Hi from Brandon, MS

[carlp]

I've always thought blacksmithing was cool, but I never tried it. About a year ago I saw a few impressive knives and tools a friend made and decided I was going to give it a shot. A month ago I watched some youtube videos. One morning I woke up and decided to make a brake drum forge. The next day I fired it up with charcoal and made a fire poker out of a steel rod with a claw hammer on a piece of steel sitting on a stump. It was simple, but I was hooked.

The next week I went to a Mississippi Forge Council meeting and had a blast. Great people, great demonstration, and I got to make real fire poker!

I've been gathering equipment since the first day, so I've kept my eyes open. Yesterday I scored a M & H Armitage Mousehole anvil and I believe a NC tools gas forge! I can't wait to build a stand for the anvil and use my equipment the first time.

I've studied lots of science, but never metallurgy. It fascinates me. I can't believe I'm just now beginning. My first interests are knives and tools, but who knows where it will lead as I'm exposed to more.

Anyway, this site is an outstanding resource and I enjoy learning here.

Carl

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Carl, glad to have ya. Yeah, it's hard to beat blacksmithing for guyness, you MUST play with fire and beat the stuffins out of iron and steel with hammers. Nothing like it, no siree.

Making blades is a bit ambitious as an intro but you wouldn't be the first. Getting the basic skills down using something less sensitive to heat/time and easier to forge is my usual recommendation. Mild steel fights the hammer less than high C and it's easier to see results and better yet mistakes if the metal moves easier/faster.

Until you start doing more advanced bladsmithing metallurgy isn't something so important, knowing in general what you're using is plenty. For instance, does it matter if the coathook you're making your mother is indeed mild or high C? What's a coat going to care? Same for BBQ tools, mailbox stands, boot scrapers/jacks, etc. Leaves are good practice for making blades, it involves drawing the material to a thin wide cross section while maintaining the shape you want.

Again, good to have you here.

Frosty The Lucky

[carlp]

Thanks, Frosty. I agree with you on starting simply. My plan this weekend is to practice basic hammer strikes on some rebar lying around and see what happens. I want to see how good I can get at drawing, tapering, squaring, rounding, etc. I'll try a leaf. It might not be pretty, but I'm sure it will be fun.

I agree about the metallurgy, too. It fascinates me, but right now I'm doing well to figure out if something should be quenched in water or oil.

Are horseshoes good to practice with? I have several of them.

[LDW]

Welcome aboard Carl, I am Lyle, I assume I met you at the meeting. Good to see you here. Here are the pics I took at that meeting. https://picasaweb.go...feat=directlink
A mouse hole is a nice anvil with plenty of support under the hardy hole. I own one myself.

We will be heading to Pontotoc MS in the morning for the Hammer-in there. Here is the info on that. http://www.msforgecouncil.com/2011/11/the-great-pontotoc-%E2%80%9Caffair%E2%80%9D-hammer-%E2%80%93-in/

[David Einhorn]

Welcome. Sounds like you are off to a great running start, good tools and good folks at the Mississippi Forge Council to guild you in your progress!

[carlp]

Welcome aboard Carl, I am Lyle, I assume I met you at the meeting. Good to see you here. Here are the pics I took at that meeting. https://picasaweb.go...feat=directlink
A mouse hole is a nice anvil with plenty of support under the hardy hole. I own one myself.

We will be heading to Pontotoc MS in the morning for the Hammer-in there. Here is the info on that. http://www.msforgeco...r-%E2%80%93-in/

Great pics, Lyle. Guess which one is me (hint.. Go Vols). I really enjoyed the meeting. It's a great bunch of people.

I wish I could go to Pontotoc, but alas. At least I'll have something to do here.

[carlp]

Welcome. Sounds like you are off to a great running start, good tools and good folks at the Mississippi Forge Council to guild you in your progress!

I know which book is on deck on my reading list. Yours just leapfrogged four others. It looks awesome and I can't wait to read it!

[Thomas Dean]

Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI!
OK, I see no one has mentioned Brain Brazeal...I figure you met him at the meeting along with Lyle as they kinda go together ;) But I STRONGLY suggest that you save you coin and book a few days with Brian to REALLY learn how to blacksmith. I am checking into booking a few days with him in April or May, have to check my schedule at work first. No, I am not a newbie. been at this metal thing since '73 and have been "heatn n beatn" since around 2000. But I have seen some much of how he works the metal and how others have benifited from his instruction that I want to take advantage of that also.
Good to have you here and hope you enjoy your stay. BTW, we kinda like pictures so let's see that new anvil and forge you just got also the one you built. And anytime you make something we like to see that too! Again, welcome

[carlp]

Thomas- I was fortunate to see Brian forge a knife. Booking time with him is a great idea and I'll look into that.

The first couple pics are of the brake drum forge I made and the first things I used to beat on stuff (I can't really call it forging, but it was fun). The next pic shows the Mouse Hole anvil and gas forge I picked up two days ago. I'll post pics when I'm up and running, too.