Hello, where do i start reading...hahaha

I am looking to learn and hopefully construct my own small forge. 

Find a topic your interested in, and start there.

Do a search for JABOD, just a box of dirt for a easy to make forge, in the forges section.  Otherwise find a fuel that is cheap and available in your area and look into a forge that uses that fuel.

You may want to look up Florida Area Blacksmiths Assoc FABA and go to the meetings.  You will learn more in just a couple of hours than you can imagine.

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. I found the sticky threads to be a big help when I first joined the forum. Just skim through the main forums and then look at the sticky's that look interesting.

Hi Kevin. 

Look up JABOD forge and improvised anvil threads. 

You can, and should start forging with very little or no money.

From the very first hit on red hot steel I knew I was hooked but you may find its not for you for some weird and inexplicable reason :-)

Have fun and be safe

A reading list is a long thing with much input from all of us. My "go to" is "Plane and ornamental forging" by Schwartzkopf. Easily found via google search. Its a 1910ish school course text book from NYC at that time. 

Yep a very good book, available as a free PDF from Google books.

 

Welcome aboard Kevin, glad to have you. 

Anvil's suggestion is a great book but maybe a little advanced for a beginner. Right now you need to learn the techniques and processes of the craft and my TBI damaged brain is blanking on titles and authors. . . Well, except the first how to book I discovered about 40+ years ago. "The Art of Blacksmithing," by Alex Bealer.

Another title (or close) just came to me, "Backyard Blacksmithing" by Loreli Sims? I think? 

There are others that start as close to the first step as is practical. How to light and build a fire, how to hold and swing a hammer, etc. 

Your best option though is to hook up with the local blacksmith's club or one in your area. Every hour working with an experienced smith is worth many times the time spent figuring it out yourself even from the best books.

Stick with us, we'll be proud to help get you well and truly addicted to the craft.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Another good one is The Blacksmith's Craft by Charles McRaven.  Itr's available on line for $19.95.  I think Beeler's and Sims' books are the most commonly recommended books for beginning smiths.  I know that Beeler was a good reference even 44 years ago when I started.  He was an artist and his drawings are better illustrations than photographs.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."