Beginner Blacksmith

Well Little Blacksmith same to you if you are ever in my neck of the woods, met these young gentlemen about a year ago at the Chisolm Trail blacksmith shop, we all finally got some free time to get together

Actually, that pic was taken in 1984 at Shultz Steel in South Gate Ca, we used that powdered glass on a lot of jobs, inconel and wasp alloy, and some other nickel based alloys, the tall guy was a guy named Walt Miller, best scale blower ever in my book.

90% of this stuff came from my Farher who also was a industrial hammer operator, I started working in the forge when I was 17 for $4 an hour in 1976, the coal forge belonged to my Great Grandfather, I think I'm the last one in the family with interest in the craft. There are only a couple of blacksmiths around here that I know of. Maybe there are some on here close by?

I am a beginner, I ran closed die forging hammers all my life, never got to work on the open frame hammers, but learned a little watching. You are right, the anvil Stand is way too high, but I can't lower it by myself. I built the forge out of scrap with no plans. I like the height of the hammer. There is only one of me. My kids have no interest in manual labor. Watch for all this stuff on eBay after I die, they always ask me how much is this stuff worth.

I went back and added it, thanks. All I have made so far is some round stuff square and some square stuff round, tried pounding out some tong blanks and a few tools I needed at the time. I'm looking for some other smiths to hang out with and get some ideas.

Hi all, just got most of my stuff up and running, really haven't found any place to hang out, until I found IFI so here I am.

Inherited this beast from my father, belonged to his Grandpa, not very portable, good info on the fire, I will definitely try it out. Up to now I just painted engine parts on it.

#25 new style serial #H6531 sold to Earnest McQuorkle in Gatesville Texas in 1945, my Father bought it from his widow in the 80's, I fixed it up and painted it, it now resides in Godley Tx at Godley Forge, which is my shop.