Hello!
I just realized, a day or two ago, that I never learned how to taper.
I built myself a forge, and have an ASO, and know how to make a blade and suchlike, but until last summer, after a year o' smiting hot metal, nobody ever told me how to taper.

Is is possible to have a section on actually basic metal beating? Like, how to taper, and bend. All the videos and such are so fast and far way, that I have no idea what they are actually doing (I can't tell what Jiri Lucius is exactly doing with his hammer) . Could there be a section for this on iforgeiron please?


At least let's have a thread:
HOW DOES ONE:
1) make a square taper
2) make a round taper
5) bend the tapers around

so, there may be conflictin info on how 'tis done, but if we could document the ways, not in video, but in actual words and maybe some simple simple pictures if possible, it'd help me out and probs many beginners like me.

Thanks,
Archie

whoops! Just realized, I confused Lucian Avery the chap with videos on his website with Jiri Lucius the armourer! silly me!

You are welcome to come visit my shop, Lucian is up by you closer I think though, ever been to see him? How close are you to Vermont? There is an apprenticeship program I did up there for 6 months, fully paid and everything. But I agree, an "Apprentice's corner" thread section would be awesome!

I'm in eastern Mass, Vermont is quite far away. I did do a few days in NC at Penland, which was great, and now that I know how to taper and bend, I can do what I need to pretty well. I just didn't learn until this summer, and figgered that it might be a good thing to have some e-documentation for others (and in case I forget )

I can put you in touch with some smiths maybe, if I can find they're contact information up there in Massachusetts, or you can come down this ways if you want.

Archie, check into the New England Blacksmiths, New England Blacksmiths One of the MA Directors is on the east coast, up in the Cape area, and he may be able to point you to someone near where you live.

We just had an open forge on the 9th and will probably do it again. Look at the link for the Brentwood Teaching Facility to see what may be coming up.

Also, there are some fine smiths in your area who have helped beginners in the past. They occasionally give beginner workshops at our shop in Brentwood, NH.

Good luck!

--Marc