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[Jarett.locklear]

Alright I'm new to the world of blacksmithing and I actually have quite a few things right now that have gotten me along but I want to go bigger... I have a 1x30 grinder and I want to buy a 2x72 KMG it runs at about $2500... That will be most of my paycheck from this summer... I also want to buy a gas forge the one I would buy is on eBay for $650 it's a 5 burner sword forge so I could use it for anything really... Last I want to build a power hammer but i don't know what to get first or if I should get any of these yet I have a coal forge and I have hammers I just want to go bigger please give advice!

[Smoggy]

You want advice on upgrading 3 major pieces of equipment......but offer absolutely no information on what you intend doing. You have stated than you are new to blacksmithing and seem to have only the basic kit at the moment......hmmm! I suggest you forget the new kit and invest in some practice for a few years, maybe learn to make most of the tools you will be using for what ever section of blacksmithing interests you and by which time you'll likely not need to ask for advice on tool choices.....but I could be way off the mark!

Almost forgot .........welcome to the site Jarret,

[jukejoint]

Well said invest in more hammer time also ck on a blacksmith group in your area ,some councils have a place that haves all you mentioned with paid dues you can use for free, the grinder is a easy build lots of you tube videos on that as well as gas forges but be sure to look for a club or coucil in your area you might meet someone who has all those toys

[John B]

I would suggest investing in a blacksmithing course first of all before going into machinery, tool, etc,

With a soundly based course behind you,  you will have more experience to make educated choices into what is going to be useful for you, and the skills to make most of what you will be needing.

Too often I see people rushing in to acquire tools they think they need, only to be disappointed in their choice, or wasting money on tools that are not suitable for what they are doing, but "may come in someday" (someday can be a long waited non occurring event). they can also take up workshop space that could be better utilised, Many of us don't have the luxury of large workshop areas, but that may not be your problem.

Welcome to the site, Enjoy the future, and let's see your progress

[the iron dwarf]

what they said is good advice

learn the basics

learn to use what you have

get some instruction

have fun

[natenaaron]

I get to play Frosty.  Welcome aboard.  Why don't you put your general location in, so folks know where you are and give you pointers to folks who might be able to help or a local smithing group in your area.

I am guessing you are young, since you can afford to toss almost an entire summer's paycheck on a machine and nothing else. And you don't have a forge yet, I assume, but you want to start with a 5 burner sword forge because you can do most anything in it?  You have high aspirations, I'll give you that. 

[matto]

I would not trust a five burner gas forge for $650 if I was buying it off eBay.  You have a coal forge learn to use it.  They have been tried and true for many many years.  You list all these tools but no anvil.  Learn to move the metal by hand so when you get a power hammer you know wha is going on and will respect the power hammer more.

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Jarret, glad to have you. I LOVE to see youngsters wanting to get into the craft I won't even give you a hard time about wanting to make swords without knowing much if anything about blacksmithing.

NO, don't buy a 5 burner forge, you'll never need that much of a fuel hog. Sure you can do small stuff in it but are you going to work too cool or pay the fuel bill to keep that whole monster hot? Spend some time reading the knife and gas forge sections here, it'll give you a handle on what the professional bladesmiths use. REALLY use.

I"m of two minds regarding the 2x72. First that's an AWFUL lot of money to spend for a piece of equipment it will take you maybe years to get good enough at the anvil to make full use of. On the other hand if you were to start making stock removal blades from commercially made blanks it could well be a good investment. An investment that could pay for itself a LOT faster than a silly too big forge will.

Part of that stems from personal taste on my part, a LOT of guys making blades right now are making these unfinished things they call "primitive?" scale covered hammer marked unfinished looking blades with an edge and handle. It's a FAD, it'll pass once the zombie apocalypse craze dies and it will. I think a lot of it is guys who aren't really good enough at the grinder to make a finished product. No, no need to yell at me, I know a number of excellent bladesmiths make the things to meet market demand and if you don't make what the customer wants you won't have customers.

Back to what I was saying there isn't anything wrong with stock removal blades and you have to get good on the grinder anyway so why not let school help pay the bills?

Join the local blacksmithing organization, meet the guys, take lessons even if you just pester tips out of guys at meetings and hammer ins. It won't be hard if you're polite and genuinely interested.

Get used to failing, this isn't an easy craft to learn and once you know how to forge you get to learn to forge tool steels and heat treat them. Trying to do them all at once is a guaranteed path to a LOT of failures. You'll have plenty even if you're lucky AND good but no sense in setting yourself up for more than necessary. Learning to run a belt grinder on the other hand is a different kettle of kats. Learning precision grinding does NOT cross paths with forge work so the learning curves don't amplify each other.

We don't want to see you set yourself such a hard task you get discouraged and quit. Oh, forget that forge. Did I say that already? Yes? GOOD, forget it.

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

Save your money while you're young, me boy; you'll need it when you're old.

[Jarett.locklear]

Thank you all for your advice I like in a little town in north Texas about an hour or so southeast from Dallas I am 15 years old and will be a sophomore I have been interested in blacksmithing and knife making for a while now and I have a coal forge, anvil, little grinder, a few hammers, and other tools... I'm just trying to get advice and pointers on what to get and where I should go to learn thank you all for your inputs

[jeremy k]

Alot can be done with a little amount of tools for the beginner. Learn your hammer skills first. Once your very fluent with your hammer skills you'll find you don't need all kinds of fancy stuff, although when in a full-time business, it's handy to have the variety of equipment.

[John in Oly, WA]

Ennis, Texas?

Take all the shop classes you can sign up for, especially the metal shop classes! If you're still in high school, they're essentially free. Take advantage of that. If you have good shop teachers, you can learn a lot from them. If you want to make blades, wood or plastics shop class would be useful too - you gotta put some kind of handle on them.