Regularity

Last time I promised amazement.  I changed my mind.  Today was a day for visits and more blacksmith stuff. 

This morning our friends Terry and Cathy stopped by for a short visit.  Terry and Duane both worked at Delphi (in Dayton).  Terry was a tinner and Duane was a plumber. 

I found our long time friend Bob The Blacksmith (as I call him).  Duane knew Bob through blacksmithing.  I met him (decades ago, as he reminded me) through black powder camping.  

Inspired by the tv show Forged In Fire, our Troy family was eager to see some forging up close.  Duane and I were glad for one last visit with them before we move on tomorrow.

We all watched traditional smithing,  .

repoussé with copper

and gunsmithing .

We were really intrigued when Gramps fired up a forge.

We all wondered what he was making.

Voila!  A new poker for the family outdoor fire pit!

In the evening we watched part of the annual contest.  The object to be made is different each year, as are some of the rules.  Teams of two people compete, sometimes with left and right legs or arms tied together, or some other thing to make the competition a little more interesting and fun. 

This year the object was a very simple candle holder.  The pointed end is hammered into a wall or it can be hung by the open hook.  The closed circle holds the candle.  Each team member had to work on a different end.  They had 20 minutes.  There were 5 teams competing at a time with 20 teams in all.

I enjoyed the contrast between the older and younger smiths.  This team consisted of a red-haired, inked young woman and her male partner who wore shorts, a tshirt with scull and crossbones that said “eat, sleep, blacksmith”  and had piercings on his face.

These two grey beards work protective clothing.

Another sign of the times—this older guy spent the weekend in his leather kilt.  In contrast (not pictured) one of the young demonstrators had a nose ring and long dreds down his back.

There was too much going on today to showcase any of the artwork on display.

Maybe I’ll show that tomorrow.

Louise and Duane