Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 4, 2012 at 17:27

Love to see ya'll at the blade show

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 7, 2012 at 20:02

An inside look at the Institute for Creative Arts: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

 

Master Bladesmith joins The Institute for Creative Arts.

Ken Straight, blacksmith and knife making instructor will be teaching classes in blade making, Damascus steel, heat treating and more. Classes will be held on Saturday afternoons from 1 PM till 4 PM at the Institute for Creative Arts located at 968 Douglas Ave. Dunedin. For additional information call Bill Coleman at the Institute. 727-412-8762.

 

Permalink Reply by Clint Thompson on March 8, 2012 at 8:35

Jan...

Thanks that was fun to watch.  LOL! The lady news caster said, "I love the noise it makes!"  Yes it is a cool sound but after an hour you are ready for a break.  Great stuff.  Thanks Jan for sharing this piece with us.

Permalink Reply by Clint Thompson on March 8, 2012 at 8:40

Jan...

O-by the way.  The railroads do not sell railroad spikes.  If they recycle them, they sell them by the ton to contracted salvage yards who are required to send them to the mills to be melted down.  So the point is be careful when picking these up as not to get run over by that dang old train and not get arrested by the railway police.  LOL!

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 8, 2012 at 17:24

Clint,

LOL, I had no idea.  I have a few but they are YEARS old and dont even remember where I got them.  Better hide them, or make knives!!!

Permalink Reply by Clint Thompson on March 9, 2012 at 8:46

Jan...

Sorry to take a while to get back to your reply as I was getting a search warrant for your house in Florida.  LOL! No just kidding.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 9, 2012 at 18:55

ROFL...Well it would give you a change to see the knife collecrtion anyway

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on March 11, 2012 at 14:33

Miss Jan, those articles on Jim Bowie were writen by the people of  Arkansas. If you explore a little more on the web you will find out that Jim Bowie and the Bowie Knife are from Louisiana. Texas and Arkansas have long tried to get all the fame they could from this Louisiana man and his Louisiana knife. Explore the true history of his story.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 11, 2012 at 15:17

Certainly Robert I will.  Thanks for the insight.  Really I was just saying the musuem would be a cool place to visit

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 14, 2012 at 17:55

So what do you think about spending National Knife day at the National Knife Museum?  

Visit the home of one of the most popular knife distributors in the country at theSmoky Mountain Knife Works Showroom and the new National Knife Museum in Sevierville! The National Knife Museum features an unparalleled collection of of knives, including military knives, swords, razors, pocket knives, hunting knives, bowie knives, and more. At the Smoky Mountain Knife Works Showroom, you'll find yourself exploring the wares of the enormous 55,000 square foot facility that features every knife and accessory imaginable, including those used for hunting, camping, display, and more! You'll also find fantasy weaponry, including swords, axes, and more, as well as military and law enforcement wares!

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 24, 2012 at 11:00

The Cutting Demonstration was sponsored by the American Bladesmith Society at its 4th New England Hammer-In at the New England School of Metalwork (NESM) earlier this month in Auburn, Maine.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 24, 2012 at 18:54

While in an area as steeped in history as Titusville PA, we always try to see something new.  One of the places I always wanted to visit is a city called Pithole.  About 1/2 way between Oil City and Titusville, the people of PA have preserved a piece of the US Petroleum Industries first venture into oil in our country.  I want to be able to share with you a good number of stories on this amazingly small area and will do so over the next few days.  lets set the stage for what it was all about.

The brief life of Pithole, PA

Pithole creek flows quietly today, meandering through what was once a bustling and expansive city built green and quickly to house the many fortune hunters in America’s first oil boom. In the middle of November in 1864, a company formed on speculation, The United States Petroleum Company signed papers to drill on Farmer Holmden’s land along that river. The first test drill was a bust. John Prather, Farmer Holmden’s son in law had offered the farmer 25,000 for the right of refusal on that land and was afraid they would lose the money based on the negative find. He promptly sent his brother George to Philadelphia and he got in touch with a Mr. CB Duncan. Mr. Duncan was with a firm named Duncan and Kent, among the first oil speculating companies. While they were there, the United States Petroleum Company took another look at the original drill site and thought to go just a little deeper in that original well. They drilled a mere 8 feet deeper and tapped into an oil vein that would soon produce 300 barrels a day of Pennsylvania crude.

The story is John Prather immediately sent a telegraph to George in care of Mr Duncan but received no response. He became so worried that that land would be sold for pennies of it’s value, John mounted his horse and rode without stopping to eat or sleep. They say he reached the steps of Girard House in Philadelphia moments before his brother signed a deal to sell for 100,000.00. While Johns arrival may have stopped that negotiation it still left them mere days on the right of refusal contract, they needed an extension. Farmer Holmden allowed them an additional 5 days but the Prathers were not a rich family and the raising of funds was made more difficult by the farmers wife demanding they pay 5000.00 in gold. The money was raised and all told they bought the property for 100,000.00.

In 1864 when that first well was drilled the entire county had about 50 persons living there. A few months after the discovery of the oil 10,000 people called Pithole home. It had the third largest post office in the nation. The product being taken from Pithole by horse and wagon was worth over 50,000 per day.

The first years income from leases and royalties was 200K, The next year they sold the property for 200K to a Chicago firm that paid several thousand down and then defaulted. The Prathers again sold the property for 200K.

The United States Petroleum Company made the fortunes of all the folks that speculated on it. It was the most successful “wildcat” venture in history.

This is the site today of the Presbyterian Church

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next ›
• Page