March 16, 20197 yr If you could go back in time to when you first became interested in blacksmithing, what advice would you give to you? Read and learn as much as you can. Then try it out to see if it works. You have permission, and are expected to fail. It is how you learn. NEVER forget that fire you have in your belly. Let it drive you to learn, gain knowledge, and try new things. NEVER forget the excitement. It can be an hour at the forge, creating something you made, or savoring that Ah Ha moment. Share your excitement with others. Encourage then to have as much fun as you have, and show them how. What advice would you give to your own self, if you could ?
March 16, 20197 yr There is a nation wide blacksmith organization, look them up. Or maybe, Ignore what Dad says go ahead make a fire and beat on steel. Frosty The Lucky.
March 16, 20197 yr Forgive people for not understanding what you do.. Don't take it personally that no one gets it.. Ask for 60.00 for each and every visit to someones home for a show/tell/samples which will be included as the credit towards the finished product. Do Not leave samples behind as they will never come back to you.. Don't take it personally that no one gets it so ignore them.. It's not personal it's just business.. Do not take off 13 years as the business you have been successful at creating will be completely different when you come back to it.. When you do finally pick up the hammer again in 13 years.. It will take you 3 years to gain back most of the hammer control and most the memory of techniques you know now..
March 16, 20197 yr I should have taken it up the 1st time I wanted to, instead of the 2nd time when I did. Don't let anyone tell you, you can't or shouldn't do something. I was told I couldn't build a house, I've been living in it for 24 years!
March 17, 20197 yr Just get started. You can spend 30 years thinking up reasons why you can't, not enough money,not enough time, no place to do it blah blah blah. Here's one reason why you should get on with it....... YOU CAN!!!! So do it.
March 17, 20197 yr I wish I'd done a google map search of "farrier supplies" sooner. There's a place 45 minutes away that has all manner of equipment plus classes (that I still have yet to visit).
March 18, 20197 yr 3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: FLEE! You and your Fleemarket scores! Frosty The Lucky.
March 18, 20197 yr On 3/16/2019 at 7:41 PM, 1forgeur said: I should have taken it up the 1st time I wanted to, instead of the 2nd time when I did. Definitely this. I missed around 20 years of opportunity to learn (and much better equipment prices) because I grossly overestimated cost and difficulty of forge construction, and didn't know where to learn otherwise. A break drum forge is a highly efficient means of wasting charcoal. Poor results on my first anvil (80lb clevis) were limitations of skill and not the anvil. Stick with the chunk-o-steel anvil for a while, but buy a real post vice ASAP. Being cheap (scrounging / DIY) usually costs more money in the long run than buying the tool/material that I needed. Being cheap almost always costs more time.
March 18, 20197 yr Take advise from many, use this information to figure out "who to" listen to more often.. Experience can weed out a lot of advise as good or bad.. But don't set it in stone till you have tried it at least 3 times with 10 or more being even better.. Don't settle on this as the only information there is.. Keep looking.. Don't take on to large of project or skill set starting out.. it can become overwhelming.. Success breeds success..
March 18, 20197 yr If you want to blacksmith, never turn down a blacksmithing job. If you are coming from being a farrier or a welder, when you decide to make the change, never look back, and dont take anymore welding or shoeing jobs. Starting out, theres far more of them than smithing, and as sure as Murphy's law is true, you will always be too busy to get in the forge. Most important, never quit.
March 18, 20197 yr It's a great hobby , but a xxxx of a way to make a living ! Get it HOT and HIT it !
March 19, 20197 yr Boy is that the truth. There is a reason during this phase of the iron age why those who make a living "traditionally" are the 1%'rs of all things iron! It does help when starting out to learn to cook air in 5 different ways. At least you will have a varied diet!!!
March 24, 20197 yr Advice to self: STOP raking the coals up with the gloved hand. You made a good rake for that. Those gloves are expensive!! (Old habits die hard).
March 24, 20197 yr Just don't use a glove and then its not a problem.. Callus is self propagating.. The more you use it the more it creates itself..
March 24, 20197 yr Hey Walt of 1977, this is your future self. I have some advice for you. Get a pencil...no, write it down. Your memory is not as good as you think, trust me. OK, now pay attention. Buy the 58 Dodge Sweptside survivor for $300 and the 66 hemi 4 speed Charger with 1,000 original miles for $22,000. Sell them in 2019 and they will pay for a very nice house and property. No restoration needed, just sit on them. Also, buy $100 of this thing called Bitcoin when it is first introduced in 2010 then sell it December 2017when it hits $19,000 each. Storage fees will eat you up. Build a shop, it will be cheaper in the end. Also , don't sit on the items, sell them quickly, take the money and run. It works out better in the long term. You procrastinate too much. Make time to forge, don't wait for the time. Buy the tools now, prices start getting stupid in 2010. Don't wait to find a better job, it isn't worth the aggravation. You will be set in 2017 when you sell the Bitcoin, but before that you need to be happier than you will be if you stay. Times up, I gotta go. DON"T LOSE THAT PAPER!!
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