My journey started roughly 3 years ago with a conversation.
I work at Tharwa Valley Forge in Australia as a knife making instructor and I have been there about 5 years out of the 15 plus years I have been making knives.
Karim, who owns TVF, along with myself and the other instructors had a morning meeting where the topic of the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) Journeyman Smith (JS) arose, for some strange reason it resonated within me and felt right, I think at that moment I took the first step onto a path that I have no regrets taking.
I started with the intimidating performance test, if I couldn’t achieve that then I couldn’t move forward. I started with 1075 which is a steel we specialise in at TVF, its great for beginners and very forgiving, my approach was to squeeze all the performance I could from 1075 then take those parameters to a more specialised steel as this was going to be a torture test.
First unofficial attempt was with Neels Van Den Berg Master Smith (MS) who was doing a week long course at TVF, it sort of held an edge but didn’t spring back much from the bend . . . . UGLY! But it was more an experiment and a bit of fun.
Moving forward, I tweaked my grinds, temps, oils etc and started to get better results. People kept advising me to use spring steel 5160 but as I was getting close with 1075 I started to take it seriously. A comment I heard that kept going over in my mind was ‘use the steel you’re used to”.
Eight practice knives and two years later I passed the performance test with Jackson Rumble MS and 1075.
Turning point
Passing the performance test was a light bulb moment!
All the hard work and frustration had given me lessons I would not have gained any other way. I decided to give myself over to the process and let the pursuit of JS force me to question my knowledge and focus on a specific goal, thus, in essence highlight any weaknesses, strengths and approaches that did or did not work.
Don’t make an entire knife to practice one part.
It may sound obvious but practice is essential, practicing the parts of a knife before making a knife, I’m not talking about a beginner making their first knife so practice handles with pine to develop muscle memory, material finishes on scrap pieces, guard f it up until they are perfect then bring it all together. One step backward, 10 forward.
When you’re ready, attempt your first JS knife with no excuses.
Once you have finished a JS standard knife it is important to get it looked over if possible, you may have to push yourself and contact experienced makers but it’s easy to overlook small details that could fail a knife, it will also give you confidence moving forward. Always be open to constructive criticism and potential disappointment but the JS judging has nowhere to hide.
ABS Introduction to bladesmithing
In the beginning of 2025 James Rodebaugh MS came to TVF representing the ABS and headed the ABS Introduction to blade smithing course along with Jackson Rumble MS and Shawn McIntyre MS.
Putting my philosophies into practice and after ‘training’ enough I made two knives I deemed suitable and presented them for inspection at the weeklong course. They failed miserably. Small details I completely overlooked became obvious and I felt embarrassment with a touch of disappointment. However, Mastersmiths I have conversed with over the last few years are knowledgeable, kind and want people to succeed, this was quite humbling. These experiences are the growth, take a step back to reassess, there are many times when quitting is an acceptable path. We grow through mistakes and I was letting the process change me. Breathe in, breath out . . . .
The time spent doing the ABS course gave me exposure to MS experience and guidance but more importantly for me, it filled the small gaps in my techniques from handle shaping, edge finishing, guard fit ups, heat treating, forging along with conversations where the nuances of these processes were explained in detail, I had time to think about the advice given then turn up the next day with more questions. This became pivotal in my progress.
The JS trip
The JS dream had well and truly become a goal, I was now looking at dates to aim for. Atlanta blade show in 2025 was just to early and I was thinking Blade show 2026 until I read in the ABS newsletter, they had judging in Troy, Ohio. I was in the workshop at TVF, with Karims support, after hours working on a knife when I made the decision to go. I felt my heart skip a few beats.
I had 6 weeks to get my knives ready, after hours work became intense, so I made a plan starting with the smaller knives then progressing through to the bigger more complex ones as I got ‘in the groove’.
First step was to notify the ABS of intent to be judged, once I did, I got general information from the ABS, package deals for accommodation plus other peripheral information.
I started to succumb to the pressure and had to remind myself what I was doing. In my life I was only going to experience my first JS attempt once, so I took a moment from time to time and let the experience run through me, making the most of every minute, soaking it in.
I asked Jackson to inspect my knives when I was nearly finished, there were some things that needed refinement but this was an incredibly important step, it wasn’t obvious at the time but the guidance and eventual approval of an MS carried a lot of weight for me.
I didn’t book a flight until I was sure I could finish all the knives so I got my ticket the week before I had to leave, this was the final commitment.
Travelling
I had never left Australia before and not being much of a traveller the thought was daunting. Sydney to Dallas to Dayton then eventually Troy. My plane was delayed due to mechanical issues and I had to stay overnight in Sydney, so a second 3am start. Qantas was good and they kept track of my connecting flights and changed them as our arrival time became clearer. It was a 14 hour fight and I dozed for maybe an hour, the worst feeling was wanting to sleep then seeing a sun rise. Got through Dallas then to Dayton, I was booked for two nights in Dayton but because I missed the first night they cancelled my entire booking so had to pay for the same room twice, was feeling pretty rank by this time.
Next day I got to Troy with two days before registration, so I got a bit of downtime and took my knives out to inspect. I’m not sure how but there were micro scratches on the guards, I had them in pouches and a pelican case inside my suitcase.
I had packed all the necessary items to fix any issues like this including a vise that could clamp to a desk, multiple grits of sandpaper and various sanding blocks, etc. I then spent the next 5 hours fixing all my knives.
I walked to the Miami Fairground, about an hour away for registration and met Cindy who is administration manager for the ABS, lovely lady. Reason for walking was the unreliable availability of Uber or taxis in Troy and I didn’t know anyone in the area, I had kept the number of the uber driver who drove me to Troy and had organised a lift on the morning of judging but just in case he didn’t show I had a back up plan. Turns out he was super reliable.
JS Judging
I was the first person at the judging area, sun was just coming up, people soon arrived and we started introductions and swapping stories of our efforts to get there.
When the time came we were called in two at a time with strict instructions to put our knives on the table then leave the judging area, I went outside and sat down with a few Americans, Shaun from Ronin knives in New Zealand and Tony from Tony Mont Knives in Greece. There we sat and as the time went on the pressure increased, we became philosophical talking about the joy of passing or the fear of failing, trying to keep each other from starting down either path too far and keeping our heads straight, but eventually we were pacing holding our chests and trying not to hyperventilate, one of the most intense things I have done.
Eventually the first person was called in, they failed and we all felt the heartache. After a few more people I was called up, I passed!!!! I cannot describe the feeling adequately, It was the realisation of what started out as a dream, so I guess it was a dream come true. James and Kevin Cashen were the Judges who told me I passed and that moment will be remembered by me forever.
Shaun and Tony both passed, we bonded through suffering with a mutual respect for what we endured and spent much of the ensuing weekend as a ‘crew’.
My experiences with the ABS have been very positive. I have gotten genuine support and encouragement throughout the whole process, Cindy has been very professional and reliable, even Kevin who was insanely busy over the weekend in Troy took time out to sit down with me and discuss some issues. Steve Randall was great company which I really appreciate, James has my greatest respect, Burt Foster was a great teacher and held two excellent classes, Jackson and Shawn here in Australia are shining examples of gentlemen and a wealth of knowledge.
Reflection
I am still in a place of extreme pride from attempting and achieving JS, it has become a large piece of the story of my life so far, but more than the mere attainment of something is how it has changed me as a person. It has taken hard work, courage, planning, learning, interaction with other people, setbacks, frustration, second guessing myself, pressure, stress, it has stretched and pulled me in far more directions than I felt comfortable going. Worth it? Every second!!
Russelly Toovey
Oct 2025