By David Sandlin
Are you interested in blacksmithing? Think about joining the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association (FABA). Its mission is to teach and preserve the noble art of blacksmithing.
Recently popularized by programs like “Forged in Fire” and “Men at Arms,” blacksmithing has experienced a renaissance. However, FABA has been actively teaching and setting up historical blacksmith shops throughout Florida for the last 35 years. Part of the FABA educational program is to host monthly meetings in six locations throughout the state. Our local Far West chapter is headquartered at Traditions Workshop in Fort Walton Beach and sponsors meetings throughout the panhandle.
Your first meeting with FABA is always on us. After that, we encourage you to join this fine organization. For a family to join, visit https://blacksmithing.org. The cost is only $30 per family, per year. An annual membership allows your clan to participate at any FABA event throughout the state (usually one every weekend). Plus, you get an e-copy of the monthly newsletter, The Clinker Breaker, featuring Florida blacksmithing news and events.
The next Far West meeting will be the fourth Saturday of February at Traditions Workshop, 418 Green Acres Rd, Fort Walton Beach, FL, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The February 26th meeting will focus on splitting where the demonstrated task will be to split a bar with a hot cut at the end or in the middle of the bar. A barbecue fork uses this technique. In the far west, we always have open forges following the demonstration, so you can try your hand at the project for the day. Lunch is provided and donations appreciated.
The March 26th Meeting (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) will be at John Butler’s farm, 4112 Bell Lane, Pace. We are planning to conduct this meeting as a “make and take” class: How to turn a Railroad Spike into a knife. Class cost will be $110 with lunch from Sonny’s BBQ included. Class size is limited to 12 people. There will also be one open forge for those not interested in the class. Proceeds from the class will go to support FABA.
The April 23rd meeting (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) will probably be held in Navarre. We say probably, because we are still working out the details for the location. But if the stars align correctly, we will have Jordan Borstelmann visit the Far West and demonstrate how to make one of his trademark axes.
The May 28th meeting (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) will be at Timber Creek Distillery (dirt road northeast of Crestview: 6451 Lake Ella Rd, Crestview) with the task to make a sea creature for our contribution to the FABA Con 2022 auction. We don’t yet know how our judges Cam and Arron might weigh in, but you can count on great pizza from their stone oven and libations from the distillery (and maybe some axe throwing too).
Over the summer, expect us to meet at the Baker Block Museum, date TBD. Other summer monthly meetings are still up in the air. However, the October 22nd meeting will be back at Traditions Workshop to prep the trailer for the trip to the state-wide blacksmith conference in Gainesville. The forges are already reserved on that day for finalizing the team contributions to the annual conference auction project “creatures.”
If you are interested in any of these events and need more information, contact david@traditionsworkshop.com or call/text David at 850-974-1548.
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