Engsapper Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Hello my name is Jason I have a 14 year old son who would like to get into forging. If there is anyone around the area that could let us come overy and watch so he can learn some and see if he actually enjoys it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Welcome aboard Jason . . SAPPER?! Oh cool, you guys ROCK. Thanks for serving! If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the gang live within visiting distance. One fellow, Bryan Morgan lives in North Pole might be someone to contact. Another fellow in Fairbanks just joined the site but I don't know what his experience level is. Delta Junction would be a drive and I don't know if Ben wants observers or students in his shop. He's a full time professional artist blacksmith, fabricator and much more. If you'd like I'll contact him and see if he's willing to share contact info. Oh heck it'd be faster if you just join the club Facebook group. Search "Association of Alaskan Blacksmiths" Ben and Bryan are regular posters. I'll tip the group owner to expect you. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Welcome aboard! My own boy is also fourteen, and he's been working with me off and on (I am but a hobbyist, myself) for a couple of years. After primarily striking, he recently decided that he wanted to make his first S-hook. (As you can see, safety is Lesson Number One.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engsapper Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 Thank you guys for the info. My boy is addicted to Forged in Fire and before I commit to buying things that he will only use once or twice I need to see he really enjoys it. I know he collects knives and wants to build his own.That S hook looks amazing. Your son is doing great and is proud of his work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 $100 and a trip to town and we can get you set up to start, $20 if you scrounge. A pair of good hammers is never a waste to own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engsapper Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 Is that making the forge and everything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 A forge can be as cheap as a yard sale blow drier a couple feet of pipe and some shovel work. An anvil can be sledge hammer head and any smooth faced hammer under 32oz. for the beginner is fine. I recommend a drill hammer for the shorter handle and the shape of the head. Tongs you make yourself after a while. You can scrounge steel but I recommend you just buy a stick at the steel supply. It's much more consistent and you don't have to learn to evaluate salvaged steel. There was a LOT more mining in the interior and blacksmithing tools are more common, than S.E. If you want to hand scrape file, sand and polish you only need a good bench and hold fasts. A 2" x 72" belt grinder is a big investment though I think Pat still has some of the incomplete club built grinders in his shop and the guys in the club located reasonably priced suppliers for the motor, wheels, belts, etc. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 I once built a complete beginner's set up: Coal forge, blower, anvil, basic tools for under US$25 and it was a good forge! It was my damascus billet welder for several years. I did it because someone was telling new folk that they should expect to spend several thousand dollars getting started. The Complete Modern Blacksmith is a good book for the do it on the cheap way of smithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 To get you started smithing yes, a full on modern knife shop would be 100 times that. But blacksmithing and knife making has been going on way befor the 2x6 grinder came along. most smithing can be accomplished with a bock of steel, infact a 4x4 drop makes a pretty good Iron Age anvil stand in. Probably the quickest cheep anvil to lay hands on is a sledge hammer. Tho train rail, large diameter shafting, drops from large bars (04 plates) and salvaged heavy equipment parts all work well. Viking era hand hammers were 1 1/2 -2# and our English brethren have a love of the ball pein hammer, so a cheep ball pein will get you started, sorry Frosty I like don't like the short handles. In a pinch a chanelock style adjustable pliers will work as tongs, as will modified get the large/ long set of needle nose pliers you can get reasonable at a chain car parts store (get the bent nose ones if you can) neither one is strictly nessisary, and forging tongs so a good project to practice basic skills. One must forge a sinter punch, prichel, drift, hot cut and rivit header. Before one forges the first pair of tongs. So one learns to draw, taper, punch, make square, make round and such. Tongs require setting down, twisting, drawing out curving, punching and riveting. But again tongs can wait. as to a forge, for milinia a hole in the ground was the go to. Simply finding a way to lift that hole in the ground to anvil high is beter on old knees. Scrap wood to make a 8" deap box, or a cut up "tundra daisy" filled with clay and or sand works just fine. I acualy prefer double action bed inflating pumps to hair driers (noisy and to much air for charcoal) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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