Hilt and Hammer Workshop Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Good evening,everyone :) Hope that none of you were victims of any cruel pranks this 1st day of April . I must say that such amusement is the furthest from my mind,as an important date is rapidly approaching. I've stepped out on a limb,so to speak,and I'll be having a booth at a craft show/public event for the very first time. I know that many of you are very experienced working with the public and selling your wares .I have never done this sort of thing before, and there are two areas that concern me specifically. 1. I have been told that I am expected (since this is a "learning" type of event) to demonstrate the craft a bit. I'll be using a small gas forge. I was wondering what sort of simple techniques that you guys would recomend for demonstration purposes,balancing simplicty with still being able to keep people interested. 2. Layout. I have a 10x10 ft space to work in. how should i position my forge and anvil for the best effect? Should the anvil be between me and the people watching? Also,if anyone has any tips on dealing with people,sales,etc. at a public event like this, i would be extremely appreciative to have you enlighten me,as I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry W. Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 We demo at a lot of events. Most of out time is spent talking and making nails. When done, we usually give the nails to the kids. 'S' hooks are fast. I have been packing horse shoes and making the Brian Brazeal style heart. Google Blacksmith History, Stories andfLore. These will give you something to talk about while you forge. The forge will bring back special memories for some of the older folks. Some of them are very happy when we surprise them with a freshly forged nail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Greetings H & H , Most events like this do not carry insurance so you must protect yourself by keeping the forge and anvil in the background... I put my post vice towards the front because a simple twist is allways fun to demo.... Be prepaired to answer all the stupid questions... Is that hot ... My grandpa was a blacksmith ect.ect. Keep your knives and wepons out of kids reach and your product out front... To impress some of the people that ask is that hot.. I take a 1/2 board put it in the vise .... Forge out a taper on a 1/2/x1/2 get it hot and pierce a hole through the board... smoke and a perfect square hole in the board is the results.. How did early settlers drill holes?? You will find that you will do more talking than forgeing. Nails and leaf hooks are fun but you will not have a lot of time. You can pre forge some products and than do the finish at the demo... Good Luck Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aden Cassidy Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Did a demo Day for my old school a while back at the club, the kids loved seeing a partly forged blade. Just lucky I had one when they asked about it. They also liked seeing me hot punch a piece of metal and what it looked like still rough before cleaning it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilt and Hammer Workshop Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Thanks for the replies so far . I really like Jim's idea of a twist demo,that sounds good. I imagine your post vise is free standing? The hot punch also sonds good,and I was thinking of bringing a few partially forged blades for sure. What about a split cross? I think if I brought a pre-cut one,and just domonstrated how it turns into the cross shape might be a neat demonstration. I understand the liability issue wiht having the anvil so close to people,but Isn't it hard for people to see if the anvil is in the background? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Greetings H&H, A split cross works well.. Bring some extra samples of its progression.. Plain stock... saw cut... than partial open... Let you customers play with them while you are dooing your thing... You will do fine... Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKForge Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Jerry W. mentioned it but to elaborate a little, "s" hooks are a great item to demo. It shows you using the face and the horn of the anvil. To see a straight piece of stock tapered and then turned into a hook is something fascinating for those who have never seen it before. Then heat it to bright orange and touch it against a piece of wood for flame and smoke and then go for a big quench and after the hiss and steam stop pull it out and show how you can grab it with your hand and it is cool enough for you to hold. Heat it up to black heat and coat with beeswax for a flame and smoke, ask them if they know what you coated it with and then let them smell the beeswax.You can then explain how the other end you can make into a spike for a "j" hook or you can scroll the other end and make it an "s" hook. If there are kids standing around include them. Say ok if this is an "s" hook what would this be and show them a "j" hook. It is fun to see them get it and the parents are proud of their kids for guessing and participating. I also explain the different parts of the anvil, talk a little about the role of an apprentice years ago, hand the kids a piecce of coal (many may never have seen it before.) If you are doing a demonstration to the public I always looked at it as though you are as much being an entertainer as anything else. To demonstrate to other blacksmiths is a very different venue and experience for you and the audience. Remember make it fun and exciting because that young kid who sees you may want to some day become a blacksmith because of seeing your demo. Also the more fun and exciting it is the more likely people will want to talk to you and buy from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilt and Hammer Workshop Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 I'll be on the road for a week,so i just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has encouraged me and given me ideas and guidance in this endeavour. Very much appreciated ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsmith Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 I have done many Deno's, (though few were profitabe) usually keepimg the anvil to the front with the forge at my left hand and vise to the right or behind, this is taking into acount the atmosphere of the event, I put up a simple rope fence out front for general public (3 -4 feet out from the anvil), and expect all the questions. The key seems to be in showmanship, explaining what you are doing while you are working, enguadging your audience. Not just good forge work but also maing a connection, it has taken some tme to refine this. With the extra distractions you can screw up the simplest project when people are watching. For general demo, keep it simple, they are just as impressed by a twist as a forge weld. When Ive demoed for fellow blacksmiths, it gets much harder, but, they are more impressed by the tricky stuff but also more foregiving if it didnt work. Congrats on your ambitions and success thus far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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