Blacksmith's anonymous

[divermike]

I am willing to start blacksmiths anonymous, and as the charter starter (I think) I willingly state I am an obsessively compulsive coal smoke snortin, scale swipin, quench bucket handwashin, scrap metal gatherin, sparks a flyin,
rusty tool collectin, late night grindin addict to the art! Please feel free to post your testimonial addition to this string.

[Glenn]

I smelled the smoke, walked into the room, and someone shut the door behind me.

So, ok, er, ah, I am a blacksmith, and I can change, I think, but it will take all y'alls help. It may also take a bunch of meetings, some classes, and maybe some new tools, but I am sure I can improve, with time.

[Neal L]

Hi, my name is Neal and I'm a Blacksmithaholic.

[welder19]

Your only an addict if you think you have a problem, I would blacksmith 24/7 if I could and would not for one second think I had a problem

Remember, your only a ----aholic if you go to meetings.

welder19

[ThomasPowers]

I started small, just a 91 pound A&H anvil and I knew I could take it or leave it, then it got worse with a 192# swell horned Hay Budden, My wife started noticing that I would smell of coal smoke when I came in the house and my clothes often had rust stains or burn holes in them. It seemed to take bigger and bigger anvils to get that same rush and finally when I got the 515# Fisher I knew that blacksmithing was in control of my life!

(my wife refers to my anvils as my "harem")

[Quenchcrack]

HA! you guys are just woosies. I only smith recreationally and I can quit any time I choose! YES I CAN!!!! I only have two anvils. Ok, three. And I park my truck on the driveway because there isn't room for it in my gar.....er.....smithy. And I never snorted coal dust because I run a gasser. Mmmmmmm...warm dragonsbreath....................

[NateDJ]

Think I'm already replacing my blood stream with coal dust, soon there will too much blood in my coal stream. I do have a problem though... too much work to do getting in the way of my addiction!

[Frosty]

Hi.

My name is Frosty and I can help you. The first thing you must do to be cured of the infection is get rid of all that smithing gear that's taking over your life. I have a special containment facility designed specifically to prevent the undue spread of this unspeakable condition.

All you have to do to get started on the road to the cure is send all that unhealthy stuff to me. I hereby volunteer, heroically, to safely and properly store all said contagious materials here so all of you can start on your way back to normalcy.

Don't worry about me, I don't have a problem, these things don't affect me. . . Affect me. . . Affect . . . Me . . . Ah . . . F . . . Eh . . .

Frosty

[keykeeper]

Ok, I recognize that I am a forge-a-holic.

Someday I'm gonna start a 12 step program for my addiction......by building a shop only 12 steps from my house, with 12 of the most important tools (anvil, vise, hammer, bender, drill press, power hammer, treadle hammer, air hammer, coal forge, propane forge, forging press, and welder) strategically placed so it only takes me 12 steps to move about them while using them 12 hours a day, for 12 months outta the year.

Will this work?

[Finnr]

I am not addicte............... OH LOOK!!! Rusty Steel!!
Finnr