Demonstrator Information

Corrina Mensoff & Hanna Stevenson - Sculptural project

Corrina and Hanna are collaborating on a sculptural project that they intend to start working on before the conference begins. Their plans are to work on individual parts and possibly ship elements back and forth in preparation to assemble and complete on site.

Corrina Mensoff began her life long interest in metalworking at the age of five in her fathers shop. She received her BFA in sculpture and metalsmithing from Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. She moved to Atlanta GA in 1995, creating a self guided journeyman's apprenticeship, after two years of working with others she established Phoenix Metalworks, specializing in sculpture, furniture, and architectural works. In 2005 she received her MFA in Fine Arts and Sculpture, from Georgia State University. She has taught sculpture on the college level, in conjunction with presenting at national, and international blacksmithing conferences, and workshops. In recognition of her work Corrina has received; "best in show" from the curator of MOCA GA, a "silver, TOP JOB Award" from NOMMA, and a "second place award" from Icarus International. Her main interest currently lies in creating works in temporary and permanent public sculpture spaces, where the "art is for everyone". Recently she has been incorporating various other materials with her metalwork, and occasionally working in collaboration. Her work is also focused on bringing artists and community together to create social change.

Hanna Stevenson is a current MFA candidate at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in the sculpture department. Prior to moving to Alaska, she worked for sculptor Jerome Meadows in Savannah, GA. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis working with casting Professor Wayne Potratz. Hanna has been studying blacksmithing with Fairbanks artist Jacob Pogrebinsky; a self taught artist/trapper/dog musher. Mr. Pogrebinsky's studio is unheated, except by the charcoal forge. Hanna lives lives in a cabin with no indoor plumbing in the town of Ester, AK.

Don Fogg - Forging a Japanese Tanto

Don will be forging a tanto in the old world Japanese metal work style. This is a lovely and functional short sword/long knife.

Don Fogg is a Master Bladesmith in the American Blade Society. He was recently inducted to the Bladesmith Hall of Fame in Tex-Arkansas. He lives in Jasper, AL and is kind enough to travel to different knife enthusiasts meetings to share his knowledge.

Don creates the steel he uses for bladesmithing through a process of forging and folding steel to make Damascus. All of his knives are hand forged and individually heat treated. He has been forging since 1978 and has maintained an interest in swords ever since. Each part of a knife is hand crafted and the initial step starts with forging the blade. After custom heat treating, there is no short cut to hand finishing.. Don has worked with many artists in a collective project, including Murad Sayen and Jim Kelso.

Bill Fiorini - Forging a gun barrel

During the 19th century a more aggressive direction was taken with the pattern development of gun barrels by such men as Bernard and Leclerc from Paris and W.W. Grener from Birmingham. The patterns manufactured ranged from the most simple to highly developed patterns. Damascus gun barrels are made out of low carbon and shock resistant steels. I use primarily wrought iron and mild steel for this process. The center core can be made out of either of the above materials or 4140. Most of the contemporary barrels are made out of 4140 which is a shock resistant steel. Processing is as follows. After deciding on the pattern, the billet is forged and possibly twisted the same as we normally do with Turkish Damascus. Turkish Damascus will be used as an example. After the twisted strands are made, you may use reverse twists, two or three of the strands are welded together. Forge the bars into a square after twisting. One foot of gun barrel takes approximately 7 feet of skelp, so two strands of 7 foot skelp are used for a double skelp barrel and three strands for a triple skelp barrel. Each of these produce a different figure. The twisted skelp produces a figure of lines in a spiral. This can be a bit confusing because of the tendency of the barrel having a watered or wood grain surface included in the spiral if the twist is not extreme. A close visual pattern to the above mentioned process is the skelp gun barrel

William Fiorini received his MFA from Bowling Green State University in 1968 and has been a professional metalsmith and Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse from 1968 to present. He has conducted workshops at Penland School, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Peters Valley Craft School, John C. Campbell Folk School and the National Ornamental Metal Museum as well as workshops for art groups and other professional organizations. A few of the positions held by Bill over the last 10 years are: President of the Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America, Board Member and 1st Vice President of ABANA and the International Damascus Society. He is a member of The Knifemakers'Guild and a Mastersmith in The American Bladesmith Society. Bill has been invited to show his work in many juried and invitational shows nationally and internationally over the last 25 years. His work has been published in many magazines and books over the years including The Anvils Ring Magazine, Blade Magazine, Tactical Knives Magazine, Edges Magazine, The Pattern Welded Blade by Jim Hrisoulas, On Damascus Steel by Leo S. Figiel, The Contemporary Blacksmith by Dona Meilach, and Jewelry-Contemporary Design and Technique by Chuck Evans. Bill Fiorini has conducted extensive research in Mokume-Gane and Pattern-Welded Steel (Damascus) over the last ten years and he has received research grants and published research papers on pattern development processes in both ferrous and non-ferrous materials. He has completed research studies in Japan where he worked with a master high relief chaser and a master swordsmith.

Vendors

Ozark School of Blacksmithing

Providing air hammers to the demonstrators. Tools for sale.

Big BLU Hammer

See the Big BLU MAX 110 and 155 in operation

Blacksmith Depot

Kayne and Son fine line of tools and equipment

Chile Forge

Featuring a line of economical forges.