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I Forge Iron

How do you earn your living?


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Another farrier here, I was a union Lather for 15 years doing steel stud framing and drywall mostly on hi rises in So. Cal. I started shoeing horses in 1999 did some competitions and I have added custom knives to my resume. I also do some blacksmithing.

Like Finn I have to many mouths to feed to try the starving artist blacksmith thing. Besides I love shoeing horses and making hand made shoes ;).

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wrenched and welded alot of places, spent 4 years in the USMC 80-84, wrenched and welded alot more places and got tired of everything being so hot,heavy and greasy so I switched to maintenance electrician and now I am a maintenance supervisor/electronics tech. Keeps the bills paid and provides a great source of aggression to funnel into blacksmithing.:P
I got interested in blacksmithing as it seemed a natural extension of the welding and fabricating. At this point I would starve if I had to rely on smithing but I am building up a customer base and by the time I retire I might be able to blacksmith full time without having to spend the retirement check, maybe:rolleyes:

John

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started out in submarines in the US Navy way back in 80-84...graduated to commercial electromechanical technician in south dakota and started smithing and rendezvousing out there...went to welding school in 92 and since then have been playing with heavy iron as an ironworker/welder/supervisor/jack of all trades....now am just banging iron and working at a fab shop in Richmond....smithing doesnt quite pay the bills yet but am working in that direction as fast as i can afford..LOL

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My paying job is in the distribution center for all the hard alcohol in Manitoba, driving fork lifts and working the shipping dock on the odd day. But when I go out to the in-laws farm I quickly become a jack-of-all trades apprentice doing what ever the father-in-law has lined up for the weekend,usually as a swamper in his saw mill, and typically for the fee of a tank of gas or farm fresh pork or beef in the freezer.

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My main income has been shoeing horses since 82. I have been very actively building my blacksmithing buisness since 96 although I started forging much sooner. Blacksmithing is now about 40% of my income I think. Being the only employed person in a family of 4 makes it difficult to transition to only blacksmithing, but I am getting there.

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Retired former self employed Blacksmith, weldor, machinist. Forced retirement after 55 years due to back injury, play in my basement wood shop as my condition allows. Main income now is:

1. Working Wife, works coding Mental Health Medical Records from home.
2. Social Security Disability
3. Disable Veteran Compensation.

Welded and Blacksmithed for the Navy in the early 60's.

Mostly house husband now.

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