Railway Days at the Museum

A yearly event around the theme of railways hosted by the Vancouver Island Garden Railway Club, The Oceanside Model Railroaders, and the E&N Division of the Canadian Railway Historical Association. Around four hundred people attended this year and enjoyed the many special exhibits on the grounds.

The museum forge was open for viewing, though the fire was not lit due to the dry conditions lately. Part of the workspace has temporarily been converted into a wood carving area for making handles and scabbards. In the theme of this event the forge also featured a display of railway-related tools and a display case containing knives forged from railway track steel.

Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
For those who missed it: a view of the forge as it looked a couple of weeks earlier when the conditions were not so dry outside.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
A view of the display and shiageba workspace for the event.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
A section of mining car rail that is made from what could be century-old pre-modern steel.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
A finished knife forged from part of the above mining car rail, handle carved from local 70 year old pear tree.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
A rail coupler with the date 1912 on it.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
A finished kotanto forged from part of the above rail coupler, incorporating antique sword fittings.
Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives from antique steel.
This rail plate came from a railway that was abandoned before 1926 and is made from wrought iron over a century old.
Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives from antique steel.
An unusually shaped piece of the century-old rail plate cleaned of rust in preparation for forging.
Island Blacksmith: Charcoal forged knives from antique steel.
A sculpture study of a classical yoroidoshi (armour piercing) tanto hand forged from the rail plate.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
Knives in the display case and portfolio book showing the forge in operation.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
Using a kanna (handplane) to prepare a scabbard for shaping.
Railway Days at the Parksville Museum
Using a nomi (chisel) to remove waste material from a handle block before planing.

Railway Days at the Parksville Museum

Read more about the Artist in Residence Project at the museum.


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