zbrewha863 Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Hey all, I just joined! I’m in Tallahassee and looking to learn how to make blades, tools, and possibly gun parts. If anybody has any classes or teachers nearby please let me know! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Welcome aboard, glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you'll have a much better chance of meeting up with members living within visiting distance. We're blacksmiths, telling us once in your intro post won't stick in our memories after we open the next post. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Good Morning from the Left Coast. Welcome, if you add your area where you make the most shadows, you may find someone close to you. There are people from all over the globe who check in here, you have to not be hard on some that may join in. Starting to make 'Blade Shaped Object' is best started in your own playpen. Not everyone have the same Machinery and Tooling, so it makes it very Humbling. You need to find someone close to you, so you can have a mentor. Start with small things, before long you will move to other small things. Make whatever, the BEST that you possibly can. Make it again and again, soon you will figure out why you are doing it a certain way and maybe learn to try a different way. This is all part of Learning. There are no Miss-Steaks, just different ways of Learning. Good Luck, Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Welcome aboard from 7500' in SE Wyoming. Glad to have you. Basically, start simple and build your skill set. A lot of blacksmithing is learning the hand/eye coordination to get the metal to move where you want it to. Look up the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association and join and attend all the events you can. You will learn a lot. And blacksmiths tend to be pretty good, social folk. Beware of some of the videos on You Tube. Some are downright dangerous. Good channels that I like are Black Bear Forge, JPL Services (our own Jennifer), Torbjorn Ahman (from Sweden), and Christ Centered Ironworks. Some folk like Alec Steele but I find his presentation style to be kind of annoying. Also, acquire good print books. If you want recommendations ask us and we will give you suggestions. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbrewha863 Posted July 12 Author Share Posted July 12 Thanks guys! I did put my location info in my profile now, so hopefully that helps. I will definitely check out the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association and see what I can learn. Went to Blade Show the second year in a row and I’m hooked, cannot wait to learn! I will take recommendations on print books, looking to learn the right way before I develop any bad habits. Thanks for the tips on YouTubers I will check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Welcome from the Ozark Mountains, from an Ex Floridian. Although we lived at the opposite end, Miami-Dade area. You are not too far from Georgia and Alabama and we have some members from that area. When we moved from FL in '82, I couldn't find a single blacksmith in that area. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbrewha863 Posted July 13 Author Share Posted July 13 Yeah it is difficult. I saw a couple bladesmiths from Tallahassee on Forged in Fire and not sure either of them even does it more than as a personal hobby. I might have to travel to learn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Our club's membership shot up with the broadcast of FIF and a few have turned out to be good bladesmiths. I highly recommend that if you wish to forge blades you first learn basic blacksmithing to a state of proficiency. Once you know how to forge things blades are just another simple shape with a little finickier heat management requirements. You'll have to finish the blades and that is stock removal. You can't make blades without some level of stock removal. Learning to be proficient at a belt grinder is another skill set. Stick with us, we'll be happy to help. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Here are some print books that I would acquire if I were starting out. All are available from Amazon. When I started (1978) all I had were books from the library and my own mistakes to teach me. Good books and good videos can teach if you don't have a live teacher or mentor. The Complete Modern Blacksmith by Alexander Weygers The Backyard Blacksmith by Lorelei Sims The Beginners Guide to Blacksmithing by Lorelei Sims The Blacksmith's Craft by Charles McRaven The Art of Blacksmithing by Alex Bealer I think I would get the first 2 or 3 I've listed first. Other folk may have other suggestions. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Those are all good books. I would add The New Edge of the Anvil by Jack Andrews. Bealer is better for historical perspective, I think - and he sometimes mixes in a bit of myth with the good stuff. Used to be in the Bealer group in Atlanta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Bealer's is good for people having to improvise their tools and equipment than for smithing in general. He was primarily a sculptor who traveled the world in a time where you were very limited in how much you could carry. So when he found a subject or material he wanted to use he had to make his tools and equipment. As far as blacksmithing I believe he was largely self taught in the field. I can't think of a book George hasn't recommended, though my voices are poking and whispering. I'll get back if I think of one. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 On further consideration I think I agree that the Andrews book would be better for a new smith than the Bealer one although Bealer has some very good stuff. G PS I'd like to see John make some recommendations since I think he has the largest smithing library of any of us. I also wonder if it would be a good thing to have on the site a page with suggested You Tube channels, miscellaneous videos, and books since we often repeat ourselves for every new comer who wants guidance. Maybe also a list (not links) of commercial suppliers like Blacksmiths Depot, Centaur Forge or Holland Anvils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 Who has the number of the yarn shop? It's probably the only way to get ahold of John, at least until it's up and running to Debi's standards. Didn't IFI have a couple sections about suppliers and books? I agree a proper list rather than threads with comments and discussions would be nice. Linking it to the relative threads so folk can read reviews, complaints and puns would be a plus. Steve probably knows and can link us. Steve? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 I think some of it's here. https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/174-reference-materials/ https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/151-knife-class-reference-material/ I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 Those are a bunch of them at least. I skimmed a couple in the reference materials link and reading one of the threads where Thomas Powers and I were funning on each other made me all misty eyed. I saw several of our late Great's AVATARS. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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