Grind Ins & Shop Tours

Rock

Rock

Well-Known Member
As some of you know, my dad, Don Cowles, is an established knife maker. Unfortunately, he lives in Michigan, I live in South Carolina, and we usually see each other at the Blade Show or if someone is getting married and that's about it. I have not seen his shop or the house he has lived in for twenty years.

I have had a life long love of knives and have had a growing fascination with knife design and making. I have pretty severe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and it and the expense have been my main reasons for not trying my hand at it. I have watched guys like Ernie start with hand tools and make good quality knives.

We have a number of makers in the Carolinas, and I would be thrilled to attend a Grind In or spend a day with a maker, or six, in their shops! I am sure I am not alone in this.

If this is something you would be interested in, as a maker or as a new maker, please let others on the forum know in this thread regardless of your location. As I said, I am sure I am not alone and most of us get as much joy from sharing our passions, as others do from learning about them!

Thanks
 
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Great idea Rock , I would love to see others shops. I would gladly welcome anybody to come by and see mine too. It aint much.......There aren't many makers around the 4-corners area.

Rock.....20 years since you been to your dads house... whats up with that? Your lucky to still have a dad. Mine was gone when I was 14 , passed away. At least you still get to see him every year it sounds like.
 
We have a good relationship. I'd visit him three or four times a year when I lived in Chicago and he in Detroit. But, he has cats! They are the only childhood allergy I never outgrew and I'll be weepy, scratchy, and wheezing to beat the band after ten minutes in his house. Hotels add a lot to the expense of a visit, besides the 800 mile trip.
 
Rock,

Here's how it works. At least for me anyway.

Keep an eye out for makers in your area and when you find one suitably close drop them a PM introducing yourself and telling them about your interest, experience, and intensions for the future of your own knifemaking/using/collecting journey. I think that you'll find pretty much any maker will welcome you with open arms for a visit to their shop.

I contacted Dave Cole (DCknives) around a year ago being an Ultra-Newb at that point I had Lots and Lots of questions. To make a long story short we have become fast friends and he helped to open the door for me with introductions to MANY other makers whom I've had the pleasure to get to know also. It's a small world in the knife communtiy and one PM is all it takes to get the ball rolling towards building a network of friends and mentors who will gladly help you out along the way.

I've been EXTREMELY FORTUNATE to develop a group of knifemaking friends from those even newer than me to Mastersmith's and longtime Guild members with talents, experiences, and specialties that pretty much run the entire gambit of knifemaking who will and have answered my endless questions and freely welcomed me into their shops and homes.

I also recently had the pleasure of assisting in organizing a knife-in which allowed the oppertunity to learn alot and meet in person 20 or so makers who are all within a reasonable driving distance. These are all now folks who have become my friends in the community whom I may have otherwise never known.

This has all developed from that first PM saying, hey I live close and have questions, can you help me out ???

There are alot of makers in SC so you shouldn't have any trouble finding a friend and possible mentor within a resonable distance (2 or 3 hours drive anyway)

-Josh
 
I got to say It is really nice watching another maker work, I got to visit Ken Erickson's shop for 7 1/2 hours a couple weeks ago and I learned so much about making slip joints. I wish all makers were that close to me!!:D
 
I like the idea as well.
Travis Fry (Wordsmith) was kind enough to agree to let me come see his shop in the near future. Having only ground one blade so far, I think it will be a great learning experience for me. Hope others have the same opportunity.
 
No posts from Carolina Makers? there is a lot of them on here. Like I said in the PM April looks good for me. I just got word that my Mom 90 years old on a latter and fell off and broke her elbow so I'll be tied up the rest of this month.
Art
 
Art,

Sorry to hear about your mom. I hope she is feeling better soon. What pray tell was a 90 year old woman doing on a ladder?

Let me know when things settle down please!

Thanks
 
I enjoy haveing other makers and new guys come around the shop.I'm always in there most every weekend.Anyway when I start talking knives around the house everyone's eyes glaze over.:D
Stan
 
For those interested, the KGA will have their Spring shop tour at Ray Kirk's house in Tahlequah, Oklahoma Saturday MAY 8TH. We will begin 10AM and finish about 4 PM. Billy Helton will do a demo on Damascus. David Anders will do a penny guard forging demo. I will bring my pin press and demo both bolsters and pinning a guard on a straight blade. Ray always sets up his forge and tries to get any newbies up to the anvil for some instruction. Ray will do a fish fry and everyone else will bring goodies for the meal. Anyone within driving distance is welcome and directions are available from me or Ray.
 
mike miller said:
For those interested, the KGA will have their Spring shop tour at Ray Kirk's house in Tahlequah, Oklahoma Saturday MAY 8TH. We will begin 10AM and finish about 4 PM. Billy Helton will do a demo on Damascus. David Anders will do a penny guard forging demo. I will bring my pin press and demo both bolsters and pinning a guard on a straight blade. Ray always sets up his forge and tries to get any newbies up to the anvil for some instruction. Ray will do a fish fry and everyone else will bring goodies for the meal. Anyone within driving distance is welcome and directions are available from me or Ray.
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Man I wish I was closer!!!

I want to learn forging and making damascus reeeealy bad!!
 
Like Josh said, we got together, became buds and still hang out talking knives all the time.I have always had an open door policy at my shop.I have had numerous people through here and it's always a good time.I recently had a small get together with Josh, Tommy from Otha knives and Alan Folts over.Another fine time was had.I am certainly no big name maker but I have been at it for about 20 years so I can pass on alot of experience.I do believe that even with the internet and all the video's and tutorials out there now, that visiting a veteran maker will cut years off your learning curve as somethings need to be done face to face.Dave:)
 
Hey Rock, from what little I know about it, NC has a very active guild. I have talked to a couple of the guys on a couple of occasions and always enjoyed it. Check them out at http://www.ncknifeguild.org/. I'm sure you can hook up with someone fairly close by.

Art, hope Mom does OK.

Carey
 
Thanks, Carey! I will check into them. Please don't get the idea, folks, that this is all about me. I am sure there are many other collectors or new makers who would love to spend time with the veteran makers!
 
Rock said:
Thanks, Carey! I will check into them. Please don't get the idea, folks, that this is all about me. I am sure there are many other collectors or new makers who would love to spend time with the veteran makers!
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I'm in the same situation and also happen to be in the Upstate of SC (Easley to be exact). Gerry Drew does a class at Tryon Arts & Crafts, seemingly every few months, on bladesmithing. I tried to register for the one coming up March 20 & 21, but it was already full.
 
I am always looking to do shop visits or learn some hammering.

only problem is I am in northwestern WI.

Doesnt seem to be many guys around here who forge or make damascus!!!
 
I wonder if there is a way to add a location column to the member list... (ehem...Tracy..:))

I'm hardly a seasoned maker having finished 19 since I started 2 years ago, but I would like to meet some other makers. I've never met a maker outside of forums/facebook, etc...talked with a few on the phone. I would welcome anyone to drop me a line if they are in the neighborhood and would like to stop by to my modest shop (attached to my modest house) for an afternoon. If nothing else, we could grab a beer and a burger somewhere...
 
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