pnut Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 How's it going everyone? My name is Mike but everyone calls me pnut. I've been interested in blacksmithing and tool and knife making for a while and recently decided I'd take the plunge. I've been reading posts on this site for about 2months. I'm accumulating what I can to get started but work is slow. Anyway I think the site is great, any info you could want is here. Thanks for a great place to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Welcome aboard Pnut, glad to have you. What have you collected so far? Don't get sucked into the corner of wanting to get EVERYTHING before starting to beat hot steel. The minimum equipment list is really short: HOT fire, anvil, hammer, stock. That's all you need, from there you can make what you can't find or afford. My first tool would be a chisel so you can cut stock. You don't need tongs, you can just use stock long enough the end stays cool enough to hold in your bare hand. Once you get it forged you gotta cut it off though. Hmmmm? I like a "hack" or anvil devil for early basic cut off tools. (look them up but use your favorite search engine and include Iforgeiron in the terms. The engine on this site stinks) Punches are good early tools, rivets are good for joinery and pivots. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 Thanks. I don't have much yet. About 2 and a half feet of 130# rail some files angle grinder. Don't have a hammer yet or a forge but soon enough. Sorry I took so long to reply My only net access is a phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 To get the most out of the site please read the following. READ THIS FIRST Common Basic Mistakes That Beginners Should Avoid A collection of improvised anvils Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique Forges Just a box of dirt and New JABOD box of dirt forge Contact a blacksmithing group neat you such as New York State Designer Blacksmith Artists, New England Blacksmiths Assoc., New Jersey Blacksmith Association and go to the meetings. You will learn more in a few hours than you can imagine. Welcome to the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 I've read most of forges and burners 101 threads. When work picks up I'll get to putting together a forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 13, 2019 Share Posted January 13, 2019 Why wait? How much can a box of dirt cost? And yes, cheap dirt will do just fine. (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 13, 2019 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 I've spent about 2 months reading on ifi in my spare time. I've read all of those threads. I appreciate the roadmap though. I live in an apartment. Still trying to work out a place to put it There is a park near by. I need to find out about open flame regarding though Regulations. I hate cell phones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 8 hours ago, pnut said: Regulations. I hate cell phones Are cell phone regulations particularly onerous on the Dry Ridge? Many an apt or condo dweller has done just fine with a bean can forge. An old online acquaintance of mine used to make some pretty spectacular pattern welded blades on the balcony of his 9th. floor condo. He kept his grinders in a closet and the rest of his kit packed up and fit under the grinder's stand. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Yeah they are. N. Korea level regs. Just kidding I don't know what the local public safety officials would say about me havInga forge in the local park. Small town. Anything that looks a bit weird to them they frown upon. Who knows though I'll find out soon enough exactly what the open flame regulations are. A jabod seems like it should be no different than using a grill. They may have a differing opinion though. Too cold and nasty out now to worry about it for a while. I'm patient though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 Keep a grill and some hamburgers ready in case the authorities show up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 14, 2019 Share Posted January 14, 2019 When I lived in the old part of Columbus OH, I once had trouble with an unknown neighbor calling the Fire Department on me if I produced any smoke. By the grace of a beneficent Deity; every time they muscled their enormous fire truck down the narrow alley way to my house I happened to be using my smoker and cooking lunch or dinner and NOT my forge burning coal. Well fires for cooking were an ALLOWED USE in the code and so I had no problem. (However I heard on the bounce that after the 4th time this happened the caller was informed there would be an US$1100 fine for making a false report for every incident afterwards. No more calls were made.) Now I've moved to a rural area and the only folks upset with me forging are my neighbors who were hoping for a farrier rather than a smith... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted January 14, 2019 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 The sad thing is that where I live is fairly rural I just happen to live in town. I've only lived here for about a year and the place is pretty "quiet" I'm gonna figure out somewhere to forge though.even if I have to resort to guerrilla tactics. The park may have grills there already. Couple of bricks a pipe and a bicycle pump and I'm in business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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