Ruinite Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Thanks. But no i haven't checked all those locations, because i didn't know where to look. But i've been looking for the places with the right information that i needed. Like i am looking at the Blacksmithing guild of VA right now, and hoping to maybe to go one of their events ( like the Hammer in or the thing with Bill Epps) if i decide to join or something. Yeah i know theres much more i can read, Just hard to locate some of the right information i need without a few references liek you just gave me.. Eventually i'm going to have to try. Which raises alot of questions for me. I'm not really looking for a class to go and take, due to the fact i am still in high school at the moment, but mainly anyone more experienced than me to just help me start out..like answer a few questions so i can atleast start and experiment since i haven't tried it, but i'm still very interested in it, so i want to test it out and see if it would be something i'd do in the long run and such or just keep as a little hobby. I understand that i will have to start on very low projects and work my way up to bigger things over time, but i can't really start till i know the basics. Which i'm trying to learn. Sorry if i sounded that way ThomasPowers, i ment that i know alot of the basic ideas and such behind it because i truly interest me and I read information on Damascus for hours a day when i'm not busy (and wootz, thats some interesting stuff). Just facinates me. I only know the basic facts or ideas...not the labor or physical work or nothing, since i have never done it, seen anyone do it, or ever think I will sadly. I live in Gerrardstown, WV. About 20 minutes from Martinsburg, WV and Winchester, VA. Basicly bewteen them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinD Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Well I have always been interested in swords, blades, armor I may get banned for this but I think this is a Troll. First post on the forum...and it's about swords in this particular thread has GOT to be somebody playing a joke. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakwoodforge Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Sniff Sniff, ewwww I think I stepped in troll dung too Kevin. Jens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinD Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Glad I'm not the only one. If I'm wrong, maybe there does need to be a teen noobie section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Hofbauer Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 This is a good post, though no matter how hard you try you won't end the "Hey, I just joined and I need all the info on how to do this in this thread" posts. Glenn's policy of responding with a polite link to the start BP's is a great way to handle it though. I've seen it for years on the forums. To give some perspective for anyone just joining. I consider myself new, though I do hope under Rich's definition I'd qualify for one of the upper ranks of that classification While I have, my whole life, been experienced working with nearly every material other then iron/steel about 5-6 years ago I became interested in knifemaking, and smithing as a result. The first thing I did was spend probably 2 years searching the web and reading what I could available on the forums. I then asked a smith if I could visit his shop, which I did a several times to learn. For various health and financial reasons the hands-on experience sorta stopped shortly after (I've discussed some of which with people in chat, though not all and I'll leave it at that). So I went back to reading and talking with people. As an example, on one knife forum's knifemaker section there is nearly 30k threads (not individual posts in a thread, but threads total!). If you were to read 1 hour a night, averaging 30 seconds per thread, you would be there for 250 nights. I've read probably 40+ books on the subject of blacksmithing and a few on the subject of knifemaking. I've spent the past several years in chatrooms with various noteworthy knifemakers and smiths. When someone asks me what I plan to make I say knives and tools predominately. All that being said and the fact I actually have forged a knife when I finally have my smithy built and my forge going it'll be awhile before I am working on another blade. Instead of my tool steels, I'll be grabbing the hot/cold rolled stock I got sitting around and forging stands and other accoutrements for the shop as well bobbles and trinkets for friends and family. I don't say all this to discourage anyone but to say, but to slow down and look around first, if you take a bit of time (perhaps not as much as me ) you'll avoid alot of pitfalls that will discourage you. In fact, I do recommend getting to the forge as soon as possible, as others have said nothing beats experience. But do take the time to read search and read the beginners info posted on sites like this one. I always recommend reading them (As with anything) with a grain of salt as you'll see there are different ways and eventually you'll learn what works best for you. I also don't feel Rich's point was a, please be quiet and only talk when you have experience. I think the regulars (which includes Rich) quite welcome talking with the new users it's just as has been said, it becomes a waste to explain how to do something really advanced just to watch them give up and quit after a couple months after frustration kicks in. You don't join a welding forum and start by saying, hey I want to scratch-build my own motorcycle, can someone tell me how to weld? I often lurk on a forum for months or years before joining. Including here, I joined at the advice of a friend and I still tend to stick to only posting answers to simple questions or more socializing threads. I also enjoy socializing in the chat, which again I never felt that the experienced smiths had a Members-Only attitude in. (Least I hope no one's felt I didn't belong, heh) Why I mentioned you'll never do away with said beginner posts is having read thru a dozen forums archives over several years. At least once a week there was probably one of said posts. From the, "Where do I start" post, to the "I have a lawnmower blade I want to make into a Katana, do I need to heat it?" to one of everyones favorites "What's the best steel to make a knife?" Looking at the length of this post, perhaps I should give a condensed what-to-do. Take your time and start with forging easy projects and goals. Read everything you can, here, on other forums and books. Make friends with smiths online and in your area. And stick to it! We all get frustrated, the only way to accomplish anything is to not give up. And that's why I joined this thread, to show you, after all the time it's taken me I didn't give up. You can survive delays of a few weeks. -MJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Well the best way to find someone local to you is to go to the nearest chapter meeting and introduce yourself and ask if anyone has a shop close to you. (Remember to bring paper and pencil) You may be surprised, we used to carpool 2 hours over to the SOFA meetings and were able to help a number of people who didn't know there was a bunch of us right close to them when they asked at the meeting 2 hours away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 MJ you are right I know what I am saying is ask your questions just be educated in your questions. I don't feel that this thread was started to say stop asking dumb questions. I feel it was started to say educate yourself, learn some basics then come and ask an educated questions that you truly would like to get some help with. I for one love talking shop with the guys in the chat as many others are and I feel the same there. If you really have a ernest question I will do my best to help you but if you come in and say hey I know nothing about steel or forging and I want to make a sword I just won't respond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 The question 'how can we learn to forge?' is the original post. The intent of this post (I believe) is about the wherefore's and the why's of Blacksmithing. For those starting out, and for everyone else looking for tips and different methods of doing the same work, this is a website where you can find virtually all the information required to get a good start. However, I feel it is important to remind us all (including myself), pay attention to the basics, ALWAYS. The basics are called that for a reason, without them, work is difficult to start or finish. Remember to monitor your fire, pay attention to your method of striking, and watch the heat in your iron - everything else becomes easier with the previously mentioned taken care of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted November 8, 2007 Author Share Posted November 8, 2007 Presenting this post for you to review has been real interesting. I expected and recieved alot of input from the folks that have been around this site for a while and practice what I put forth as a way to learn. I am so glad that some of the new folks chose to post also. Man threads tend to go astray from the original subject and a couple of times this was brought back by folks that truly got the gist of the message. Thank you for doing that. It was mentioned that we may have had a post or two from someone other than one truly asking for help. I hope that is not true and that if they need help they are in the right place. As above: If you will spend the time and get basics down you can go far in this area. If you feel that moving ahead and taking short cuts works best for you I wish you the best. Take a look down the road to about five years from now and see if you can predict what your efforts will have achieved. Will you be making the items you wish and at the level of expertise you wish to attain by then? If you have been in this for more than five years are you where you would like to be? And lastly if you could start over would you do things in the way you chose? Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete46 Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 THIS IS THE INFORMATION AGE ,ENJOY IT! BOOKS, DVDs. the internet ,THIS SITE!!!!!!!!!! BLACK SMITHS FROM THE PAST WOULD HAVE TRADED PERSONAL BODY PARTS FOR WHAT WE HAVE! BUT! Like Glenn said there's STILL NO TEACHER LIKE HAMMER TIME! [or something like that]:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 Rich. Well done and thank you for posting it. I have read this thing through several times and have replied about 50 times always in the end erasing my potential posts...You stood up and said what I have been thinking for awhile now and appreciate your grit to do so. Ok...my tongue isn't hurting so bad now. Been biting it for a few weeks now. I think I am going to go forge a few items to better reinforce the basics for me and think about all the unfortunate material being forced into swords around here...at least they aren't talking about shoeing a horse! LOL! To all you sword makers and/or farriers I may have just offended...no harm intended. I just hope those interested in blacksmithing become interested in blacksmithing as a trade/craft and not the stereotypes that surround it. Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Rich, you heck of a guy. I have learned loads from you. The most frustrating part of trying to help new folks is that many times they already know too much ( or are not listening when advice is given to them ). THis is not a slam at anyone, just a fact. Until one has the patience and or maturity to accept help, not much can be done for them. Mike and many others ( inc Junior, Bill Epps, Tom Stovall, Glenn, Jens, Jeremy and a ton of others )have helped me and I try to help others. The chat doesn't seem to work for me so I cannot hang out there anymore ( until it starts to work for me again ). Basic smithing will be something I will learn until I'm room temperature ( hopefully that is a while off ). Safety is paramount to me. This said I do take a few risks from time to time but nothing too risque. I will say that there are a large number of things I don't know. Those of you who have been to my shop know that I have a really small operation comparitively speaking. I have tried taking on a couple of young men over the years that seemed interested in smithing but both fizzled out pretty fast. Thanks for the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdalcher Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Thanks for the thread Rich! I try to learn something new everyday and I believe that when I stop learning, it will be because I am dead:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Ten we miss you in the chat. If it is something that someone can help with to get you going again post the probelm on here and see if someone can get up up and running again see ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I agree with Rich Ten I as well miss you in the chat would like to see you there soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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