King Arthur of Camelot

My bad, it's not easy to tell gender from a screen name, unless said name makes it obvious. I wish I could have chosen my courses. Unfortunately, I was placed into a special education program for the simple reason that I was on medications. By their reasoning, because I was on medications, I was mentally impaired with a learning disability.... 23 actually. Yeah, sad, isn't it? This is actually the best advice I've gotten from anyone in terms of getting into a shop. The only things I really have yet to learn is wheel building, suspension repair, and brake repair. I would actually like to work at the very shop I go to when I'm not able to fix something myself. Thanks! May you live a life of fortune!

Nice dude. I myself ride an upgraded Schwinn Protocol 2.7, a $350 amazon bike. My setup is a 130mm Marzocchi AM1 air fork with rebound and compression damping control (the rebound knob is quite loose actually, I need to fix that), a 165mm i2i manitou swinger spv on the rear, a deore 8 speed hub with a 40-11t wide ratio cassette, SRAM X01 DH 7 speed derailleur (I know what youre thinking "7 speed derailleur with an 8 speed cassete? What are you thinking!?" I don't use my highest gear, so I'm not bothering with an 8 speed derailleur.). I also have a bb30 type crankset made for a 68mm width threaded shell, with a soon to be 32t elliptical chainring (its 36t right now). There are only five (or six?) things on this bike that are still stock. The front brake, the seatpost, the saddle, the rims, the front hub, and the left shifter (I kept it after the 1x conversion to use the derailleur as a chain guide. Gonna ditch it though for a better brake lever.) But, while you may say "well, thats good and all, but it is still a schwinn," I say that it beats a Specialized stump jumper on the downhill, and will on the uphill when I get that 32t oval. This thing would do 30mph consistently if I had the skills. I also dropped out. I was tired of not being challenged intellectually, and being treated like an idiot. Literally, the only thing that ever did challenge me properly was math, and there are only two teachers who did it right (they made it fun and easy, but still left you to figure most of it out), my 8th grade and 10th grade teachers. It got to the point where I was able to make equations for my teacher to simplify and solve, so I could then see the techniques she used. Im still trying to get a job, but I'm unable to work in an extremely fast paced environment (I get overwhelmed easily in busy places), or in jobs that require a lot of heavy lifting, cause I'm just not that strong at all. I opted to try and be a mechanic for one of the shops in town, but either nobody is hiring, or nobody wants me despite my knowledge (and despite what my bike is now). It sucks being a guy with coping issues without even a GED. It really does. *It should be noted that the entire time I was in school, I was on pharmaceutical "medicines" that hindered my progress. I probably would have tested out of school had I not been, but hey, who's to know now?*

You got any tips for the budding enduro racer? My wish is to race professionally, but independently. No sponsors.

Nothing. I understand that its up to us to learn, period. What peeved me is your decision to omit the specificality of what I was learning, which is bikes. The fact that it took a full decade to learn what I know about simply maintaining them I think says something both about my dedication and the effort required to become a bicycle mechanic. I actually never learned much in school. Up to 8th grade, it was partly stuff I'd heard or learned in earlier years. From high school on, i basically learned nothing, as it was all nothing but repetition. They were just going over the same exact stuff i learned in 8th grade, just made super complicated to make it SEEM like it was new material. What do you mean by speaking in absolutes? Just so I know what it is I have to deal with. I also know I know very little. Which is why I ask deliberate questions aimed at getting the most information possible when I don't have enough knowledge on a subject, usually. I sometimes go too far. There are some things though that I am quite authoritative on, such as bike work and diagnosing bicycle issues. Any one of you could honestly give your malfunctioning bike to me, and within a day or two, I could have it diagnosed and fixed. If I can't fix it, you would be the first to know. I also charge much less than the bike shop, cause I have no overhead I need to cover. Nah, I said I liked where it was going, because who doesnt like being amused? I do have one question though: is this a good book to start with? [commercial link removed] I just feel like that would make a good foundation for bladesmithing.

I like where this is going, haha!

I really mean the black cherry red, where you can just barely begin to discern a glow.

I would actually tell them to start at the beginning, removing a tire and patching the tubes, as that is the most common maintenance activity done with bikes. Then I will have the person service the chain, then the cranks, then the bearings, then the hubs, so on and so forth. This is how I myself started. I do understand the bare minimum of the basics, that when the steel gets hot, it gets easier to work, and when it glows california orange peel orange, it is ready to be forged (IIRC). A dark cherry color is best for annealing spring steel, if my memory serves me right, where the orange would be far too much for annealing.

Pickin and choosin out of a whole is one of my pet peeves. I know I won't be able to learn all of what I need to within 6 years without guidance, and this is without mastering the craft, which I understand will take 10 years or more, so I won't even try to teach myself on this. The only reason I took 11 years to learn what I do know about bikes is because I had little to no support in it since age 12, and I still don't know everything. I still need to learn how to rebuild suspension components, build a wheel, rebuild brake calipers, build a frame, and design suspension systems. All of that would take 2-4 years with professional guidance. Unfortunately, my bike knowledge will only remain relevant as long as bicycles are pedal powered and travel on the ground on wheels and spokes (they will eventually make wheel-less bikes, I swear it).

Well, if this is how much I've already learned, then yeah, I do have a whole lot left to learn. It should be noted that I took 11 years teaching myself everything I know about bicycles, so with some guidance, I should be able to learn all of this within 5 to 6 years. Thanks again for all the information, and the time you guys took to type this all out for me.

Thanks for all of this guys, and for setting me straight. All of this information will be invaluable to the completion of this venture. I've never seen "the 13th warrior", so unfortunately I dont get the reference, but you made it clear to understand, so thanks. I knew the maille would be the easiest part of all of this, but certainly the most time consuming, due to my childhood interest in shark shows. Maille is often used during observation dives because the sharks teeth couldn't penetrate the maille as easily as something like kevlar. Smelting my own steel is preferable, but not necessary, as I can always just melt down some stock or scrap and add carbon if needed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the maille that arthur is wearing in the photos is made of wire rings, right? Should I make my own wire, or just buy some? Thomas, I feel the urge to say I'm not most people. That is why I stated that I am willing to spend years learning, and even applying what I learned as partial compensation. However, my primary reason is that it is a skillset that remains relevant no matter what happens to the economy, and thus, a skillset I am highly interested in acquiring. I will look into these associations and the recommended books so I can gain a better understanding of the trade, and perhaps someone to be a mentor, as you suggested Lutz. I should have said this in my original post: Under no circumstance will my excalibur actually be used in a battle. It is more an art piece for the costume, and proof that I can do the work. That will not stop me from using the methods used to create similar swords from that era (which era does that sword represent historically?). If at all possible, I would prefer that all pieces are battle ready, as proof that I can forge quality items. I don't care how long it takes to do it, only that it is done. Thanks for your time, and corrections, and everything really. Sincerely, The King of Camelot, Arthur Pendragon

Thanks for correcting me on the weights, and the type of armor actually used. Merlin was not a Hollywood production, let alone a US one. It was made in the UK, and broadcast on BBC. So I suppose an era correct costume is out of the question then. That means my only option is to do this the way it would have been for each bit, from the chainmail to the plate armor to the sword. I honestly don't care what anyone says, that sword is gorgeous, and I want to forge an authentic battle ready version of it, right down to the balance, no matter what it takes. Please don't take my determination to do this as my wanting to disregard what you guys are saying, thats not the case at all. It's just the fact that I love the look of the complete outfit, and wish to use that as a reason to learn new skills outside my passion, which is maintaining those two wheeled contraptions they call bicycles.

Thanks guys, I'll look into it. Unfortunately, I dont have any vehicle capable of traveling very far at the moment, nor do I have funds available for paying for travel tickets and such. Fortunately, I do have the time available.

I see. How would you go about making this as historically accurate as possible? Or should I consider this as nothing more than a costume project? If I recall correctly, a battle sword of that time weighed in the area of about 25-30 pounds, depending on the length of the sword and the weight of the pommel and guard. Alternatively, an arming sword weighs in the area of 10-15lbs so it would be easy to control. They are also shorter than a battle sword. I really don't mind combining the labor with monetary compensation. It would give me a chance to practice what I've learned.

Hey guys, I am planning on forging King Arthur's armor and Excalibur shown in the tv series Merlin for a halloween costume. However, I don't know where to start, or how to build a forge. If someone in the Boise area has a forge and is willing to take the time to teach me the craft, I would be very willing to compensate in any way I can. I may not be able to compensate entirely in the financial aspect, but would be very happy with compensating with labor. Keep in mind that I wish to perform these tasks with era correct equipment and techniques. Also, this Excalibur will be an exact replica of the sword seen in the series, down to the inlay and runes. Both attached images show the outfit, and the sword shown in the second is the Excalibur. I would be very happy spending several years learning the skills required for forging such a blade. Anyone willing to teach me these skills, please reply. Also, anyone who will have crucial tips is welcome. Anyone trying to tell me that this project is impractical, or that it should not be attempted without at least 20 years of experience, I don't particularly want to hear it. I am a very fast learner given the proper teacher, and am very mechanically inclined.