I'm a newbie from Maryland, and boy am I glad I found this forum!
I got started in blacksmithing fairly recently, although I've been interested for a while. The first time I saw a 'smith was a number of years past when I hiked in the Sangrio Cristo mountains near Cimmaron, NM.
I played around at first, hammering some hot metal that I heated in a campfire.
Nowadays I have a better set up, but some of you might say my methods are 'uncouth' and 'unconventional', or even 'wrong'.
I still heat my work in wood fires. I've figured out ways to build up a campfire so that it mimicks a forge's heat output. I have a few pieces of railroad track that I use as anvils, which serve my purpose well. (Yes I know they're not the best, but they're what I got for now.)
So far it's been a struggle, but I've been figuring things out slowly but surely. I've made hooks and a utensil to lift pots, and want to expand what I can make.
I appreciate having this space to gas about myself and my experiences! I look forward to learning all I can on here!
~RidgewayForge