anvil Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 23 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Oldest smith I knew that still was heating and beating from time to time was Emmert Studebaker in his 90's...you got a ways to go yet! Yup! Judd Nelson and Francis were up there too. I think Francis was 98 when he passed. Not sure about Judd, but I loved his demos at the abana conferences. His fluxing style was just Trick! Toss a handful of flux sorta in the direction of the iron and get it on! Following their examples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 I knew Isaac Doss in his 80's still putting in a good day's work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 It seems either you lived a long time or died early... I have foreseen that I will be 95 when it' time to go and not only will I be swinging hammer but, kicking biting, and throwing poo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Back before antibiotics there was a dropout over the years as well as the pre 5 where at times and places as high as 50%. (which really throws off people looking at AVERAGE lifespans historically) Bit I remember my great Grandmothers living into their 90's---though their husbands died in their 50's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 True that.. Lots of babies died early on and this also gave high or low year average death rate.. Out of the 5 old timer I knew that all lived into their 80's and 2 of them into their 90's.. One of the guys was still shoeing a few horses a day at 85.. He used a cane on his shoeing box to get up and down from shoeing position.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 A Blacksmith who put in 55 years in the blacksmith shop at Stelco Steel stops by my shop weekly. . He started as an apprentice at 15 and retired at 70. Leo is 91 and demos blacksmithing at a local Conservation area historical villiage. He occasionally borrows my power hammer to rough out things that they will be forging at the village He tells me about the how they used to buy welding flux by the 45 gallon drum. Every few months!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 1 hour ago, JNewman said: A Blacksmith who put in 55 years in the blacksmith shop at Stelco Steel stops by my shop weekly. . He started as an apprentice at 15 and retired at 70. Leo is 91 and demos blacksmithing at a local Conservation area historical villiage. He occasionally borrows my power hammer to rough out things that they will be forging at the village He tells me about the how they used to buy welding flux by the 45 gallon drum. Every few months!!! I was way to young and shy way back in the day (besides being dumb as a brick) to speak up and ask a lot of those old timers for pointers or even lessons.. today On the other hand, reaching out to these guys to become a better smith would be a dream come true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 7 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: I knew Isaac Doss in his 80's still putting in a good day's work. Ike was my mentor and got me started in the craft in '84. He passed at the age of 91, after being hit by a vehicle while walking to his shop one morning. I was devastated and lost my drive for a long time. Now when I pick up the hammer, I toll the anvil three times for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 you were very lucky.. smart also... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 What kind of anvil is that -- a Vulcan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Don't remember seeing a Vulcan in his shop. The anvil that impressed me was a huge Columbian double horn. I recently found out that his son Don inherited that anvil and the family will never part with it. Don has passed away and his wife still has it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 He offered to sell that one to me, 400# IIRC, for $2K back when I was young, married and broke. My wife used to drive him around to make his deliveries back when his eyes went bad but before he had cataract surgery on them---and before I had met her. He once forged a goosewing axe for her; but later asked if he could have it back as the Smithsonian wanted something of his and he didn't know if his eyes were up to doing another. The cataract surgery put new life back into his forging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 I spent 5 years with Francis Whitaker. Never full time but 4- 5 times a year he would haveme come work with him for a week or so. Or accompany him to a long week workshop with him and others. He "paid" me for one job,,, traded my labor for my 25# lil giant. May 28, 1988 was my last "official" time with him. He indicated I'd graduated from his upper level teachings and it was time to use what I'd learned and pass it on. That fall he moved to Carbondale and began his time at CRMS, a private high school. And now, a moment of deep personal self introspection. ;). Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 Anvil, I am very envious.. I'm self taught and while I learned through trial and error and it does eventually reap results to learn from an "Ol" timer just brings in a skill set that seems natural or normal. I learned in 10 years what a person with a mentor could easily learn in 2.. You are very lucky.. or a better expression would be" You were in the right place at the right time".. Super nice.. no matter how you look at it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 Here is the latest non welded ring... It will eventually be made into part of the series on Non welded rings "How to" videos.. This one was made out of 1.5X5/16 A36 I filmed the making of it with a new camera vs my old setup and the lens doesn't offer the same field of view... After the fact I might end up running the 2 3D cameras and the new camera strictly on the horn.... Its pretty neat revisiting these skill sets after all these years off.. There are just so many little tidbits that get forgotten until you make the item again.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 What an interesting start of a chakram.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 @ThomasPowers That is funny.. LOL. Pretty neat, right... I mean it's one of the coolest things about blacksmithing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said: What an interesting start of a chakram.... OK, I’m not the only one who thought that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 couple of romantics.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 In the immortal words of Alan Roberts, you always hurt the one you love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Very Neat and Well Done INDEED! (And will make a great trivet or a decent chakram...) I think it was the beveling on the edge that put the misuse into mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 On 11/17/2017 at 3:27 PM, jlpservicesinc said: Anvil, I am very envious.. I'm self taught and while I learned through trial and error and it does eventually reap results to learn from an "Ol" timer just brings in a skill set that seems natural or normal. I learned in 10 years what a person with a mentor could easily learn in 2.. You are very lucky.. or a better expression would be" You were in the right place at the right time".. Super nice.. no matter how you look at it My shop motto is,,, " God smiles on fools and Blacksmiths". I'm definitely a blacksmith. The kokopelli and the coyote have certainly generated many foolish situations and laughed themselves silly at how I survived,. And without a doubt, the gods and goddesses of our great craft have blessed me with their smiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 46 minutes ago, anvil said: My shop motto is,,, " God smiles on fools and Blacksmiths". I'm definitely a blacksmith. The kokopelli and the coyote have certainly generated many foolish situations and laughed themselves silly at how I survived,. And without a doubt, the gods and goddesses of our great craft have blessed me with their smiles. i can't agree with this one.. I certainly satisfy both categories but haven't seen a higher power smiling when it comes to either of those.. Now the barefoot horse care.. That just continues to grow and feel both good about the job done, and the finial results.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 Lol, one day you may hear more of my great adventure. Barefoot horse care,, is that trying to convince your customers to let them go barefoot for at least 3 months? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 7 minutes ago, anvil said: Lol, one day you may hear more of my great adventure. Barefoot horse care,, is that trying to convince your customers to let them go barefoot for at least 3 months? Ill be looking forwards to it.. .:) Nope the rest of the horses life which is usually much longer with no shoes.. This particular issue or topic has been beatin to death on here " Vs for vs against" vs Debunking barefoot vs shoes.. etc, etc.. I'm for it.. All traditionally trained Farriers are against.. At this point I no longer discuss it with traditionally trained farriers as it's 99% a waste of my time.. Needless to say but its a hot topic.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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