Literally a newbie to red hot steel. I have a small gas forge, various pieces of steel, but need to get an anvil. Have beat on some railroad spikes and other scrap.
Am mostly interested in making my own knives, and then using semi precious stone for the scales. Am mostly interested in lapidary, but blacksmithing is a definitely teasing subject.
Dave

Good to see another N.W. Arkansan.

How far you from Osage?
lbas

How far you from Osage?
lbas

Bentonville

Have you stopped by Tom Maringer's in Springdale AR?

He's pretty much retired as a swordmaker last I heard but probably can help you out a lot as a beginner!

You can see some of his work at http://www.shirepost.com/Cutlery.html

You are lucky in that you are not that far from the ABS School which can really jumpstart your skills if you can take a class or two:

http://www.americanbladesmith.com/school.html

I come through NW AR about once a year as we have a lot of kinfolk there (and even some family land near Cedarville---HW 59 a bit north of Fort Smith---we may be trying to move back when the current job is up...)

Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! I'm about 1.5hrs south of Texarkana if you ever get this far south give me a holler. the 4StatesIronMunchers are located in Texarkana, TX and meet once a month. Bunch of great bladsmiths there. Also there is the Northeast Region of Saltfork Craftsmen ABA, Oklahoma ABANA group, that are in the Tulsa area. The Southeast Region of Saltfork meets in the Paris, TX area. You can get tons of hands on help from any of these groups. Oh yeah, there is the BAM group in Missouri if that helps any.

Thanks MRNEWBERRY, where are you from?
Thanks to both Thomas's. We are going to wandering around East TX during Thanksgiving week, looking for rocks, and just wandering.
This a Buck 110 I replaced the scales on. Wanting to move up to doing it all.

Have you stopped by Tom Maringer's in Springdale AR?

He's pretty much retired as a swordmaker last I heard but probably can help you out a lot as a beginner!

You can see some of his work at http://www.shirepost.com/Cutlery.html

You are lucky in that you are not that far from the ABS School which can really jumpstart your skills if you can take a class or two:

http://www.americanbladesmith.com/school.html

I come through NW AR about once a year as we have a lot of kinfolk there (and even some family land near Cedarville---HW 59 a bit north of Fort Smith---we may be trying to move back when the current job is up...)

Maringer is making some knives now, but he primarily does stock removal. And he is really doing more coining and button making these days.
I recently took advantage of the ABS school and I will be going back for their handles and guards class in a little over a week.
For blacksmithing I would suggest joining up with B.O.A. (Blacksmiths Organization of Arkansas) they have monthly meetings around the area.

Thanks MRNEWBERRY, where are you from?
Thanks to both Thomas's. We are going to wandering around East TX during Thanksgiving week, looking for rocks, and just wandering.
This a Buck 110 I replaced the scales on. Wanting to move up to doing it all.

I am in Lowell out by Beaver Lake.

I wonder if, that is the Tom, I heard about, that lives in Rogers. I work out of Springdale, and all over the area, for Beaver Lake Concrete. Have also heard about a blacksmithing club from Fayetteville. They were set up at the Tired Iron show near Gentry, but I was chairman of our clubs' fall rock swap, and couldn't get over to it.

Bentonville

Not far. I'm in China. If airline prices permit I'll visit in a year and could come by. When I lived in Spain an old Spanish blacksmith tried to teach me a lot and I hope succeeded. He hammered out wickedly thin knife blades very close to finished size.
lbas (life begins at sixty)

I wonder if, that is the Tom, I heard about, that lives in Rogers. I work out of Springdale, and all over the area, for Beaver Lake Concrete. Have also heard about a blacksmithing club from Fayetteville. They were set up at the Tired Iron show near Gentry, but I was chairman of our clubs' fall rock swap, and couldn't get over to it.

Depending on what you heard about the Tom it may also have been Tom Upton. Tom Upton lives in Rogers and is the former President of B.O.A. and he also makes knives. Then we also have Tom Krien who makes knives out in Gentry. He is a very talented stock removal knife maker.

Pretty much if your name is Tom and you live in N.W.A. you are required to make knives.

It gets worse; my name is Tom (Thomas) and I *used* to live in NW AR---and I make knives!

LOL Toms. Have met Tom Krien, and been in his shop, nice work. Guess that leaves Tom Upton.