Vendarien Brunnbar Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Ok I spent alot of time building myself a forge getting and anvil tools and saftey gear and after days of forging I have discoverd. I have absolutley no idea what I am doing. I was thinking about taking classes at the Texarchana bladesmithing school but it will be awhile till i can do that. so my question is where near the pan handle of texas can I finde a good place to get lessons or learn basic? Or is the bladesmith school worth the wait to go to? Any sugestion for some one completley new to this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Read this site cover to cover. Make what interests you, following the instructions, if provided. Otherwise try to figure out how it was made. Modeling clay works the same as metal and you can practice with clay until you get the concept. Then go to the forge and use metal, remembering that you DO NOT use your fingers to touch the hot metal. Bring the project back to the forum and post photos, and ask questions about what was right, what was wrong and how to improve the product. Classes or just dropping by a hammer in or blacksmiths gathering will jump start your ability. If you get a chance go visit Brian in Mississippi. He can show you a trick or two (grin). You will come away with a whole new knowledge about blacksmithing. A class with Frank Turley of AZ is another good investment. Frank has been teaching blacksmithing classes for a good while now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Read as many different books you can which cover the basics of forging: drawing out, flattening, upsetting, bending etc. The different veiwpoints will help you to understand some of the complexities a bit better. Remember, its really just fancy hammer-hitting-hot-metal, so just start and get a feel for it. But read read read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec.S Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 go and take a class from Brian Brazeal in Mississippi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 If you bought a kayak, would you take professional lessons before you drowned? Or would you join a outdoors club to hang out with more experienced like-minded folks, and maybe get some help, and have some fun? How about doing both? Both are valid ways of getting ahead faster, and not getting frustrated, or hurt. Same with any skill or trade or hands on task. Watching videos, reading websites and books can enlarge the knowledge you have, but can not replace the foundation you only obtain by experience. Tell us where you are in your profile, and local smiths and groups will pop up in your sight like mushrooms after a rain. Oh, and Howdy, welcome to the finest blacksmithing site in the known world!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 there are a lot of blacksmiths and farriers in Texas...google for the group nearest you and go see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gaddis Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 driving a few hours is NOTHING comparred to the remainder of your new career. call Brian...drive a few hours...i promise you the experience is a great beginning. besides...the tools and hammer along with instructions is waaaayyy more than the dollar cost To veryfy just google or ifi search his name then ask Lyle to help you strike your hammer if he is busy give me a call...be glad to help. There is so much to learn here in Mississippi in short amount od time. Yes there are other good instructors...so not meaning to not put them down carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Go to conferences, Alabama Forge Council is coming up the first weekend after Labor Day, Quad State it the 4th weekend in September, check out www.ABANA.org click on Affiliates, click on Affiliate list for a local group, look into www.folkschool.org. Call me and we can talk about it some and I will see if I can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! The North Texas Blacksmith Assoc. is having their HammerFest the Labor Day weekend. A great opportunity to see it happen, meet like minded folks, and get your hands dirty. You can get your hands dirty at the open forges that will be going on every day during the conference. check out their web site www.ntxba.org to get ALL the info. I can garrantee you will have a great time! Schools closest to you are the Gunter brothers and Frank Turley both in New Mexico and then there is Bryan Brazeal in Miss. I have seen the Gunters demonstrate at the Saltfork Conference a few years back and have been to there shop/school, fantastic facilities. I have taken a couple days of instruction from Brian Brazeal back in April and came away very pleased with the time and $$ spent. Mr. Turley I only know from here but his knowledge of this art is beyond words. His school in Santa Fe, NM is the "grand daddy of the blacksmith schools"! Join an ABANA group. Saltfork has a bunch that meet in the northwest region of Oklahoma, SWABA is the New Mexico group and then the North Texas Blacksmith Assoc meet in the Dallas metroplex area. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Frank Turley's school is in Santa Fe, NM, one half day's drive from Amarillo, if you hustle. Hard copy brochure is available if I may have your postal address. If I don't toot my horn, nobody else will. Reference the groups which Thomas Dean mentioned, I have been a presenter at the following workshops (clinics). This is a tiny list compared to workshops I've given over the years, including Canada, Costa Rica, and Australia. 1993 North Texas Blacksmiths Association, Grand Prairie. 1997 Saltfork Craftsmen, Guthrie, OK, FIRST PRESENTER 2000 SWABA (Southwest Artist Blacksmiths), Albuquerque, New Mexico 2001 Ironfest, Grapevine, TX FIRST ANNUAL 2003 Saltfork Craftsmen, Guthrie, OK, Only smith called back for a second presentation 2004 New Mexico Professional Horseshoers Association, Turley Forge, New Mexico 2005 SWABA, Albuquerque, New Mexico 2006 Houston Area Blacksmiths Association, Oldenburg, TX 2008 SWABA & Arizona Blacksmiths, Las Cruces, NM 2009 Traditional Cowboy Arts Association Conference, Demo at Turley Forge, Santa Fe, NM 2009 American Society for Metals International, Los Alamos Chapter, "Solid Phase Welding and Design" Turley Forge, Santa Fe, NM 2010 SWABA, "Odd Forge Welds" Albuquerque, NM 2011 American Society for Metals International, Los Alamos & Albuquerque Chapters, "Early Smithing Techniques" Turley Forge, Santa Fe, NM 2012 SWABA, "Bolt Tongs" Albuquerque, NM 2012 SWABA, "Hammer Eye Punch" Tesuque, NM And for my next act....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Frank Turley's school is in Santa Fe, NM, one half day's drive from Amarillo, if you hustle. Hard copy brochure is available if I may have your postal address. I give that my strongest possible endorsement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendarien Brunnbar Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Thank you all verry much for the information! i will look into all your sugestion and choose one that look like the best bang for it buck that I can get to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendarien Brunnbar Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Thank you all verry much! I will look threw all your sugestions and decide what seams best for me and look into the hammer fest. Once again thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug}{maN Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 i might need to look in to the North Texas Blacksmith Assoc. HammerFest Labor Day weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 If you *really* want thorough training as a blacksmith; Frank's School is considered pretty much tops. Stick a couple of the ABS classes on top of that and you would be pretty much set as a bladesmith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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