Hi from North Jersey. I have no experience blacksmithing but am trying to learn. I became interested through straight razors - I've been doing restores and honing on straight razors for a bit and thought I'd like to try to make one. As I started researching, I thought maybe I should try making a knife or a few knives first. I may be wrong but I figure a knife might be a little more forgiving to mistakes than a straight razor. I have a KMG grinder. 2 buffers, a lot of honing stones and am planning to build a propane forge from an old expansion tank from my furnace. I have a couple of 50 lb railroad track pieces and a few smaller ~20 - 25 lb pieces for my anvils for now. I have some 1084 and O1 tool steel pieces and a bunch (40) of old railroad spikes. I'm looking for a used HT oven but figured I ought to start doing something with what I have now before investing in an oven.
I'll be lurking all over the site trying to learn as much as I can.
Ken.