Hello Y'alls I'm a longtime lurker and admirer of the art y'all do. I'm finishing up my hopeful last tour for the us army before I go into the reserves. I plan on trying my hand and forging and iron working.

Hey back at ya!

First, let me thank you for your service. Second let me welcome you to IFI. There is an incredible amount of knowledgable people here to answer any questions you may have. I will warn you though! This is a highly addictive and habit forming activity. So be prepared for the ride. It is a great ride with a lot of good people to ride along with you. So enjoy and hang on!

Mark <><

Thank you and thanks for the welcome. If anyone knows of any smiths in Missouri and you can put us in touch I'd be indebted to you, I can't wait when I was younger I wanted to be a blacksmith something fierce but it wasn't in the cards right away so now I'm gonna give it my all and hope that it all pans out. Marksnagel, I thank you for your advice and welcome, I love the long addictive rides I can't wait to see where this one will take me.



Lukus

Thank you and thanks for the welcome. If anyone knows of any smiths in Missouri and you can put us in touch I'd be indebted to you, I can't wait when I was younger I wanted to be a blacksmith something fierce but it wasn't in the cards right away so now I'm gonna give it my all and hope that it all pans out. Marksnagel, I thank you for your advice and welcome, I love the long addictive rides I can't wait to see where this one will take me.



Lukus

First and foremost. THANK YOU Sir. I have the highest respect and regard for those of you that serve this wonderful country of our, the USA!!

#2 Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI!

#3 Check out the BAM group, one of the top affiliates in the country and several of the members are also members of IFI. Their web site; http://wwwbamsite.org will get you to some folks that can help you with who is where in the state and if they are close to you. It will also give meeting dates and locations. I highly recommend hooking up with them and they will welcome you with open arms I'm sure. Meetings are a great way to get some hands on instruction as well as possibly scoring some MUCH NEEDED tools! Notice, I said much needed tools, that's in case there is a "better half" involved...you "NEEEED" these tools, and you "NEEEED" to attend meetings in order to locate such tools. If you are home during the month of October I would like to invite you to the Saltfork Craftsmen annual conference held in Perry, OK the 3rd weekend of Oct. Check this site for more info; http://wwwsaltforkcraftsmen.org I'm a member here and we would love to have ya come and enjoy the weekend with us. Once again, Thank you and welcome home & to IFI!

Thomas Dean, Thank you and thanks for the welcome. I found the BAM site from ABANA and I'm trying to set up me getting to hook up with them once I get home. I'm eager to learn as much as possible and I may just be getting home in October but I'll surely try to make it down to y'alls conference. I will agree that I NEEEED to go to those meetings. I'll be checking out you site post haste.