Lets get-a-hammering!

By Frank Schatz

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This campaign failed to reach its target by 30/09/2021 at 10:00 AM (NZDT) and is now closed.

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Lets Get-A-Hammering!

Project 2021-06-03 15:44:38 +1200

A 40KG ST Anyang Power Hammer will make forging blades easier. This 1 ton machine will make things more streamlined, quicker and more accurate than hand forging. It's a beast standing over 2 meters tall, 0.8 meters wide and 1.8 meters long with a hammer force of 40kg at 110 revs per minute!

Here's a bit about me and what I've come to do over my life; I've been a chef for over 27 years in New Zealand and in the USA as well. A lot of my career has been in the best restaurants at the time, but I’ve also worked in some real dives. Some notable places I’ve worked are Le Bernardin and Restaurant Daniel in NYC, The Hideaway Bar, Big Bad Wolf Charcuterie and Retrogrove Cafe (which I co-own!) in Wellington, New Zealand.

My dad's side are all pretty much academics and the like. My mum's side consists of farmers and labourers. So, I'm a black sheep on either side of my family! I'm the only one to start their career as a chef and maintain cooking for as long as I have. Now times have and are changing, with Covid19, the way the hospitality industry is going in Wellington and New Zealand as a whole, I needed to step back from the stove and focus my energy in other places. Coming from a cheffing background, I decided to become a bladesmith/blacksmith!

When I was going through a phase of “What am I doing with my life?!” I knew I didn’t want to sit at a desk, but use my hands. I found a knife making class and signed up for it. Half way through the first day, I said to myself “Yep, I can do this!” In September 2020 I set up my first workshop and started making knives. In January 2021 I had to move quite suddenly. I was rushing around asking everyone I could think of until one of my steel suppliers said to come have a chat and I haven’t looked back! It’s an amazing place to be, I have support, machinery that I can use and the people there are keen to help me out if I need it in terms of doing something I’m not used to or to learn how to use equipment. Now it’s time for a serious, but necessary upgrade.

I like to work with my hands, feel the material/s I'm working with and seeing what it can become as an end product. And as far as I'm aware, Poneke Forge is the only Wellington City based bladesmith shop!

I named my forge Poneke Forge a few weeks ago from Frank the Chef, it’s a move to differentiate from my bladesmithing and my cooking/consulting side. I chose Poneke as a way to honor Wellington, which has been my home for the better part of 30 years. Wellington is my home and will be for many years to come!

 

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Lets Get-A-Hammering!

Project 2021-06-03 15:44:38 +1200

A 40KG ST Anyang Power Hammer will make forging blades easier. This 1 ton machine will make things more streamlined, quicker and more accurate than hand forging. It's a beast standing over 2 meters tall, 0.8 meters wide and 1.8 meters long with a hammer force of 40kg at 110 revs per minute!

Here's a bit about me and what I've come to do over my life; I've been a chef for over 27 years in New Zealand and in the USA as well. A lot of my career has been in the best restaurants at the time, but I’ve also worked in some real dives. Some notable places I’ve worked are Le Bernardin and Restaurant Daniel in NYC, The Hideaway Bar, Big Bad Wolf Charcuterie and Retrogrove Cafe (which I co-own!) in Wellington, New Zealand.

My dad's side are all pretty much academics and the like. My mum's side consists of farmers and labourers. So, I'm a black sheep on either side of my family! I'm the only one to start their career as a chef and maintain cooking for as long as I have. Now times have and are changing, with Covid19, the way the hospitality industry is going in Wellington and New Zealand as a whole, I needed to step back from the stove and focus my energy in other places. Coming from a cheffing background, I decided to become a bladesmith/blacksmith!

When I was going through a phase of “What am I doing with my life?!” I knew I didn’t want to sit at a desk, but use my hands. I found a knife making class and signed up for it. Half way through the first day, I said to myself “Yep, I can do this!” In September 2020 I set up my first workshop and started making knives. In January 2021 I had to move quite suddenly. I was rushing around asking everyone I could think of until one of my steel suppliers said to come have a chat and I haven’t looked back! It’s an amazing place to be, I have support, machinery that I can use and the people there are keen to help me out if I need it in terms of doing something I’m not used to or to learn how to use equipment. Now it’s time for a serious, but necessary upgrade.

I like to work with my hands, feel the material/s I'm working with and seeing what it can become as an end product. And as far as I'm aware, Poneke Forge is the only Wellington City based bladesmith shop!

I named my forge Poneke Forge a few weeks ago from Frank the Chef, it’s a move to differentiate from my bladesmithing and my cooking/consulting side. I chose Poneke as a way to honor Wellington, which has been my home for the better part of 30 years. Wellington is my home and will be for many years to come!

 

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Hey! Thanks for checking out this project.

We haven't made any updates yet, follow us if you want to be notified when we do.

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This campaign was unsuccessful and finished on 30/09/2021 at 10:00 AM.
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