a62rambler

Mark Aspery, Brian Brazeal, Elmer Roush, Jay Close and Tom Latane so far.

It's not a popularity contest! I don't even know what promted that statement? :huh: I guess I should have made it clear in the orignianl question that it has to be someone living as the travel arrangements to join past masters are one way trips. :o

Who that is currently active?

Mark Aspery, Brian Brazeal, the now correctly identified Clay Spencer, Mark Mermelstein, John Emmerling, Clifton Ralph, Stevie Parker, and Brent Bailey all noted. Anyone can make a list of the best and not everyone will agree with all the names on the other's list. Ask for only the best from each person and less people will agree but, make a list from those best no one will disagree.

I originally made one post asking all this. Moderators asked me to separate it. So I did. Again the word I does not appear in any of the posts. I simply asked the question for anyone to answer based on their definition. I'm asking who you think is the best for you. There is no one arguing that any of the choices are wrong. There is no argument at all! There are some confusing answers and sidetracked responses. Who cares why the question is asked. Answer or don't it is up to you. :)

Elmer Roush Brian Brazeal, and Tom Latane all noted.

Jeff Mohr works all are valid reasons. Might be better to have a great smith 5 miles away than the greatest smith 5000 miles away.

Clifton Ralph and Stevie Parker noted. Clay Spencer of the American Football Conference? :D Or Clay Spencer of the New England School of Metalwork. All three good choices but the football player and Asian Food Channel guy aren't currently teaching. :D

Sorry I raised your hackles but all I asked was who you thought was the best and who you'd want to study with. The word I is not in my question. Assumption is the mother of all screw ups! I guess you are saying you would want to apprentice with Mark Aspery?

That's a Champion No. 4 blower. It is a real blower!

As soon as my anvil gets here I'll be doing projects and more projects. I'm thinking the Gilligan's Island has real potential for laughs. I'll buy some coconuts and put LEDs inside. LOL No galvanized at all. It's a washer welded over a scrap frame. The welds are ugly but I stood on it and it held my fat asterisk. I do have a couple pretty welds that aren't in the picture. They weren't my fault though they happened by accident. LOL

Can't argue with either choice. Darryl Nelson's work is very appealing to me. I love the outdoors and the rams and bears are future projects to try. I knew from IFI Brian made hammers and taught technique but his artwork isn't often mentioned yet one of the first plans I saw for a simple project was a horse head and I didn't even notice it was Brian's until today. The man has talent and knows how to make it look easy.

Some of his tools classify as artistic peices as well. They're both functional and beautiful. Thanks for the site. I'm saving that one for sure. Some of those hammers are too pretty to use as a hammer. I'd have to wear a tuxedo while forging.

Good job. That one happy neighbor may end up sending more work your way. Now you've got the pinging and a customer singing your praises to others.

Tom Bredlow works for me. I'm a newbie so a name is just a name until someone tells me what that name means. No offense to any of the famous smiths on here. I have a lot of training by LE instructors. None of which would mean anything to people on here. Criminals never surrendered because I said I'd studied with a name. They stopped because I showed them what that person taught me to do!

I thought this site could use a good laugh so here's a couple of pictures of the bikewheel blower and forgery. I bought a dryer several years ago and the clothesline wasn't used and I used to have to trim around it. Now I just mow over where it used to stand. That's also the legs of the blower support and forge support. I should get points for recycling? Hey maybe since it produces heat I could get a government loan for Green Energy? Other than buying 1/4" steel for the firepot, this whole thing is scrap that was in the way. Of course I bought the blower as well. The blower pulley is 550 cord that was being used for another purpose but wore out and broke in one spot. So even that is scrap. I never realize how green I am! I'm going for most colorful description of this forge so let's have some fun with these pics. I fired it up and it works. Now if my anvil ever gets here, I'll have a third world forge, an antique blower, and a brand new anvil sitting on the hardest red oak stump I've ever dulled a chainsaw cutting. Stump was free and I have plenty more that I got from a tree trimming service. I'll add those pics when the anvil arrives. The clever minds on IFI can surely come up with name suggestions for this monstrosity. I've got thick skin and more sense of humor than a man should have plus a peg leg. There's got to be some great one liner names. I posted once that I am not a welder and taught myself. The firepot is the proof of that! :D

The first metal hammer was made by a guy using a rock on a stick. He probably never had a day of school, certainly couldn't type and probably couldn't read or write. He didn't have access to ANSI certified steel and heat treating wasn't even invented yet. He was probably working with iron he got from a bloom that he made himself or more properly bronze that he made himself. Hundreds of years later a different guy used a bronze hammer to make an iron one but why spoil the beauty of an idea with a history lesson. I say go for it! Why not? If you fail, you'll still learn from the experience and know what to do next time. The only regrets in life are the chances we didn't take! When you succeed you can use it to hit anyone that says you can't and ask them if they felt real pain or if it was just imaginary since according to them it couldn't be done. :D You posted it was something to do when you had more experience. I say experience is what you get from trying and failing until you try and finally succeed! Have fun trying and if you succeed just remember I said you could and don't hit me with the hammer. ;)

Yes let's keep this to actual living people who are still teaching. Let's also keep it to ONE. I'm not asking for a list. That's way too easy. One, that means you have to take some time and put some real thought into it and have a reason why. Hillenkamp & Kington. I can understand both choices and why.

If you could apprentice under one blacksmith in the US who would it be and why?

Who that is currently teaching is the best blacksmith techniques teacher in the US? If you had a chance to go and study from someone who would it be?

Who is presently teaching that is the best at teaching tool making in the US? If you had a chance to go and study from someone who would it be?

Who that is presently teaching is the best artist blacksmith teacher in the US? If you had a chance to go and study from someone who would it be?

I found a local place by asking at the welding supply store. They put me onto a company that builds all sorts of things but will sell small orders to individuals. They stock 1018, a36, and 4140 in more sizes and shapes than I knew existed and their prices are great. Plus, they order regularly and will let you order odd stuff if you want. So check with the welding supply store, machine shop, or fabrication shop as they might know of a similar deal near you.

I'll pass on galvanized. Besides mine will sit right next to the fire so I'll stick with my cobbled together washer metal and use two pieces of stove pipe like Phil pointed out. I did manage to get the rest of the forge going and fired it up with some wood to test the blower and it all works. It sure isn't going to win any beauty or engineering contests but it works.

I'd like to see pics of the hammer if you have one and of how you did the radii. I've never been accused of being shy or subtle. ;)