May 14, 201214 yr I spent 15 years in a rough neighborhood in Columbus OH; My shop was in a falling down detached garage on the back end of the lot along the alleyway. I kept all tools that weighed less than 200# in the basement of the house---including an anvil I used to have to carry up and out and back down every time I wanted to forge on it. One day the leader of the local trainer gang (young teens) stopped by and got interested and so I talked with his parents and had him over to forge a knife. I don't know if he ever finished filing it; but from that day forward my shop was never tagged and very seldom broken into!
May 14, 201214 yr Sometimes you don't have a choice but to defend yourself and at those times don't hesitate. That said try making a friend of an old opponent, you've shown what a bad idea it is to be your enemy, make it worthwhile to be your friend. High school is a time of raging hormones and it's darned common to get busy on each other for no good reason so don't hold it against each other. Remember, life is too short to lose a friend, you'll never have too many. Frosty The Lucky.
July 6, 201214 yr Joshua, Good on ya for standing your ground. By now this is old news, so hope you got the other guy to come smithing with you. I only got into one fight in school, class bully picked on a smaller friend, and I stepped in. Never got mess with in school after that. I also got a reputation for being very hard to anger so I guess I was not a good target for the typical bully who is out for a reaction. Smithing is still only a hobby for me. I do Medieval reeactment demos and get a lot of support and interest. The only people that pick on me now are my family. I get ribbed all the time and then it's mostly to do with the scrounging I've done to get my stuff (and the kit). Hope you and the other guy have sorted things out.
July 7, 201214 yr Clif A medieval reenactor? what mob are you with? I am wth Lord Burghs retinue and when I have time the company of saint George. Do you get to the Pensthorpe event? Wayne
July 7, 201214 yr Author Joshua, Good on ya for standing your ground. By now this is old news, so hope you got the other guy to come smithing with you. I only got into one fight in school, class bully picked on a smaller friend, and I stepped in. Never got mess with in school after that. I also got a reputation for being very hard to anger so I guess I was not a good target for the typical bully who is out for a reaction. Smithing is still only a hobby for me. I do Medieval reeactment demos and get a lot of support and interest. The only people that pick on me now are my family. I get ribbed all the time and then it's mostly to do with the scrounging I've done to get my stuff (and the kit). Hope you and the other guy have sorted things out. what group? i just joined the SCA and im gathering a 12th century crusader kit
July 9, 201214 yr thanks everyone for your comments, the paper trail was started off the bat, sask mark has it right, but when i told the parents about the principals call he and i took a trip into the school and spoke to her in person, im still gone from school but it is abbolished from my record and the other kid is suspender for as long as i am, good enogh for me Thats good to hear that they set the record straight. Sincerely, bullying is no fun to be on the blunt end - sounds like you managed to sort it out yourself rather bravely. It's sad that both of you couldnt have been more civil and left each other be but perhaps you will have both learned the lesson its easier sometimes to be diplomatic. Blacksmiths always have the best tempers .....((sorry ....had to)) I attended my girlfriend's neice and nephew`s birthday party last month to which the 13 year old nephew asked me loudly if it was true that i did blacksmithing "yes" i replied to which he looked at all his friends and familly and shouted "see i told you he was cool." Apparently blacksmithing is cool with the kids - your peers just must be out of the loop.
July 9, 201214 yr I was in a similar situation recently, not related to black smithing. My best friend slash boss also happens to be an intolerable bully. Most times I laugh him off, but then sometimes he makes remarks that I can't just blow off.last week he literally begged me to hit him and came with his worst trash talk. I stood up gave him three chances to recant each time with him calling me something more vulgar than a wussy and stating that I was too scared to hit him. He was wrong. I hit him twice, the first punch taking him clean out of his chair, before he broke a beer bottle over my head, yes he said I was the wuss, I bled and got angry. I beat him until I was pulled off. I put up with his abuse for over a year out of respect and friendship, witch was not returned until last week, as less than an hour later we hugged and made up and he assured me that he would never disrespect me like that again. I never missed a day of work and his eye is still black. Having said all that, I do not condone fighting unless absolutely necessary, in this case it wasfor me. these are decisions you have to make on your own. I believe patience will take you a lot further than blasting someone across the face with your mean right cross, but sometimes that right cross is necessary and if it earns your vacation I'd say it's a double win
January 18, 201313 yr Their reasoning is probably that they feel jealous of and threatened by your skill. This is an art and I have been working with metal for almost 3 years now, I started with chainmaile and when I did I also had the school cool gang going at me for being a nerd. That was until I started making more money than them out of doing it. These days I see that almost all of the people I encounter are intrigued and approving of this craft. You just had an unfortunate run in with someone who wanted to prove his manliness more than yours.
January 18, 201313 yr Hidden by Steve Sells, January 18, 2013 - religion violation 1 Corinthians 13:11
January 18, 201313 yr Joshua, By getting mad and fighting you have allowed someone else control your reactions, there are times when one has to fight but that should be controlled by you. I'm not here to lecture but to this point out. I promise you that these same guys will one day be appoaching you and asking "hey Joshua can you fix this for me?" And of course you can because you have been building a skill base they don't have, in addition to your formal education, plus they will glady pay you to fix it. Have seen this over and over in my life, just keep following your interests and keep learning. you'll see that what I tell you is true. Best regards Adirondacker
January 19, 201313 yr Author Guys I wasn't looking for pity in this post! I wanted to hear your stories.... You're all making me feel bad lol
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