Carl Greywolf

​I am new in these forums, but Bill is in my thoughts.

I'm a stones throw away from Hull... City of Culture 2017 , actually I can see the Humber Bridge from my window upstairs. A magnificent structure it is too. If a throw a stone hard enough I might reach you in Lincs.

Thanks Owen, Yep God's own country and not just for anvils A proper anvil will have to wait until fund are a little better, I'm a minimum-wage slave but thankful I have a job. That is a rare thing around here. I can honestly say I actually enjoy my work. I am a carer in a care home and look after adults with challenging behaviour, every day is a new experience and a learning one too. I'm looking at Smithing as a way of switching off, letting the metal be my total focus... meditation if you will... loud, hot meditation In the mean time I shall keep an eye open for a lump of steel to use as an anvil and heat it with a charcoal fire in an oildrum (I looked up the 55 forge, Thanks Frosty) and hit it with my children if I have to until I get a decent hammer. I really look forward to learning from the group's experiences and I'll find a way of forging that suits me perfectly. ATB Carl

Thanks Frosty, I'd have been annoying the neighbours with the noise for little reward with the I beam. Time will give me the best anvil, until then time to hit the car boot sales and scour for other odd and ends. Time for work... catch you all later.

"What do you have for kit so far?" I have a 55 gal oil drum, some 2" stainless pipe and jumble of ideas for making a coal/coke forge :D No anvil as yet but looking at finding a H beam offcut for a temporary solution. As for a hammer, I'll have to find one as I go. So far my head is stuffed full of possibilities without anything to make them with, but given enough time... they say necessity is a Mother... or something like that ;) Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

Hello there (or as they say around here "Now then!") I once hit hot metal back in high school... that was way too many years ago to contemplate...Actually I made a gardening trowel, it fell apart. :lol: It my have taken me *muffled mumbling" years to get back to it but I want to have a go at beating the sh... shaping iron and steel to make useful or decorative objects. So you "lucky" folk have got me looking at your projects, tools and methods and drooling/scratching my head trying to work out how I can achieve that too. Expect me to be quiet at first as I read, read and read, but be assured I will have questions and hopefully some solutions in the future. Thanks for taking on a complete numpty novice. CG