Twas the Night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the Blacksmiths Shop All the horses were stirring, and just wouldn’t stop.
The shoes were hung around the forge’s dim glow,
In hopes that the Blacksmith would soon make a show.


The horses soon settled, all quiet and fed.
While visions of candy mints danced in their heads.
I’m in my apron and Ma with her night cap.
Had just settled had just settled down to watch Netflix ASAP!


When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.


The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Horses and carriage drawing ever so near.


With a little old driver, so lively and quik,
An unscheduled appointment, ...I’m gonna be sick.
More rapid than eagles my curses they came,
he whistled, I shouted and called him a name!


"Oh Blacksmith! Oh Blacksmith! Don’t dash away!
Come out on the porch, I have something to say!


As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
They met with an obstacle, I threw in the sky.
Behind the shop to avoid obstacle that flew,
The carriage with horses and the old man too.


And then, in a twinkling, I ran in the shop.
The prancing and pawing, it’s just got to stop.
As I drew out my head, he was turning around,
I unhook the bellows with not even a sound.


He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
I squeezed the coal dust from the bellows and covered him in soot.
Now he’s a bundle of black and he started to hack.
He looked like a black bear, I said just “stay back”!


His eyes how they glared, with his body impaired.
Made me worry a little, maybe even got scared.


I thought I seen smoke, when he gritted his teeth.
Encircled his head just like a wreath.
He had a black face, soot down to his belly,
That shook as he coughed, and was just kind of smelly!


He was chubby and plump, like a  jolly old elf,
He laughed when he saw me in spite of himself!
A wink of his eye and a shake of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.


He spoke not a word, but went straight to work,
He nailed on the horse shoes, I felt like a jerk.
Laying my hand over my eyes & nose,
He gave me a nod, up the carriage he rose!


He grabbed the reins, to the team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Poem Parody by ©WadeSeiders2010

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Mini Damascus Trade Axe necklace Drawing on Facebook

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Northwest Farrier Icon

This was a behind the scenes event at the 2010 NWSA Fall Classic Horse Show. There is a display board at the Salem, Oregon Fairgrounds for Farriers to put their shoes on display to show their craftsmanship and Blacksmithing techniques. The boards purpose is to honor and pay tribute to the late Bob Gwartney, a Saddlebred Farrier who learned his craft from the Ernst Brothers in Kentucky.
 
My first encounter with Bob was memorable, in the early to mid 80's, I was apprenticing for a Saddlebred/Jumper Farrier named Delver Gianella, who has shod for the majority of large Saddlebred barns in the NW.
We pulled up to Chuck Courts barn in Snohomish, WA to find this old beater truck that had scrap and misc. items tossed in the open bed of the old pick up, it looked like it was itself headed for the scrap yard.

Gianella and I walk up to it and Gianella comments "look at this heap of Gwartneys" then he reaches in the back of the bed and pulls out a very well crafted 1/2 round Saddlebred toe weight shoe. Gianella then said: Can you believe that something this well forged comes from a heap like this? ...Looks are deceiving.
  This was my first impression of Bob and I have learned that it is a good way to get to know someone by observing (admiring) their skills and craftsmanship.

  Some of the traditional Saddlebred barns still call their Farriers "Blacksmiths", The extensive forge work for some of these horses shoes require precision Blacksmithing for their shoes.



This photo courtesy of Rhea Turner

 So, Delver Gianella and I made some shoes for the Gwartney Memorial Board.  Gianella made his  interpretation of the 1/2 round toe weight shoe "Gwartney style" and I might add that it was spot on.
 I made the Roadster and the Lateral toe extension shoes. Delver and I teamed up after 25 years to forge a Saddlebred country pleasure shoe out of 1" round bar, wedged at 4 degrees.



The Roadster




Saddlebred Country Pleasure



Lateral Toe Extension

1" Half Round Toe Weight

  Some of the shoes on this Memorial board are made by Jamie Pruitt, Zack Morris, Bobby Bewley and others to name a few. Larry Bewley was my first instructor in  1983.
  I just thought this story behind the scenes should be told.

A Throwing Tomahawk

Throwing Axe

Just out of the forge, a throwing Tomahawk ready to be hardened and tempered. This one will weigh 1 lb after I'm finished with sanding. Then heat blued is the plan. HBC Fort Vancouver style with a rounded poll. Made out of 1060 steel. Authentic in looks, but not in construction with it being hand forged out of a medium-high carbon steel.

"Spada de Lato is Finito!"

Finito

The Spada de Lato-Side Sword is now constructed. Completely hand forged, hot brushed steel. Black Ray skin beneath a braided wire wrap on the handle...Mounted on a Lucifer's Lace patterned blade.

Additions update

Stage5

 ...just an update on the addition of the small port or side ring and I choose the covering for the grip also. In my next post I will name the element parts that make up a whole sword and hilt, each is composed of several distinct components.

Assembly with Blade

stage 4

My interpretation of the Spada De Lato (Side Sword) is taking shape. All of the main parts of the Hilt are rough fitted with the hand forged and welded cross guard heat seized on the tang of the "Lucifer's lace" patterned blade. 

The components of a Hilt

stage 3

This is the main anatomy of a Hilt and how some are constructed, minus the Ray skin (stingray) or wire wrap. I'm still undecided at this point what will eventually cover the Walnut wood handle.

Rehilt continued...

So far, so good! A roughed out hilt & pommel ready for fitting on the blade. I still need to add a lateral ring. The house's-(triangular pieces in the center of the hilt) remind me of jump welding Saddlebred horse shoe toe clips.

stage 2

A Rehilt

I've decided to rehilt one of my blades to transform it into a "Side Sword".
So here it begins...
Pieces are forged and then forge welded. I will use only my hammer to stick the welds, keeping the authentic seam look like it was done in the past...tricky.

Stage 1

Just looks like pieces stuck together-Good strong welds in the beginning are very important!

Fur Trade Axes

I've been making 1st half (1820-1850's) 19th century fur trade axes, and also 18th century (1700's) trade axes, also referred to as the Belt Axe, Tomahawk, and or Hatchet etc. I stay true to the period in their construction, hand forging & hand welding the poll onto the bar to be the axe on the 19th century &


Forging the poll on the 18th century axe, Both types are steeled in the bit, hardened & tempered.

Originally Iron was used with a file steel as the insert for the bit. I will have only a limited number of authentic iron with steel bit as the true wrought Iron is hard & expensive to acquire. So I've decided to use patterned steel as axe stock, keeping the construction historically correct and voila!

Fur Trade Axes ~Modified~

35th annual OKCA Show (Oregon Knife Collectors Association)

Union Hall Forge/ Wade Seiders will be attending the Oregon Knife Collectors Association’s annual show in Eugene, Oregon.

The show will be held this year on Friday, April 17 thru Sunday April 19. It is located at the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene, Oregon.

Union Hall Forge’s table will be at table #C12. We will be displaying some of our work.

Saturday: 8AM to 5PM

Sunday 9AM to 3PM