Ian

The fifth one along is something I know under two names. Pineapple twist or Dragonscale twist. I really like them, they're a four way twist hammered back to square, incised four ways again then twisted in the opposite direction. If memory serves you count the number of twists in the first direction then go half that number back? Last time I did one I just did it by eye, when the diamonds lined up I stopped. ;P

It could have been better but then again it could have been a lot worse. I agree that Monty Don is a bit of a tool but hey, he's helping to raise the crafts profile so don't burn his house down. I laughed at the bit where a hot cut was left in the hardy and was surprised that the cockney lad scored so poorly but one mans taste is not another's. Overall it was an enjoyable show and entertaining, which is what telly is all about right? John B, is that convention free or does it require a ticket? If I can make it over there (no transport per seh) I'd like to, if only for the chance to network and meet up with folks

He can at that, like a snake. All it takes is that little 'tch-psssh' you get when you open one of 'his' tinnies Sorry to hear about Sue bloke, hope she's not too bad again, but please, nuff said with the "All fall down go boom" stuff. You ain't falling over cos there's too many ugly sods around to catch youse. You know where I am.

Uncy Chop Chop.... If'n youse quit or sell a single b---dy thing I will personally get on a plane, come round to youse house and boot youse around like a football or at least until youse get angry, get off your ar-e and start fighting back. Last time I checked you were Dale Russell, THE Dale Russell. My friend and one of the few blokes barring my old man (God rest his bones) who I'll admit I admire. One of the MAIN reasons I'm still banging my head against the wall of bureaucracy here in London is because of you and the influence you had on me. I met a bloke who was like me, a battler, passionate about what he did and a b---dy good sort too. A bloke who humbled me by his openess and his generosity, by his skills (and yes you are VERY skilled) and by the way he could 'see' how things in iron were possible and how they could be done. A bloke who was always telling me to go for it, that I could do it and that they wouldn't beat me no matter what because I'd gotten iron in my blood and it never comes out. SO DO YOU you daft old f--t! What the heff and jeff is this? So your shoulders gone south and that means the butchers you guys call Dr's over there gets to carve you up, it a shonky deal, no ifs or buts but it can be fixed. If it can't then NO-ONE has a better brain to figure out a way round it than you mate. You never struck me as a quitter mate, never. Hearing you talk like this doesn't sit well at all. If nowt else remember you are Dale Russell, and that means a hell of a lot to some of us bloke.

LOL, I was given the challenge to make an upset rose by Lina Sundin, a wonderful lady Smith, originally from Norway (who works in Orebro in Sweden). I asked her to show me how to make a rose and I think she was having a little fun with me. Took me a while but I did it and surprised her in the process. The Farm project is still moving, myself and Sean are having a bad time with the weather at the minute so the actual building works are crawling along but we're making tooling and stuff so its not wasted time. We've had the first version of the contract to look at, and asked for a fair few changes to be made so it's a case of waiting for them to re write it and let us go over the next version. I'm pretty sure we'll manage to come to an arrangement that we're all happy with in time. Basically there's a plan to hold a forge in to coincide with the official opening of the forge when we've got the building finished. It's a bit of a piece of string question at the minute but I'm hoping it wont be more than another month or two. I'll be letting everyone know when we're ready so that as many folks as possible can make it over for the day. I'm really looking forward to it. :D

Some really lovely roses John Was anyone brave enough to try doing a rose from one piece of steel? I've done the russian style roses before at demo's, and found a way to make them a little less clunky by adding the lower leaves under the petals on the last wrap around, but only ever done one by upsetting and chiselling, just too much work and time for what you'd get for it. Fine as a 'done it' project but component roses like those are so much more economical in both senses of the word and they look lovely too. Great effort

LOL Frosty, I have no objection to a rambly style at all. I'm just as guilty of it as you are mate. As a quick update the contract was emailed to me yesterday. Very much written in legalise and something that I need to let a few people I know look at. Some things I know from my read through will definitely need amending before I sign it but on the whole it isn't as terrible as it might have been. In between times progress is being made on the extension to the forge and I've had a chance to make a couple of things, including a nice cube twist candlestick. The reason for that being Sean has possibly found us an 'in' to a very exclusive designer store in London and they might well like to see some examples of what we can do. All things considered this year might turn out to be a pretty interesting one B)

to go at something "hammer and tongs" would mean really "putting the hammer down" wouldn't it?

Hello all, Still trying to figure out the new site but I figured everyone would want to know how things went so I'm tacking this here. My sincerest apologies for not individually emailing everyone who sent (or is sending, or intends to send) letters of support. They were VERY useful in getting the Board of Directors to see the potential scope of what the Rural Crafts Centre and specifically the Blacksmiths Forge could offer. So I guess you all want to know what they decided then...........drum roll... YES!!!!!! The fine details still need to be formalised and contracts drawn up but as far as it goes we have a green light! Thunderbirds are go! Now of course the real work will begin but you know what? I don't mind in the least, not a jot. I spent over a year trying to save the Farm by getting involved in how it was run. There is an entirely new Board of Directors and they have the reigns of the Farm. Now I can help by getting the public interested in it again and by generating some of the revenue it sorely needs. It feels great to know that by doing what I do I can still help the place. I'd much rather work myself to death in the Forge than at a computer screen or a council meeting. As I get chance I'll start posting again under the world tour section until something better can be sorted out. Once again thank you to every single member of Iforge and to the Blokes and Gals who've helped me along the way. You know who you are Ian

For a very first try (?) Those aren't too bad at all. If they work then they don't have to be pretty, make the next pair prettier, and the pair after that and so on. I'd suggest you go for a slightly thicker material to make the jaws of the tongs, then draw down the reins. I know it's a lot more hammering but then again it's all practice right? Failing that just make the bit and weld the reins on after with an arc welder or forge weld. Look at the BP section as well, a few good examples of how to make tongs. If you can't find them on here then try over the road at Anvilfire. Keep at it :D

Thanks mate, I really need as many people as possible who are willing to take the ten minutes needed to write me an email. I hope to print them all out and come January present the Board with a nice big bunch of them to show just how much support the project I'm wanting to do has. Your letter (and everyone else's) will genuinely go a long way to helping me do this. Everyone who posts here and who's read my blog has an idea of how much effort and time I've put into this dream I've had and it's finally coming down to the wire. I can't tell you how badly I want to do this and make it work, so come on boys and girls, get writing! PLEASE!!! :D

Hi all, well it seems to be coming down to it at looooooong last. I have been formally asked by the Board of Stepping Stones Farm (Soon to be renamed Stepney City Farm) to write and submit a final proposal for the Blacksmiths Forge I started on the Farm over a year ago as a volunteer. This is meant to include a full business plan, projected revenue stream, the whole nine yards in fact. As part of that I'm wanting to put together a presentation in which I would very much like to include some letters of support. I'm not asking people to recommend me specifically for the job (unless they've seen my work and want to) but rather to write letters supporting the 'idea' of a working forge and it's value to the general public and so on. I'm hoping a few of the blokes I met that remember me might chip in but the simple fact is the more letters I can get saying that a Forge is a worthwhile idea the better the chances that they'll give it a go. I'm hoping that it'll be myself and Sean who get the agreement to run it, but it will have to go to tender first so the more I can impress them the better. If you look on my profile you'll find my gmail address, could you send your letters there so I can print them out? It'd be great to throw a massive stack of them on the table at the end of the presentation with the words "Oh yes, by the way, these are letters from Blacksmiths around the world who also think this is a good idea". The Farm has come a long way in the year or so I've been involved but it still desperately needs some sort of income that isn't tied up as a grant, so far my offer of 25% of what the forge makes is the only possible 'free' revenue maker the place has apart from chicken eggs and manure! After some serious digging around I believe we (myself and Sean) should be able to put thousands of pounds into the Farms coffers, if we can convince them that this is a project that has real legs, your support might just do that. Thanks to everyone at IFI for tagging along with my trials and tribulations so far, things are starting to come together! OK, so a little background on the Farm to help anyone wanting to write a letter..... The Farm covers 4.3 acres of land in the heart of London, (next to Stepney Green) in the Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is bordered by The City of London, the River Thames, and the East End (all within ten minutes walk of the Farm). It has been in existence for nearly thirty years and was originally derelict land after the Luftwaffe bombed the area during WWII. The local community took over the land and began planting vegetables and keeping small stock and from this it grew into what is now commonly known as a 'City Farm'. These are usually charitable organisations with a mandate to educate inner City children (and adults) about farming and rural life. Something that otherwise they would never experience. Stepping Stones has quite a lot of historical value given that there are several ruins on the land of archaeological importance including one of the oldest Non Conformist Meeting Houses (read: Church) in London, dating from the 16th Century. There are garden plots which the local community use to grow their own food and a wide selection of Farm animals from ducks to pigs and cows. Essentially the Farm is a place for people to experience a bit of the countryside in the heart of the City. The idea for the Rural Crafts Centre is to set up a series of 'demonstration' workshops where those 'rare' trades that supported Farming and rural life can be shown. These would be full time workshops (running as profit making businesses) with the workshops set out so that the general public can safely watch the tradesmen at work. The Forge is an intrinsic part of this broader idea and to the best of my knowledge none of the 17 City Farms dotted around London have a Rural Crafts Centre of any kind. Only one other has a Forge but that is run as an entirely private business and the general public are not encouraged to watch the Smith at work.. My idea is to set up three 'core' trade workshops (covering wood, stone/clay and Iron) with an additional open plan workspace for guest trades to come and present demonstrations and classes on a rotating basis. So one month it might be a Cooper, the next a Wheel Wright, the next a Thatcher, and so on while the 'core' trades provide constant year round courses and demonstrations. Myself, along with Sean, would be the two full time Blacksmiths and we would run the Forge as a truly working forge, taking on commissions, making items for sale and so on. We would also provide demonstrations of Blacksmithing to school groups, and run courses for both adults and children and take on special needs/interest groups as well. The broad aim for the R.C.C. would be to preserve and promote those traditional crafts and trades that are at risk of being lost in today's society. My full name and contact details are : Ian Stuart Lowe C/O Stepping Stones Farm Stepney High Street London United Kingom E1 3DG email: ianstuartlowe@gmail.com

OK, so a little background on the Farm to help anyone wanting to write a letter..... The Farm covers 4.3 acres of land in the heart of London, (next to Stepney Green) in the Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is bordered by The City of London, the River Thames, and the East End (all within ten minutes walk of the Farm). It has been in existence for nearly thirty years and was originally derelict land after the Luftwaffe bombed the area during WWII. The local community took over the land and began planting vegetables and keeping small stock and from this it grew into what is now commonly known as a 'City Farm'. These are usually charitable organisations with a mandate to educate inner City children (and adults) about farming and rural life. Something that otherwise they would never experience. Stepping Stones has quite a lot of historical value given that there are several ruins on the land of archaeological importance including one of the oldest Non Conformist Meeting Houses (read: Church) in London, dating from the 16th Century. There are garden plots which the local community use to grow their own food and a wide selection of Farm animals from ducks to pigs and cows. Essentially the Farm is a place for people to experience a bit of the countryside in the heart of the City. The idea for the Rural Crafts Centre is to set up a series of 'demonstration' workshops where those 'rare' trades that supported Farming and rural life can be shown. These would be full time workshops (running as profit making businesses) with the workshops set out so that the general public can safely watch the tradesmen at work. The Forge is an intrinsic part of this broader idea and to the best of my knowledge none of the 17 City Farms dotted around London have a Rural Crafts Centre of any kind. Only one other has a Forge but that is run as an entirely private business and the general public are not encouraged to watch the Smith at work.. My idea is to set up three 'core' trade workshops (covering wood, stone/clay and Iron) with an additional open plan workspace for guest trades to come and present demonstrations and classes on a rotating basis. So one month it might be a Cooper, the next a Wheel Wright, the next a Thatcher, and so on while the 'core' trades provide constant year round courses and demonstrations. Myself, along with Sean, would be the two full time Blacksmiths and we would run the Forge as a truly working forge, taking on commissions, making items for sale and so on. We would also provide demonstrations of Blacksmithing to school groups, and run courses for both adults and children and take on special needs/interest groups as well. The broad aim for the R.C.C. would be to preserve and promote those traditional crafts and trades that are at risk of being lost in today's society. My full name and contact details are : Ian Stuart Lowe C/O Stepping Stones Farm Stepney High Street London United Kingom E1 3DG email: ianstuartlowe@gmail.com

Hi John, I'm part way through writing to them as I speak, I was also thinking of trying B.A.B.A. too. I've got a while before the deadline so I'm hoping to get a few letters from folks like Brian Russell, Pete Oberon, Chris Topp and such as well as the internationals like Moony and maybe even Uri Hofi. I'm lucky in that I've met them all, and worked with some so they might help..

Hi all, well it seems to be coming down to it at looooooong last. I have been formally asked by the Board of Stepping Stones Farm (Soon to be renamed Stepney City Farm) to write and submit a final proposal for the Blacksmiths Forge I started on the Farm over a year ago as a volunteer. This is meant to include a full business plan, projected revenue stream, the whole nine yards in fact. As part of that I'm wanting to put together a presentation in which I would very much like to include some letters of support. I'm not asking people to recommend me specifically for the job (unless they've seen my work and want to) but rather to write letters supporting the 'idea' of a working forge and it's value to the general public and so on. I'm hoping a few of the blokes I met that remember me might chip in but the simple fact is the more letters I can get saying that a Forge is a worthwhile idea the better the chances that they'll give it a go. I'm hoping that it'll be myself and Sean who get the agreement to run it, but it will have to go to tender first so the more I can impress them the better. If you look on my profile you'll find my gmail address, could you send your letters there so I can print them out? It'd be great to throw a massive stack of them on the table at the end of the presentation with the words "Oh yes, by the way, these are letters from Blacksmiths around the world who also think this is a good idea". The Farm has come a long way in the year or so I've been involved but it still desperately needs some sort of income that isn't tied up as a grant, so far my offer of 25% of what the forge makes is the only possible 'free' revenue maker the place has apart from chicken eggs and manure! After some serious digging around I believe we (myself and Sean) should be able to put thousands of pounds into the Farms coffers, if we can convince them that this is a project that has real legs, your support might just do that. Thanks to everyone at IFI for tagging along with my trials and tribulations so far, things are starting to come together!

As always Brian, excellent work. I like the way you use the edge of the anvil on the second half face blow (to under sling the front of the jaw), tricky for a beginner to do that without flattening the first half face blow that made the cheek. Great demo of technical skills.

About time you were up and off your a--se Bloke sorry I haven't been around to say so sooner, been out in the wilds. Well the outback anyway. Leg pulling aside, I for one am genuinely glad your still kicking mate. You had me worried for a spell. Give my thanks to Deb and the dogs for everything they've done to make your recovery a speedy one and next time you decide to drop a tree drop the bugger somewhere you're not ;)

keep going matey，sending good vibes from Korea after visiting Oz

Blokes everyone, 'poms' included know the only thing that should go in a pie warmer is a growler. Beer on the other hand should go anywhere as cold as it can without actually freezing. Simple!

Put me on the list bloke I've booked the flights (thanks to the generosity of Mr Glenn Moon), and I'll be staying for a month. REALLY looking forward to working with Moony and earning the tickets and especially looking forward to opening a tin with youse mate. I'll have summat for youse to take home as well Need to get some sun and some perspective mate, I've lost more than just weight since we last had a tinnie.

Good news! I knew Hephaistos was the right bloke to " 'av a word with" about this. He didn't like the sound of having some competition it seems Debs, time to breath out at last. Frosty, don't do that to us again you silly sod, time to shift your a-se out of that bed and back home with your Mr's. Genuinely made up to hear you are still kicking bloke

Stepney Green, Andrew. A place called Stepping Stones City Farm. I have a tiny little shop I share with a mate of mine who's also into metal work. Nothing very impressive at all right now but its better than nothing :)

Deb I'm not a man who's ever prayed to anyone or anything but if it'll get my Mate Frosty off his bed and back home with you then name your chosen deity. He's been one of the few people I can talk to who really understands what I've been going through (Diabetes) and I want you to know how much of a difference it's made to me knowing that I've had a friendly ear. You need anything you let me know flower. Next time you see him tell him from me he better get his ar-e out of that bed before I come over and drag it out.