After some years of procrastinating, the world events this year was finally enough for me to pull my finger out,Sign up and set some deadlines and take up the family (black)smithing tradition.

I did a 2 day knife course with Karim at Tharwa Valley Forge about 8 yrs ago and came away with 2 knives that have seen daily use all over Australia stashed in a motorcycle pannier.

With the Victorian lockdown seeing work basically shut the doors and work a bit scarce, I've built the small gas forge, hunted high and low for some materials and have made a further 3 knives with the next 3 intended to be the 3 knives that I need to present to the Australian Knifemakers Guild for Probationary Membership. Being locked down here in not so sunny Melbourne has made it hard to spend time with local knifemakers and learn, so the first 3 have been somewhat trail and error. Have sat and stared at those 3 for a bit so that the next 3, I don't make the same mistakes and hopefully they make the cut for the AKG.

Over the next few years I'm hoping that I can build the skills up to come over and attain ABS JS rating. I'm enjoying the challenge and non motorcycle shed time immensely.

The 3 so far I've made out of 1075

Cheers

Thommo