philip in china Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I saw one young lady from the Norh West of England who is an artist blacksmith. She works on her own. I had never before been jealous of a bar of steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I am short squat, and working my way up to rotund, so I don't know if I fit the mold. Some charactaristics are common though: 1. Hands somewhat impervious to burns and blisters. (will actually break a blister and keep working, so as not to lose a good heat) 2. An eye for scrap or "recyclable" steel laying along the ditch, or in a back lot somewhere. 3. Can actually stare at the sun, but choose not to, to save eyes for forge welding. 4. Able to drink copius quantity, my average is 2-3 liters in an afternoon of forging. 5. Actually plan vacations around coal suppliers, and ponder how many 50lb bags can safely ride in the backseat of a passenger car. 6. Ears perk up at the sound of a blacksmith working an anvil in old westerns. 7. Carry a tape measure at all times, and occasionally a sketch book. 8. Think a leather apron is sexy, and actually like the smell of one, sweat and all. 9. Can tell the grade of most coal and coke by the smell of the smoke. 10. Asks for nothing but Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or Lowes gift certificates for Christmas, in any denominations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I guess it depends how I am dressed at the moment. Do these pants make me look fat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
element Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Im pretty sure that outfit is a fire hassard. Clowns creep me out and dont look like blacksmiths:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Zietman Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 People used to crack up, or not take me quite seriously when I said I was a blacksmith. Not surprising, I am 5'6" and 120 pounds. (Most of that is in my right arm) These days I just keep some work handy to show people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 ya know i get the "you look like a blacksmith " comment all the time... ime pretty sure its not really a complement .. ime 6ft 3 and 390 lbs with a beard and glasses and kinda homely.. i think its because i look like a can pickup a 100lb anvil one handed.. kinda stupid to stereotype blacksmiths that way tho.. if you look at old fotos of smiths they were generally skinny guys probably cause they worked hard and long ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Yeah most of us have similiar traits, I'm about 6-2, 250lbs, yet when dealing with kids, if you get down to their level, they don't seem to be too intimidated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 One of my favorite ladysmiths Lynda Metcalf one doing a demo the other on her wedding day. Then there's Lindsey, do her pants make ME look fat? Then there's me and Bob Bergman from a couple years back. It's like we're all cast in the same mold isn't it? Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 All the same but different. A few pics of me over the past few years and then Bill and Betty Printy ( Bill is the smith at Bentonsport Iowa ). Also Richard Rumph ( ZW ) on his trailer forge. Life is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Brooks Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 when I was little I was very concerned about doing the trade with my dad. He asked why and I said "I don't want pop-eye arms." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortdog Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 My 'smithing buddy, Steve and I look a good bit like Laurel and Hardy. He's around five eight and thin. I'm six one and... perhaps I should say husky. We both look like smiths to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnW Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 No, I don't think you can really spot a blacksmith. I'd say blacksmiths tend to have beards (I don't remember what the survey said), and they dress like blacksmiths, so when you get a group of them together, they look like a group of blacksmiths. But I've had a couple of experiences meeting a new group of blacksmiths, such as at a hammer in. A couple of the least likely looking guys were the best smiths, and vice versa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navren scafidi Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 (edited) like every ones said, "if you leave blood samples on your work you might be a bladesmith". im still young but most forge freindly people can tell im a knife maker just by how messed up my hands are. but the non hammer and steel folkes just say im realy **** up. so i guess it all depends on who you talk to :D Edited March 1, 2009 by steve sells language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverDamForge Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I'm accepted as a member of a black family, but their name isn't 'Smith'... oh, wait... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisfaeth Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 dont know bout the whole stereotyping thing though. Im a little far from the regular on that. I'm 6'1'' 250# with a Mohawk that I color Bright hues + everyone that I tell thinks I'm pulling their leg when I tell them the I beat steel for fun!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksb Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 True story ( really ). Two friends and I went up to JCC School a few years back for a class with D. Fogg. Got there just before dark and were standing outside reg building. Now .. I may be a little 'ragged' but my buddys are 'normal' looking, the tallest of us at about 5-7, 5-8. A lady drives up, parks and starts to go inside. Then she stops, turns around, takes a long look at us and says - "yall must be blacksmiths", then went on inside. ksb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 What should a blacksmith look like?? Myself, bout 6' 170#..... 3 musketeers mustache and beard...( had an incident and didn't want to loose all my facial hair) Heavily callused hands... and the uncanny ability to twist the heads off bolts in the shop at work. I also consider the sound of a hammer hitting things musical... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerkid Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Well , I aint got no big beard YET, LOL. But I`am a bit on the HUSKY side. I`am 5'7 167 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverDamForge Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 ... and the uncanny ability to twist the heads off bolts in the shop at work.We used to joke about proper torque being '1/4 turn before it breaks'. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Ok, I'll throw my pic in......I've been told (by a Professional Artist Blacksmith) that I look like a blacksmith....only a tad over 300 lbs. Wellllll....here I am all cleaned up, methinks coming from the shop would be looking a whole 'nuther matter....:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian C. Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Here are a few of me. Taken just a FEW (LOL) years apart. The first is me working in Dads orthopaedic shop about 1976 or '77. The second was taken a year or so ago working in my driveway shop. I stay cleaner smithing it seems. The third is myself, Loren Roper (simplysmithing.com), and Vern Ridgely at Quad State last fall. See, we dont all look alike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 (edited) Don't mean to necromancy this thread but.... Hmm, I really don't have a neck Edited July 9, 2009 by Drewed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TASMITH Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Okay, might as well jump on the Bandwagon.This picture was taken on Canada Day at the Town Park in Gananoque. Rikasso was doing a demo in the Park as part of the celebrations for Canada Day. I don't have time to do one this day as my wife and I are the organizers of the events and I do the fireworks in the evening so no time for me to demo. Rick kindly agreed to do it and had a great day. I am on the left and Rikasso (Rick) is to the right. Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 the anchor gang, all fulltime blacksmiths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junker Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Wells I can most assuradly say I'm the atypical blacksmith... about 6'2" and 150.. pretty muscular... look more like a surfer/ swimmer than anything... course there's a good reason for that lol... but at less than a month from 17 I am deffinently a non- steriotypical blacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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