jdubya Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Howdy folks! My name is Jerry and I have just found your forum. I am a native Texan who has spent the last 20 years in California fighting fire, and has now moved back to what I consider to be the Right side of the country (Kentucky) where I plan to retire in just under 10 years. I grew up on and around farming and pipeline/structural welding as my Dad and Uncle both still make their living burning 6011 and 5P's. So needless to say I have also heard the ring of an anvil more than once in my life, and its a sound that has always drawn me near. I had never really tried smithing until a couple of years ago while living out in Cali a friend of mine told me some old dude down the road had a champion forge and an anvil for sale... So I took a look at it, too expensive for everything, but whittled him down to what I could give for the forge and picked up an anvil elsewhere, yada, yada, yada... Anyhow, I was just getting my smithy set up when the wife decided to have our first young-un... So.... its been a while since I hit any iron but getting ready to dive back in since the kiddo is 2 1/2 now and getting big enough to help (she is fond of pink and lace though... not sure mom will let her near the smithy). I am primarily looking to network with others who I could listen to and learn from, and this site looks like a great place to start. Does anyone know of a guild in Kentucky? If so please let me know. Thanks for this resource! Jerry Wheeless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Welcome aboard Jerry, glad to have ya. There're plenty of smiths in your neck of the woods though I don't recall the names of the organizations close to you. There are a number of good places to start here too. Reading through the "Getting started and Lessons in blacksmithing" sections will show you how to set up what you have, how to improvise what you don't have and provide you on a logical set of exercises to build skill sets. Then there is the "Blueprints" section full of tools, equipment, projects, etc. with pictures and directions used by working smiths. Of course you can just jump in and start talking to the gang. We don't bite . . . Too often. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Kentucky Blacksmith AssociationBlacksmithing Groups if you live close to the state line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 well howdy jerry from west texas welcome to ifi,jimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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