Personal Update

[nc_cooter]

Have not been posting in the last few months, even though I check the forum often. First, about 6 months ago, I got a bug. The black powder bug bit me hard. Second, I took on a student who wanted to learn to forge knives. To make it even more interesting, he has no knife making experience.

I live about 4 miles from the Kings Mountain National Military Park and must have made one too many visits. The bug bit me. My first purchase was a used .54cal Lyman GPR flintlock for a great price. It had a butchered butt stock and lock problems, but the barrel was perfect. I added some wood to the stock and covered the patch work with some leather. If I can find a deal on a used stock, I will replace. The lock problem took a lot more work. With the help of experts and some new parts, I had the lock working great.
Well, now that I had a working flintlock, I needed some accoutrement's. Made a powder horn, bag, vent pick, powder measure, etc. The patched Lyman shoots great. The only problem was that my wife out shot me the first time we shot it.
Well now we had to have a second rifle. Got a reproduction of a J. Dickert .54cal flintlock rifle,circa 1775, with a 42" barrel. My wife immediately claimed it as hers.
GPR


Accoutrements

J. Dickert


My student is the son of a very good friend of mine. Last January he used some of his Christmas money to purchase his first custom made knife from me. He is an avid hunter, as is his whole family. He kept saying, "I wish I could learn to forge knives". We all talked it over that day and with his Dad's permission, classes started 3 weeks ago, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 to 3. Since he had no forging experience, we had to start with the basics.
Fast forward to yesterdays session. He completed his first project, a simple S hook. He did all the work.
S hook

Gage with his first completed project. He stands 6'-5" and weighs in at 265lbs. He will turn 13 in October this year.


This young man is a natural. We spend all of our time at the forge, except for a short lunch break. No complaints about the heat from him. He has two books on forging and two on knife making to read and study for homework. I tell him which sections to read before each class.
When he completes two more forging projects, we will start on blades.

[Sask Mark]

12 years old, 6'5", 365 pounds? Wow. Now there's a boy that you hope is on your side.

[stuartthesmith2]

this young man needs a big anvil!

[nc_cooter]

Sask Mark, that's 265 lbs,not 365 lbs. He's big enough as it is.

[Sask Mark]

Sask Mark, that's 265 lbs,not 365 lbs. He's big enough as it is.

Ooops. Slip of the finger. Some genius put the 3 next to the 2 on my keyboard. Maybe he will be 365 pounds when he's done growing.

[Alec.S]

6'5"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 12 !!!!!!!!!!!!! 265lb!!!!!!!!  any way...... great stuff!  



I want to know where he gets his magic potion!!!!! lol


alec <img src='http://www.iforgeiron.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Wayne]

All he needs is a beard and a funny hat and he will fit right in :D

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Tell Gage it is OK to smile when you are showing off your work

So Cooter, how long till he is striking for you?

Ahhh the blackpowder bug got ya. It is a strong affliction that you now have. It usually leads to much greater affects down the road. Don't worry, it isn't a dangerous bug, and it is actually a good thing that your wife has caught it too My advice is keep it real-no Pyrodex. No smoke, no smell, it just isn't right <_<

[Bentiron1946]

Guns and knifes, enough to catch any body's heart. Well after he pounds iron for awhile he will still weigh about the same but it just be arranged a bit differently. I'm glad to hear that your teaching your skills to another one and that he is younger than you. B)

[nc_cooter]

I can't imagine what it's like to be his size and the peer pressure he faces. Gage is very shy and didn't talk much during his first lesson. I had no idea if anything was getting through. My wife had a great idea. With us, he was to drop the mam and sir and use our first names, Shirley and Mike. This simple idea worked like a charm. He knows this just applies to us and we informed his parents about it.
He has relaxed and really opened up during the lessons. I have him keeping a journal and, after each lesson, he writes down what he has learned and any questions for the next time. Reading the journal lets me know exactly how much is sticking and what we need to work on that day. The third day I read the journal, I noticed this penciled in at the top of the first page. "IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, ASK!"
As to hammer size, he has tried every hammer I own, and almost always uses my 3# Hofi.
Mike