Neil Blythin

John N, that reminds me of an odd request I had in my other line of work (as a locksmith)... "discrete" handcuff removal, at 3 a.m.

I'm just wondering if anyone on the forum are involved with the UK's National Heritage Ironwork Group? I have a deep interest in heritage conservation & restoration, and am interested in what this group is doing. I think the standards they've been developing are terrific. I'm curious if there is any way, besides checking the website periodically, to keep up to date on what they're doing. Is there a newsletter that one can subscribe to? Are any of the bursary program students keeping a blog about their experiences, etc.? Any info is greatly appreciated! Cheers, Neil

I grabbed a couple of bags the other day, but haven't had chance to try it yet (am in the process of repairing my forge). It looks good, and was a reasonable price. He (Frank) seems like a heck of a nice guy too. Hoping to have the forge back together this weekend so I can give the coke a try. Will let you know.

We have a similar / spin-off show here called "Canadian Pickers". They came to town on a 'pick' recently. Months before, there was a series of ads in the local newspaper asking for people wanting to be on the show to contact the production company... I'm sure all of these shows are quite scripted.

I have been very, very fortunate to run into this on a couple of occasions. Its how I got my first real anvil, post vise, coal forge, and a whole selection of hammers, punches, etc. not to mention some stock. When first starting out, I was getting frustrated trying to find all of the 'stuff', and was saving up to buy new, when fate put two older smiths in my path, who were selling out. One was a hobbiest, downsizing; the other a professional who was retiring. In both cases, they wanted the majority of their tools to go to people who would use and appreciate them. They purposely posted ads on Kijiji, craigslist, etc. of things that would only be of interest to a smith (i.e. don't post an anvil for sale - as you'll get the antique dealers & tool collectors). When you arrive, they say "so what else do you need?". They charged prices that were somewhere between very fair, and bargan basement. And I can tell you, it was very much appreciated! The advice they gave while chatting was priceless, and the tools are all being put to good use. Of course, you can never expect that - but those who are fair when selling off, really do inspire the next generation.

I recently picked one up that looks nearly identical to that (although yours has far less rust). I've looked at every square inch of mine for markings, and can't find anything. The blower that came with mine was a hand cranked Canedy-Otto.

Update: So, I put a bronze bushing into the handle (had a few laying around the shop), and the wobble improved greatly... Until today. I was spending a quiet holiday afternoon having a bit of a forging session, when my forge broke. A large chunk of the socket that one of the legs goes into just broke and fell off (actually 2 broken pieces). I'm guessing that the wobble was partly due to this having a pre-existing crack that's finally given way. It was getting a bit dark out, so I wasn't able to get a photo of the damage.

I recently contacted this guy to enquire about a small quantity of coke (just to try it out); $24 for a 50 lb bag.

I just noticed this ad posted on Kijiji Ontario: 1840's Barn & Blacksmith Shop Date Listed 04-Apr-12 Price Please contact Address Oakville, ON L6M 4J2, Canada 1840's Barn & Blacksmith Shop Available! Property it sits on has been sold & now needs a new home ! Call 905-827-4664 speak to Lorna http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-real-estate-other-1840s-Barn-Blacksmith-Shop-W0QQAdIdZ368771850 Not sure what the deal is, but sounds interesting...

Remember - road runners are notoriously difficult to hit. Be careful where you're dropping that thing.

Thanks guys! I took the handle off today, and the hole is indeed 'wallowed out'. I've got some bronze bushings kicking around the shop, so may drill the hole out a bit larger to fit one of those in, and see how that works. So those holes are for a wind shield, eh? Excellent. I'd been wondering about those. What type of clay is used to line the pan, and how thick of a layer? Cheers, Neil

Thanks for your suggestions. Everything is well oiled, and operates quite smoothly ... And the forge does need to remain portable for the time being. I'll take a closer look at that handle and see if that's an issue. Does anyone know of the banding / bracing around the lower part of the legs is original to these forges? It looks like its an add-on (although it could just be a replacement). Wasn't sure if that was perhaps pulling things out of alignment, or is something like that.

I recently got myself a small coal forge off of kijiji. It's round, has 3 legs, and a small blower underneath that's operated by a wooden hand lever. I just sparked it up for the first time today (it had needed a new belt for the blower). It works nicely, but is quite wobbly when pumping the lever ... I've tightened all of the bolts on it, but it didn't help. Can anyone familiar with this type of forge offer any ideas for how to stiffen it up? I have a few photos of it (if that'll help) - but am viewing the forum from my iPhone, and can see how to post a photo from the mobile version ... Will have to wait till I'm near a computer. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Cheers, Neil Edit: Here's a photo...

Thanks very much for all your replies folks. That's a very good point you made Don - trying to have something that looks less-modern may mislead people into thinking they had safety equipment back in the day ... which we all know, they didn't. Cheers, Neil

Hello Folks, I'm fairly new to this forum - have been lurking for a bit, doing a lot of reding, and really appreciate all of the great info I've found here. Anyways, the reason for this post, is I'm looking for your collective thoughts on safety glasses for heritage / historical reenactors. We're heading into the war of 1812 bicentennial, and I may have the opportunity to spend this summer doing heritage demonstrations. Does anyone know what others working in this field are doing as far as eye protection? Are there 'period' looking glasses available? Do people just wear modern safety glasses with their otherwise historical clothes? I know I've seen some who just don't wear them - but that's just not going to happen. I only have one set of eyes, and historical accuracy be xxxxxx - I'm not risking my health or safety. Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated! Cheers, Neil