Calaflash Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 I'm young, poor, but would really like to get started smithing simple things. Knives, swords, eventually armor. Possibly branch off into sheet metal when I'm older. Ware can I begin learning this art of blacksmithing? I should be stopping by my local book store later today, assuming thats a good place to start, what books should I look for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheftjcook Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 A good place to start is the book review section in the IFI forumshttp://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f49/ That will give you a short(but growing) list of books and an idea of what others liked and found useful about them. There is also a neat section called lessons in blacksmithing. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchmancreek Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 Swords and armor are not simple things. You can't start there. Specialist smiths take many, many years to learn this type of work, and even then there aren't very many sword or armor makers out there. After a point it is an art, not a skill. You have to start on the basics of smithing. Read everything you can find and join a local blacksmithing group. Attend the meetings...smiths are always helpful. There are also beginners classes provided by many blacksmithing associations that will get you started in the right direction. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Go to IForgeIron.com thenLessons in Metalworking > Blacksmithing There are lessons posted there that will walk you through how to get started in blacksmithing. Use the forum, ask a bunch of questions, When you are provided an answer, go out and try it. Then come back and tell us how it went. If you ask the follow-up set of questions based on your efforts and their results, you will get much more help. Photos are great as it saves writing a 1000 words. Read everything you can get your hands on, and ask more questions. LB0008 Reference material lists a hundred free books on metalworking. Many are PDF's and can take a while with a slow modem. But that is only one source, the library is another, as is IForgeIron and the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son_of_bluegrass Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 A good place to start if you have no equipment and limited means is to find a group local to you. If you are in the States check out ABANA's site for a nearby affliate. If you'll tell us where on Earth you are, someone may be close to you and/or know of a local group. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Blacksmithing Groups Look for your state and a group close to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 Age? Where are you? All above advice should be heard. ESPECIALLY what Dutchmancreek said, you didn't learn to run before you crawled and you didn't come into this world eating meat. EVERYTHING you can learn about blacksmithing will only make the later, much later, time learning blade work easier. I don't mean to discourage you in any way, just trying to safe you some frustration. Good luck! If you are in East Texas, (Longview/Tyler area) private message me and I will be glad to help you any way I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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