[ABS Webmaster]

"Battle of the Bladesmiths" at the Great Smoky Mountain Symposium

The Second American Bladesmith Society "Battle of the Bladesmiths" was conducted this evening, March 4th, at the Great Smoky Mountain Bladesmithing Symposium and was won by Master Smith Burt Foster. The hard fought contest was conducted before an enthusiastic crowd at Haywood Community College in Clyde, North Carolina. The contestants included American Bladesmith Society Master Smiths Joe Keeslar, Jason Knight, Jim Rodebaugh, and Burt Foster.

The Great Smoky Mountain Bladesmithing Symposium began today and will continue through Sunday, March 6th. ABS Store Manager Cindy Sheely emailed the results of the contest and the below photos to me.

Burt Foster and BR Hughes

Bill Wiggins and Joe Keeslar

Jim Rodebaugh

The contest knives..Clockwise starting lower right: Keeslar, Foster, Knight, and Rodebaugh

[Lin Rhea]

Congratulations to Burt.

I find it interesting that I think I can recognize each of these makers work within these four knives even though their names are not posted, that I can see.

Clockwise starting lower right: Keeslar, Foster, Knight, and Rodebaugh

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[ABS Webmaster]

Lin:

You are correct in your pairing of the Master Smiths with their contest knives and I added it to the photo caption in my post above after your observation. You have a good eye for detail.

[Rick Baum]

Congratulations to Burt!

At the risk of sounding ignorant, which I am , what was the criteria of the contest?

[ABS Webmaster]

Hammer In Update

The cutting demonstration results from this evening are in. Burt Foster won first place and Jason Knight and Bill Wiggins tied for second place.

Jim Batson presenting first place award to Burt Foster

Jason Knight, Jim Batson, Bill Wiggins, Greg Neely, and Jim Rodebaugh