MARK LING and BUTCH SHEELY
PLUS DEMONSTRATORS FROM EACH MEMBER ORGANIZATION!
ABBA – Lance Zeigler, AACB – Johnny Woolsey, AFC – Steve Alford, NC-ABANA – Bradley Schwarz , FABA – Jordan Thomas, OBG – Karl Glessner, PSABG – Rusty Osborne
Mark Ling
Mark Ling is a young blacksmith in College Station, Texas who began blacksmithing at the age of 11 after having the desire to make his own knife. Since then he has had the chance of working with many other more knowledgeable smiths, who influenced him to the style and type of forging he now does. Mark currently forges tools for the blacksmith, bladesmith, and farrier, as well as offering classes teaching the techniques involved in tool making, and other aspects of forging.
Forrest ‘Butch’ Sheely
Butch Sheely started bladesmithing and blacksmithing in 1982, after getting involved in historic re-enacting. For the next twenty plus years he forged knives, tomahawks and various other items, mostly for re-enactors. Sixteen years ago he started bladesmithing and blacksmithing full time. Butch takes great pride in making the best knives and tomahawks that he can, starting with forging, grinding, and heat treating and including the hand sewn leather sheaths.
Butch joined the American Bladesmith Society in 2005, after attending a number of ABS hammer-ins in Michigan and Ohio. In 2009 he was awarded his Journeyman rating from the ABS. Butch’s long term goal is to achieve the Master Smith rating.
He has always enjoyed traditional style knives, axes and hawks.
Most of the working knives that Butch makes are forged from 5160, he also uses 1084, 1095, W2 and 52100. The majority of the Damascus that he makes is 1084 and 15N20. He uses only natural materials for handles, including wood, stag, antler, horn and bone. His belief is that the appearance and feel of natural materials fit the style that he makes.
He has demonstrated at a number of American Bladesmith Society, Inc. Hammer-ins, since 2010. He has also demonstrated several times for the Alabama Forge Council, the Batson Blade symposium and for the Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil Blacksmith Quad State in 2015.
Butch has received the Antique Bowie Knife Association Award for “THE BEST BOWIE” displayed by a Journeyman Smith at the Blade Show in 2011, 2013 and 2014. He won the “BEST HISTORICALLY INSPIRED KNIFE” at the 2015 Arkansas Custom knife Show and the “BEST PERIOD PIECE” in 2008 and 2010 at the Ohio Classic Knife Show.
Butch is a member of the following organizations:
Northwest Ohio Blacksmiths, American Bladesmith Society, Inc., Contemporary Longrifle Association, Alabama Forge Council, Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil
MEMBER ORGANIZATION DEMONSTRATORS
Rusty Osborne – PSABG – Scrolls
Rusty Osburn began his blacksmithing journey in 2019 joining the PSABG that same year. He became a board member of the PSABG in 2022 and serves on the ABANA board as well.
He demonstrates and teaches at various events around the state and assists at JC Campbell folk school when time allows. Rusty is a qualified instructor for the ABANA level 1 National Curriculum and will be available to certify anyone that has completed their project / techniques as outlined in the Level 1 Student Packet.
Johnny Woolsey – AACB – Patina Processes
John has been creating custom metal sculpture and architectural work since 1995. What began as a hobby turned into a full-time realization of his passion to create.
Working in both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, his work is constantly evolving between contemporary and traditional styles from silhouettes to forged and fabricated 3-D sculpture.
“I am constantly amazed that as I acquire new techniques and skills, my interest and style of work seem to evolve. Today’s challenge or technique becomes the seed that sprouts and grows into tomorrow’s expression. This evolution fuels the excitement I feel everyday as I try to impart what I feel into the art I produce.”
Steve Alford – AFC – Blacksmith Pocketknife
Steve “discovered” blacksmithing around 2001 after reading a book, Toolmaking for Woodworkers, and then found the AFC when a coworker overheard him talking about getting a forge working and suggested meeting with some crazy people his son had been hanging out with. Twenty-some years later, he’s spent enough on blacksmithing to have just bought all the woodworking tools anyone could’ve wanted! Steve’s demonstration will be a “blacksmith pocketknife”, or “how to build a folding knife without a machine shop.”
Lance Zeigler – ABBA – Botanical
Lance Zeigler has spent the last two decades teaching and demonstrating at various venues. By blending traditional and modern techniques, he creates beautiful iron art inspired by nature
Karl Glessner – OBG – Wizard Head Bottle Opener – Karl started his journey approximately ten years ago. He started blacksmithing because he loved the freedom of making his own tools. He enjoys the sculptural side of blacksmithing and metalworking, creating fantastic art in the form of wizards, robots, and organic structures. Currently, he is expanding his knowledge to bladesmithing and pattern steels
Bradley Schwarz – NC-ABANA – Topic –
An artisan metalsmith based in Durham North Carolina.
Bradly prefers to work with antique tools and belt-driven machinery. I use a 1912 German Söding Halbach anvil and a 1905 Buffalo Coal Forge. I enjoy the satisfaction of making my own tools when needed and restoring antique machines in disrepair. I plan to run my workshop from a line shaft belt system in the future.
Currently Bradley is focused on exploring the intersection between modern practically useful Items and early medieval designs. He is working on developing the processes used by early smiths to forge botanical and animal motifs, then incorporating them into his own designs.
Jordan Thomas – FABA – Sculptural Candle Holder with Traditional Joinery – .
SAFETY
Be sure to bring eye and ear protection to wear while watching the demonstrations or when in the green coal area. The SBA will have safety glasses for sale if needed. Parents must closely supervise their children at all times. Due to the nature of blacksmithing, all unsupervised children can pose risks – not only to themselves, but to other attendees as well.