matt993fod

You certainly got it nice and shiny!

I better meet some new bricklayers. None of the guys I know have been able to help so far!

Thanks guys. I will try them, I think. I looked for places to buy new fire bricks but nowhere local to me has them. I even asked a few builders I know, and they couldnt source me any either.

I am restoring a forge. I will need some firebricks to line the hearth, and a friend recommended the bricks from the inside of a storage heater. Would bricks of this type be suitable?

Great first knife. I'd be really proud if I could come up with something like that on a first go!

I have a knackered old file that I someday intend to turn into a knife.

Could you suggest a likely material that it could be made from?

It is carbon steel, from around 1930.

That's the one.

Many thanks for the advice. I have a scrapyard around the back of my house, so scrap metal is no problem. I was thinking perhaps of using a halfshaft? It would be a lot more work, but all of the leaf springs I have kicking around use multiple slim leaves, so wouldnt make a very good size set.

One of the first tools I intend to make is a hot set.

I can't see the point in heat-treating the finished product, as the heat from whatever you were cutting would knacker this pretty quickly. Since I am not going to heat treat, is there any particular point in me making it from (harder to work for a beginner like myself) tool steel, or would it work perfectly well when made from mild steel?

I have been planning to make myself a cross peen from a section of vehicle half shaft, which should be suitable if you get one thick enough.

I don't see why anvilfire should be negative towards other sites. After all, most of their members probably belong to other forums and boards anyway.

Seems a bit silly is all.

By David Harries and Bernhard Heer. Published by Intermediate Technology.

I chanced upon this book whilst browsing Amazon. I want to learn to make tools of various descriptions, so this was an especially lucky find for me.

The style of this book and short and simple. How-tos for toolmaking are presented in a very similar style to most of the blueprints on this very site. The information on technique is technically basic. Exactly what the beginner like myself needs!

An interesting point with this book is that the authors spent a lot of time in Africa with local smiths, studying the way that smiths in such areas live with just the very basics of tools and materials. All of the blueprints in the book are based on how these African smiths make the various tools listed, from scrap sources. This is particularly useful for those smiths who make things from scrap exclusively.

The book even includes information on how to make an anvil from a section of railroad track, how to make a simple forge from clay, or bricks and how to make a bellows from leather or goatskin.

I would recommend this book to the beginner like myself, simply because of the uniqueness of its approach, and the fact that it provides the very basics of instruction without the confusing verbiage that is often the opinion of the author, thus saving the reader confusion down the road.

Ha! Reconditioning it would certainly save me a bit of trouble. He hasnt noticed yet!

So colour running is ok for chisels? Thats good. This should be no problem, once I get the forge finished.

I broke my dear father's favourite chisel whilst bashing apart a rusty old chimney setup for a forge I bought.

I have promised to replace it, and intend to make a replacement from a section of vehicle coil spring of around 2/3" thickness.

The problem is, all the how-tos I have read for chisel making suggest running the colours to temper. I have been told several times from various smiths that this is not an effective method of tempering. Can anyone suggest a suitable time and temperature for oven tempering a cold chisel?

Thanks in advance.

I am sorry for what must be a very Newbie question but...

I got myself a nice anvil for only 20 quid, and now I am after a forge.

Cutting a long story short, I know nothing about how much forges should cost, or what exactly I should be looking for.

I need something small. I have plenty of space, but not enough for something requiring a permanent chimney. My Dad reckons the you can buy portable forges (for farriers and whatnot) that are sufficient for making horse shoes with. Do such things exist? If they do, they'd be perfect.

I need it for practicing techniques I have, and will learn on courses. So far all I know how to make are barbeque butlers and toasting forks, but I hope that will soon change.

Cheers!

Matt

I have tons of room. A nice big garage and workshop, and plenty of outdoor space. Best thing is, dear old dad, who went on the course with me, wants to get his hands on a forge and anvil as well now, so if he gets one I won't have to bother spending my own money!

Being able to practice what I learn on my own would be handy, as money is a real issue.

He certainly knows his stuff. And he's good and patient when we mess up!

Cheers for the dates, Glenn. I'd love to be able to attend more courses at westpoint, but sadly it is a little far away from where I live (about an hour and a half to drive) for it to be utterly practical. I'm still desperate to have more lessons, though, and so I've been looking around for something more local. I live in North Somerset, in the Bristol area, and so if any of you know about courses run in this area, I would really appreciate it.

Hi Sam!

I recently took my first ever blacksmithing lesson, at the Westpoint forge in Dorset, and am desperate to have more lessons, and as soon as possible.

Can any of the British members here recommend any local forges that may be able to help me out?

Thanks in advance.

A big hello to everyone here.

I am new to blacksmithing, having had my first ever blacksmithing lesson only yesterday! This was a course for utter beginners at the Westpoint forge in Devon, run by an extremely nice bloke called John Bellamy. Under his expert instruction all of us on the course made a fabulous set of outdoor wine glass holders, and a nice set of toasting forks. I'll post pics of mine at some point, as soon as I find out how! They didnt go that badly for a first ever attempt at forging!

I must say that having tried my hand at it for the first time, I am bitten by the bug. It was the most fun I have ever had in a day, and cannot wait for the next course (as soon as I can afford it). In the meantime, I hope to be able to learn more here, and to meet some real experts of the craft.

So to everyone here, Hello!

Matt :)