Joakim Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Hi, i want to try out blacksmithin so badly, but i dont have much money atm and no place to work, and almost 0 tool any tips on what to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Welcome aboard, Joakim. It's good to have you here. First of all, please let us know where you are! If you put your location in your profile settings, other IFI members will be able to find you, and some of the answers we give may well depend on knowing where you are. Second, read up the various threads about how to get started. In fact, read just about everything that strikes your fancy. Read, read, read, read, read. You'll learn a lot, and when you get around to asking the questions your reading hasn't answered, you'll know enough to ask good questions? The obvious answer to your question is to find somewhere to work and get some tools! Don't worry about getting a super-fancy setup with all the latest and greatest of everything. We have members who started out with a carpenter's hammer, a rock for an anvil, and a fire in a hole in the back yard! If you're creative, you can figure out a way to make do with what you have until you can get something better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joakim Posted August 1, 2017 Author Share Posted August 1, 2017 Thanks for the answer. i have an idea of what i need and what i can afford, not sure where to do it tough because i dont have a backyard, i live in an apartment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 An apartment just makes things a little more challenging. We had one member that would load everything on his bicycle and bike over to a small area he rented. He would set up, work, then tear down, and bike back home. You can learn a lot by using modeling clay instead of metal. A hammer and a make do anvil, and you can work non-ferrous metals inside the apartment. The more you read the larger your knowledge base becomes. When you do get a place to forge, you will have a large advantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Welcome aboard joakim, glad to have you. You can have a VERY compact blacksmith shop, one you can carry in one box in your hands in fact. Check out the Mastermyr, find for an ancient blacksmith's complete traveling operation. An old acquaintance of mine lived in an 8th. floor retirement condo in Florida who made hand forged pattern welded knives on the balcony. Forge, anvil, bench, vise, tools, stock, everything stored under a shelf in his closet. I'm sure you could build a traveling operation you move with a hand truck to set up in a park when you have time. There are lots of ways to solve this. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 And we all started out broke (some of us still are) so we can help you scroung up and build the 4 tools you need to have to make tools. A forge, hammer, anvil and file. $100 if you are buying, $20 if you are a real good scroung. Set up will fit in two buckets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WL smith Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 When I Iived in an apt I would drive around looking for an abandoned housing street or a street with new construction where no one lived and set up there. Worked with no problem. Or a wide spot on a side of street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Do you have a friend with a workshop or a backyard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 A forging buddy was my first thought too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 First tool, $10 double acting bellows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joakim Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 Thank you so much for all these answers, i dont have a buddy where i live now, but i do live near the woods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Your buddy doesn't need to live with or very near you, just be interested in blacksmithing or willing to help. I have friends who have helped me or I them and we're not necessarily interested in what we're helping with. Be very careful in the woods, it isn't just sparks from the fire that can start fires. There will be hot scale coming off the steel while you're forging and it can be anywhere from bright red hot to black heat, any of which are hot enough to start a fire. Then there are the bits we trim or cut off, sometimes a little piece, I call them pinch offs, can fly quite a distance. If you're in an area where letting fire get away from you, say the forest you have to learn to trim without parting the pinch offs on the hardy or with a chisel. Cut it most of the way through then break it off with tongs and pliers so it CAN NOT fly off! Fire control is always important but it can become more important than the reason you're there. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joakim Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 Thanks for the answer, seems like the are few blacksmiths in Norway or i just dont know how to find them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 I just googled "Norway blacksmith" two advertisements for festivals and mention of the Norwegian blacksmith association. Bet you can find some one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 Woods in Norway tend to be very damp as I recall; which makes people more careless. You don't want to be blamed for something someone else was responsible for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joakim Posted August 2, 2017 Author Share Posted August 2, 2017 Thanks again Will try seartching in english, i have only tried to Google it on Norwegian didnt Get much results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gote Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Hej Joakim Det är väl bäst att jag fortsätter på engelska I cannot add much to the advice you have been given (which is very sound) but: Read up the Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique (a thread under 'Anvils') It will apply also to places where you can set up. Do you not have any friend or relation who is or knows a friendly farmer who is not too far away? Around here, many would give you a welcome. Even if you are a beginner, there is usually something that needs straightening or bending on a farm. I am unsure about "allemansrätten" in Norway. In Sweden you would need to ask the landowner for a smithing operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gote Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 OOPS I cannot find Thomas original description of TPAAAT Where is it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 A site search for TPAAAT returns 270 hits. All contain good information. The original post was in 2007. It can be found at Blacksmithing > Anvils and Swage Blocks > Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gote Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 I mean the thread where Thomas describes how to do it in detail. IMHO it is a great text for a beginner I did not find it in the sniffimg thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 46 minutes ago, gote said: I mean the thread where Thomas describes how to do it in detail. IMHO it is a great text for a beginner I did not find it in the sniffimg thread. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/3602-thomas-powers-applied-anvil-acquisition-technique/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 JHCC, Thank's for the reference. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 5 minutes ago, SLAG said: JHCC, Thank's for the reference. SLAG. @gote is right, though; there is another thread somewhere where @ThomasPowers describes the technique more explicitly. I can't find it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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