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I Forge Iron

making metal look "medieval"


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Ed Thomas is right. If you're going to sell forged work, then forge it. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, looks like real forged work except the real thing. When viewed by a knowledgeable person, the real thing is obvious, as are the fakeries. Why would anyone want to be a faker?

There is nothing dishonorable about fabricated work; it just isn't forging, that's all. I like forging. Good forged work is a thing of real beauty to me. Phony "textured" pseudo-forged work is an abomination in my eye. Be honest about what you produce and be proud of it, whether forged or fabbed.

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You will put more money in the bank giving the customer what they want than you will by telling them what they need or should have. If the customer wants someting that is fabricated and textured to "look old" then give them that or refuse the job. If they want authentic forged work then give them that. Remember that everyone is working on a budget. There are few people that can afford a hand forged piece made from wrought iron and fewer yet that would appreciate it in the first place. Remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there is no accounting for taste. What is art and beauty to you will be junk to someone else and vice versa. Whatever you do; do the best job possible and your skill as a craftsman will come through wheather the job is hand forged or fabricated. If the customer truly doesn't know what he wants, then submit a bid with your best design, but have several options ready in case he don't like your first choice.

Woody

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For small hardware, brass, and other woodworking related stuff, folks will use peanut oil and heat it with a small propane torch, gives it a real antique look.

On a brass ring for instance, I've seen where one used a bolt to hammer small dimples on the brass, brush it with peanut oil, and use the torch on it. That gives it that Japanese dimple effect (I'm not quite clear on why they forge hammer heads like that). I'm talking about using the brass ring as a ferrel on a woodworking tool though. The hammers they someone beat little dimples into...:confused:

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