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I Forge Iron

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4dam

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Hi, I'm Adam.  Currently living in southern Las Vegas, working in home healthcare.  I'm more of a general maker than specifically black/white smith, so I'm learning the craft more as an ongoing thing rather than working towards making cutlery (for example) full time.  As such, if you wanna know whether I'm here to learn more about bladesmithing, jewelry, utility items, or general metal sculpture; my answer is "uhhhhhhh...yes".

I've been involved with a SCA-adjacent historical recreation group called Norseland for about 20 years and watched my dad forge his own armor when we first joined when I was like twelve, but it really took Forged In Fire coming around for me to catch the bug.

My plan was to go back east once we were done in Nevada and learn to smith from a really good friend of mine who used to hold forge weekends that I, foolishly, never went to.  Well he died a few years ago so that spurred me on to do what I usually do when learning a new craft and teach myself.  I've been biding my time here, reading books, watching Alec Steele videos, and amassing the types of tools that I can use for non-smithing projects I have going already but they're really for using on metal once we're somewhere I can build a forge and get to work. I've had a little bit of forge time and made some leaves, one of which came out cool (pic at the end) but I left all the forge scale on with the intention of grinding some off and leaving some to build contrast.  The grinder I had access to at the time (basically a dremel tool I bought for doing rough-carving in beeswax) couldn't do the job so I still consider it unfinished.

As for why I joined the forum today, of all days, it's because I ordered my first hammer (2# cross pein) and it came in today so I was looking for tips on how to dress it and ended up here.  I've been reading for a few hours, including both threads people are gonna tell me to read, and I really like it here.  Looking forward to learning from, and hopefully at some point contributing some valuable knowledge to, the forum.

IMG_0530.JPG

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Cactus and Decatur isn't too far from where I am now working in Henderson. Well, everything is close now for me since I pass through the whole valley going home.

Are you running a solid fuel or gas?

There are a few of us in the LV area now, and there is a thread for Las Vegas now. If you want, I can swing by sometime and give you some tips. Dad and I got started back in the 70's.

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Welcome to our group 4dam. I am very sorry you could not hook up with your friend that passed. Im sure he had alot to say. RIP.  The early Alec vids teaches proper blacksmithing techniques. He learned from Brian Brazeal. As for dressing your hammer face, keep researching here.   Have fun with your new addiction. 

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Thanks for the welcome.  Yup, that's one of the threads I read.

i don't really have a forge setup due to lack of space and HOA rules, right now I'm gathering the tools I can't just make myself and are easy to move because once we're done with the home healthcare gig I don't think we'll (I'm married, no kids) stay at this house.  Whether that means staying in Nevada or going elsewhere is still up in the air and I Really don't wanna have to lug an anvil out of here.  The plan is to use solid fuel as that's what I have experience with.  

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4dam, I live in an apartment and have been able to forge without any problems as far as location. Before I got started I was worried about it.

Charcoal is nearly smokeless and there's always propane. Your HOA allows bbq grills right. 

If noise is the concern there's ways to mitigate that also. 

Let the community know what challenges and concerns you have and you may be surprised at the solutions that folks come up with.

Welcome and good luck

Pnut (Mike)

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I could make every excuse under the sun but ultimately it comes down to just I don't wanna do it here.  If I could find like a shared workshop space I could afford I'd probably go for it there but I haven't found anything yet.

On the plus side, I just was introduced to a fellow smith by a mutual friend.  He's cold-forging armor so I'll be helping him out with that and, assuming he's not doing blue barrel armor, I might could use some of his scrap metal for a set of articulated epaulets I've been designing for a costume...thing.  Such specific, wow, I know :P

We'll see how things go.

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A friend of mine set up shop in one of those rental storage shed places. He got permission from the owner/manager to move his coal forge outside in front of the door when forging. He would always draw a crowd when he was working and it turned into an impromptu hammer in time. The only draw back was no electricity but a small portable generator would run his small power tools.

Other renters would set up weekend yard/garage sales in their spaces and he would sell a lot of his doo-dads through them.

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That's actually a great idea.  If I can't find home forge space wherever we end up after Vegas I'll give that a shot.  Ultimately the reasons I don't wanna set up shop here are: it's too hot (I'm a cold weather type of person), and the home healthcare thing takes up most of my time and energy.  

I don't mind putting my own projects to the side for a while, and now that I have at least my own hammer I can go to the Vegas thread and offer help to anyone who lives close enough and works when I'm not stuck at our house.  It's good enough for now.

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When I had the opposite temperature issue: sub zero wind chills in Ohio. I built a 1 soft fire brick forge that would run off a propane plumber's torch and did my forging in the basement of my house.  I did all the nails for my Mastermyr  Chest, a lot of hot forged hack silver, etc.  Allowed me to A: not go any crazier; B: accomplish some projects.

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I understand having to squeeze anvil time into time not taken up with the job. It's a common problem but there are solutions. The anvil noise is the hardest to solve. It's dead easy to make a small forge that disappears when not in use. A clamped 2 - 4 brick forge is small and effective. If anybody asks, the deluxe big size Bernzomatic torch is for making custard. The HOA handles plumbing issues so it can't be for soldering.

Years ago I had an online acquaintance who lived on the 9th floor of a retirement condo. He made knives, forged them on the balcony in a soup can forge and did all his grinding and finishing in a closet off the bathroom. The bathroom exhaust fan removed fumes from finishing handles, etc.

His whole shop fit in an area the size of a largish sink. He had a custom made (by him) wooden trunk with forged hardware, etc. His shop was a handsome piece of living room furniture when it wasn't set up.

Frosty The Lucky.

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