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Last Updated: 9/25/2003 
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Who What Where| The Ozark School of Blacksmithing |
Located about and hour drive south and west of St. Louis, outside of Potosi MO, the Ozark School of Blacksmithing offers a variety of classes on the art of blacksmithing.There are classes for beginning and advanced students. The school features individual forging stations that have all the tools the student needs for each course. Students and instructors have the same quality equipment and tools for all operations. The Ozark School teaches only blacksmithing and metalworking, and the classes are intensely devoted to teaching the students as much as possible during their stay. Classes are limited in size so the students and instructors gain a close personal relationship during the classes. Click HERE to go to the OZARK SCHOOL OF BLACKSMITHING website |
| Tom Clark |
The school is in a rural setting and was built largely by Tom Clark with the help of other blacksmiths and friends and is still growing.Blacksmithing is hammering metal into shape when it is hot, and related work. It might seem that just heating the metal and hitting it would result in the desired end product one way as easily as another. Tom Clark, administrator of the school, was at the ABANA conference in 1996. As an experienced blacksmith he was impressed with the demonstrations Uri Hofi, from Israel, gave with fellow smiths. Tom set up some classes in the United States with Uri, and the results convinced Tom of the need for a school to teach really good methods of smithing by skilled smiths in an environment that made it as easy as possible to learn these skills. Tom made a trip to Israel to see Uri's school and has worked closely with Uri and other smiths in setting up the school to be one of the best schools for blacksmithing. Tom's own improvements in smithing are a testament to the methods taught here, as are the students who have attended the school. |
| Uri Hofi |
Uri Hofi is a true Master Blacksmith. We all learned much from him during our 5 day course. He has redefined the ancient blacksmith trade with a new ergonomic philosophy which results in less body fatique, and a greater ease and skill for shaping metal on the anvil. I believe we all learned much from him, and consider ourselves quite lucky to have had the experience.
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| Our Work Stations |
The school features individual forging stations that have all the tools the student needs for each course. Students and instructors have the same quality equipment and tools for all operations -- including anvil, coal (coke) forge, tongs, hammers, punches, chisels and drifts.
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| Joe Davis - Assistant Instructor |
Joe was a super-help to us all. Never in a hurry - always patient and quite the diplomat, Joe frequently kept us out of trouble.
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| Bill Bastas |
 Bill is the guy responsible for getting me up to Missouri for Hofi's class. He is another teacher of the Hofi style of Blacksmithing and teaches at Austin Community College in Austin, TX. You can find out more about him and his techniques at his site. Click the More Info button to go there. |
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 Contact: Chipp Walters
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