September 22 - September 25 2011

[Mike Blue]

I don't know how better to pique your interest than to have a contest.

The prize is a piece of my pattern welded steel. 7 inches by 0.25 by 1.25 or so, surface ground. You forgers can squeeze two blades out of one of these easy. You grinders can maybe bandsaw two blades out. The rest of you folks can find one of us to work the material. I'll even throw in the heat treatment for free if you pay the postage. Or you know you will have a very special paperweight...

The date is posted above. I've been asked to make razors and filet knives and special heat treatments.

The attendance at this event has been over 900 for a few years but never topped a 1,000. I think with enough razor interest we can help these fine folks beat their best number.

Where I will need your help is that I do not have enough of a collection to be able to do justice to how many different varieties of straights and DE's there are. And I definitely don't have enough hones to do much more than demonstrate. I could use the help of some folks with an abundance of those things for show and tell. Sales of items are permissible, so perhaps some vendors can get organized for this too.

Registration per person for the whole event is 50.00 USD.

Where will this be? The closest exact latitude and longitude wins. I'll have to look that up so give me a few minutes.

I'll add clues every 24 hours until someone gets it.

[randydance062449]

43° 41' 13" N / 92° 23' 21" W

[Mike Blue]

Great guess, Randy but off the mark. A good one because you know me and have had a good time there yourself.

I should give John and Carol a little boost here. Tunnel Mill Crafts There is a great gathering of like minded folks that occurs at Tunnel Mill every year the first full weekend in October.

This place is somewhere I've never been yet.

[hoglahoo]

38 58' 11" N
77 17' 37" W

[Mike Blue]

38 58' 11" N
77 17' 37" W

A little too wild, but it sure looks like a nice place to visit...

Next clue: East of the Mississippi if I couch my words carefully. It'll be fair ground for all of you who wanted a fall gathering.

[randydance062449]

45° 19' 41" N / 93° 28' 13" W

[Mike Blue]

No Joy Randy. Your guess is east of the Mississippi. I live in Minnesota and forget that big river divides the state sometimes. Duh.

This conference will draw from the eastern half of the US better than the west. More central to all those folks than the whole US. I would hope this would be interesting to some from the west. Anyone like Gillian Welch?

To get the base steel for these razors I'm going to forge some pattern welded material first. If I get the mix right, I should be able to heat treat this with the equipment I bring to form some bainite. I'll probably take one of these blades and see what it takes to destroy it. Part of that is an exercise in showing off the grain structure of the steel for anyone interested. But, I expect this razor to be a whole lot stronger than what SRP would be used to seeing. If I can get the filet knife right, it will hopefully bend in a complete circle, not break and return to near straight.

If none of that works, it'll still be fun.

[spazola]

90° 01' 25.2"W, 35° 02' 45.3"N is my wild guess,

Charlie

[Lynn]

I'm in Mike!! I would love to be a part of this and will do some honing if it will help. Maybe I'll quit wrecking razors on the grinder by then too!

Thanks,

Lynn

[Mike Blue]

90° 01' 25.2"W, 35° 02' 45.3"N is my wild guess,

Charlie

:LOL: Oh me oh my-o, Charlie, that would be a great venue. I'll give you this, it's got way better music and BBQ, but no joy.

Hmm. let's see. Along with all the other clues. Think Old Midwest, not real midwest.