. James Porter is organizing the show this year. Details will be in The HABA Letter.
Plan now to attend and help out at our Fall HammerFest on October 3-5. Download this page of our HF Flyer which has been mailed to members and you can share this with your friends.
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- Kirsten Skiles demonstrated high relief chasing
- Bill Fiorini demonstrated Damascus Knife making
- HABA Fall HammerFest 2003
Blacksmiths across Texas, Louisiana and all points from there have an opportunity to show their wares the first weekend of April in Oldenburg, TX. Five acres of land is being made available to blacksmiths during the famous Round Top Antique Show. The Round Top, TX antique show expanded over the years to include the neighboring towns of Warrenton, Shelby, Oldenburg and a few other places in between. The show occurs in April and October each year.
Oldenburg is located about 90 miles northwest of Houston. During the weekend over 1,000 vendors sell and 200,000 buyers enjoy the shows, buy and drive the beautiful countryside.
The owner of the property has an interest in smithing and played in the Oldenburg blacksmith shop while growing up. The original site of the Oldenburg shop is just a few stone throws away from the five-acre site. The original Oldenburg shop is now operating again at the George Ranch Historical Park south of Houston.
Anyone is invited to come to Oldenburg and demonstrate. Our
gracious hosts are Kennie and Susan Hall. There is no cost. A hat is passed on Sunday
to defray the expenses for power, water and porta-jons. Camping is
available on-site with a hot and cold running water shower!All Blacksmiths and friends and visitors are invited to sell, buy or just visit. Remember that the Hammerfest weekend is the same weekend as the Round Top Antique Show. Thousands of vendors and hundreds of thousands of buyers are roaming the countryside between Round Top, Warrenton, Oldenburg, Fayetteville and Shelby during this event.
Special Guest Demonstrators
When & Where :
The Hammerfest site in Oldenburg, TX is located at the intersection of Highway 237 and Bauer Road. The site is on the north end of town on he East Side of highway 237. See maps below.
Friday-Sunday October 3,4, and 5 :
The schedule looks like this:
- Friday 8:00 : Sign in and setup
- Saturday 8:00 am : Sign in and setup, begin Tool Fair sales
- Saturday 9:00 am : Kirstn Stiles will demonstrate high relief chasing
- Saturday 12:00 pm : Lunch break
- Saturday 1:30 pm : Bill Fiorini will demonstrate Damascus Knife making
- Saturday 4:30 pm : Conclude Demos, begin social
- Sunday 8:00 pm : Sign in and setup
- Sunday 4:00 pm : Pack and Clean Up
CAMPING - Friday - Sunday:
Camping available in the field behind demonstration area.
No charge to members, their families and their guests (donations will be collected to help with expenses)
Portable toilets, water and electricity are available
SALES TENTS - Friday - Sunday:
Club Fundraising Table - Handmade items donated by members for sale to the public
DEMONSTRATIONS - All day – Saturday
What to Bring
Chairs, canopys, tents.
Bring safety glasses with side shields. This is a requirement!
Bring your forge and tools if you have them.
If you do not have a forge and tools, please come anyway. There will be plenty of room at some forge during the workshop and someone to lend you a hand if you need it.
You do not have to be a member to attend our meetings! Bring a Guest!
ABOUT THE EVENT
Hammerfest is held in Spring and Fall in conjunction with the Round Top antique festival
Open to the public - at no charge for admission
Dates- Friday, - Sunday, the first full weekend of April and October
Place: Highway 237 and Bauer Rd. – Oldenburg, TX
PURPOSE
-
:
- To promote HABA and attract new members
- To share basic blacksmith techniques with new club members
- To provide blacksmith tools (anvils, forges, hand tools) for sale
- To provide social opportunity to meet new members
- To provide social opportunity to meet members of other blacksmith clubs
- To raise funds for club through donated items from members
This is going to be a great event. Here are some photos from last year.
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Some relevent on-line links for your viewing....
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Special Guest Demonstrators
On Saturday October 4, 2003, Bill Fiorini will demonstrate Damascus Knife making and Kirsten Skiles will demonstrate high relief chasing. More info on these special guests is at their web site http://home.centurytel.net/Fiorini_and_Skiles.
Kirsten Skiles
Kirsten Skiles is a busy Artist Blacksmith Mom who uses steel to express the ornate wilderness of river, garden and life Kirsten has been active in the field of blacksmithing; teaching at a number of well known craft schools, demonstrating, and helping to organize the 2002 ABANA conference at LaCrosse, Wisconsin. She has exhibited both nationally and abroad. She specializes in nature imagery and any metal technique involving sheet metal and a hammer. She currently balances custom ironwork commissions and caring for her two small children.
Bill Fiorini
William Fiorini received his MFA from Bowling Green State University in 1968 and has been a professional metalsmith and Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse from 1968 to present. He has conducted workshops at Penland School, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Peters Valley Craft School, John C. Campbell Folk School, Touchstone Center For Crafts and the National Ornamental Metal Museum as well as workshops for art groups and other professional organizations.
A few of the positions held by Bill over the last 10 years are: President of the Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America, Board Member and 1st Vice President of ABANA and the International Damascus Society. He is a member of The Knifemakers'Guild and a Mastersmith in The American Bladesmith Society.
Bill has been invited to show his work in many juried and invitational shows nationally and internationally over the last 25 years. His work has been published in many magazines and books over the years including The Anvils Ring Magazine, Blade Magazine, Tactical Knives Magazine, Edges Magazine, The Pattern Welded Blade by Jim Hrisoulas, On Damascus Steel by Leo S. Figiel, The Contemporary Blacksmith by Dona Meilach, and Jewelry-Contemporary Design and Technique by Chuck Evans.
Bill Fiorini has conducted extensive research in Mokume-Gane and Pattern-Welded Steel (Damascus) over the last ten years and he has received research grants and published research papers on pattern development processes in both ferrous and non-ferrous materials. He has completed research studies in Japan where he worked with a master high relief chaser and a master swordsmith.
Directions to Oldenburg
The Hammerfest site in Oldenburg, TX is located at the intersection of highway 237 and Bauer Road. The site is on the north end of town on he East Side of highway 237.
click here for more maps
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Enjoy!
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Last updates were on August 25, 2003
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