Introduce Yourself

I searched, I searched some more... and I could not find a thread like what I have in mind. So, moderators- if it's not frowned upon... I'd love to have a roll call! Mod edit. Name, rank, unit, deployment or years of service is not required. What we would like to see is what branch of service you were in. Keep in mind this is a world wide forum and details are up to you. I've had a few discussions with some military veterans on here already. And as the saying goes, once a marine, always a marine. It, like forging... stays in your blood once there. And as former or current military, we have a tendency to perfect our practice- so I'm curious how it led to blac…

Please allow us to interview YOU. The following questions are sample questions, and are simply a place to start the interview. 1) Name 2) Location 3) What type blacksmithing do you do, what do you make. 4) How and when did you get started in blacksmithing 5) What object or thing did you use as your first anvil, 6) Tell us about your first forge, hole in the ground, camp fire, brake drum, stacked bricks, 7) Who assisted you or encouraged you in the craft 8) What event changed your attitude about blacksmithing 9) What tool has changed or made your life easier in the shop 10) What advice would you give those starting out in blacksmithing 11) What advice would…

Hello, I'm interested in writing a short history of my great, great grandfather's family firm, Thomas Smith & Sons, Saltley, Birmingham, England. It was established in 1848 when Thomas started in his drop forge making and selling hammers around Birmingham, England. From a business catalogue in 1912, his firm made tools under the "Snail Brand" trademark. Although I don't make objects in iron myself, I do however collect "Snail Brand" tools and display them at events. I note that one of your members is JESmith, also a descendant of the same family firm. If at all possible, I'd really be grateful if we could correspond and share information on writing the short histo…

Hi, My name is Tim. I guess I first tried blacksmithing around 2001 when I worked at a living history farm in NJ. There was a coal forge setup on the farm, as well as another forge on an adjoining property not open to the public. I helped the demoing smith a few times and goofed around with making S hooks and stuff. Afterwards I didn't really touch blacksmithing again until we bought our farm here in NY and I'd been forging on and off as a hobby. My neighbor loaned me a Peter Wright which I am still using, and I bought a post vise off CL. I've been slowly making my own tooling pretty much since then, and mostly forged hardware, hooks, hinges, etc. I've not messed …

I've been lurking around and reading a bunch on these forms, thanks a ton for the wealth of knowledge, but figured I should introduce myself. I'm just getting started. Attending hammer-in's with a local blacksmith. My first forge worked okay.. PXL_20260218_234920279.mp4 Second attempt seems better: I've got a lot to learn, so I'm just happy to be here. Cheers! Sloanster

Hello , mY name is Dustyn, i am somewhat new but not totally new to this. I have made a smaller furnace/forge for melting aluminum with plaster of paris and a bucket. I am working on a burner, i would like it to be FA propane, i currently have a 1 1/4 MI Pipe 12" w/ 1 1/4 tee and a 1 1/4x1 1/2 flare or reducer coupling. I tapped a 1/4 npt hole in the back of the tee, and have a brass 1/4 to 1/8 npt bushing, 1/8 close nipple, 1/8 capp with a small dremel drill bit size hole. (Just wanted to try it quick, didnt bother with the sizing) Was wondering if this looks ok? I will try to link a video. I obviously will have to do some mods and make it more of a FA style with gate va…

Two years ago, I made two Viking age bells using the Mastermyr Find book as the guide. At the Vesterheim festival, they achieved the "People's' Choice Award". The official critique simply stated, they looked too factory made, not handmade by 1000 YEAR past Viking Blacksmith. This year I am going to make a Viking bell using as much blacksmithing as possible. The bell was designed on paper, cut out, and folded to see what I am making. The pattern was marked on a steel sheet and cut out. The original was hammered out wrought iron. The steel halves will be hammered to represent the original process. The original bells showed signs that there were brass plated. I wan…

Hello all, I'm a 16 y/o from Puerto Rico. I just started forging yesterday and need some help with my setup. I'm using a very rudimentary forge from a tutorial I watched on YouTube. It works for now, but if I can do anything to improve for free, please let me know! Below, I've put some photos of my forge, including a piece of rebar I was whacking on just to 1) practice, 2) test my hammer, 3) test my anvil. You may also see a claw hammer in some photos, but I'm not using it to forge anything. I also apologize for the dark photos; I got a late start in the day yesterday. Outside of my forge photos, I also included 2 photos of the piece of rebar I …

Kas a close friend of mine told me about your group, so here I am. I've been working metal for most of my life in one way or another. Working as a blacksmith I have just under 12 years under my belt. I love making tools of all kinds. Lately im focusing on axes. I like between Alma and Van Buren and looking forward to meeting you all.

Hello all. Name is Rich and I live near Cedar Rapids in eastern Iowa but originally from the Des Moines area and also have quite a bit of family in the northern part of the state. I've been stalking the forums off and on for couple years now and know there is an overflowing abundance of knowledge and helpfulness here. Finally getting around to officially joining so I can learn more and ask questions of my own. I'm a hands-on kind of person and growing up in a family of handymen/DIYers I feel like I've done a little bit of everything over the years, woodworking, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, masonry, roofing, painting, drywall, welding, etc. Couple years ago I …

Took a class at the Crucible (Oakland, CA) and it kind of hooked me. know gas welding and liked pushing puddles, so guess this was next step! On looking for info on forges - have a 40 gal water pressure tank that had a blow out, so looking at how to make it into a forge! See you all on the "build your own forge/burners" pages!

Hi All, nice to meet you. I've seen this site many times, figured it's about time I join. I'm a chemist by trade, started forging about 8 years ago with the intent to make knives, but fell in love with the craft as a whole, and got hooked. That led to a career change about three years ago, when I sold my half of the environmental laboratory I owned, and went to work for a tool company as a blacksmith. So now I get to cut, weld, forge, and create with the wrought iron, 52100, aluminum bronze, S7, 01, and other materials we have at work (my main task being reuse and/or resale of the off cuts and flashings from our tool making process. I get to make san mai, go mai, dam…

Howdy All! Greetings from Stillwater, Minnesota! My name is Ben, although online I am usually found under the handle BFancy. I've been doing this blacksmithing thing off and on as a hobby for probably around 15 years now, mostly making tools and home fixtures. I figured it was time to make an account so I can start asking for help instead of just reading and hoping I got it right.

New to forging, mainly done some knives, I'm just gathering the right equipment. I'm looking to build a rolling mill, any ideas?

Hello all, it’s time to say hello, I’ve just signed up today. It’s Boxing Day 2025 and the turkey bones are boiling away on top of the wood burner in hope of making some stock to make a turkey pie with all the left overs. Im 6 months into retirement and have set up a small coke forge at the end of the garden which I clatter about in. Myself and the Mrs have had a couple of blacksmith try out days and got the bug, so we are both having a go. I’ve managed to gift a few forged items to family members this Christmas such as toasting forks, fire pokers and candle holders, I’d quite like to be able to sell some items to claw back some cost of running this hobby, so am lookin…

Hello, I am new to the forum. While I don't do much blacksmithing myself ( I used to play around with an old coal forge ) I still find it quite interesting. I attend auctions quite frequently and get most of my tools and equipment there. I also come across equipment in lots and thought this might be a good spot to post it. I have a mig welder that I used a little bit just for making repairs to stuff. Certainly wouldn't be able to challenge any c of q ,s but enough to keep things functional. Ideally I'd like to learn to weld in auto body panels for floor pan and truck cab repairs

hi, new smith, trying to build my own shop,any ideas to reduse cost?

Hi All, I have been a member here for many years but have not participated for several years. I have been playing blacksmith for about 30 years. Arthritis slowed me down a few years back. I still perform a small amount of smithing as needed on occasion. Just wanted to stop in and say hi. I have decided to retire from any smithing and will be divesting of my equipment. If I can maneuver in this current form of forum, I may put some items up for sale in the tailgating section. If anyone is in driving distance of East Alabama and interested in some smithing equipment, I will be glad to work with you on some reasonable deals. I have a nicely supplied shop that I w…

I am new to blacksmithing. I have watch serval videos and read serval books. I have forge a hook. It’s ok. I am looking to read more about hammer techniques and the purpose for the different types of hammers. Please advise.

Hello everyone I am a 16 year old self taught blacksmith of around 1 year I have formal training in welding as I am currently attending a trade school and I have had a small bit of informal blacksmithing training as in less then 1 hour total by a frequent substitute instructor at my trade school who is also a blacksmith so yeah and oh yeah I am from Pennsylvania

Hello IFI and all its members, my name is Gayle Coombs I live in Indiana near the Indiana Ohio line, I’m just restarting my journey into blacksmithing and bladesmithing I actually started about 5 years ago, my house caught on fire (not due to forging) and I cut all the tendons on the back of my right hand which is my dominant hand, so had about a year off while I learned how to use my hand then had to move. So I recently (within the last year) started to try to get back at it. I’m using the blade smith forge (I think it’s called) from atlas tool and knife and I have their bigger anvil that they sell as well. I’m interested in learning tool making, axe making, knifes, swor…

I am still learning and observing. I will ask questions, I hope you will help me.

Started posting in other sections before I did the logical thing and introduced myself to the group. Rob here, The Toolshed ; Name given to me way back at a new job I was way overqualified for, I referred to myself as nothing more than a tool....Supervisor was kind enough to call me other.... I live on 150 acres of Michigan woodlands and have five distinct "shops" not including the garage or tractor barn, not to mention other areas I tinker in. Professionally I am an I.T. Analyst with over 35 years experience. Unprofessionally (the other 16 hours of the day I am very unprofessional), I am someone who loves playing with woodwork, metals, fiber arts (kn…

Hello everyone, I'm Michael from eastern Saxony in Germany, 43 years old, and I run a workshop for accident repair of cars and buses. As a balance to sitting at a desk, I’ve recently discovered blacksmithing for myself. I was lucky enough to get a nice basic setup with an 80 kg anvil, a coal forge, and some tools. Since then, I’ve built more tools, forged my first pieces, and gathered ideas. My greatest inspiration is the YouTube channel Black Bear Forge, as I prefer forging all kinds of items rather than mainly knives. There’s no better way to unwind from a stressful office. job.

Hello, I'm new to the site but have been a machinist/fabricator for about 58 years now. Only been a blacksmith for about 30 so I'm still learning the craft. Also dabbled in foundry pattern making and casting iron and brass and bronze. I just picked up a nice little anvil to add to the Hay-Budden that's been my workhorse. I'll post some pictures of it in the anvil section in hopes someone can give me information on what I just bought.