New member saying Hello!

[dave budd]

I recently discovered this wonderful forum and thought it's about time that I jumped in and said Hello! :mrgreen:

I'm afraid that I don't have a cool alter-ego for my username, I would only confuse myself. So I am actually called Dave Budd

These days I'm a fulltime knife and tool maker, living on Dartmoor (Devon). I run courses in ancient crafts (still trying to find which subjects are most popular) including forgework, bowmaking, leatherworking and green woodwork. When I did the MA, the only ferrous archaeometalurgy that we learnt were the chronologies and a little handling of raw materials in a lab. Now they come out to me and I get them beating hot metal using Iron age, Roman/Saxon and Kenyan (ethnographic comparison) tools.

As far as my interest in the Roman military goes, I'm definately more of a lover than a fighter. Living history has long been one of those things that I would like to get involved with but over the years I've either not had the time or the money at the same opertunity. Now I have neither, being self employed, but I am gradually trying to get into a little corner of the ancient world by calling it 'work'. Over the years I've made reproductions for friends, but with so many hobby makers of kit I've not pushed to try and make repros for a living (I won't cut corners and use modern techniques such as a mig welder when a fire weld or rivet would be more appropriate :twisted: ).

I'm particularly interested in making replicas of tools and knives accurately.

anyway, me in a nutshell. If I've not made myself unwelcome, then I shall be out in the sub-forums soon

dave

[M. Demetrius]

Hey, Dave. We're in the conversation on the Blacksmith Forum about those Principate era javelins. Thanks for your good info, and welcome here. You'll find several smiths here who make Roman gear, and probably some outlets for your craft if you want to go into production (and what all that might entail) including supplying some of the retailers. A good place to hang out. Read up on the Posting Rules, have fun, use the search feature for topics, and if that fails, ask the neophyte questions here in the same way I'm asking the neophyte questions there. We're all born ignorant of all things, and we all learn from other people.

Welcome aboard, sir, and don't touch yellow iron. There's a couple of FAQ type topics here that will help you get started. Send a PM if you're in doubt, and I'll hunt up an answer for you.

Semper ferrum.

[Titus Juventius Tertius]

Welcome welcome! I guess I'm not the new(est) guy anymore. Always good to see fresh faces... or typers.

[dave budd]

thanks guys

I think I found this forum after a thread on Iforge iron about hide glue and swrord tangs. Was that you David? I hope the javeline works out ok for you too.

I'm sure to find lots of interesting things do play with and make. I'm lucky that I'm nice and busy right now, but that just means that I want to make other things all the more. I think it's a case of if somebody wants me to make something, then I have to make it, which means that it becomes work and I don't want to do it! :roll: So a few replica and experimental projects will have to fit in with the procrastination pieces :lol:

[M. Demetrius]

I think it's a case of if somebody wants me to make something, then I have to make it, which means that it becomes work and I don't want to do it!

I know what you mean, there. It's like the old smith joke. A man asked him how much to make a six inch spike. The smith said, "about ten cents". The man was elated! "Great," he said, "then how much to make a thousand of them? The smith looked him in the eye and said, "Fifty thousand dollars".

But nope, not me on the sword tangs. I'm not at the point of forging a sword just yet. Still working on learning the simpler tasks. Putting a roof over the forge. How much charcoal, coke, and coal makes the right fire for the right process. How to remember not to touch heated metal with bare hands. Things like that.

[Conal]

Hi Dave Budd .... I know you

I was on a pattern welding knife making course with you in the flat-lands of the east England a few years back.

I got a bit on nickle in mine which ruined the result :?

Wecome to the forum ... there rare some very talented crafts persons on here!

Cheers

Conal

[dave budd]

Ah, Conal! yes I remember. It was an interesting weekend and i thik on balance I learnt a great deal more about how not to do things than I did how to do them, just glad I had a grant for teh course :lol: :roll:

Anyway, I have spotted that there are some interesting craftspeople here. I'll be sure to pick brains as much as possible :wink:

[M. Demetrius]

I'll be sure to pick brains as much as possible

For use on some of us, you'll need to forge some micropicks. Heh. :lol:

[ParthianBow]

Welcome Dave! Do you sell your goods from a workshop or home or at all? If you do, next time I'm down in Devon I could pop in. Always on the lookout for a good replica knife or sword or javelin or anything ancient!

[dave budd]

I have some stuff at home and other stuff at the workshop. Normally once finished it goes home unless I have a course on in which case I take goodies to work in an attempt to sell stuff to my visitors

I don't actually have much 'old' stuff around as I haven't made much for the living history market in general (really it's just commmissions so far). That said, I'm going to the Bentley wildfowl and motor museum in a few weeks for the Hands on History event there and I plan to have some stuff with me to show (doubt I'll sell anything mind). I saw some Roman ironwork there last year and I plan to put the maker to shame with my work by not welding everything together with mig and angle grinding it out! :twisted:

If you are in the area, by all means do give me a call and we can meet up