divermike Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I am willing to start blacksmiths anonymous, and as the charter starter (I think) I willingly state I am an obsessively compulsive coal smoke snortin, scale swipin, quench bucket handwashin, scrap metal gatherin, sparks a flyin,rusty tool collectin, late night grindin addict to the art! Please feel free to post your testimonial addition to this string. IForgeIron holds claim and copyright the *Anvils Anonymous* for future use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I smelled the smoke, walked into the room, and someone shut the door behind me. So, ok, er, ah, I am a blacksmith, and I can change, I think, but it will take all y'alls help. It may also take a bunch of meetings, some classes, and maybe some new tools, but I am sure I can improve, with time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal L Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Hi, my name is Neal and I'm a Blacksmithaholic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welder19 Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Your only an addict if you think you have a problem, I would blacksmith 24/7 if I could and would not for one second think I had a problem Remember, your only a ----aholic if you go to meetings. welder19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I started small, just a 91 pound A&H anvil and I knew I could take it or leave it, then it got worse with a 192# swell horned Hay Budden, My wife started noticing that I would smell of coal smoke when I came in the house and my clothes often had rust stains or burn holes in them. It seemed to take bigger and bigger anvils to get that same rush and finally when I got the 515# Fisher I knew that blacksmithing was in control of my life! (my wife refers to my anvils as my "harem") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quenchcrack Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 HA! you guys are just woosies. I only smith recreationally and I can quit any time I choose! YES I CAN!!!! I only have two anvils. Ok, three. And I park my truck on the driveway because there isn't room for it in my gar.....er.....smithy. And I never snorted coal dust because I run a gasser. Mmmmmmm...warm dragonsbreath.................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateDJ Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Think I'm already replacing my blood stream with coal dust, soon there will too much blood in my coal stream. I do have a problem though... too much work to do getting in the way of my addiction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Hi. My name is Frosty and I can help you. The first thing you must do to be cured of the infection is get rid of all that smithing gear that's taking over your life. I have a special containment facility designed specifically to prevent the undue spread of this unspeakable condition. All you have to do to get started on the road to the cure is send all that unhealthy stuff to me. I hereby volunteer, heroically, to safely and properly store all said contagious materials here so all of you can start on your way back to normalcy. Don't worry about me, I don't have a problem, these things don't affect me. . . Affect me. . . Affect . . . Me . . . Ah . . . F . . . Eh . . . Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 (edited) Ok, I recognize that I am a forge-a-holic. Someday I'm gonna start a 12 step program for my addiction......by building a shop only 12 steps from my house, with 12 of the most important tools (anvil, vise, hammer, bender, drill press, power hammer, treadle hammer, air hammer, coal forge, propane forge, forging press, and welder) strategically placed so it only takes me 12 steps to move about them while using them 12 hours a day, for 12 months outta the year. Will this work?;) Edited October 29, 2008 by keykeeper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I am not addicte............... OH LOOK!!! Rusty Steel!! Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 28, 2008 Author Share Posted October 28, 2008 Due to other committments, I have been forced from my forge for several days, my hands are shaking, my eyes are blurring, I'm developing a twitch, and I can't seem to concentrate. What's worse is the next 2 days do not appear to offer any relief. My saviour so far has been doodling out future projects, and maybe I can watch some dvd's of demo's I bought at quad state, quietly at work, yeah that's the ticket!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateDJ Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I find it helps to just have your hammer with you... usually has to be in close proximity but even if you can't hit anything with it at the time you all ways know you could if the need arose. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 (edited) When I first thought Smithing might be somthing I'd enjoy I didn't take any of this 'addiction' nonsense seriously at all, I mean I wasn't in any sort of position to really try it first hand initially, but then I got a little taster in Leeds at the Armouries. Nothing I didn't think I could walk away from. Lots of other things I was already 'into', could I really afford to take on another habit? I mean hobby? I'd heard and seen a few funny jokes about it, you know 'incurable' etc etc etc but apart from being black brite, stinking of fire, and slightly singed I was none the worse for my first time. It's cost me a LOT since, and more than just money too. But rather than end on a sombre note I shall relate a true story. A very good friend of mine is on brass tacks, her landlord sold her flat out from under her and she wasn't given any notice. She's on disability so has ended up at a hostel, they won't let her have her cats there. Guess who volunteered to house them (all 3 of the little .....)? Well, friends are friends. It meant she see's me everyday as they won't have a bar of me and she has to feed them and sort out their tray. We sit and talk and just generally pass the time while she enjoys her cats or does her laundry. I was out in the backyard of the house share forging somthing one day when she came over. We exchanged pleasentries and she went of to make us a drink of tea while I carried on working. After i'd finished I picked up my cup of tea and took a long thirsty and COLD drink. I was fully expecting a hot drink, I'd only been at it ten minutes. I looked over at my friend who was reading in a chair a few feet away with a pair of ear defenders on Apparently she'd been sat watching me for the first hour, then had grabbed a book and settled in for the long haul. I apologised for my rudeness and tried to explain but was cut short: "Don't be silly, thats the first time in over a month that you've looked REALLY happy" Guess that's when I knew it had got into my blood, it had been just over a month since I'd last lit the fire. The cheerful note? My friend has finally been told the Council have a legal responsibility to rehouse her, she'd bidding on places now :D Edited October 28, 2008 by Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan W Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Just because I carry a 15# anvil, one hammer, one set of tongs, a one gallon quench bucket,a file,a wire brush and two hardy tools in an ammo can in my truck tool box and have been known to forge with hardwood chunks when I cant find anything else DOES NOT mean I am a BS-aholic. Does it??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateDJ Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 JAFO does the side of the ammo can say ICE on it? or anything about breaking the glass? ... I think I should put together an emergency forging kit! could even carry a gal of coal in the quench bucket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 28, 2008 Author Share Posted October 28, 2008 egad, why didn't I think of that, let's see, a small railroad anvil, 3 pairs of tongs, uh -uh- oh no....here we go, which hammers???? agggg coal vs charcoal, maybe a small pop up for shade, ah xxxx, now I have to design a trailer. I better not tell the wife yet, maybe I can sneak it around when she's not lookin. well I'd better forget about sleeping the next couple of days, now where's my doodle pad??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 (edited) When I moved 1500 miles away from my last place I knew it would be 6 or 7 months before the rest of the family and the household stuff would be moved. (waiting for school to get out for the kids). So I packed up all my camping equipment knowing I could make a go of basic living in any new place with it; *and* my aspirated propane forge, a bucket of hammers and tongs and tooling and my 91 pound anvil knowing I couldn't last 6 months without forging. When I travel for business I usually take a billet and one of the "trial size" boxes of borax with me as I have found that many a smith will be delighted to offer you some forge time to see a pattern welded demo---like the 80 year old smith at the Bad Windsheim open air museum in Germany. All my meeting agenda pages at work are covered with doodles of projects or my planned forged extension. I take a forge *camping*. My wife says that forging cures "constipation of the soul" no mater how out of sorts I am when I walk towards the smithy, I'll be mellow and smiling when I walk back. Edited October 29, 2008 by ThomasPowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happycat Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I was holding pretty well there as far as not buying tools for awhile.....at least not expensive ones. Then I started thinking about this old guy who sells old tools who I haven't checked on in awhile. Couldn't get it out of my head and finally just stopped by, just to chat mind you, inquire as to his health mostly.... He had not one, but six SIX anvils in his garage, .... and a crank blower, ....and four post vises.....and ......I had four dollars in my wallet:( I got a really cool hot cutter though, and he let me scrounge through his scrap pile:D Now, a week later, I just got paid. Have just enough money to pay the taxes on the house........I think maybe I'd better give my car keys and check book to my wife to hold for me....Feeling weak again..... I don't have to go all week without buying tools, just today, Ok just for the next 12 hours, uhh... one hour?? Honey, wheres my check book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironrosefarms Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 (edited) Hello, my name is James and I'm a, I'm a... is that a hammer over their? Oh sorry... my name is james and I'm a blacksmith a holic... I started out a casual user and became a social smith. You know it wasn't a real big deal and my wife was ok with me going to all the antique places, auctions, and what not kinds of places looking and occasionally buying things I NEEDED. Did this for about 16 years or so. Well then it happened, I was hit by an SUV while on my motorcycle, this is when I found out that it was a much bigger deal than I once thought. I was forced cold turkey not to get anyplace near my forge or even my hammers for nearly 2 YEARS:o!!! I filled note books after notebook with sketches of projects and ideas. Constantly plotting and figuring on how I would do the next bend or twist. Then just as I was getting started back into deep inhalation of coal smoke, black boogers, the caressing of hammer handles and such... I found this international group of folks who kept saying it is ok and even helped me get a little fix when I was away from my anvils. Now I have two hammers and an anvil in the floor board of my truck. I even have caught myself playing with hammers as I drive down the road sometimes. I've got this thing bad. I believe my "problem" is genetic though as my great grand daddy was a blacksmith for the local coal mines. The blacksmith gene set receded in our family for two generations, then it struck me down in the prime of life. Ooooh, Can I see that pair of tongues over their? Pleeeeease, oh come on just for a minute.... wait is that a coal fire I smell? I heard an anvil ring, did you hear it? Edited October 29, 2008 by ironrosefarms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Oh course we are addicted........... we go to meeitings don't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovacija(blacksmith) Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 (edited) ah, blacksmith addicts... for me that is just come by thing just like gathering anything that looks like rusty steel!!!... and I didn Edited October 29, 2008 by kovacija(blacksmith) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironrosefarms Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 True story, the mousehole anvil I just purchased was from a co-worker. He had it at the far end of the production center and another guy gave it a couple wacks with a hammer. I instantly knew it had to be an anvil and went to find the source. You know you have been bitten by the bug when you can identify the ring of an anvil over the noise of all the machinery and conveyors of a production printing facility... James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 I was just thinking, am I the only one who lays awake nights thinking of forging projects? Maybe if somebody released a cd of forging noises, this would help me sleep, kinda like some people love to hear running water, you know, the slam of the power hammer, the roar of the fire, the splat of hot metal being moved, the hiss of hot metal being quenched, I'm getting drowsy just thinking about it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateDJ Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 LOL I would lay awake trying to envision exactly what the smith was making just by the sounds... Now that sounds like he is drawing it out... now maybe bending it over?... that sounds kinda like he is hitting it from the end!!!`~!!@~111 HE is making a hook! ... no wait a sec what is he doing now? ... etc all night! Sounds like a great exercise though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerkid Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I have the blacksmith aholic condition also. Its a hard addiction to break. I saw em throw some heluim cylinders in the trash can at school and thought , GASSER. I went and got em , that whole day after that i was drawing up plnas for gassers . When I go to take a shower I go in and come out and Mom& Dad asked where that kid went LOL. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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