Lance G

This came in today! Just getting started in the craft, so it’s well beyond my ability still but I enjoy reading and found this fascinating and bought the whole collection (what they still had anyway).

I would like to replace it eventually, but that will probably be a few years from now. Do people really get that much for a piece of rail? If so I need to meet these people lol.

I’ve been looking to get into blacksmithing for a while now and finally started getting things together. I found this Peter Wright anvil today. I wasn’t super excited about the plate that was welded on, but it was supposedly done right and re heat treated by a local machine shop here in okc. Haven’t had a chance to test with a ball beating but it does seem to have a good ring to it and I can’t find any dead spots. After seeing how much these usually go for I thought $240 was too good to pass up. Any thoughts/advice on this?

Thanks Frosty! I plan on checking out the swap meet on saturday for some tools. I might be getting a little ahead of myself, but I plan on building a gas forge, probably something pretty small to start. I've seen a lot of good info on here on building them and the burners, plus I really enjoy building things so I'm gonna give it a shot. As far as metal goes, my family has an old farm in NE OK, there's lots of scrap out there so i got a lot of stuff to practice on.

I'm out in Choctaw. I plan on checking out the Salt Fork Craftsmen when I get a chance. I'll be in Mississippi in Sep-Oct so it might be a little while before i get a chance to go to one of their meets.

I don't know about a blacksmith but I know they utilize several machinists for special tools. I'm sure there probably is, but it wouldn't surprise me if they contracted that out.

Hey all, I've been lurking here for a week or so. Randomly found this website from a google search and man am I glad. I've been browsing the forums and soaking up as much information as I can. I'm an aircraft structural mechanic in the US Air Force. I have some experience beating sheet metal into shapes I mostly want, and along with that a little knowledge of some heat treating processes. I decided it was time to go further into it and learn how to forge, so I am a complete newbie, and am excited to learn. I'm an avid outdoorsman, and I love the thought of being self reliant. I do like modern conveniences though so I am by no means an off the grid person or a prepper. I really enjoy working with my hands and fabricating things. This is purely a hobby for me, and I cant wait to get everything together to start. I look forward to getting to know all of you in the months to come. Lance