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Dan P.

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Jan 30, 2012
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Hi KKF
I'm Dan Prendergast, and I live and work in a small village smithy located in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, England.
A brief resume;
I've been blacksmithing since 2003. In 2004 I began an apprenticeship to toolmaker Dave Townsend in Deptford, London, making and repairing woodworking tools, masonry tools and various other bits and bobs, including for some reason piano springs (quenched in molten lead!). Unfortunately the apprenticeship didn't last very long, as the business folded after I'd been there only a few months.
After that, I enrolled in and completed a two year Nat. Dip. in blacksmithing and metalwork at the National School of Blacksmithing in Hereford, after which I returned to Deptford. I worked there as a self-employed ornametal blacksmith, making the usual gates and railings, but also doing some more interesting work such as making swords for the BBC, Martian armour for Disney Films, working in a team doing extensive conservation and restoration at Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, and Canterbury Cathedral, and many wierd (sometimes really, really wierd) and wonderful little jobs beside. I also like to tell people that have work in the National Gallery, which is absolutely true; a piece of art handling equipment!
In 2011 there were riots in London, including quite literally outside my front window. The rent on our tiny flat was due to go up. We were thinking about having kids, etc. etc., and at the same time the lease for a 17th Century forge and attached cottage came up, so we though "why not?", and moved to the country, where I have since been living and working.
 
About my knives;
I prefer to work in a broadly "European" style, with a hidden tang and integral bolster, which is a style I prefer for its heft and sturdiness. I have done away with the integral finger guard, which seems useless to me unless you are using violent stabbing motions (!). I do like to make my knives harder and thinner than old school European knives, which I suppose is a nod to the Japanese style. I use low alloy carbon steel exclusively at this time.
I do also work in other styles, such as a more openly Japanese handle and blade conformation, and the "contemporary" style, which is what I think of as flat blade and scale handles popular among many younger custom makers.
I have two knives that I call my "stock" knives, a 7.5" and a 9.5". I have the process on these down, and thus the price. I am however happy to discuss individual preferences/customization with clients.
 
Welcome to the forum and can't wait to see more of your work ☺
 
This is the style that I currently prefer to work in, and that I am happy to publish prices for;
7.5"; £215 ($326)
9.5"; £245 ($372)

I will post pieces here as they become available. Maybe try to organize a passaround?



Heel shot;




 
More information and pictures to come soon!
 
Welcome Dan! Those are fine looking knives, hope you'll get a passaround going in the states:viking:.

I love the name of the steel you're using--BS1407 (silver steel). Curious how high you take the hrc--Gator's steel chart mentions you can take it up ~64.
 
Welcome, great to have u here.
 
Thanks all!
Chinacats, I temper these to ca. 61 rockwell. I find that is a happy place for this steel. I find that a tiny relief bevel helps, as 1407 is notoriously chippy.
However, I have started using K510 aka 1.2210, which is a broadly equivalent steel, but slightly improved in terms of alloy composition.
 
Hello Dan Welcome, nice smithy and always nice to see hot forged work.
My brother lives somewhere round you, nearer Stoud, I'm not a million miles away.
Will
 
Hi Will, thanks for the welcome.
Are you in Hereford city? A special place!
My olds live up near Kington, aka The Land That Time Forgot.
 
Hey Dan, had a workshop in one of the old munitions romney huts for years on Rotherwas, Hereford. Was massive, but very damp and cold spent more on tarps than rent, lol, Bit closer to home now near Ross on wye, workshop on a farm nearby. Ill drop you a pm. :)
 
Do I remember that there was another blacksmith at Rotherwas? Lawrence? Hereford must have the highest concentration of blacksmiths in the country, I think. Mostly centered around The Barrels?
 
Yep Loz was just over the road from me, think he is down in devon somewhere now, bought an old Church to live in. Yeah theres a few round here, because of the Blacksmith course at Hereford College.....and the Barrels :)
 
Hello Dan, welcome indeed! I am very happy to see another maker on this side of the pond :)

I really like the design of the second knife - a pass-around would make for a great introduction ;)
 
Thanks for the welcome, Matus!
There have been some set-backs recently, but I hope to have something to share soon!
That second profile is actually a more natural profile to forge and grind.
With the larger knife I was going for a more archaic C. 19th frog's tongue / spade tip shape, but I can see why people might prefer the more classic shape.
 
Hi Dan,

Welcome! It's great to see more smiths in the UK!

As you and Will seem to know a lot of smiths around that part of the country, do either of you by any chance know Andy Jones?

On a completely unrelated note; I went to school with a guy called Dan Prendergast, but we would have been about 13 when you started smithing, so I'm sure you're not him. :rofl2:
 
Thanks MAS4T0!
I don't think I know an Andy Jones. Whereabouts is he?
Yeah, Prendergasts, for having a relatively uncommon/unusual name, we are around!
 
Hi Dan,
I may be confused in thinking that he's close to you or Will; he's based in Essex, I'm not sure how close or far that is.
He mostly makes Japanese style swords, and almost exclusively uses home smelted steel.

I'm really looking forward to seeing more of your work.
How long have you been making knives for?
 
Essex isn't very near me, no. Actually its pretty much the opposite side of the country.
I've done a bit of "home smelting" myself, hearth steel rather than true bloom, just for fun. Here's a blog entry my buddy Josh made about it a while back;
http://thenewhearth.blogspot.co.uk/2013_07_01_archive.html

I've been making kitchen knives for about 5 years?
 
Thanks for the welcome, Matus!
There have been some set-backs recently, but I hope to have something to share soon!
That second profile is actually a more natural profile to forge and grind.
With the larger knife I was going for a more archaic C. 19th frog's tongue / spade tip shape, but I can see why people might prefer the more classic shape.

If there would indeed be a passaround in the future, I would definitely be interested as well:)!
 
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