Arctic Anvil

Oh man Frosty I was sure glad all my rivets were tight. I think it shook the scale right off some of the iron I just forged. My slag tubs were sloshing. My dogs woke me up about a second before it hit. I am a true believer animals can sense it happening. Its not the first time they have alerted us to a quake up here in Alaska. My wife wasn't to happy with me when she realized I was more worried about my shop then her china hutches. Jim "Arctic Anvil"

Wait wait no surprises, the wife hasn't finished dusting & washing the windows in the shop! Plus she still needs to organize my tools & put that second coat wax on the floor. So I can impress Vince of course since he is a TV star now. I was in the other room & heard his voice on tv. Thankfully I could back it up & watch him over & over & over again. Maybe he will sign our hammers or our t-shirts at the next meeting.

The tool place (like Harbor Freight) out north of Wasilla has cast iron anvils for sale. Saw them on Craigslist. Not best quality but better then nothing.

They always ask me "how long have you been blacksmithing"? I tell them I started about 9 that morning. Ha ha

I met him yrs ago at his shop in Petaluma. He had a great way of encouraging new smiths and I remember seeing & hearing him on his power hammer. My anvil will also ring in memory of him. Prayers & thoughts to his family at this difficult time.

I've always had good luck at RV supply shops in setting me up. They seem a little cheaper then propane shops.

Oh metalmangeler you are so hard to buy for!! Either the anvil would be to heavy or too small or the horn is on the wrong end. But I will check value village for something really special for you!

There is a couple of anvils on craigs list today!

Frosty what time should we get to the museum for setup?

Yes spirtual for me!! The Lord has shown me how my smithing is just like life. I started life as a plain odd simple person. I go through life getting beat on, thrown into the fire constantly & then amazingly I am tempered & shaped into something useful. Of course this is ongoing as the scale is knocked off with ea heat. The Lord has blessed me with this ability, I couldn't do it without him. Jim Arctic Anvil Anchorage Alaska

I got carpal tunnel over 20 yrs ago from smithing. The braces do help at night to keep your hands from falling asleep. A couple of old smiths told me to use B6 & Magnesium. Within a few weeks of 600 to 800mgs of B6 & about 400mgs of Mag, I was finally getting some relief. Talk to a good health vitamin store about how many mgs to use plus they directed me to capsules instead of tablets for better absorption. I smith part time & continue to take them daily to keep it under control. I do not know of many success stories after wrist surgery. Unless you take up a new trade where you don't use your hands to the extreme. I have recently heard about KT tape. Like the volleyball players used on the olympics. I use it on my shoulder at times & their website shows it can be used for wrists & elbows too. Along with adjusting height of anvil, stance, hammer size & grip, I hope you find some relief. I thing I will try the rubber band exercise too. I know these vitamins are keeping me hammering!! Jim Arctic Anvil Anchorage Alaska

I got carpal tunnel years ago in my wrist from hammering. My wrists & fingers fell asleep every night. I tried adjusting everything but it was still bothering me. A couple of old smiths told me about B6 & magnesium vitamins. I had to use capsules for better absorption. After a couple of weeks of 600 to 800 mgs of B6 & 400 mgs of mag, I got it under control. I smith part time but keep taking it & really see the difference. There is also another vitamin that helps if you get elbow pain. Also check out KT tape like the Olympic volleyball players used. I use it on my shoulder & see it can also be used on the wrists. I have heard of smiths of smiths having surgery on their wrists, it helped for awhile, but pain came back. Wish you the best. Jim Arctic Anvil Anchorage, Alaska

How is Gordon Williams doing on his bike trip from AK to the Grand Canyon? I am with the Alaska Blacksmith Association. He put on an amazing demo for us before he jumped on his bike with 2 cans of bear spray & lots of mosquito spray. He demo'd a hummingbird but to us Alaskans it looked like an Alaskan mosquito. I hope they are doing good & getting that 60 miles a day in on their bikes with no problems. Jim Arctic Anvil Anchorage Alaska

Oh man summer 2013 we will never forget!! Gordon's demo's were non-stop amazing! I took a lot of notes & pictures that will last me a life time of smithing. We always heard he was intense with 3 or 4 irons in the fire at one time. I have already started melting marbles & still need to work on my mosquitoes oops I mean hummingbirds. Thanks again Pat for hosting the demo's. Let's keep Gordon & Mike in our prayers as they bike the great land of Alaska, Canada & back down to AZ I guess you heard 2 movies have been released about US this summer: "Iron Man" & "Man of Steel"!! Ha ha So us "Iron Mongers" need to step up & share our artistic abilities! Jim Arctic Anvil

Here are a couple of sources where I have found anvils, tools & steel locally in Anchorage. Second Chance Store on Spenard Rd south of Benson: I picked up a new 110lb cast iron anvil there for about $100 a few yrs ago. Not really good quality but at least you would have something to pound on. He was getting them from China it looked like. Check out Antique stores for tools, etc. I picked up some Model-T adjustable wrenches for $8 ea at Lazy Dog Antiques on 7th. I weld a handle on them and they are great for twisting stock. They had a coal forge & a few tongs, but prices seemed a little high. I have found old chisels, jack hammer bits, hammers etc at some antique stores for a reasonable price sometime. . Steel Fab down on Railroad Ave & Post Rd said they would try to work with us on prices for steel, depending on how much you buy. Talk to Terry Walker there and tell him you are a member of AK Blacksmith Association.

Frosty, I will have to check out those springs. I had heard of dinner triangles made out of them, which produced a great ring, Oh yeah woke up to about 3 in of snow in Anc this am. Trees are covered, not sure how the roads are looking. At least we know it won't last.

I will also bring a couple of silent auction items. Jim Arctic Anvil

Oops I need to check this site more often. i'm late getting in on this order. But will be interested to hear how it works and buy a few lbs if someone has some extra. Jim Arctic Anvil

I would be interested in hearing more about it. And possibly participating. Jim Arctic Anvil

Way to go Tristan on the forge. Was thinking of the Fire & Ice end of June. I believe Frosty said he would demo and I was wondering what kind of setup is out there. I have a portable forge, anvil & vise. Is there a covered area or should I plan for the wife to hold the big umbrella over me while I forge? Looking forward to see the AZ smith demo's. Jim Arctic Anvil

thanks Frosty, I will be at the meeting on the 20th. I am just a weekend smith so looking forward to it.

Hey Frank, this is Nanook of the North, I attended your school back in the fall of 88'. Way to go on 50 yrs of smithing. You taught me skills I had no idea I could do. thanks again!!!

I just joined yahoo & was waiting on an email to get my name on the list for the Alaskan Blacksmith Association. But it sounds like this is the place to be.