cmoreland

I think I'll return the Vaughan and use the cheap wooden one until I break it and just put the $32 toward a nicer Picard online. I've decided I just don't like the idea of a fiberglass handle. Plus it's far too long I think.

Excellent advice, thank you guys. I may try something like a plain hook with a hole through it to mount to a small hunk of wood for the shop. I was hoping I didn't buy something horrible to forge with, sounds like it is ok, but I probably paid too much for it HEH.

There's a dozen or so pawn shops, haven't thought to check those places honestly. I have checked all the local antique shops though and nothing. They say when something comes in it goes pretty quickly so I reckon there are a few fellow smiths around these parts.

Thank you kindly sir! Did you have a thread about your first experience? What kind of forge did you use?

Afternoon! Not entirely sure if what I bought here is usable, I was at Tractor Supply and will be doing my first forging this weekend and wanted to get a feel of iron or steel or both. So I'm standing there in the store and quickly trying to google the difference between cold rolled and hot rolled steel and gathered hot rolled is better for forging so I grabbed one up. Thinking about making me some tongs or decorative steel hooks or something. They'll look terrible but I haven't been this excited in a long time. A long time.

Afternoon folks, I'm here because I'm hoping to soak up as much experience as I can and pester the dog out of you guys with questions I don't much trust the average redditor or youtuber but I know there are good instructionals out there. This will be my home base if you'll allow it. Have a good one! -Clay

Good afternoon (from TX) gentlemen, I am just starting out as you may know from the 'Followed Me Home' thread. Got my first anvil and will be setting up a JBOD forge this weekend. Picked up the last vital tool I will need to get started. Well, I picked up two. One is a Vaughan S40F 2.5lb for $32 at Grainger and the other is a TSC cheapie 3lb that I honestly like the look and feel of a bit more. Thoughts or advice? Are these softies? I've never struck iron in my life but I wanted something this weekend and so went local and this is all my town has! I'm sure I'll be upgrading later.

Lubbock, we say West Texas all the time but we're more northwest/panhandle area I reckon.

Hello all, newbie here and this is my first post. I've never even struck iron with a hammer but it's something I've been jonesing to do for a long, long time now and I've been patiently waiting for the right time to jump. Anyway I happen to ask a local antique mall owner friend of mine if he's seen any recently, said he had one coming up in an estate sale. So I went today and had some things 'follow me home'. If anyone can tell me anything about this guy I'd appreciate it, I'm pretty sure it's a Fisher and pretty sure the year is 1888. It's in rough shape sure, but I talked them down to $75 for it. All of that for $119. Doesn't seem too bad! Got a vise, railroad chunk, some punches, an old saw and the anvil. My son is probably more excited than I am, now to design a forge (JBOD probably) and obtain a good hammer, apron, safety equipment, tongs and a grinder