LukeDM Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Hello all. I've lurked on this site long enough, and it's time to begin posting. It took my best good friend suggesting that we begin to smith blades and work our way up to axes and hammers to ever put smithing on my radar. As friends do, we talked it up big and proceeded to do nothing about it. About 6 months later, my grandfather gave me quite a gift. I had been at his house to bale his hay (since he has been unable to do so himself lately) and he told me to go to the southeast corner of his barn. I immediately recognized that before me laid a pile of blacksmith's tongs. He told me that some of them had been hand forged by my great-great-great-uncle. I was pretty floored, to say the least. I still can't believe that I had spent so much time wrenching underneath farm equipment 10 feet away from these tongs without ever noticing them laying underneath a large generator. Since then, I've begun to collect more pieces, including a 128 lb Peter Wright anvil, which was gifted to me by an awesome neighbor of mine. Of course, living on a farm, my father and I work with metal and have most of the metal working tools you'd expend to find on a farm, plus a few. I've been thoroughly enjoying the 101 sections on this forum, along with the advice given to newcomers. The wealth of information being shared on this forum is really something else. I don't think I've ever spent time on a forum so well mannered, civic, and informative. (I've spent a lot of time on forums, mind you.) I'm in the process of gathering knowledge and materials to build a forge, and looking forward to engaging in the community here. Thanks much, Lukas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Howdy and welcome. Where abouts in Oklahoma are you. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeDM Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 Thank you Ben, I'm in Garvin County, about halfway between Oklahoma City and the Red River. Included are pics of the aforementioned loot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Some of those tools look pretty handy. Some of the others look extremely handy and they all look well made. I’m not all that far from you, Clarendon, Tx. If you ever make over this direction shoot me a message and we’ll link up. Until then, take a look at the Saltfork Craftsmen. It’s the Oklahoma chapter of abana and I’m pretty sure they have meetings in Sulfer every so often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeDM Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 There are a handful of the tongs small enough to be used very often. They're laid on a 4x8 welding table top, for scale. Many of them were used to handle larger billets than I can see myself using regularly. Thanks, I'll sure let you know next time I'm passing through the panhandle. I've looked at the Saltfork Craftsmen, but I've had to miss all of their recent meetings, during hay season. I can see myself getting to do a lot of forging come Winter, when it gets dark early, and you want to huddle around something hot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 I know how it goes. There days in the winter I chop ice, cake cows, feed horses then send the rest of the day at the forge. I like those days. Then there are the days when all your water is frozen and there’s no electricity for a week. Those days are less fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Well I am down in Bradley (west of Lindsay) and TJWatts is in Lindsay (he dabbles some in the dark arts... that is knife making). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranchmanben Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Charles, if I’d have had someone like you that close when I started out I’d have basically taken residence with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeDM Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 Most people from Lindsay dabble in one form of dark art or another. LOL! You're just 40 minutes from me over here in Pauls Valley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 If y,all don’t mind the mess, I can set another place at the table and put you on an old Army cot...any and all are welcome. If you think Lindsay is dark Bradley is darker yet, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeDM Posted August 9, 2018 Author Share Posted August 9, 2018 Maybe so. I only know Bradley as a speed trap on the way to Chickasha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Na, that’s Alex, lol. Bradley is the wide spot in between. We don’t even have a cop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 CRS: Did that play a part in deciding to settle there? I was thinking of going the other way and settle in NW Arkansas where my son in law was a cop... I used to work as a logging Geologist in the patch in OK, and my Mother was from Humphrey near Altus (not there anymore...) and there was a lot of small towns out there of various persuasions of Dark Arts. I picked a lot of smithing stuff out there in the early 1980's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Moving to Oklahoma was planned, Bradley not so much. I had an aunt and uncle who lived here and their neighbor had a house for sale. I didn’t want it because of water damage and structural problems (and I didn’t want to live in town) but my ex wife and my mother ganged up on me. I have a cuple of good friends who have worked as logging geologists. Matt is working on his doctoret and Quin is working on his masters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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