Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Interview with a blacksmith


Glenn

Recommended Posts

  1. Name........Randy Haven

  2. Location......NW Arkansas USA

3) What type blacksmithing do you do, what do you make.

Hobby blacksmithing, Anything I'm asked for or think of, mostly tools, repair parts, obsolete gun parts, knives, some artistic stuff, I'm a glutton for punishment.

 

4) How and when did you get started in blacksmithing

My intro to blacksmithing as a child was listening to my grandfathers exploits about his Army deployment with Gen. Blackjack Pershing in the Mexican campaign, chasing Poncho Villa around the southwest. He was a blacksmith that was reassigned as a mechanic when the Army was transitioning to mechanization from mules & horses.

Jump forward several decades, when we would come to the Ozark’s and visit Silver Dollar City in Branson MO. There was a working blacksmith there name who’s was Tiny Robinson (if I recall) and any time my wife would look for me she knew where to look. I remember one time he was demonstrating how to make a Russian wrapped rose and it fascinated me how he could make the metal move into a beautiful rose.

Now jump to 1984 when I was a rookie police officer working the midnight shift. There was a working blacksmith shop in the town. One morning I saw a red glow coming from one of the windows and thought someone had broken into the shop or there was a fire starting. Well while checking it out it was a fire and the blacksmith was just starting his day firing up the forge.

Hence my introduction to my mentor Isaac (Ike) Doss. We seemed to hit it off right away and I learned he was a master smith with some of his work in the Smithsonian Institute and he had given many demonstrations there in his younger days. He was 84 at that time and still working six days a week. He would walk carrying his lunch box, the six blocks from home to the shop. He taught me how to build and maintain a coal fire and a lot of basics of blacksmithing. He also told me how to make my own bottom blast coal forge, which I still use to this day.

Now comes the hard part. One morning I was detailed to a traffic accident involving a pedestrian on the city square. I immediately saw it was Ike who had been hit and EMS arrived at the same time. Ike never recovered from his injuries and passed away in 1991. For a lot of years, I didn’t have the heart to fire up my forge. Then one day I needed a part for my old tractor and forged it with some of the knowledge he hammered into my head. That along with my wife becoming interested in blacksmithing, there is again coal smoke on the mountain.

5) What object or thing did you use as your first anvil,.... Ike Doss's 400 lb Colombian. Then bought my 110 pound Vulcan

  1. Tell us about your first forge, hole in the ground, camp fire, brake drum, stacked bricks,

  2. Home made bottom blast hand crank blower, still in use.

 Who assisted you or encouraged you in the craft.....No one person after Ike.

8) What event changed your attitude about blacksmithing..... It hasn't changed.

9) What tool has changed or made your life easier in the shop..... A 30 pound Star power hammer.

10) What advice would you give those starting out in blacksmithing....Join a club & find a mentor, buy some books about the craft.

  1. What advice would you give those already involved in blacksmithing Read all you can on iforgeiron

  2. What are some of the interesting things that have happened to you in your life as a blacksmith.

Every time I'm in the shop and set something down, I can't find it 2 seconds later. Joining IFI

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...