HABA Houston Area Blacksmith's Assoc.

<body> <A HREF="indexrow1col1.html">Click here</A> <p> <a href="http://www.habairon.org">Habairon.org</a> (HOUSTON AREA BLACKSMITH ASSOCIATION) is a frame only site. <p>HABA, BLACKSMITHING, SMITH, SMITHING, ANVIL, METAL WORK, HOUSTON, BLACKSMITH, HAMMER, ART METAL, FORGE, FARRIER are all the keywords that you can find HabaIron under. There are possible other keywords but these are just some. <p><i>The Village Blacksmith</i> <p><i>"Under the spreading chestnut tree</i> <br><i>the village smithy stands.</i> <br><i>The smith, a mighty man is he</i> <br><i>with strong and sinewy hands</i> <br><i>And the muscles of his brawny arms</i> <br><i>are strong as iron bands.</i> <p><i>His hair is crisp and black and long.</i> <br><i>His face is like the tan.</i> <br><i>His brow is wet with honest sweat.</i> <br><i>He earns what'er he can</i> <br><i>And looks the whole world in the face,</i> <br><i>for he owes not any man...."</i> <p><i>Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - 1807 - 1882</i> <br>  <p>Ornamental blacksmithing is alive and well in  and around Houston, Texas. <p>The sights and sounds of the smithy and the character of the smith Longfellow describes in his classic poem, The Village Blacksmith, are probably as true today as they were almost 200 years ago.  There are still the 'flaming forge' and the roar of the air raising the temperature of a forge fire.  Children young and old will still look in the open door with wonder and watch a smith shape a piece of iron into something not  imaginable before. <p> Smiths still work long hard hours.  They still use the basics of our world, fire, air and water to change the shape of that seemingly immovable and very common element on earth, iron.  These people are continuing an art and craft that began many thousands of years ago.  It is a craft upon which all other crafts and societies depended to produce the tools needed to shape their cultures. <p>The biggest difference between today's smith and Longfellow's smith is that some  may object to being portrayed in such a masculine manner. <p>Women are picking up the hammer more and more and are contributing to the art and craft of blacksmithing.  All smiths just do not have 'strong and sinewy hands and arms as strong as iron bands'.  Some have torches and power hammers and pneumatic tools to  shape iron.  Others are fascinated by learning  and further developing the forging techniques used by Longfellow's smith. <p><b>OUR COMMITMENT</b> <p>The Houston Area Blacksmith's Association is  committed to becoming the premier resource for information and hands-on experience for people in the Houston area who seek information about the art and craft of ornamental blacksmithing. <p>Ornamental blacksmithing refers to the forming and fabrication of metals for architectural and utilitarian purposes.  The Houston Area Blacksmith's Association seeks out and shares esthetic and technical skills related to this type of blacksmithing. <p><b> OUR BEGINNINGS</b> <p>The Houston Area Blacksmith's Association met first in February 1997.  Fourteen people came to that meeting.  Now there are over a hundred people on the mailing list for the monthly HABA Letter.  This letter keeps everyone up-to-date on the association's activities and shares smithing tips and techniques, old and new. <p>The Houston Area Blacksmith's Association meets regularly on the third Saturday of the month. <br>  <h2> <br> <b>WHERE WE ARE GOING</b></h2> Members of the  Houston Area Blacksmith's Association have a single focus, to learn more as individuals and to teach others with an interest in blacksmithing. <p>They seek-out opportunities to learn more about the history and techniques of forging hot iron, steel, aluminum, brass and other malleable metals.  Sources of this information come from historical and contemporary books.  Videos of accomplished smiths are other available resources.  The internet is a growing wealth of information for tools, organizations, techniques, training opportunities and problem solving.  Many craft schools teach ornamental blacksmithing and some universities offer degrees. <p>The primary source of information is the monthly meeting.  These meetings offer an opportunity to see, hear and feel how it is done.  Members and visitors have the opportunity to practice what is being taught, to feel the heat from the hot iron, to take in the smells and most importantly feel what it is like to move hot iron with a hammer. <p>The Houston Area Blacksmith's Association is a source of information to learn how to build a forge, gas or traditional charcoal and coal.  With a forge and anvil or other large piece of iron to use as an anvil, learning can begin in earnest.  Now a person has the ability to combine the basic elements of air, water, fire with iron with his or her own  abilities to create things like no one else. <p>The thrills of creating something with your own hands and the less thrilling experience of adding something to the scrap pile are motivators.  They motivate people to share what they know and learn more about what they do not. <p>There is hardly a better way to learn than to teach. <p><b> WHAT WE DO</b> <p>Members of the Houston Area Blacksmith's Association members demonstrate what they know about the art and craft for the public.  These demonstrations may take place at state and county parks, schools, museums, and local festivals. <p>In addition to demonstrating for the public, the organization is willing to take on special requests.  In July 1999, Houston Area Blacksmith's Association coordinated an event called Celebrate Smithing in Texas!  Smiths from the Houston area and from all over Texas came to Washington on the Brazos State Park for an important and common purpose. <p> (In 1836 a group of people living in the then Texas Territory of Mexico came together at Washington on the Brazos for a common purpose, to declare their independence from Mexico.  With the stroke of their pens they started a new country, the Republic of Texas.) <p>The common purpose was to create the hardware for the new Barrington Living History Farm at Washington on the Brazos State Park.  The hardware was made in a traditional manner.  It allows the doors, shutters and gates to swing on the new smokehouse, kitchen, two slave quarters, barn, chicken coop and fences.  In addition to the hinges there were hooks and hasps and a fireplace crane for the kitchen hearth. <p> Two weekend workshops featuring Heiner Zimmerman of Pliezhausen, Germany and another featuring Bob Bergman and  Nana Showalter were facilitated by the Houston Area Blacksmith's Association.  Guest demonstrators of national and international recognition are always a source of new ideas. They  remind us of things we know and  affirm  we are making some progress. <p>Guest demonstrators are arranged when the opportunity arises and the funds are available. <br>  <p><b>SUMMARY</b> <p>Smithing is alive and well across Texas and the United States. <br>  <p><b>ADDITIONAL INFORMATION</b> <br>  <p>For more information about the <a href="http://www.habairon.org">Houston Area Blacksmith's Association</a> contact: <p>Dave Koenig,  281-855-2869 <a href="mailto:76021.3660@compuserve.com.">76021.3660@compuserve.com.</a> <p>Larry Newbern,  409-793-4362 <br><a href="mailto:cnewbern@compuserve.com">cnewbern@compuserve.com</a>. <p>Larry Hoff,  281-890-8822 <p>Frank Walters, 713-896-7566 <br>  <p> Houston Area Blackmith's Association, Incorporated <p>HABA <p>Please  email </a> HABAIRON.ORG System Admin if there are any problems. <br>  <p>This page uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them.</p> </body>