John NC Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I did a demo for a group of 9-10 year olds the other day and got schooled by a little girl. When I do demos I like to make little twisty-handled butter knives/spreaders out of 3/8" bar. If I keep three irons in the fire at different stages of completion I can crank them out quickly, and no one gets bored. Of course, the last step is to cut the little knife off then quench it. After I do this (and make sure it's cold) I walk up to the group of kids and pass it around, take questions, etc. Little Girl: Aren't you going to take that out? Me: What? I'm sorry, I don't understand. Little Girl: That (points to hot cut still in my anvil). Me: Oh, uh, um, yeah. That's dangerous. Many smiths have injured themselves when they forgot to remove the hot cut from the hardy hole. Little Girl: I know. Me: It turns out the kids had watched a blacksmith demo video a few weeks ago in class, and the smith in the video mentioned the dangers of leaving the hot cut in the anvil. I guess he made an impression on this particular girl! Moral of the story: When doing a demo, think about your audience's safety first, but don't forget about your own safety too. After all, we're supposed to be teaching them the correct way smiths work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myloh67 Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Kids...minds like sponges they certainly have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Out of the mouths of...... Well I guess she told you.LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-ski Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I demonstrate at the Carroll County Farm Museum. When they have events such as the 4th of July Celebration or Fall Harvest days, I will have young boys standing at the railing for hours. I repeat pretty much the same "spiel" over and over as the different groups of people visit the shop. These little boys will remind me when I have left something out: "Hey mister, you forgot to say ............" Or: "Hey mister, you forgot to make a nail". The other visitors in the shop get a kick out of that. I am amazed at how quickly they learn my "spiel" and correct me when I leave something out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 (edited) Just remember when you too old to Smith, you can stand and ask younger demonstrators funny questions. LOL, its lots of fun! But while you demoing for the public, be nice. One smith had a spectator tell him her father was a Blacksmith, he came back with a smart remark and she stepped back, opened her purse and dug out her business Card. It said Claire Yellen! And him with no place to hide. Edited October 2, 2009 by irnsrgn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 When I had shop space folk were always stopping by to see what I was doing and as it seemed to happen their grandfather was always a blacksmith. I too made a crack about it and the fellow came back with a photo album of his grandfather, father and him working on race horses at an Australian track in the 40's. Not quite a blacksmith but close I told him and then he took hammer in hand and showed me a thing or two about smithing. Sometimes it is best to keep ones comments to ones self and quietly nod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_edge2 Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 gotta smile and luvem.....:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John NC Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 I wonder if that little girl's last name was Yellin... And yes, the grade school boys ALWAYS ask if I can make knives/swords/weapons. The proper answer to that is "A blacksmith can make anything he desires except money." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 John, How come William didn't teach that in class? Been tring for the ist million since the first class over there. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John NC Posted October 4, 2009 Author Share Posted October 4, 2009 Ken, I'm sure he did. I'm just a poor student. I'm not sure what your second sentence means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted T Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Hot Cut being left in the hardie hole. As a young man and starting out in the blacksmithing craft I tried to absorb everything I was capable of as fast as I could. Some things I had to be reminded of once or twice by the blacksmith that I was learning from and that was usually very loudly spoken. Sometime I was given a hasty reminder by the process it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyP Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Speaking of smartxxx bystanders, I was watchin an old guy demo at a local fair the other day, I never really talked to him except to watch and try to pickup a thing or two. He was always surrounded by others and I couldnt think of anything to say to introduce myself other than the typical "my grandpa was a smith" or "I can smith too" that a few loud mouth hotshots had already used. So I just watched and thanked him for the show. I don't think I would bother demoing after seeing some of the comments he would get. It seriously annoys me when people feel the need to belittle others and their work. I mean, do they go home after, proud of themselves for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I do demo's and last Saturday two young (6 years or so) boys sat and quizzed me about "could you make that". Was a bit annoying. Somewhere on Iforge someone told me a great answer for "my Grandpa was a blacksmith", "do you have any of his tools?" That usually quiets them down, or if they do have any, can lead to an interesting conversation. Some people are just rude, and you can't change that. I hammered out 4 RR Spike Knives just to sell to tourists, I thought they would wear out from handling on Saturday, they are not sharp, and won't be on the table. Only one person asked if they could pick one up, the rest grabbed them and proceeded to wave them around in fake combat moves. One teenager asked if he could test it as a throwing knife.....I did manage to sell one, so that is fine, nothing ventured nothing lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I demoed woodworking in the woodshop next to the blacksmith shop at the Ag Museum Heritage days Saturday, and had some WWers from KC come up to watch and have a go at me, they are normites,(power toolers) and they did ask some rewarding questions. I finally did get to go over and have some fun with the demonstrating smith, He is a good friend and helped me build the forge, we had a good time having some fun. And the spectators loved it. Oh BTW, I never heckle or pester a smith I don't know, and they usually come and heckle me on their breaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 "working the crowd" is a demo skill just like being able to draw out a fine even taper. Asking about tools will sometimes pay off; I ask if they would like to learn to use them or have any they would be willing to sell to someone who will put them to good use. When I get tired and crabby with idiots I know it's time to take a break. Having your patter already to hand wioll allow you to answer a lot of common comments eg: "Do you shoe Horses" "Only if they get too close---shoo shoo" or "Horses are bigger than I am and dumber than I am and that's just too scary for me to deal with!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyP Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 "working the crowd" is a demo skill just like being able to draw out a fine even taper. " Thats true, and as I was thinking today, 'heckling' is actually pretty common in everyday life anyway. Its not uncommon for me to get heckled while I'm doing a welding job on-site. The difference for me I guess is that I'm experianced enough and confident enough in my welding abilities to put them in their place and not have it bother me, however if someone heckled my smithing abilities I would take it to heart as I'm still green to the trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 If you ar right handed then use the horn on the left side, putting the hardy hole on the left side. OUT of the way of your hammer hand. It allows you to use that little bit of heat time you have after you cut, without risking hand injury. Then you can remove it. Sometimes, when I use a hardy in a demo, I explain that to the kids. Funny story!!! I've never had one call me on safety, though I have had a few grown ups ask me after a demo, "what was all those little sparklys flying off the steel when you pulled it out of the fire?" Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Firey, If I put my horn to the left on my Hay Buddens it puts the hardy to my right. Ken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Whenever I orient my anvil with the horn to the left I end up with a horn to my right as well! I must have some sort of Mobius anvil... I avoid much of the 'hardy issue' by putting it in my vice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John NC Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 That's a good idea, Matt. I couldn't imagine flipping the anvil around. I'd be lost! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 If you walk around to the other side of the anvil, you get the same effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solvarr Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I had a kid ask me about shoeing horses. I asked him would he trust his dentist to remove his appendix. He said 'No !' with a horrified look. I said a farrier is a specialization in blacksmithing and he seemed to get that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Matt, my shop anvil has a hardy hole at both ends, I'm scratching my head over how changing the side the horn is on will help! (single horned, 1.5" hardy holes and too heavy to move around!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John NC Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 If you walk around to the other side of the anvil, you get the same effect. Yeah, but then my back would be towards my audience. I don't think that would go over too well. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 If you have an audience, remove the tool and set a good example Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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