October 16, 20223 yr True Dat George, my Father even sharpened plow shears on a Little Giant as a kid during the depression for less than a dollar a week. One grandfather was a circuit Federal Superior Court Judge and had a relaxing around the house suit. Not to be mistaken for his dinner suit of course. My paternal Grandfather was a logger and died in one of the resurgences of the Spanish flu around 1920. His Brother was a millwright and had more logging and blacksmithing stuff than you'd imagine. His wife sold it all for scrap and Dad never said a word until it was all gone. Dad actively discouraged me from blacksmithing, kept saying to learn a paying trade, he just couldn't accept it as a hobby. My Uncle Fred shed light on the why, Dad didn't get a choice about working in the smithy once he was big enough, until then he chipped and dried bark from the log rafts on Lake Washington to sell as stove wood. Anything to contribute to the cookie jar, hard scrabble survival is what he associated blacksmithing with. Lovely work as usual Alex. I'm always in awe. Frosty The Lucky.
October 16, 20223 yr On 10/15/2022 at 3:34 PM, BayardStrachan said: Thanks, fun fact, in NZ railroad spikes barely exist, they are like literally 15 bucks apiece. If you ever cross the ditch, in some areas over here people sell them for a dollar each or $50 a bucket load!
October 18, 20223 yr Our latest haul from our friends, a free 50 pound bucket full, with some real old wrought iron RR spikes.
November 14, 20223 yr Making something related to where you are is definately a good idea. I did a demo at a distillery recently and made a couple bar spoons. The group that was watching actually got there shortly after I did and stayed the whole time. They also had a couple specials on smoked beverages that encouraged people to hang around. It was a fun day but I made a few sparklers in the forge when I was exchanging friendly banter with everyone.
March 1, 20233 yr I enjoy telling folks about how fires were started originally not using matches or bic lighters. I love making fire steels. I'll forge a simple firesteel then using that steel and flint, make a fire from charcloth and tinder. People love that !! Fire is part of our basic human instinct so it really relates to what people like. Ohio Rusty ><>
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