Billet Tutorial for Damascus MIKE

[Sweany]

Forge Welding

[Ross_FL]

This is a great website, it is what pretty much motivated me to try and become a blacksmith.
Also, the T-Rex burners are great. I have the 1" and it is amazing, much nicer then anything I could have ever build.

[Damascus Mike]

thanx guys now i just need to somehow make a gas forge from a camp fire mini gas can

[Rich Hale]

I dont think so..but I may be wrong. You need to build a useable size forge if you are going to by pass the basics steps of learning to move hot metal and jump right into the advanced work. You will be severely handicapped with a little forge.

[nonjic]

Mike, I jumped straight into damascus forging without doing much 'general' blacksmithing, I'd hit on a few hot bars by hand (and used a lot of powerhammers)

But...... Ive worked in the industrial forging game 1/2 my life, so I knew what I was aiming for when I set about building and aquiring all the tools needed for patternwelding.

You will save yourself alot of frustration and money if you can get a couple of days in at a bladesmiths forge (who specialises in patternwelding) before you start building your own stuff. Even doing it 'on the cheap' it can get pretty spendy pretty quickly!

[Ross_FL]

Mike, you don't even have a forge yet?

I hate to say this, but you're wasting your time worrying about this stuff right now. It's great to read, and be interested, but worry about getting a forge that will get the job done first because that IMO is the major task at hand for anyone who wants to be a hobby bladesmith.

You can have all the supplies and materials needed, but if you don't get your forge but you're going nowhere fast.

If you want, I can give show you how I built mine and I had steel sparking last night.

[Damascus Mike]

who ever told you i dont have a forge?

im all finished making my forge and it called forge of hollow shadows,i know its corny but i thought to myself that i put so much hard work into it so i should name it.ill post picks once i bring it home bcoz its at my blcksmith course right now

hey John N i know what u mean when u say i must first to the practical stuff and i wish i knew how but funny enough my blcksmith tutor is lazy and doesnt wanna teach me, but i cant complain it is free after all.i just wish i knew where to get free leasons

[Jocko 58]

There is an old saying Nothing is for Nothing it cost u in the end
Cheers