bajajoaquin Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I haven't been around here in a while, as some other priorities have taken up a lot of my time. However, I thought I'd check in again. I work for a company with offices in India, and I'm going back this year for a week-long visit. One of my colleagues has invited me back to his family home for the weekend. His father-in-law owns a rubber plantation and it turns out that he employs a blacksmith to make the rubber taps and do part-time rubber tapping. Having hear me talk about smithing and how little I get to do, he arranged for me to go and work with the smith for half a day or so while I'm there. I'm pretty excited about it.I don't know what we're going to do exactly, but I think he's going to try to teach me to form the local versions of machetes and rubber taps. I'm bringing along a hammer to give him in addition to paying him for his time as a token.Anyone else ever forged in a local's shop while traveling far around the world? Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Take lots of pictures, or video.I would say just be courteous, and follow his lead. India, I would love to go there just for the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) forbidden from posting this: I was once asked to demonstrate welding up a billet at an open air museum in Germany Edited July 21, 2015 by ThomasPowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel S Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 That sounds like a really fun time. You should find out if he works sitting or standing before you go. Definitely post pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 That sounds like a really fun time. You should find out if he works sitting or standing before you go. Definitely post pictures.why? Will he need a shorter hammer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I spent some time in Rajasthan with a family of Gaduliya Lohar. Used to have a bit about it on my website but it was recently updated and I haven't got round to updating that section. Where in India will you be? Indian hospitality is amazing ahhh and the food. Yes, be prepared to forge sitting, or rather squatting down, with my short hamstrings I found it awkward! You might well want to bring safety glasses for yourself and for them, often they don't have them but would like to have them. I didn't think to bring any as I was travelling for 3 months before I started working with them, when I explained about them they expressed that they would like to have them but either couldn't get them or afford them. I found the Lohar Blacksmiths to be incredibly talented, they learn from childhood, they make mostly agricultural implements, stone chisels and domestic ironwork. Would be interesting to see how your trip goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 Thomas, why were you prevented from typing that?Thanks for the note about forging sitting or squatting. I hadn't thought of that. It could be a problem for me, too! I'll definitely bring some safety glasses. I'll be wearing my reading glasses since I need those now (I didn't last time I posted here!), and hadn't planned on bringing others. But I will now.Any other ideas? As I mentioned, I'm bringing a hammer, but would also bring along some other items if I thought they would be welcome.The company I work for has an office in Bangalore, and I was struck by the way they use granite slabs there. They lay them down over open sewers for sidewalks, they use them as cantelevered fence panels, walls, everything. When I was walking down the street, I saw a mason working one of the blocks with a steel hand drill and a hammer. I remembered Larry's (Monstermetal) thread on sharpening bits for something similar a couple years ago, so it occurred to me that there must be a "smithing quarter" in the city where these things were done. I started asking my colleagues, and they were puzzled why I would want to go and do it.Anyway, fast forward to planning for this year's trip, and one of my colleagues invited me to his family home in Kerala, which is widely said to be one of the most beautiful states in India. He said he had this set up with the rubber tapper, and I'm even more excited to find out that we'll be there for half a day, rather than just a half hour tour or something.I've also ended up with a Hercules bicycle (with the cool rod-operated hand brakes) and am trying to figure out how to get a Lister stationary diesel disassembled and sent home in pieces. But those are stories for another time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Was going to suggest the safety glasses, but was beaten to it, My only addition might be a big pocket full of ear plugs. Sounds like a REALLY COOL experience. Maybe a Gopro camera strapped to your head so the rest of us get to see it all. Good luck, safe journey and please bring back lots of pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel S Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 why? Will he need a shorter hammer?I hadn't thought about any equipment differences... I was mentioning because some of the positions I've seen people working in can require lots of hip flexibility. Also, changing posture can make doing everything a learning experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I was just joking about a shorter hammer. My actual thoughts on it were that he would find that out when he got there. That it wouldn't change whether he went or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel S Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I meant my response in a joking manner too, I'm just not very good at the internet and forgot the emoticon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Take Bengay for your aching back and legs if you're working on the ground. did a lot of forging at the camp fire when younger and just lived with being stiff and sore in the morning. We were usually drilling in the bush somewhere and I had to work in the morning. After a while you stretch and work out of being stiff and sore, the better shape your in the faster.Your muscles and tendons will adapt in a surprisingly short time if you just go right back to what made you sore. Just use some common sense, muscle sore isn't the same thing as strained and sprained. Don't do yourself a serious mischief. Ease into it and stay moving.Oh yeah, Bengay, Icyhot, etc. really helps, smells better than week old sweat too. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Knee pads? I can work kneeling but not sitting on the ground. Note the RR rail anvil in the pics above! Why I was forbidden---there was a site update which has seriously impacted people being able to post with seemingly random "forbiddens" happening; however sometimes you can post a short post and then edit it with the stuff from your forbidden post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 yeah, Thomas, I wondered why forbidden??!!! they did use the railroad track until I gave them some money for the tuition and 'room and board' (charpoy bed and dahl) they bought a big lump of tool steel which they forged into a mushroom type anvil, will see if i can find the photos of them doing that!!!I wouldn't worry too much if you're only smithing for an afternoon!! they gave me a little burlap covered cushion to sit on as they could see I was struggling with the squat, us westerners are rather spoiled to our physical detriment and are used to sitting in chairs whereas they squat down... yes, the granite slabs, case of using what is available, not a lot of timber in the desert, was just north of Barmer and less than 40km from the Pakistani border, one of the least populated areas in India. Also maybe have some stuff handy for the kids, pencils or those little sets of mini colouring pencils is a good one, they will hassle for Rupees or Chocolate lol I've not been to Kerala, but would love to go, Bangalore I've been, not so fussed about Indian cities, (or cities in general!!)Shipping anything in India is an art form, there is always a man ready to sew up a package, the Indians are brilliant at overcoming adversity, they will figure it out, for a price of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 Colored pencils! Love it!In Baja California, I used to bring stickers for the kids. For a while, I worked in the surf industry, so there were an enormous amount of free stickers around. Kids loved 'em. Every time I went on a surf trip, we'd hand out a stack. Surfers did it so much, the main word you would hear in English was "sticker! sticker!"Bangalore is.... not a vacation Mecca. But every Indian I've talked to about Kerala has said something to the effect of, "Indians call it 'God's Country.'"I've not thought much of bringing something back from the smith's shop, but I wonder if he'd be willing to sell me one of his hammers. They sure look different from ours. Probably wouldn't work too well from a standing position, but might be neat to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 I'll bet he'd swap hammers.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 I'm sure he'd be overjoyed to sell you a hammer! When I was there we made a set of tools, so I made a hammer, two pairs of tongs, some punches, some tinsnip type cutters.. they are my most cherished tools!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crij Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) With the bring a hammer suggestion, I would suggest bring just the head, the handle can be made to fit his preference, also may travel easier (airport security). Other option would be a bick anvil. Not positive, but a lump of steel should be considered less of a weapon then a hammer to customs & the TSA screeners.What is the availability of soapstone or silver pencils in the area? If hard to get, a dozen would probably be appreciated. Also raid a 5 & dime / dollar store for volumes non-battery powered of kid toys.Rich C.P.S. Have fun, Be Safe, and unless you have an iron stomach avoid the well water where possible (unless you know it is treated) as your body is not used to the local bugs. Diarrhea and similar gastrointestinal problems do not make foreign travel fun. Edited July 23, 2015 by crij added P.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 So I've been here in India for a few days now (got in late Saturday night). No blacksmithing yet, as I'm in Bangalore wearing slacks and collared shirts in the office. We did a bit of sight-seeing around the city on Sunday with a couple of guys I work with, and went to the central market, which has everything from fruits and vegetables to spices and flowers, to roofing supplies and machinery. It's crazy and awesome.I brought a camera, but of course forgot a cord, so I'll post up some pictures when I get home of that market, as well as whatever I take on Saturday when I'm at the smithy in Kerala. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augus7us Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Very cool and sounds like you are going to have an excellent time. Please do post lots of photos! Always enjoy seeing something I'm passionate about through the eyes of a different culture!Be safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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