Spend a Weekend at Ashokan that will enlighten you on the history, development, and creation of high quality blades.
The 2022 program will be announced July 2022
The Speakers for the 2021 Sword Seminar
Kevin Cashen
With a lifetime devoted to the research and study of the history, science and methods of forged blades, Kevin Cashen is one of the most respected experts in his field on many aspects of his craft. Because of this, his services as an instructor are much in demand. Kevin has been an American Bladesmith Society approved instructor for over 20 years, and has taught classes ranging from intro to bladesmithing, for beginners, to blade metallurgy, for master instructors, at locations that include local events, international symposiums and colleges and universities. He has been integral in helping to organize and lead programs for the Ashokan Knife Seminars for many years and will be lending his expertise to this year's sword program. View Kevin's work at https://cashenblades.com/the-blades/
Tim Zowada
For those of you who are not familiar with Tim, or his work, here are a few highlights of his career: Tim made his first knife in 1979, while still in high school. In 1982, he made his first Damascus steel. In 1983, knife making became his full time profession. Since then, he has risen among the ranks of custom knife makers, whose work is among the most desired. He has also won several awards at knife shows, and juried exhibitions.
Not only does Tim make great razors and knives, he teaches others in order to preserve the craft. He has lectured and demonstrated at several seminars over the years. He has been the director of the Ashokan Knifemaking Seminar for most of the last two decades. Tim has also been a regular contributor for both the Blade Magazine, and Knives Illustrated. His other writings include a chapter in Blade's Guide to Making Knives 2nd Edition and articles in Knives 2012, 2014, and 2016. To learn more about Tim and to see his fine work go to: www.zowadaknives.com
Tim's workshop will be “Modern Heat Treatment of Longer Blades”.
Not only does Tim make great razors and knives, he teaches others in order to preserve the craft. He has lectured and demonstrated at several seminars over the years. He has been the director of the Ashokan Knifemaking Seminar for most of the last two decades. Tim has also been a regular contributor for both the Blade Magazine, and Knives Illustrated. His other writings include a chapter in Blade's Guide to Making Knives 2nd Edition and articles in Knives 2012, 2014, and 2016. To learn more about Tim and to see his fine work go to: www.zowadaknives.com
Tim's workshop will be “Modern Heat Treatment of Longer Blades”.
Phil Baldwin
Phillip Baldwin picked up a hammer and started smithing hot metal in 1967 and has yet to put it down. His work ranges from bladesmithing to jewelry to toolmaking to architectural scale metalsmithing with side investigations into forge building and other for-the-field development. You can see some of Phil's work at: www.shiningwave.com/
Phil has widely taught (first class in 1976) and has exhibited nationally and internationally. He is a frequent demonstrator at the Ashokan Seminar, and will be doing two presentations this year:
The Lecture: "The Sword in Myth and Legend in Northwestern Europe”. A lecture about the role of the sword, both as a tool and a symbol, in several narratives from the period of approximately 500AD to 1300AD in Northwestern Europe. Beowulf, Saga of the Volsungs and other literary works will be examined to obtain a deeper understanding of the sword and it’s meaning in those societies. These legends continue inform and influence current meanings associated with swords to this day. The lecture will be accompanied by images of swords and artwork from a variety of cultures.
The Demo: "Sword Heat Treating With Minimal Equipment”. In this evening demo, a sword will be hardened and tempered using simple, easy to construct equipment. The smith will construct a long charcoal fire, evenly heat the blade and quench in oil and straightened. Upon cooling, the hardened blade will then be tempered and further straightened as needed. A high risk operation with a multitude of things that could go wrong.
A very fire-friendly event!
Phil has widely taught (first class in 1976) and has exhibited nationally and internationally. He is a frequent demonstrator at the Ashokan Seminar, and will be doing two presentations this year:
The Lecture: "The Sword in Myth and Legend in Northwestern Europe”. A lecture about the role of the sword, both as a tool and a symbol, in several narratives from the period of approximately 500AD to 1300AD in Northwestern Europe. Beowulf, Saga of the Volsungs and other literary works will be examined to obtain a deeper understanding of the sword and it’s meaning in those societies. These legends continue inform and influence current meanings associated with swords to this day. The lecture will be accompanied by images of swords and artwork from a variety of cultures.
The Demo: "Sword Heat Treating With Minimal Equipment”. In this evening demo, a sword will be hardened and tempered using simple, easy to construct equipment. The smith will construct a long charcoal fire, evenly heat the blade and quench in oil and straightened. Upon cooling, the hardened blade will then be tempered and further straightened as needed. A high risk operation with a multitude of things that could go wrong.
A very fire-friendly event!
Ric Furrer
Door County Forgeworks is nestled in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin a few miles west of Sturgeon Bay.
The shop is owned and operated by Richard Furrer as a one man general blacksmith shop crafting metalwork from iron as well as bronze, aluminum, stainless steel and titanium.
In addition to architectural work such as gates and railings Richard also forges hand made knives and swords, many from steel he smelts himself from raw ore and other materials. These pieces of cutlery are forged from bloomery steel and wootz crucible steel as well as pattern-welded steel (some call this Damascus Steel) and accented with mokume and other materials also made in the shop.
Ric (http://www.doorcountyforgeworks.com) will give a talk on Bronze Swords from various world cultures and explain why it is actually much cooler than you think it is….and not just because it melts at 1742 Fahrenheit!
Bronze is often thought of as merely a transitional material from Stone to Steel, but it is actually a bit more complicated that that.
The shop is owned and operated by Richard Furrer as a one man general blacksmith shop crafting metalwork from iron as well as bronze, aluminum, stainless steel and titanium.
In addition to architectural work such as gates and railings Richard also forges hand made knives and swords, many from steel he smelts himself from raw ore and other materials. These pieces of cutlery are forged from bloomery steel and wootz crucible steel as well as pattern-welded steel (some call this Damascus Steel) and accented with mokume and other materials also made in the shop.
Ric (http://www.doorcountyforgeworks.com) will give a talk on Bronze Swords from various world cultures and explain why it is actually much cooler than you think it is….and not just because it melts at 1742 Fahrenheit!
Bronze is often thought of as merely a transitional material from Stone to Steel, but it is actually a bit more complicated that that.
Lee Jones
Lee is a retired pathologist whose interest in antique arms began in the 1960s while he was still in high school. In the mid 1980s these interests focused on early European edged weapons, particularly upon swords of the Viking Age that incorporated pattern-welding and an Army tour in Germany at the same time brought proximity and visits to many of the great European museums with significant collections on display. Over the years his focus blurred and widened with the European collection growing to extend from the Bronze Age until the late Medieval Period. Lee worked with Ewart Oakeshott and Ian Peirce toward the publication, in 2002, of Swords of the Viking Age and Lee operates vikingsword.com which includes not only sections for medieval European swords but for the wide range of ethnographic edged weapons and includes an active forum community.
Lecture:
The Serpent in the Sword: Pattern-Welding in Early European Iron Swords and Thoughts on its Origins.
This lecture, adapted from an earlier presentation at Hurstwic's Firing Up Ancient Secrets iron smelting festival in Iceland in the summer of 2019, will trace the possible origins of pattern-welding arising from the ancient transition from bronze to iron as a substitute material for blade making and then through the subsequent innovations and refinements during the Celtic, Roman and Germanic cultures that would eventually result in the superior material steel. Following the lecture there will be a brief inspection session when some illustrative historical examples will be made available for hands-on examination by participants.
Lecture:
The Serpent in the Sword: Pattern-Welding in Early European Iron Swords and Thoughts on its Origins.
This lecture, adapted from an earlier presentation at Hurstwic's Firing Up Ancient Secrets iron smelting festival in Iceland in the summer of 2019, will trace the possible origins of pattern-welding arising from the ancient transition from bronze to iron as a substitute material for blade making and then through the subsequent innovations and refinements during the Celtic, Roman and Germanic cultures that would eventually result in the superior material steel. Following the lecture there will be a brief inspection session when some illustrative historical examples will be made available for hands-on examination by participants.
Michael Edelson and Tristan Zukowsky
Michael Edelson is the bestselling author of Cutting with the Medieval Sword: Theory and Application, and a lifelong student of martial arts with over 30 years of experience, 20 of them in various weapon arts. He founded the New York Historical Fencing Association in December of 2005 and helped it develop into one of the biggest and most successful HEMA schools in the United States. He is also an event director for Longpoint, the premier competitive HEMA event in the world. Michael's work in cutting and body mechanics was instrumental in bringing structured cutting practice and competition into modern HEMA in North America and parts of Europe. Almost all HEMA cutting tournaments, as they exist today, are based on and born of his work—he ran the first such tournament at Longpoint 2012. Learn more at www.newyorklongsword.com
Tristan has been a member of NYHFA since 2009, and an instructor since 2011. While he maintains a regular teaching schedule at the NYC branches, and frequently assistant-teaches at the Kingston and Bard College branches, he also travels to give seminars, workshops, and master classes in the USA and abroad. He also co-founded Squinting Rabbit Productions, a film company creating high-quality, innovative and informative videos for the HEMA community.
Mike and Tristan will be showing the use of European style long swords in both combat and cutting demonstrations.
Tristan has been a member of NYHFA since 2009, and an instructor since 2011. While he maintains a regular teaching schedule at the NYC branches, and frequently assistant-teaches at the Kingston and Bard College branches, he also travels to give seminars, workshops, and master classes in the USA and abroad. He also co-founded Squinting Rabbit Productions, a film company creating high-quality, innovative and informative videos for the HEMA community.
Mike and Tristan will be showing the use of European style long swords in both combat and cutting demonstrations.
Tom Walter
Tom will be demonstrating the art of Kendo, Japanese fencing. The Samurai needed a method of practicing swordsmanship without using sharp swords. Kendo uses protective armor and bamboo swords. Tameshigiri is the art of cutting bamboo and straw mats with a sharp sword to test technique. I have second degree black belts in Kendo and Japanese swordsmanship and have been studying martial arts for 50 years.
Zeb Deming
Zeb will be constructing a small smelter and will be demonstrating "Making historical steel in the backyard”.
Dr. William R. Short
Dr. William R. Short is an independent scholar and manager of Hurstwic, LLC, an organization in Massachusetts that researches, practices, and teaches how Vikings fought and used their weapons. He is the author of several books on Viking-related topics. He is the producer and director of Hurstwic’s series of feature-length documentaries showing notable Viking-age battles, each shot on the location of the historical battle site. Dr. Short regularly lectures and teaches at universities, schools, and museums in North America and Iceland.
Men of Terror: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Viking Combat”Dr. Short will present a lecture on their scientific study of the combative methods of Vikings. The Hurstwic organization, based in New England, has been doing this research for more than 20 years, and now their research results are put together in a book form. In the lecture, the author will talk about our unique and occasionally bizarre research methods, and the surprising outcomes that are described in the book.
Men of Terror: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Viking Combat”Dr. Short will present a lecture on their scientific study of the combative methods of Vikings. The Hurstwic organization, based in New England, has been doing this research for more than 20 years, and now their research results are put together in a book form. In the lecture, the author will talk about our unique and occasionally bizarre research methods, and the surprising outcomes that are described in the book.
Nick Rossi
Nick Rossi is a bladesmithing instructor at the New England School of Metalwork and makes custom knives out of his own shop. He will be leading a class in basic blade forging during the Friday and Saturday evening Open Forge time.
