Good afternoon from North Thetford ,Vermont. It all started with the brother in law wanting to make knives. I never knew what a little air and charcoal could do to a file. He left the craft before even starting. I unfortunately got hooked. No knives mind you, I witnessed all the frustration.

I floundered and bled and burned myself and read a book or two. Then I realized that the best information I found web surfing was usually at IFI. Then I set to absorbing as much as I could here. 

I did hit my first hammer in last fall at Ben’s Mill in Vermont and plan to make the New England Blacksmiths spring meet.

A couple pictures of my whomping coop. The coop for the chickens that I was only to use one winter to cover my tools(four years ago). The chickens ended up with a different coop, although they do visit.

Thank You to all who share on this site .

Sid

 

 

1 hour ago, Plugging at it said:

New England Blacksmiths spring meet

They're a good bunch. Sorry to have to inform you that the key presenter this time will be bladesmith  Nick Rossi... (though he is a talented smith and a great teacher, I expect he will be focusing on knives).

Nice shop you have there. I'm impressed how much you have squeezed into a small space.

Welcome to IFORGEIRON. 

Thank you.

I believe all talented craftsmen are a pleasure to watch, and, it’s blacksmithing. That may lead me down another path......

I don’t have to worry about too many steps to the anvil or vise.

Snuggle that anvil a bit closer to the forge. Those saved steps will translate into less wear and tear on the body. It will become important when you get to forge welding and watching the metal cool as you walk the distance. Nothing wrong with moving the anvil as the projects and temperatures change in the shop. It is after all what is most comfortable to you and the way you work in YOUR shop. 

14 hours ago, Plugging at it said:

I believe all talented craftsmen are a pleasure to watch, and, it’s blacksmithing

No problem, I was just kidding anyway.  Seriously speaking though, I bet you come away from that meeting with enough practical info to be able to forge and finish knives without all that frustration you reference in your OP. 

Thank you for the advice, the anvil has moved around some. I’ll put more thought into it.

If I know myself as well as I think I do, it will be less than a day after the meet before I try.

Welcome, a very nice shop. Wait till the addiction will grab you. Want to see the shop in about a year 

Welcome aboard Sid, glad to have you. Nice womping coop you have there. Don't be in too much of a hurry to mount things permanently, what works for you will change as your skills grow. I keep my anvil as portable as a heavy piece of steel can be, I sometimes swing it around or move it while the piece is in the fire reheating.

Depending on just what you're using it for pointing the horn left or right does make a difference just remember you're going to want to do the other if you make that orientation permanent. Which way to point the horn is a long standing joke with the guys who really do this stuff. 

You know blacksmiths call a chicken that wanders into the shop, "Delivery." Right? It's a good reason to use a charcoal forge.

Frosty The Lucky.