Deliberate practice

[Ridgewayforge]

Having tried my hands at a few different crafts in the recent years, I've found two things of interest.

 

First, a given person might have a natural propensity to a given task, in this case, a natural talent for blacksmithing.

A person might NOT have that natural gift, but they can still achieve much in blacksmithing.

 

The second thing that I've found to be true is that whether or not you have a natural skill at blacksmithing, you will not go far without deliberate practice.

 

This is to say, that unless you set out to achieve a very specific skill, you might learn it, but nowhere near as fast as if you went and dedicated an hour or five to practicing that skill. Repitition is boring, but necessary.

 

Therefore, I would like to pose a question for discussion: What is the best way for a budding blacksmith with limited formal education or oversight to practice the craft deliberately?

 

~Patrick

RidgewayForge

[Larry H]

Learn from your local group or a smith that is adept at an item you are interested in, procure the material to produce ten of that item, make ten, by the eleventh one you should have a grasp on what doesn't work, or you should have it down

[doc]

I agree with Larry,

 

But I think with most things except the very basics  ( nails,hooks, simple scrolls etc;) it will take more than ten or twelve attempts. At this point you may understand the principles, but you probably won't be very proficient at it. You'll truly have to make 50 or 100 of an item before you can do it effectively.You may also find that if you don't make an item for a while that when you attempt it again you might have to make two or three just to "warm up" to the standard you've set for yourself.

 

 If you have no one to work with or learn from remember to be self-critical and also analyze your work as you go along.Try to discover why what you attempted didn't work. Or if it did seem to work, don't be so pleased with yourself that you'll be satisfied with a low quality item or one that has taken an inordinate amount of time for the result.

 

 When you use the procedures of another smith to make an item remember that this may only be a starting point for you.Once you'er able to produce this item well using an-others steps, don't be afraid to try it your own way. You may find that by changing the sequence of steps it becomes easier or quicker for you or perhaps you'll even discover an entirely new and better way.

 

 This method might or might not work for you but it is the method I've used to teach myself for the past 40 yrs as a professional smith and still use everyday. This is a skill that no one can live long enough to learn everything about. In fact I believe a life time allows us only to scratch the surface.One other thing. by being aware you'll find that you probably will learn as much about yourself from blacksmithing as you will about smithing.

[VaughnT]

Repetition is the key to learning any skill, but you have to be a good critic of your work, too.

 

I see this a lot with folks that make their first "knife".  They're proud of it, but they leave me wondering about their work ethic.  It's not like there aren't millions of examples and tutorials on the internet, and nobody would expect a newbie to make Excalibur on the first go.  

 

BUT, a lack of skill doesn't mean you have an excuse for leaving deep scratches from the previous grit paper.  Or giant gaps between parts.  Or a juvenile design better suited to a comic book than a workpiece.

 

The maker knows in their heart of hearts that that's sloppy craftsmanship, but they don't want to admit it.  Instead, they pass it off as "okay because I'm new at this".

 

That doesn't float, in my book.  If you want to be lazy, that's fine.  Just call it what it is.  There are craftsman in third-world countries working without 90% of the tools, materials or resources that we have, and they turn out some topshelf kit.  Neanderthal and Cro Magnon did great things with next to nothing.  Someone built pyramids.

 

What's your excuse, again?

 

All that is to say that it takes a real desire to improve, and you have to be severely honest with yourself.  Otherwise, you'll ingrain bad habits into yourself.  

 

Work that project and expect it to be lousy, but then go over it with a fine-tooth comb to pick apart where you failed.  And take lots of notes while the experience is fresh in your mind.

[hildenmw]

The first hundred or so are the rough ones:)
Marc

[Stephen Olivo]

Well said by everyone above.  I agree whole hartedly. (thank goodness you all said it now I don't have to type all that :D)  I only have to add one thing and that is play with clay.  Faster way to learn without waiting for the stock to get warm or burning fuel.  Plus you can do it inside infront of the tv on a little aso with your hammer and its not loud.  I still play with clay a bunch when starting a new peice.  Then there are less practice peices of steel after trying to figure it out.

[Jim Coke]

Greetings all,

 

I think our budding blacksmiths soon get boared with repeditive practice on the same thing...  Normally they make the same mistakes and end up with the same results..  I have found in my teachings with our young smiths that if you show a procedure and the procedure leads to another...   Make it square ,  make it pointy  make it flat......    I use as an example starting with a fish tail scroll...  make it , streighten it out, than convert it to a ginko leaf...  now make it into a leaf hook.... and on and on  and on..   We need to increase vision in our new smiths. Teach estimateing the volume of material need to complete a project...  As we all know learning is a life long journey and the possibilites are endless..

 

Jim    Still scratching the surface after 40 years...

[Ted T]

Deliberate and Perfect Practice

A person needs to make his self available to a competent source of training in order to learn

“Deliberate and Perfect Practice” right at the start,

so they are not trying to unlearn bad habits at the same time.  

You must put yourself in a position to receive instructions that will teach you

how to perform “Deliberate & Perfect Practice”.

How to do “Deliberate & Perfect Practice” most likely needs to be taught by a qualified blacksmith

who understands the elements required to master each skill of operation.

A qualified instructor will quickly guide you into using the correct method of handling tools,

keeping your tools dressed correctly, anvil etiquette, attributes of steel coupled with heat treatment,

safety in all of its forums, and how to determine the order of operations based on,

but not limited to elements of (shape, size, thickness, type of steel and end product),

and hammer control.

There is much more. 

The process of leaning may be taught differently by different instructors,

but yet there is a predictable outcome.

The advantage of having an instructor is that corrections are made on the spot.

They will not allow you to start to practice bad or unsafe habits right from the get go!

If corrections are not made in a timely manner, a person can get real good at doing something

that is real bad; real fast.

Then your bad or un-safe habit becomes etched into your cellular and muscle memory,

resulting in a bad habit being formed, that needs to be reversed.

It takes a great deal of effort to change a habit good or bad.

And it is not worth rushing into a bad training situation just because

a person is in a hurry to get started.

If money is an issue, then it is a separate issue that needs to be figured out so

you can afford to pay for the proper training required.

Most of people (us) have had to work for whatever they have.

So waiting while you save up money is not wasted time if you will study.

If a person has to work for what they have: they are more likely to value

what they have worked for and will use it.

The order of how things seem to work: Work, save money, = Pay for training.

My first choice of training (above and beyond studying, and video’s) that

I would suggest is that your training would be in the form of a qualified instructor

(one on one, or in a school setting).

Although no matter how you are trained, what you learn and

what you are willing to do with it; is all up to you.

Studying good books about blacksmithing skills and watching good blacksmithing videos

should always be considered as a natural and constant activity in your learning curve.

It all comes at a cost. 

The acceptation is when you find someone who is qualified to teach you for free.  

First thought: A personal instructor such as “Brian Brazeal Blacksmith” will fill your plate

of knowledge quickly and in the long run it will be most likely be a cost saving to you if you

are serious about becoming a blacksmith of note!

 

Second thought: Attend a blacksmithing school.

Third thought: Most Blacksmith organizations have people who may be willing to

coach a person who is just beginning.

Sometime a blacksmith organization will sponsor a “Hammer-in” that would be a

good place to learn.

They will most likely put on a demonstration that is usually valuable.

People who join a blacksmithing group are most likely going to meet people

who will assist them.  Plus training materials are usually available.

Note: This all cost money where I live. And sometime a lot of money!

 

Forth thought: Study reading materials such as books, internet information,

and videos.

Sometime (most of the time) several levels of consideration is simultaneously

taking place while forging.

Safety and safe operations must always encompass the whole process.  

The proper tools needs to be selected, dressed if necessary, and the tongs

need to be properly adjusted to fit the material used.  

I have observed many hobby type blacksmiths disregard adjusting their tongs

to fit the material used.

 

Or do a preliminary walk through to make sure all tools are set out and

are available when they start to forge.

 

Or check the area around the forge for clutter to make sure it is clear

so you do not trip before starting to forge.

If they were trained properly this would not be the case.

Proper fitting of tongs to the material that are to be used needs to

be addressed as you are taught.  

I have seen many hobby type blacksmiths who are not concerned

about the properly fitting and adjustment tongs to fit the material.

A competent instructor understands all of this and will assist you by filling in the gaps

until you are fully aware of the process and decisions that need to be made in a timely manner.

To learn blacksmithing is no different than any other situation in life.

Life comes at a cost. There is a price to pay for everything in one form or another. 

There is also a price to pay to learn any trade including blacksmithing.  

It may be in the form of time, energy, trade, or money; but for sure it takes an effort

and there will be a cost to pay.

If you are in a position to learn from someone that that is qualified

and will teach you for free, that would be a bonus  

There are as many blacksmithing levels of skill as there are blacksmiths.

Each person has a level and a standard of his own. No two are exactly the same. 

So what may seem competent and acceptable to one person is not acceptable to the other.

I would suggest that you take whatever effort it takes to find and pay for an instructor

who will teach you how to do each step of the operational skills properly.

 

It seems as though some people do not recognize that everything worth learning

will cost in some way and the price must be paid.

But the learning curve is quickly shortened when a person receives competent instructions.  

[Nohone]

Practice is good, but the meaning must be understood. To practice smithing is to learn more about smithing by smithing. So DO smithing. Jump into it and be absolutely total when you do it. You learn best when you are highly alert and vibrant.

Be mindful while you practice. Be highly alert, highly aware. Raise each blow with full awareness, and strike with full awareness. You will receive much greater results.

When you are more aware, then boredom starts to die. Boredom is idiotic. It happens when you are mechanical.

No staple or nail is the same, life flows and is always in a flux, be alive and aware for every moment and you will find that every moment is new. Your 47th nail is beautiful and unique when created whilst you were aware, so too is the 48th and the 49th.

Being mechanical and without awareness will still earn you results, but it will be a grind, because you're not really there. More mistakes will happen, the process will not be pleasurable.

So practice, but be alive when you do it. When you are alert of every movement and every intent while you smith, it becomes a meditation, a kind of spiritual practice.

Perhaps you will learn more about yourself in the process of being aware.

[Larry H]

Want to learn.......for free ?.  Find a working smith, offer to work....FOR FREE !!!.  The best way of learning is by doing, I worked for free for a year....then I had to pay for an engine for the smiths truck, then another year for free. When I went to school the instructor asked me  "why did you come here ? you already know this stuff". So if you can find someone who could use free labor, and the time thing works out, ask.( I worked nights, so a few days a week I sacrificed sleep for skills.)  There a lot of repetitive tasks that can hone your skills......( wax on wax off , ha ha ha )

[EGreen]

find a bunch of re-bar from a demo site or scrap yard. then proceed to straighten them out without heat. use your Eyes like you would when you pick up a board, look for the crooks an curves. this stuff hammers out easy but you will over bend sometimes. that is the good part of soft steel an no heat. it will sure sharpen your eyes and hand control.JMHO

[Frank Turley]

I hope I'm not misquoting Peter Ross. It is said that he said, "Make 50; throw 45 away.

 

I was talking to the noted smith, Tom Joyce, one time and I asked him whether he got bored doing repetitive work. He replied, "Oh no. For me, it's always an interesting challenge to make one piece look like another."

 

On attitude. A shoe salesman visited Africa in the early days, and he noted that most of the natives were barefoot. He wired back to his home company and said, "Africa is a poor market for shoe sales; nearly everyone is barefoot." Another shoe sales competitor visited Africa at about the same time. He sent a wire to his home office, "Africa is a wonderful market for shoe sales; nearly everyone is barefoot!"

[Charles R. Stevens]

Be a gratefull and graseus student. If another smith is willing to teach you, avail your self of the offer, politely listen, even if you have already learned (or think you have learned that skill) often you will be offers greater insite, even by the same instructor. Respect his/her shop and tools, family, home, shop cat etc. often we forget that we are not intitled, his/her time is a gift, as is the fuel, steel and damaged tools.
As has ben said diligent practice, that not only improves your skills, it honors your teachers.
Lastly, when you think you have mastered a skill (blacksmithing is a skill set) pass it on, your bad habits will become glaringly obvious to you, you yourself will increase in your skill. This is what makes masters, out of jounymen.

[Ridgewayforge]

This is one of the things that I love about this site: The amount of collective wisdom and knowledge passed on to the younger generations is staggering. All of this is good information, and is worth a read for any beginner, I would say. I would add to the notion of being hard on yourself to make sure and keep some early work, instead of fixing it. It serves as a marker of your progress.

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

"Deliberate and perfect practice" like Ted said is the key. Being aware and alert like Nohone said, will help, and rehearsing in clay like Stephen Olivo suggested will also save time. I have put a few videos on you tube that show different techniques that are good to practice.

[Aljeter]

I have had the chance to work with some really good smiths. When I decided that smithing is something that I wanted to try, I took a beginners blacksmith class. After that I was hooked. I have bought several books and the Blacksmith Primer video. I will pick one thing to make and make it over and over and over again, until I feel confident making that one piece. Then I will move onto something else. I have also joined 2 blacksmith associations, the North Texas and the Saltfork Craftsman. I will go to demo's and workshops as much as I can. Watching videos is great and reading the books is great, but if you can take a class then do that. 

[Ridgewayforge]

I agree that taking classes is fastest. But in between times what I have taken to doing is to watch a video of a technique, attempt it, go back and watch it again, then try again. Usually the second try has great improvement over the first try.