David Kailey Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 i don't really care. but I hope my family and friends are not like those of the bad American Idol singers who think their great but really stink because their family never told them the truth or apparently live in a different world then the rest of us. I learn everyday, i get better everyday. i never look at my old work and think, "boy thats bad" cause in the moment i made that piece I did the best I could. So as I said I don't care what I am 1-10 I just care that I preform at a 10 with the skills I have at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcc Posted March 10, 2016 Share Posted March 10, 2016 How good am I? Not nearly good enough yet to do all I want to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ede Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 On 2/19/2016 at 6:48 PM, MAD MAX said: I would consider someone who is a 10 to be a complete master being able to do nearly anything with little trouble. I would say that mastery is not a state like nirvana or enlightenment, not even necessarily a certain attainment of skill. Masters can keep on learning in a craft forever and it may still take great pains to learn new techniques and refine them. One can have a title, sure but what is that but an arbitrary list of skills or a piece of paper? Once you say you've mastered something you preclude yourself from evolving and learning. That may be why the true masters have a humility about them. As Lao Tzu said: “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.” A famous German idiom says it another way: "Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen" which translates to: No master has fallen from heaven yet. And while being called an amateur often has negative connotations, the root of the word is French and means for the love of doing without pay. Not a bad title after all, but I bet you won't find many professionals calling themselves amateurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Poet Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 I'm not great at most of the processes but I can do all of them, what I'm really good at is forge welding but I suppose everyone is really good at at least one thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 i'm good enough to know that i have only begun to cross the threshold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Posted on behalf of a Grumpy Old Guy ... SKILLS EXPECTED FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF A JOURNEYMAN Blacksmithing Standards developed by the Appalachian Blacksmiths Association, an ABANA Affiliate, and registered with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, United States Department of Labor. 1. Drawing Out: Draw a bar to a point or dress an edge or point a tool. 2. Upsetting: Upset to at least 1-1/2 times the diameter or width of a bar on the end and in the middle. 3. Bending: Make a ring out of bar stock or flat stock; forge a square corner right angle bend in square stock. 4. Drifting: Make a drift and use it to smooth, shape or enlarge a hole. 6. Mortise and Tenon: Make an assembly from at least two separate pieces using this technique. 7. Collaring: Make an assembly from at least two separate pieces using this technique. 8. Scroll Work: Make two different types of scrolls. 9. Splitting: Split a bar with a hot cut in the middle or at the end of the bar. 10. Fullering, Grooving, Veining, Set Hammering: Show examples of each or if used as an intermediate technique, describe how and why the techniques are used. 11. Riveting: Make two assemblies from at least two separate pieces for eachassembly using hot riveting and cold riveting (pop riveting is not acceptable). 12. Forge Welding: Show at least three different techniques. 13. Arc Welding, Brazing, Soldering, Oxyacetylene Torch Welding: Show an example of each. 14. Hot Rasping, Filing: Hot rasp the torch cut end of a bar to reasonable straightness and evenness; show a workpiece which has been filed to a smooth, flat surface; describe the types, care and use of files. 15. Sinking, Raising, Metal Spinning: Make or show a hemispherical or hollow object made from flat sheetusing any one technique. 16. Grinding: Know how to use a body grinder (portable grinder), pedestal grinder, belt grinder, sharpening stones and abrasive papers; know the types of abrasives and how they are graded and classified; show an edge tool that you have sharpened. 17. Drilling, Tapping, Die Work and Threads: Drill and tap a hole, thread the end of a bar with a die; know the common thread classifications; know the common drill size classifications and the care and use of twist drills. 18. Heat Treating, Hardening, Tempering, Annealing, Case Hardening: Know how to properly anneal, harden and temper carbon tool steel; know how to case harden mild steel, know the colors for tempering; make or show a tool you have made that has been heat treated that will cut or forge mild steel without breaking or deformation on the working end. 19. Heading: Head two bolts, one square headed and one hex headed; head a nail; head a rivet. 20. Cutting and Shearing: Know how to use the hot cut, cold cut, hacksaw, tinsnips, bench or floor shear; know how to use the oxyacetylene torch for cutting and demonstrate each technique. 21. Swaging: Swage a tenon or make the end of a square bar round using a swage. 22. Twisting: Show two different twists in a square bar. 23. Shop Safety: Know first aid techniques for cuts, burns, abrasion and other shop related injuries; describe methods of hearing, sight and body protection and why they are necessary; know power tool and machinery safety including welding equipment safety. 24. Basic Metallurgy: Know the properties and use of wrought iron, mild steel, carbon and tool steels and their classifications, cast-iron, brass, copper, aluminum; know sheet and plate gauging for ferrous and non-ferrous metals. 25. Fire and Fuel: Know the constituents of good shop coal; know the different types of coal fires and fire maintenance. 26. Jigs and Dies: Make both a jig and a die for doing repetitive production work and show examples of work produced with them. [back] Usually, the way to tell your own level goes something like this: You are a beginner when you make something that turns out OK more by pot luck then skill and everyone feels they must tell you it is a wow job to keep you encouraged. You are more experienced when you know what you are doing, you are able to finish what you started and you notice some small defects but know that overall they will go unnoticed. You are very experienced when you are fast and precise, and have no hesitation in ripping out whatever defect you spot and replace it all in a days work. You are an artist when you make a piece in one go with little effort. All parts fall together nicely and the small differences are interpreted by others as intentional and are the object of conversations ... oooh .... aaaah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Awwww, you remembered! I'm touched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_HOSS Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 I'm not trying to brag... but I can take a 1/2" round bar and completely ruin it to the point you'd have a hard time telling what it started out as. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionel h Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Omg b hoss I thought I was the only one that could do that . My daughter says I take a piece of iron , heat it beat it and make it into scrap iron . Sometimes I make something by accident. But I think I'm having fun, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_HOSS Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Hahaha Lionel that's awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51 Papy Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 My dad used to tell me "I couldn't whip my way out of a wet paper bag in a driving hail storm" and that pretty much where my forging is now. Dad always knew that would xxxx me off and make me try harder. It's a great thing when you can take scrap and make smaller scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I won't say how good I am. To me I'm never good enough. Others can tell me something I make is great but I can pick it apart. Off of 51 Papys story, tho my dad would tell me "everything you touch turns to dung. Well he has a little different opinion now but still. I want to improve always. How good am I? Never great, sometimes good enough, and I always could do better. Thats where I would like to be one day. "Good!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Next to my forge is our coach house and on the verandah is a Furphy water cart. Australians will know what that is. On the cast iron base it reads: Good, Better , Best. Never let it rest Till your good is better And your better best. Nice inspiration for me as I toil away in the heat. I guess we are always critical of our own work. Maybe we see the faults others don't. We try for the best, but the next one will always be a bit better! Mr Furphy must have been a hard taskmaster! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 John Furphy was an experienced wheelwright and thus employed a similar method of construction for the water tank. It consisted of shrinking an iron band on the end casting to hold and tightly seal the cylinder or body of the tank, just as the iron tyre was fitted to the wooden body of the wagon wheel. The tanks were made of cast iron ends, 34 inches in diameter with a sheet steel body rolled to form a cylinder. For the first few years the cylinders were made from 1/8 inch black steel . All the sheet steel for the cart barrels was imported from England and Europe. Galvanized sheets were imported when they became available and when John Lysaght began galvanizing in Australia the body sheets were obtained from Melbourne. The first carts were available in 180 and 250 gallon capacities. The 180 gallon unit proved most popular because when filled, it weighed about a ton and was a fair load for a good horse. The tank was carefully balanced over the axle to distribute the weight for the horse whether the tank was empty or full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcyOHH Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I may not be the best blacksmith, but I am very good at heckling my husband while he forges. Does that count for anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Of course! However I teach my students that it's OK to brand hecklers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wroughton Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 A dangerous game there, poking fun at a blacksmith in their own shop. You could end up with your tongue clamped in a post vise. I have a pair of pick up tongs that extend my reach about 3 feet. I probably can't pull a fly out of the air with them but I could sure get a tongue. Whilst you think that's the worst thats going to happen Thomas is warming up the brand....... Tread lightly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcyOHH Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said: Of course! However I teach my students that it's OK to brand hecklers... 38 minutes ago, Wroughton said: A dangerous game there, poking fun at a blacksmith in their own shop. You could end up with your tongue clamped in a post vise. I have a pair of pick up tongs that extend my reach about 3 feet. I probably can't pull a fly out of the air with them but I could sure get a tongue. Whilst you think that's the worst thats going to happen Thomas is warming up the brand....... Tread lightly Well to be fair I am heckled often about how I curse forges, that I'm THE sandwich maker, and such. The old saying is to only dish out as much as you are willing to take and with that I am keeping steady. It's my forge as well sooooooo.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I teach a lot of college students and so heckling can rise to levels where they are not paying proper attention. The branding remark cuts it down a bit.... Now for public demos, I offer to hot shoe the heckler---"last pair of shoes you'll ever use---they wear like iron!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wroughton Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 ooooooo, sandwiches! Sandwiches will get you places. I don't know why you didn't pull out the big guns in the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Comtois Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 When I started out doing this, a buddy of mine asked, on a scale of 1 to 10 how good a blacksmith was I. I told him I figured I was about a 3. Ten years later, I've been exposed to a lot more blacksmiths (not as dirty as it sounds) and a lot more of their work. When I look at what I can do now versus what I'd like to do, I still think I'm about a 3. *sigh* At this rate, I'll hit 4 just about when I'm to tired to pick up a hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Everytime I run across an experienced smith (more than I), I seem to drop another notch. I hope I don't go negative!!!?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 6 minutes ago, arkie said: Everytime I run across an experienced smith (more than I), I seem to drop another notch. I hope I don't go negative!!!?? same here. i think i might be negative allready. i'm still young and relatively new to this, so i've got some time yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 LOL! I can still burn steel in the forge and as 51 Papy, said, I can also turn scrap into smaller scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 19 minutes ago, arkie said: I can also turn scrap into smaller scrap. that's what i'm best at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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