Heat, Beat, & Repeat Bladesmith Challenge

1200 West Evans Avenue,Denver CO 80223

29 August, 2021

Description

On Sunday, August 29th, join us for Salvage Design Center's Heat Beat & Repeat Bladesmith Competition! On Sunday, August 29th, join us for Salvage Design Center's Heat Beat & Repeat Bladesmith Competition! Local bladesmiths will be making full tang knives to compete for a series of prizes. Knives will be judged by our panel of experts. Judges will include Forged In Fire champion Jason Anderson of OTH Forge and Foundry , Rob Michel of Oleo Acres Farrier & Blacksmith Supply, Inc., and a special third judge to be announced the week of the event. Contestants will be making knives from 8am to 2:30pm (including a half hour break for lunch, which is not provided), after which judging will begin. You will be using 5160 steel, which is supplied by our sponsor, Oleo Acres Farrier & Blacksmith Supply, Inc.. This competition is beginner-friendly and geared towards hobbyist bladesmiths. If you own or have access to the required equipment, you are welcome to compete. This competition is capped at 15 participants, and the entry fee is $100. All blades that can be tested safely will be tested by our panel of judges. This will be a three round competition, which the rounds getting proessively more difficult. The 1st place winner will receive a $250 cash prize and a Flatland Forge Texas Custom Rounding Hammer. 2nd place will recurve a Custom Hillcraft Blacksmith Apron and a $100 Gift Certificate to Salvage Design Center. 3rd place will receive a pair of Z Jaw Offset Tongs, and a $50 Gift Certificate to Salvage Design Center. The top 5 blades will be retained by Salvage Design Center to be framed and displayed at the venue location, along with name and likeness to identify and credit the competitors who made them. Spectators are welcome! The most exciting part of the day will be the competition (starting at 3:30pm), but you are welcome to come for any part of the day. Contestant Rules & Contest Details: 1. All submitted entries (blades) must be the original work of the individual contestant, completed using the provided materials, and completed within the 6 hour time limit. 2. Once the blade making time has begun, the clock will not be stopped, except for a 30 minute lunch break at 3 hours in. Meals are not provided, so please plan accordingly. 3. Heat treatment: heat treating oil and a propane NC Forge will be on site for quenching only. Tempering will be done through torch tempering. 4. Required tools/equipment: - Forge (gas or coal) - Anvil - Hammer - Angle grinder (with flap disc, cut off wheel) - Tongs - Sandpaper for finishings - Drill / Drill Press (1/8" drill bits) - Safety Equipment (Long pants, safety glasses, gloves, and closed toed shoes) 5. Additional permitted (but not required) tools/equipment: - Magnet - Measurement tools (tape measure, ruler, etc.) - Grinding wheel(s) for grinder - Vice (free standing or anvil mount) - Hardy hole tools as needed - Additional hand tools (non-power tools) as needed - Respirators - Any additional desired safely equipment 6. Prohibited Tools/Equipment: - Bench/stand grinders of any type - Power equipment of any kind (excluding anything mentioned in the lists of required/permitted tools), such as power hammers, presses, dremels, etc. 7. Materials provided will include: - 1 billet of 5160 (12") attached to a rebar work stick - 1/8" brass pin stock - Loctite 5 minute epoxy - 2 matching wood handle scales, chosen via lottery 8. Blade Parameters: - Cutting edge length will be between 8 1/2" - 13" measured from the plunge grind to the tip - Overall blade length must be less than 20" - Blades are required ro be full tang and single edged - Blade width, measured at the widest point of the cutting edge, must be at least 1 3/4” - Handles must be made from the provided handle scales and secured with epoxy and provided pin stock. Wraps will not be accepted. - Handle must have no fewer than 2 pins, which go completely through the tang and both handle scales - Blades must be Bowie style blades, and have the following features: a clip point measuring no less than 25% of the total length of the cutting edge, and a ricasso of at least 3/4”. 9. Judging Policies: All completed blades will be tested for strength, sharpness, and function in three tests per round. Following the first round, blades will be evaluated and ranked. The top 10 will move on to the second and more difficult round of testing. At the completion of the second round, the blades will be again ranked and the top 5 will move on to the final round of testing, after which the final rankings will be announces. 10. Age Requirement: All contestants must be at least 18 years old. 11. Management and contest facilitators reserve the right to amend, change, or modify these rules as necessary. If you have questions or would like to register, please contact Salvage Design Center at 720-592-0921 or stop by and see us (open Weds - Sun from 10-5) at 1200 W. Evans Ave in Denver.