Howdy!
I've been around blacksmiths all my life and have recently decided to try my hand at it as a hobby. I'm fortunate to have two friends that make their living forging knives and both have agreed to show me the ropes. One was kind enough to lend me an anvil and I ordered an Ellis forge. While Ive been waiting for that to arrive, I renovated an old structure into a small forging area. So far I've built the workbench and put cement board up on the interior walls to prevent fire damage. I'm in the process of covering the floor with sand. Also I should mention that after I ordered my forge, my coworker told me he had an old coal forge that he would give me!! So now I'll have both styles to learn with. These are the books I've ordered and am in the process of reading, or have read. A Blacksmiths Primer, The complete Modern Blacksmith, The Backyard Blacksmith, The Art of Blacksmithing, Practical Blacksmithing, The Complete Bladesmith. If I'm missing necessary literature please let me know, I love books.
I've been in the process of learning MIG welding off and on for the last two years and recently traded for a very old small welder; but have decided to bite the bullet and buy a newer more powerful unit. My friend who is teaching me how to weld recently took me on a road trip to meet an older blacksmith. This guys forge and shop was amazing!! While there he showed us a belt sander he had constructed at a workshop for making knives. The design looks fairly doable so in the future my welding mentor and I are going to weld one up for the shop.
I feel like my interests in smithing are a little scattered. I want to make knives and tomahawks, but I also get very excited when I see colonial hinges, hasps, candle holders and such. That said, I'm starting out slow and methodical. Right now I have cold pressed round stock sitting in my shop waiting to become hooks. My mentor showed me how to make a hook and told me to bust them out until all my friends are sick and tired of getting random hooks as gifts.
Any advice, thoughts and random musings would be appreciated. MountainJack