SpaceLlama Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Hello I am new to this website and new to forum-like websites, and honestly new to using tools. I hope I posted this in the right place, I apologize if I didn't. I have a shed with absolutely nothing inside it and have absolutely no tools. I so badly want to turn it into a workshop with a forge and tools and all kinds of equipment and expand my knowledge of tools and blacksmithing but don't know where or how to start. I wanted to start by making simple beginner projects out of a propane forge (knives, fire pokers, marshmallow roasting sticks, etc.) I originally wanted to build my first forge on my own by purchasing all of the tools needed to make the forge and propane blowers and all of what's needed in order to get a gas forge going. But after more research and thinking, I would instead like to buy a gas forge off of eBay and buy more tools as I go, but I am unsure on how good the ones on eBay are, or if they are good for beginners. I do live near an art center where they do have blacksmithing and all some related arts, but they had to shut down due to Covid. I was hoping I could get some advice on what to do being I am a beginner, anything would be appreciated. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Welcome to the site. Definitely take a class or two first. Many places are reopening on a reduced load basis with distancing and masks, so you should be able to find one. The bulk of the forges I've seen on e-bay are not worth purchasing, but with limited tools and knowledge of how to use them it will be tough to make your own. There are better commercial forges available, but they cost more. Plenty of posts on the forum regarding that. The search function here doesn't work that well, so you have to use an engine like Google and put Iforgeiron in as one of the terms. While knives are relatively simple to rough forge (but harder to "forge to finish", there are some techniques that can help), 80% of the effort in making a knife takes place after you are done forging. Grinding, heat treatment, finishing, putting on a handle, and even sharpening are all skills that you will need to learn before making a good knife. Again there are work arounds, but it isn't Forged in Fire... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Welcome to the forum, SpaceLlama. If you put your location in your profile, we may be able to help you connect with resources (even fellow IFI members) in your area. Also, if you haven't read the "Read This First" tab at the top of the page, please do so now. Apart from that, Latticino's advice is quite good. You might find it easier to get started with a solid-fuel forge, which are easier for the beginner to build. Take a look at the threads for the JABOD forges in the Solid Fuel Forges section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 I'm going to disagree with Latticino; knives are NOT a beginner's project. To make a knife you need good hammer control. You need great temperature control---each blade steel has it's own range of forging and heat treating temps and you need to be able to judge the proper temperature! You need more "hammer stamina" as knife steels are harder under the hammer when forging. This is the stuff you learn/gain *before* you make knives! You can start out with blades but expect to ruin a bunch of them before you get it down pat. I would suggest forging a lot of simple projects successfully and then move up to blades rather than spending hours/days on a blade and then throwing it away because it cracked due to bad temperature control or inaccurate heat treating. Since we don't know which of the over 150 countries that have members on these forums it's difficult to know where to direct you. One of my ex-students is currently offering blacksmithing classes about 1500 miles thataway for instance. If you are really interested in bladesmithing and are in the USA, the American Bladesmith Society, ABS, offers classes in various locations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 That is a good point Thomas. What I was really trying to say is that the forging part of knifemaking is only the tip of the iceberg. I guess I've been forging high carbon steel into blades for so long now that I've kind of forgotten the temperature control and extra effort required to forge it. I do agree that knives are not a rank beginner project for a self trained smith, but the actual forging process for a simple knife is only a couple of tapers and simple offsets. I've taught it to first time smiths more than once, though I always prefer if they have already taken a basic class working in mild steel making hooks and the like first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Getting started is just a hammer to hit with, something to hit on, and something to hit. The fire just makes the metal softer and easier to work. Solid fuel forges can be quick and easy to make, the JABOD for instance is just a box of dirt. Get a brick of modeling clay (under $5 at a place that sells hobbies). Anything you can make with modeling clay, you can make with metal. Clay is good to practice with and is great for problem solving. It is then just a matter of practice and hammer time. Do not expect your first of anything to be perfect, it is a learning experience, and it shows you where you need to improve. Use both to your advantage. No one has ever ask what brand of equipment the project that was used to make they project they are interested in buying. And certainly they have not offered to pay more if you happen to use a brand of equipment that they have heard before. Blacksmithing is suppose to be fun, so accept the challenge to research, learn, and take it to the forge to see if it works. There is no one way or no right way to do things. If it works it is a success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 I've worked some relatively new smiths through forging a blade; but I was the one doing the temperature control---"ready to forge", "STOP and reheat"----and would do a smoothing pass as required, (which also helped out the stamina part). I would also use tooling to set the tang/blade junction rather than free handing it with hammer and the edge of the anvil. I much preferred them to have more practice in basic smithing first. (I've mentioned to a minion that you can tell how annoyed a student has made me by how soon I let them make a knife, the more annoyed the sooner ) and when they 'know it all' from youtube I'll let then solo on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Welcome aboard. When i first started i thought i wanted to make blades. While i like forging them i hate finish work. I found i want to beat hot metal. If you are new to using tools one thing that i would like to touch on is this: dont forget the PPE. Safety, safety, safety. A good pair of safety glasses should be the first thing you get. You will also want a respirator. Many materials are quite dangerous when grinding, including some woods. Consider a leather apron, you can get a welders apron fairly cheap. May want to redo the straps so it is not supported by your neck though. When forging wear natural fiber cloths, the giant scar i have on my leg shows i had to learn the hard way that hot scale and polyester work pants are not a good mix. Cotton will burn, polyester burns and melts into your skin. You have joined a great group of folks here. They have helped me out tremendously. Keep it fun but above all stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 One thing I have found is that the *good* PPE tends to be more comfortable to wear and so gets used a lot more than the cheap PPE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinDoc Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 I am still just a fledgling in this, but I would go the route those above suggest. Don't make the mistake I did and jump straight into trying to make a knife. As far as forges go, I personally went with a forge maker that was local to me but almost wish I would have found this site first and made a JABOD. Don't get me wrong, I like my forge but after experiencing a Chili forge, I got jealous . Also, safety, safety, safety. My first go around with practicing I lost my grip on my tongs and dropped the metal which then bounced off my anvil stand, off my leg and onto the floor. Darn glad I was wearing jeans or I would have had a really nasty burn on my shin. I also learned more taking a 4 hour class then I did in 2 months of trying alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnut Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 Here's a collection of links that can get you started without investing a lot of money into a hobby that you're not sure if you will enjoy. Welcome aboard, be safe, and remember it's supposed to be fun. Pnut https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/65352-getting-started-on-the-cheap/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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