Plantagenet Ironworks

ALWAYS be suspicious of Craig's List. Few places are as full of Scum and Villainy as the Craig's List. I go out of my way to avoid it when I can. The FEW instances I have been involved with transactions involving so called 'internet classifieds'... I have ALWAYS met in public places, always armed and always with a friend. It's not paranoia if robbery, murder, scams and theft are nearly as likely as a successful transaction. There are a host of anvils for sale for local pickup on Ebay right now... all in the north east, and within driving distance for you. Sadly, none in my area. :(

I wouldn't call it retail, It was one of those 'antique/junk mall' things with like 50 'booths'. Its common practice to wheel and deal in places like that... like a pawn shop. The money in my pocket was what I was willing to spend, I REALLY wanted the anvil (its the first REAL one I have seen), and I thought it was a fair offer. *shrugs*

I walked into an antique mall today, kinda an old dingy place, more of a junk store than anything really. Right inside the door is a smaller 'roughly' 125 - 150lb Peter Wright Anvil in half decent condition, wasn't pristine, but it was alright. It was marked $325 seemed high to me, but Im a newb... but I figure Im also at a junk store. I offered the clerk $190 (What I had in my wallet) for it and the man loses his mind, starts yelling and cussing at me asking if Im trying to get hm shot or something... a rather high strung individual. I thanked him for his time and left the store, I don't do well with strangers raising their voice to me without cause. But it begs the question, was I THAT far off the mark that my offer incited such a response? :P

One heck of a score this morning, at least I feel it was. I picked up 17 punches of various sizes, 1 small cross pein hammer head (1 1/2 Tru-Emper I think) and 2 pieces of metal that were in the punch box that Ill end up making something artistic out of for $10. I also picked up the piping, caps and tee for my forge... didn't really get a deal on that, feel like I got screwed actually, $33 which is more than I paid for the brake drum. However, it was pretty much my only option other than internet ordering for the pipe. I made sure I got black pipe, not galvanized. Buddy of mine has a 55g barrel that I may co-op for the forge stand. Hammer handles are still in question, I need to find a tru-value or ace hardware around here somewhere. I cant believe Lowes and Home Depot don't carry hickory tool handles... thats just dumb.

Been putting together a few tools. I picked up a couple files, an old vintage cross pein head that is about 3 lbs I think. I also found a cheapo "Plano" toolbox for under $9 that Ill use to hold my tools. As a hobby smith without a dedicated space, a toolbox was a necessity. I started talking to the Saltfork Craftsmen, and Ill end up going down to Norman one of these days and visiting and do a lot of watching. I wanted a way to mark my toolbox, my family crest is a boar, so a Boar stomping on an anvil seemed appropriate. Not very clean, but it got the job done. I think next time Ill make the template out of brass not out of printer paper :) I picked up a piece of 4140 steel rod, 8.5 inches x 4.5 inches weighs 35 lbs or so, and Ill use that as an anvil to start, not 100% ideal but I hope it will work for now. Things Im working on right now: Putting together a forge, I have a break drum I am going to use, I found a nice thick iron one for about $22 brand new. Having trouble finding 2 inch black piping, Lowes/Home Depot are useless, 1 1/4th are their largest black pipe, so the aim is to hit a real hardware store this week. Tool handles, another thing Lowes/Home Depot dont carry are replacement tool handles. The guy literally told me to buy a new hammer instead of replacing a handle... I laughed and walked away. Next weekend is a large 'REAL' vintage flea market thing, they always have lots of tools, I have even seen an anvil or two in the past. Heres hoping I can find some punches, a ball pen hammer, maybe a wooden mallet and God Forbid... an actual anvil :)

Making my own tools is actually what I am wanting to do. Maybe Ill just start with an old worn out cold chisel and try and make the rest?

New smith here, in the tool gathering stage. I am aiming to keep my whole build to START at under $100 Hammer, Anvil, Tongs I have so far... Working on possibly getting a couple more hammers and a punch set, in addition to some gloves and of course a forge of some sort. Im looking for a cheap option for punches, chisels and the like currently. A book I read said that heading to a hardware store and buying the cheapest/largest cold chisel's they had by the handful would be a good option as they could all be modified later. I was wondering if this might be a good option as well? I plan on doing mostly smaller, decorative items. $30 after taxes... which would be the most expensive tool I have purchased so far. Thoughts?

That is beautiful.

Thank you for the info about the 'type of steel' in these things... being as green as I am I didnt even consider that. The seller... and several others have multiple types of steel in various shapes. Price and availability for me I think this might be my best option. So a 10inch long piece of 4 inch 4140 would do nicely? Or should I look for a different type of steel. Also, once I do get it, should I do anything to the face you think?

I am just starting my anvil search and I am looking to educate myself on a few of my options 'on the cheap' as it were. I am already aware of the idea of turning a 2 foot piece of rail track on its side as a sort of 'poor mans' or beginners anvil. I was wondering about something like this round 'anvil' would work well?

Good Evening everyone, Bit of an update here. So my little flea market that I thought would be a gold mine was terrible. It was not at all what I expected, mostly handmade sewn things and so called 'decorative' clutter. My only score... and my first tools, is a pair of Farriers tongs "Nippers" that are used to trim the hooves of horses I believe. One is marked "Champion" the other is unmarked. I figure they could be modified with a bit of heat and hammering even by a novice into serviceable tongs, I paid $5 a piece for them at a local antique market. I also put down my name and number as someone looking for an anvil or piece of railroad track. I also emailed the president of the Saltfork Craftsmen, as he was the most local member to me with a bit of an introduction and a request for information on their group. I initially started with thinking a gravel pit in the back yard, now I am considering building a small shed and a small hobby forge. I guess Ill make that decision as I get to it. As with all aspiring smiths, Im on the lookout for a serviceable anvil. I was wondering if a 70# farriers anvil would work for small scale stuff? Im looking at doing mostly small household stuff, decoratives, jewelry and maybe a knife or two.

I can see how that could be the case. Makes sense.

I really like the video in the sticky of the general forum of the guys beating hot iron ore on a big rock with smaller rocks... certainly puts things in perspective. I have a major railroad close by where I am, so truth be told I will prob end up with a rail track anvil, which honestly will prob work indefinitely for what I am planning on doing. However, I am not looking forward to the amount of grinding, sanding and cutting I would want to do to make a piece of slag rail into a quality anvil. We shall see what I come home with this weekend from the big flea market going on. Should be fun.

I picked this up in a junk store for the simple reason that I have never seen anything like it before. It looks/feels solid steel to me, about 5 to 8 lbs... 4 inches tall, 5.5 inches wide at base and is perfectly round... I paid $7 for it. Not sure what Ill use it for, maybe just a paperweight but it would be interesting to know what its actual purpose is.

My name is Sebastian, I am 34 years old. Currently in the Moore Oklahoma area. I suppose you guys have a steady stream of aspiring smiths that start with big intentions and ideas and simply fade away into the sea of whim and inconsistancy. Just the same, I suppose I should introduce myself, tip my hat and issue warm greetings before innundating you with the innane questionings of an aspirant. My blacksmithing goals are small. I have interests mostly in jewlery and small utilitarian items, if I could somehow work my way up to a few high quality knives I would be pleased with myself. I cant imagine anything I make would be over 12 inches. But you never know. About ten years ago I came to the conclusion that I was pretty worthless. Not a self esteem thing, but it occured to me that like many of my generation I had no definable skills beyond a computer keyboard. I am an author by trade and have thrown my hat into the self publishing world. I also work in the computer gaming industry. You catch my meaning, if it didn't have a keyboard attached to it I was pretty useless. So I started a bit of a journey of personal improvment, I started a crusade of research and book knowledge. Small scale farming, health and first aid, firearms, bushcraft, basic engine repair... lots of reading, lots of research with only a smattering of practical experience. All the things my father should have taught me, however declined the task. Then I picked up a book called "The Backyard Blacksmith" by a Farris named Lorelei Sims. I am sure many of you have read it. The book has kinda stuck with me and over the years I have read it over and over. I have changed a lot in the past ten years. Going from an arrogant preppy narcissist with a bad attitude typical of my generation to a much more calm and passive family man. Adopting the 'speak softly and carry a big stick' mentality. I have developed a taste for practicality and for the traditional way of doing things seeking to improve my mind and myself more than to increase my 'stuff'. So I am at the point now where general undirected book knowledge on a variety of things isn't going to cut it and I need to take steps into developing an actual skill. I am ready to get my hands dirty. So I find myself here, among you, seeking guidence, advice and looking to learn like so many before me. Resources that I have: 1: A strict budget of $100 to start. Personal preference, I could spend more but from what I have read I think I can pull it off. 2: Roughly 20 Railroad Tie Nails that I picked up a few years ago next to a dumpster in Alaska. "Hey, those might be useful one day!" 3: A Kobalt Cross Pein Hammer (2.5 lb) that I purchased last weekend and should probobly take back. It cost me about $20 or so from Lowes. I think I could pick up some used/vintage tools elsewhere and save a bit on the budget this way. 4: A typical suburban backyard in Oklahoma City with no home owners association. (yay!) 5: A massive artisan/craft/flea market this weekend in the area called "An Affair of the Heart" that should be adventagous to the cause. 6: More concrete Bricks than I know what to do with. 7: An empty propane tank. 8: Farris Lorelei Sims' book. What I know I need: A: A Forge. I am still debating between a gas or coal forge. My traditional and budget consious side says to make a coal brake drum forge and learn to do it 'right'. My parent and safety side reminds me that I live in the suburbs and I need to be mindful of being able to shut off the fire completely when I walk away from it. B: Tools. Something to hold the metal, something to hit the metal. I think the both of these should work themselves out this weekend. C: An Anvil. I think this is my biggest hurdle. I saw two anvils at a junk sale about 6 months ago and walked right past them... that was a mistake. Even if they were cast iron and would have to be replaced, sadly I didn't even look at them. I am obviously kicking myself now. I know that a 2 ft section of rail would do nicely, need to work on this and learn how to tell the difference between an iron anvil and a steel one. I move around A LOT (Every 3 to 4 years) so an anvil under 70# or so would be wise.