OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

12144 <EmeryB@a...> 1997‑01‑18 my Bio, and Other Tedious Bits
Greetings One And All,

Welcome to my Bio and Other Tedious Bits
(or: Confessions of One who Plays With Fire)

I've meant to get this up on the line for a while, and today it is to bloody
cold to head over the hills to the forge, anyway.  So, with a nice hot cup of
tea beside, I'll write this up.  I don't know but that I'm a little premature
in submitting this:  I've been smithing for not too long a time now, but I am
the Babe-in-the-Woods when it comes to wood working.  But since some of you
have already bought some of my wares, I think it only right that I tell a bit
about m'self, and hope it doesn't run on, etc...

I am applying myself to being a blacksmith.  Currently, we live in western
Massachusetts, the wife's old home ground.  We have the one 2-year old boy.
 Two parrents to one child is a ratio we feel most comfortable with just now.
 I'm 36 years of age, and didn't 'really' get into this hand tool stuff until
the last few years.  To be sure, the 9 years and Some Odd Number of months I
spent in the USAF really had nothing to do with blacksmithing (I was sorta
into the secure telecommunications installation and matenance thingy).

As I said, I am a novice, and am here to learn.  I hope to marry my interests
of woodcraft and blacksmithing, but for now most of my time is in the forge
(by hammer in hand, all arts to stand...).  One of the avenues of
blacksmithing I hope to persue is that of tool making.  Traditional tools
after traditional styles (especially for reenactment types, if you get my
drift),  but not forgetting to try a few new ideas on the old themes.  Now,
what better place to find all those things rolled up into one nice package,
some personal insights by folks who have the hands-on, and a few good laughs
along the way as well?  So, that's my bit.  For those who feel you already
know enough about me (perhaps too much), please feel free to cut out here.  I
won't mind a bit.  For those of you who wish to carry on, or those with
absolutely nothing else to do, read on.

My interest in blacksmithing came during my last posting in the AF.  I was
stationed at an air base in England,  a place called Mildenhall, in Suffolk.
 Maybe some of you have heard of it?... At any rate, there I was, with
something of an interest of history, enjoying the chance to tour around.
 There are many historic sites of Anglo-Saxon and Viking era settlements, as
you can guess.  And one close by, in the town of West Stow,  offered not only
an actual archeaological site, but a country park and s recreated
fifth-century Anglo-Saxon village.  The park rangers there split there duties
up to take care of the enviro-nature-preserve-type-stuff and the
historic-site-type-stuff.  They also gave demonstrations and classes of
woodland trades and other crafts as they pertained to the Anglo-Saxons.  So,
I got to try my hand at the pole lathe, my first experience with draw- and
spoke shaves,  cleaving the billet out with froe, bringing  it down with side
ax (or if you wanted to try it in a more regional method, with bill hook).
 And then, collecting the crap on the ground left from waste wood, I helped
with the making of charcoal.  And the charcoal for the forge.

The forge.  The forge, and the building that it sat in were a bit modern,
compared to the ca.450 AD village.  It was built after a 13th century pattern
in a manuscript by one of the park rangers there.  Two hand-bellows supplied
the blast through the clay bank that made the tuere.  The sparks from the
charcoal fire lifted up and danced to the rhythm of the reciprocating
bellows, almost reaching the thatch (yes, a thatched roof--I know, Iknow;
asked the same thing myself...).  And so, while helping the smith in that
dark cottage, the red light cast shadows that looked to me to be very old
indeed.  And the anvil sang just right, and the whole romantic idea of it
caught me.  The idea that you could take the elements of Earth, Air, Fire,
and Water and create something to your will--well, I was hooked.

To continue on the Path of Unassured Income, I decided that pestering
blacksmiths for information at every chance was good, but investing in a
proper class and actually paying for it should be part of my scheme.  I was a
few months from ending my tour in England, and taking classes in the US would
have to wait.  The Rural Developement Commission (Formally CoSIRA, for any
iron working folks) offered all kinds of rural trades classes.  And they even
let me in, a foreigner, from a strange land.  For me, it was a beginning
class, but the other students were of all skill levels, and it was very
enlightening for me.  Unencumbered by the weight of reason, I decided to be a
blacksmith.  And I was away.  May God watch over all such.

The last couple of years have been spent (and I mean 'spent' in every
exhausting sense of the word) on trying to settle down, find jobs, and work
the fire.  Having been employed at Hancock Shaker Village for the last 2
years, I've had the opportunity to work with and take classes from the master
blacksmith there, as well as other very gifted people who are masters of
their own crafts (cabinet making, textiles and weaving, the box-makers,
 farmers and agro-people, and the like).  Every day is a learning experience.
 And while I'm pretty sure that my head will not explode from all the
knowledge crammed in there, I'm willing to share what I know.  Thanks ahead
of time for all the things I'm going to learn from you all.

Having said that, I most likely will wait to speak until spoken to, at least
until I get into things.  Even though I'm now (apparently) talking to you via
the powers of the mistical Net, I still am a subscriber to America Off Line,
and like nothing better than to retreat back to a bygone time.  I'm burning
coal, for cryin' out loud!  What would you expect from me?

Well, that is enough for now.  I'm going back to my cave.  If you need me,
throw a rock in to get my attention.  Thanks for listening.

Brian Emery
81 Dartmouth St. #202
Pittsfield, MA   01201
tel: 413-499-5780
e-mail: its just up there in the header, if it isn't deleted already...



Recent Bios FAQ