Greetings from Quebec City

[Arthur210]

Greetings all,

Just found this site and thought I'd introduce myself to the community.

I've been reading on blacksmithing and bladesmithing for about a year, ever since I started watching the TV show Forged In Fire. This sparked an added interest in a field that I've always found fascinating. I've been doing medieval recreation for more than 20 years, including archery, armored fighting, fencing, brewing, and many others. Watching the show made me itch to try my hand at bladesmithing.

A few months ago, I decided that I'd rather not wait until I retire (over 10 years from now) before I explore this art. So this summer I am building myself a small workshop in my backyard where I will be able to set up a small forge. I would like to use it to make knives, swords, throwing axes, arrow heads and other items related to my hobby.

Regards,
Arthur

[JHCC]

Welcome! Bienvenu!

We have a number of IFI members who've competed on (and won!) Forged In Fire, so I think you'll like it here.

One caution: bladesmithing is very skilled work, and I would strongly encourage you to get your basic blacksmithing skills solid before you attempt a blade. If you've never smithed before, learn how to draw out a taper, make an S-hook, and so on. Lots of really good info here on getting started, both with technique and equipment.

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Arthur, glad to have you. It's never to early to start practicing a new craft. Within reason of course. I'll offer you the same advice I offer to everybody wanting to learn smithing to make blades. Learn blacksmithing to a proficient level, THEN just adapt it to blades. You'll already know how to move the metal so all you need to learn is heat management and heat treatment for the alloys you're making blades from. Seriously it's so much easier to climb one learning curve at a time. Learning how different alloys behave is a varied set of skills, every one has it's own characteristics, needs, rules and cues. 

However one learning curve that doesn't overlap learning blacksmithing and so doesn't interfere is grinding. Make stock removal knives while you learn blacksmithing, you need to know the skills anyway. Once it's forged it needs to be ground or scraped, filed and sanded if you're into those time periods. Once ground and polished as desired you need to put on the furniture, guard, pommel, handle, and fit them.

Lots of guys just start out making blades anyway, it's all good. Your shop you're rules, we'll do what we can to help regardless. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Arthur210]

Certainly, I plan on walking before I run.

So learning to move the metal and do blacksmithing before I move on to bladesmithing is all part of my learning plans. I've read quite a few books in the last year, so I think I have a fairly good understanding of what this is about. But that doesn't replace actual hands-on experience. I figure I'll start with small projects and exercices from those books first. Make some tools that I will then be able to use for further smithing work, like tongs and punches. I'm thinking that medieval-looking arrow heads shouldn't be too hard to make. Also things like torch-holders, camping stakes, etc.

I'm still a year away from having my forge set up, I think. So I'm hoping I can find someone to help me acquire hands-on experience as well in the mean time. Anyone here who is active in the SCA and going to Pennsic War?

The biggest challenge is that the work area I will have for my forge will be quite limited. The largest shed I can build in my backyard is 10' x 16' and my forge will have to share the space with my other tools (mostly woodworking). So I am trying to build smart. I'll use the attic space for storage, to that I don't waste floor space to simply store the winter/summer stuff (car tires, winter garage, etc.)

Thanks for the welcoming words!

[JHCC]

Sounds like you're on the right track. Keep it up, and keep us posted.

6 minutes ago, Arthur210 said:

The biggest challenge is that the work area I will have for my forge will be quite limited. The largest shed I can build in my backyard is 10' x 16'

10' x 16'? O luxury! I've got less than half of that!

Or is that 10' x 16' Canadian?  

[Frosty]

10' x 16' is a darned nice size smithy, you could even make fence, gates, railings and such. Be REALLY careful about wood dust around hot work. A dust comp for the wood is a good investment. Of course you can build a shed roof and just move the forge outdoors for use and minimize fire hazard. One option I considered when I didn't have much space was to have a hinged shed roof that folded down and covered the large door and was held up with posts at the corners. I never made one for myself but helped a friend make one and he liked it well enough till he moved . . . Somewhere.

Punches and chisels are excellent beginning projects but tong are better left for later. It's not that the steps are advanced it's the precision needed to make tongs work properly that takes practice. 

If you're going to Pennsic look for Thomas Powers, he should be up for going. I believe his typical "uniform" is Lederhosen, Hawaiian shirts and a distinctive hat. Check out the Mastermyr find. It's a Viking era blacksmith shop in a wooden chest a strong man could carry by hand. It contained all the necessary tools, stock, finished items and unfinished projects. If you're doing SCA events the Mastermyr chest is THE example to mimic. 

I haven't been a Scadian in decades life didn't allow enough time to play. I was dubbed "Frostig Den Heldig" after surviving the attack by the Great White . . . birch in 09. All you need is a stake anvil, 10-20 lbs. a ball pein hammer say 32oz. a chisel, a hack. (look it up it's a blacksmithing tool. It's a good habit. ) Hack saw file or two, pliers, slip joint, channel lock and vice grips. Look up ho to make "Twist Tongs" They don't require any special tools outside maybe a hand drill, vise ad ball pein hammer. Twist tongs aren't great tong but they work and will do.

Expect to work on the ground at SCA events so take something comfy to sit on. I set up by a fire and just used the coals, a sack bellows and a short length of pipe for the air nozzle. Easy Peasy.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Arthur210]

17 hours ago, JHCC said:

10' x 16'? O luxury! I've got less than half of that!

Or is that 10' x 16' Canadian?  

The whole building will be 10' x 16' but the space I can devote to smithing will be much smaller than that. As I mentioned, I have other tools that will share the space, such as my band saw, winter tires, the lawn mower and other yard maintenance items. I already have a 9x9 shed, which the new building will replace, that is too small already.

So in the end I expect I will only be able to devote about 50 square feet to smithing. It should be enough for most things, but nowhere near as large as I'd like.

 

17 hours ago, Frosty said:

Be REALLY careful about wood dust around hot work. A dust comp for the wood is a good investment.

Punches and chisels are excellent beginning projects but tong are better left for later. It's not that the steps are advanced it's the precision needed to make tongs work properly that takes practice. 

If you're going to Pennsic look for Thomas Powers, he should be up for going. I believe his typical "uniform" is Lederhosen, Hawaiian shirts and a distinctive hat. Check out the Mastermyr find. It's a Viking era blacksmith shop in a wooden chest a strong man could carry by hand. It contained all the necessary tools, stock, finished items and unfinished projects. If you're doing SCA events the Mastermyr chest is THE example to mimic. 

Thanks for the advice Frosty!