Kyle Haidet

Hello everyone I will be moving to Vegas here I about a month and was wondering if anyone knew if there were any blacksmithing jobs available in the area. I looked at Vegas Forge but I don’t think they’re hiring and not sure I’d get any job there anyway since I’m only 17. I have a years worth of experience with hand hammers, top tools, and hydraulic presses. I know how to use both gas and solid fuel forges. I’ve done Damascus and Mokume gane. I’ve had about a years worth of welding experience as well if that helps. Im also a striker. I’m a very fast learner and great to work with and can go all day everyday at an anvil. I haven’t used machinery but I’ve had a few years of research and what not on it so I can learn fast. If anyone knows of a job I can get when I move there or if anyone is willing to give me a job at their forge I’d greatly appreciate it as this is what I’m good at and is my passion. Any work Would help a lot as I will need all I can get to afford a good living on my own. Let me know if you guys know anything and thanks!:)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx My idol is alec steele right... um him and his team want to see my set up and my blade that I’m about to make and see my work! I’m incredibly extático and like I need to make this stuff look good. Man am I happy! I can’t believe this is happening like really out of all the people they want to look at my stuff? Woohooo!

I looked it up and that should work great! I know a guy with a 3D printer so maybe he can print me a wax handle. Thank you for the tip!

I’ve heard lots of people talk about that so I think I’ll look into it but will it be able to get all the small and fine details?

Hey yes sorry I’ve been super busy. But it’s going great! The forklift pieces you let me have will be going to the airbase with my uncle so they can machine it for free and then I’ll have a good striking anvil with a hardy and I can’t wait for it. I’ve learned a lot since my last time on here with hammering technique and placement of my workpiece on my anvil which has very noticeably increased production speed by a lottt. I spent half the day yesterday making myself a new and for once... a properly I dilated forge. I tried replicating Alec Steele’s forge and this one was just kind of a quick put together and I’ll have to fix my dimensions a bit but the forge works insanely better than what I had! Before I was only able to do a few small things at a time and forge welding Damascus wasn’t easy but now with the new forge and burner life is way easier. I made myself a hammer eye punch, a drift, 3 tongs(one unsuccessful), a touchmark, a small knife, the start of a hammer, and another hand held punch for tongs all today which to me is great given I was barely able to scrape by making on little knife in a day as of a few days ago. I haven’t been able to get the guy with the anvil to answer but my little guy is doing me well right now. I’ll set a reminder to take pictures and show you guys what I’ve got going on tomorrow. I’ve got a pretty bad case of memory loss so sorry to you guys that have been asking for pictures. I’ve also been requested a difficult looking knife to be made for my friend’s dad’s birthday that is in the picture that’s attached. The handle is going to be brass and everything as seen in the picture but the blade is going to be Damascus. Damascus from where the handle meets the blade rather than that weird design halfway through the blade. Does anyone know how I can get the small and fine dragon designs for the handle? I don’t have fine enough casting sand and I don’t know any machinists yet. But thank you very much to each of you who have helped guide me and give your knowledge and advice to me... it has helped so much

I would love to meet up and do some smithing. I love learning new techniques and info that you guys have... would be a great opportunity for me to learn. Let me know if you ever want to meet up and do some work

I’ve lived in Vegas my whole life and just moved to Utah back in maybe August but come to think of it... I’ve never heard or seen of any blacksmiths around here but I’m sure it’s the same thing as me not seeing any scrap yards but I know they’re here haha. All of my anvils right now are improvised except for my small 15-20 pound anvil/vice. I made my own striking anvil and made it out of mild steel specifically so that when my striker miss hits they don’t chip my high carbon stuff and end up really injuring or killing one of us. But steel wise... my only stock is mild steel which kind of sucks but I keep finding scrap that’s sometimes good steel. I’ve studied a lot on making hammers and I really want to start doing that(hence why I made a striking anvil) but I don’t have tool steel large enough for that but I’m thinking maybe a nice Damascus hammer one of these days(figure out some way to keep it rust free). But for what I want to make... hammers, tongs, top tools, and knives are the main ones but I also do make whatever is requested by those who know of what I do. Would be awesome to find some good tool steel honestly. I have some maybe 4x4 or maybe even 5x5 inch squares of good high carbon steels of different sorts all at about half an inch to an inch thick. But I only have about 3 squares. And a little left over 1095 and 15n20 plates for Damascus but that’s it

Well, I just flew into Vegas about an hour or so ago but will be driving back sometime between Jan 2nd and Jan 6th. If I could head over your way and get them that would be awesome. How many do you have? If you have more than one piece then I think flat liner could use some:)

I’ll go ahead and check it out. Thank you very much for letting me know and I’d love to be able to go to some classes. Whenever you get your set up fixed I’d enjoy being able to see it Haha yes sir definitely will make a big difference

Thank you David for the advice as well. I’ll go ahead and try to find out about the repairs. It will be A great day if it can go out my way

You know what... good point. I do love the charm of these old anvils. I was always told the edges and gouges of striking surfaces needed to be fixed but I think I’ll take your advice into account. I would hate to take its charm. I’ve been searching for an anvil for so so long. I hope I can get this one up to par. Thank you for the advice sir My bad I need to read that thread real quick. And as for the repairs for the face... I have no idea where to look for someone who could help me with it and not harm the anvil. Any suggestions if you might know? Oh my I didn’t even notice. I hope it’ll be free. And I hope I can even find the resources to fix it. Man that’s a bit of a set back haha but I always seem to find a way around problems but thank you for telling me about the face. And as for the burners I’ll definitely try that out and thank you for your information. I’d love to be able to get good burners or just a better coal forge. And I look forward to meeting more people such as yourself to help me grow and hone my skills. Blacksmithing is my passion and I hope one day I can be like Alec Steele! Man is my idol

You’ve got a nice little set up going on there! You really can forge with just about nothing haha. I’ll post my pictures of my current set up tomorrow but this summer I’m building my own welding/blacksmithing shop which I can’t wait for. But I’ve got lots of sheet metal for free and like my original post said.. I have all I need for a gas forge now that’ll suit all of my needs and even some great blowers I got for free off of my local classifieds! It’s like everything took a complete turn around for the better since I made my first post. But thank you for sharing your information and until I get my new anvil I will I deed try your suggestions Hello Charles, I’d live to hear your advice an such on smithing. I appreciate men like you that do take the time to help people like me. I am very new to this site and I definitely need to learn my way around so that I don’t ask questions already answered. Never even thought that someone else might have asked the same thing. I’ve got scrap steel all over my backyard and already have my burners planned out and ready for cutting and welding. What’s your opinion on ribbon burners? Would a forced air ribbon burner be better than a Venturi do you think? Again I’m full of questions and I always live to learn. But I hear different things from many different people about the two burners. What would your thoughts be? Oh and thank you sir for your time to respond

Hello David and many others that have given me great advice on this topic. I definitely have not been chased away and yes it is rather unfortunate that there was a big dilemma going on here... but as for my location I have no problem at all sharing it... complete didn’t think about putting it out there for those in my area to be able to help. I live close to Salt Lake City, Utah. If any smiths are in my area I’d absolutely love to be able to stop by and watch some work take place and learn. I’ve been studying methods and stuff for about a year now and have been doing actual blacksmithing for about half a year now. As for my current anvil, I have maybe a 15 pound guy that’s an anvil/vice. But I’m going to a family members house in a few days to get an 80 pounder hopefully for free because he wants me to teach him a thing or two and plus he seems to be willing to just let me have it hopefully. It does indeed need some repairs and refurbishing however. I have all sorts of makeshift anvils that I’ve just become tired of. I’m a workaholic and kid you not I am out smithing day and night. I just found a deal for bituminous coal at a place called Dallas Green for about 12 cents per pound. So I think it was $240 for a ton. I will be using both coal as gas forges since I now have my gas forge made and I’m going to make my forced air ribbon burners in a few days which should save me lots of propane right? I believe where I found the idea for the burners... he said it only needs to run at about 3-5 psi rather than 30. But thank you very very much to all of you who commented on my question and took the time and effort to type out your guys’ knowledge for me to learn. Yes I may be a 17 year old minor and all that and a bit of a newcomer but none of you has discouraged me or made me feel bullied or anything if any sorts. Thank you Matt for sticking up for me and thank you IF&C for letting me know about what you suggested... should help me out A considerable amount. I’ll leave some pictures of my set up tomorrow when I’ve got sunlight. Again I’m close to Salt Lake City, Utah so if any Blacksmiths are close by that would be willing to teach me in person I’d love that opportunity Either I’m just a little slow or just blind but I re-read my post a few times and can’t find old style anvil but I really do want one and yes a London style. The one I’m getting in a few days is a London style. I don’t like my railroad one just because of the rounded face and wasn’t sure if the bottom was a good striking surface but also if I flip it upside down then I have no way to fasten my anvil to my base and no body around my house like s the ringing. But I have no hardy hole but have hardy tools and don’t have a horn or really anything I can think of to use as a horn. Here’s a picture of the anvil I’m getting... most likely for very cheap if not free since it’s a close family members old anvil that’s not used anymore. I can bring it to the college I’m going to once I graduate since I’m in a welding tech course at the college campus already and they can use the mill to flatter the face and do whatever else I need them to. Can also weld in the gouges on the edges and anywhere else that would be needed

I’m a young blacksmith at the age of 17 and I don’t have enough money to buy myself a nice old style anvil. Heck I can’t really afford any anvil as a matter of fact... I’ve been using a railroad anvil that my uncle was given since I started and I’m definitely tired of it. It’s rounded face makes things quite difficult and I can’t even get a hardy hole or anything because I don’t have the tools available(all damaged and tools in need of repair). But I had a gentleman come to my house that lives more than 100 miles away to make me a very generous trade of two 5 gallon bucket sized steel cans and enough ceramic fiber insulation to line both cans to make myself a gas forge rather than coal. But this gentleman gave me the idea of making some types of hammers by making a shell and filling it with lead then sealing them. That idea later made me wonder if I would be able to make a nice anvil shell and fill that with lead. I’m not sure if it would work as an anvil since it’s filled with lead and I don’t know how rebound would be effected or what not so if you guys can give me advice on what to do and if it would be a good idea or bad idea to do the lead filled idea or not. Any help and free knowledge would be greatly appreciated