scotto Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 (edited) I've been talking around for several months in search for Blacksmithing equipment, probably a hundred or two people I've worried. You find some people who may have an anvil but no one with much stuff and most of it has some attachement to an old family member. A while back, a friend of mine I work with told me of an older fellow used to blacksmith. I had pretty much forgotten about it. He called me the other day and gave me directions to the older gentlemans house. Today I went by to see him. After introducing myself and my connection with our mutual friend he said "yea I have some stuff but I don't want to sell it." Mean while he's walking to his shop to open the door. We go into his shop and I'm expecting a few things but i was really suprised. He had probably six smithing stations set up with a forge, anvil and post vise, not to mention all the tongs, hammers, gas forges, four or five presses (home built and factory made).He doesn't smith much anymore and he was right, wasn't interested in selling but he did ask for my phone number and invited me and my son out for some forging/teaching one day. Anyhow, I went home empty handed but I believe he really enjoyed talking, as I did, for an hour or so about his smithing and I may have made a friend and given him some good reason to fire it all up again.Scott Edited September 19, 2015 by scotto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Sounds great. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn while you can. You may find over time that if he's no longer able to use the stuff due to physical conditions or health, that he may be more inclined to sell it to you as he'll by then know you are interested in using the stuff vs simply trying to turn a quick buck. I've seen that quite often with older folk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Develop that relationship as much as you can. DSW is right; when the time comes for him to get rid of the stuff, you want to be the first person he thinks of when he asks himself the question, "Who's going to make best use of this stuff?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Yup; show him you are for real and not a new hobby every month type of guy and don't be surprised as stuff starts heading your way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I've received a lot of blacksmith items from people who wanted it to go to "A Good Home". I assure them I will not sell their items but will pass it on to someone else when the time comes, Free! I feel the same way on my own equip. of had for years. I agree with Thomas, this fellow has opened the door to you a small way now it's up to you to keep it swinging, take your son with you next time, set and listen to his stories, try to remember some, learn from what he tells you. Encourage him to show you some things it will make him feel important and make you feel good as well. Older folks have so much knowledge that will soon be lost to everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 You hardly came away empty handed. Tools and equipment are just things and things can be had and lost. The real treasure is knowledge, that's the one thing that can't be taken from you. The real topper though is you got a shot. The gentleman gave you a shot in his shop, offered you his friendship and knowledge. That is the jewel in the crown.He may have kept all that for a number of reasons but I'd bet he was hoping one of his kids or grandkids would take the reins but families tend to grow apart sometimes. Passing his heritage on may be what he really needs. You and your son may be getting adopted in a sense.Without getting too obvious about it, treat him like the kindly uncle, grandfather, etc. It sounds to me like he either ran a more or less commercial forging operation or a school, maybe both. Teaching is a deeply satisfying thing. Scoring tools is the least of your opportunities, Friendship, education and giving the gift of purpose. You could well be giving him the gift of continued purpose and reason to be. It think it's a win all the way around.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Take a voice recorder, pencil and notepad, and spend time with this fellow on a regular basis, say every other weekend. As Frosty says tools are things, knowledge is what you seek. Treat his wisdom and the opportunity to work with this fellow as the valuable treasure it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotto Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 I fully agree with your comments. We discussed my free time limitations and he was more than willing plan a head so that we can fit it into the family life. With four youngens running around time is often short. He does have a few health issues to work around as well. My hope is we can fit something in every four to six weeks. If I haven't heard from him in about three weeks I'll swing back by to reaffirm my interest. That may be enough time for me to assemble my forge.scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 He may love the sound of children whooping it up in the yard. I know hearing a child laugh makes me feel younger and fitter.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 That, Jerry is because your aging backwards ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 That, Jerry is because your aging backwards ;-)And I thought it was because I was listening to other people's children. Learn something every day.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotto Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 It was pretty funny. He was telling about when his grandkids were half grown, four of them lived across the yard. He had bought two new bags of coal but when he went to use a bag, both were missing. After looking around for a while he discovered his grandkids took his coal and scattered it all across his field. He said a mechanical spreader could not have done a better job.I'm not so sure he took it so lightly back then but he gets a good chuckle out of it now! With my kids still young I can see things that will make laughable stories down the road but for now they have to be used as lessons. It sure is fun though raising them.Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WL smith Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 When he opened the shop door he opened a door for you. I first thought of taking him something home made from the kitchen. That may work however find him a bag of coal and see what happens. When he smells the coal fire he will be a different person. Back in the saddle again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmangeler Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 As far as your tool quest which is really the minor deal here, this guy likely has more people offer him tools than you ever will, if you are on his radar when someone wants to sell an anvil or vice or hot set and they ask him he might send them to you. This is a valuable contact in a number of ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 And I would be real surprised if you start learning under him if some tools aren't some of the first things you make. So... do your darnedest to make time to go see him for all the above reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 What a great opportunity. Rather similar to how I met the guy that ended up getting me into blacksmithing. Never got any tools from him, but I spent many an hour forging in his shop.I'll look forward to hearing of your future adventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Never got any tools from him, but I spent many an hour forging in his shop.Oh you got "tools" from him, just not the kind that are physical. Blacksmithing tools...$xxxx, Knowledge gained under the tutelage of an experienced smith... Priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Best gift a persan can give some one with knoledge is the opertunity to pass it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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