Learn blacksmithing

Ever since high school, I’ve had this romantic ideal in my head of a smith at his forge. The hammer, the anvil, the hiss of hot steel in cold water – it was all so dramatic and fascinating to me. Whenever a renaissance faire came to town, I would go out of my way to make sure I could watch an artisan at work, or at least admire the wares they had brought.

This craft seems like it would be very fulfilling. After some hard work, you’d have created something that would last for decades. If I could’ve made some tools or jewelry in high school instead of a stupid bird house and a flimsy chair in woodshop, I probably would’ve had a career when I was sixteen.

Today, I was doing some Christmas shopping online, when I came upon a jeweler who made his wares by simply inscribing shaped metal. While I did like a lot of the products, I thought to myself, “Why is this stuff so expensive? With the right tools, I could make this stuff myself.” And then it dawned on me: I truly COULD make this stuff myself. I immediately set about searching for blacksmithing and metal working classes online.

Luckily, there is a guild that has a basic weekly class at a museum near where I live, and I’ve inquired about attending it. I hope to hear back from someone before their next class on Saturday, because I can’t wait to start this new hobby.

I don’t remember when I picked it up, but like the other guy said: you’ll never look at metal the same way. Although I’m nowhere near what the professionals do, I have learned a lot. With this as many other things, practice makes perfect. Learn the techniques, try them, and try them again. I usually set up a forge int he summer with bricks and rocks, dense/heavy wood and coal for the fire, and anything i get my hands on for working material. Seared my hands and arms from time to time, so you just got to be careful and always keep some cold drinking water and burn cream nearby. Stay hydrated: the forge will dry you out.

I want to make tools, and the best way I know to do that is with the Ur-technology of blacksmithing.

Once you get the chance to beat on an anvil for a few hours, you will never look at a chunk of metal the same way again. Even things normally considered trash find a second life in the forge. Broken wrenches turn into stylish and durable door handles, common rebar becomes rafter hooks and hose guides and a simple piece of mild steel turns into a beautiful bottle opener.

If you get the chance to talk or work with a blacksmith, do so. Take notes, buy some equipment on the cheap and try out a few ideas. You’ll be seriously surprised with the results (I was). It will change your outlook on a lot of things; namely, why buy when you can build?

... at Peters Valley Craft Center (http://www.pvcrafts.org/). Two glorious days in May to fufill a dream I’ve had probably since I was about ten. I’ll report back with the results and hopefully some photos of me beating the iron down.

Those of you within New York, City of and the surrounding environs are only about two hours from the craft center. Registration is available online and they even have on-site sleeping accomodations. Lots of other craft classes abound (woodworking, ceramics, painting, etc.). Well worth a weekend or a week’s worth of learning for the price and location.

I worked at the Forest History Center in northern MN and did some blacksmithing. The basic stuff isn’t all that hard, but learning to forge weld is a booger. I never did master it. I’m not even sure if I ever got a fully successful weld. The trick to all blacksmithing though is to “strike while the iron is hot.” You’ve gotta work quickly before it cools so that you can do it in as few heats as possible.

I noticed an armoury the other day. I wonder if they’d help with this?

I’m actually a little worried about why there is an armoury in Edinburgh in this day and age…

hell kinda stupid blacksmithing without help supervision or basic training and whatnot but hell i did it. I used mostly instinct, commin sense and tons of leather, metal and a substitute for a forge (i used a meat smoker casing). it was definently worth doing though it burned through my jacket it was awesome. i made a small knife with tons of impurites like a jagged swiss army knife. it was dull so i filed and sharpened it now it can go through alot of things like my coutch, my friends shoe, my friends sheath, meat, butter, pie, etc. definently have adult supervision though and fireplace tongs, a standard hammer can work , concrete(to substitue for an anvil), leather: jacket, gloves, butless chaps(i had jeans on under them) , scrap metal, or plain metal and your good to go. (DONT KILL YOURSELF DOING THIS!!!)