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"What is a Master Smith?" by Dave Ellis, MSby: Dave Ellis, MS
When I first started Bladesmithing in 1988, I set two goals. The first was to produce the best blade possible. The second was to some day test for the Mastersmith rating. An ABS Mastersmith has reached the level of excellence in his or her work. We have mastered all facets of forging, heat treating and finishing a knife. We never stop learning, but now have reached a level, that we can teach our skills to others with confidence and repeatable results. My Mastersmith rating brings me pride, prestige and most of all the personal satisfaction that comes with reaching a goal that fewer than 80 people (currently) have attained.
According to the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) a Mastersmith must have been a Journeyman Smith for a minimum of one full year before testing for the performance part of the test. This test must be observed and administered by an ABS Mastersmith. The applicant must have personally forged and performed all work on the test blade, with no other person physically assisting in it's construction or heat treating. Applicants for Master Smith rating must test with a Pattern Welded Damascus Blade of at least 300 layers. There are three parts to both the Journeyman and Mastersmith performance tests. The only difference between the two tests is that the Mastersmith applicant must test with a Pattern Welded Damascus Blade.
1. A one inch diameter rope is to be hung so that the end is not touching the floor and hangs loose. The applicant must sever the rope with one stroke of the knife approximately six inches from the end. This tests the knifes edge geometry and sharpness.
2. A two by four must be chopped completely through at least two times and the knife must still be capable of shaving hair. Any knicks, flat spots, chips, rolled edges or other deformations of the blade will result in failure. This tests edge toughness of the knife.
3. A line is marked approximately one third distance from the tip of the blade. The blade is inserted point first in a vise and the blade is bent no less than 90 degrees. The blade may crack at the edge on bending but not beyond two thirds the width of the blade. If any of the blade chips, or any part of the blade or tang breaks off the applicant fails (this is true for any part of the test).
Next is the Show Requirement - The Mastersmith applicant must present at least five forged knifes of various styles. The test knife and the "Art knife" required (a European Style Quillion Dagger) must be of 300 or more layers of Pattern Welded Damascus Steel. The applicant for the Show Requirement must have held the rank of Journeyman Smith for at least two years.
My testing was in the Oregon shop of Mastersmith Wayne Goddard. My test knife not only passed the three tests with flying colors but came through with no cracking whatsoever at the edge.
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