Hello everyone,

I'm interested in hearing from experienced blacksmiths about the tools they consider essential for a beginner forge setup.

When starting out, it can be overwhelming to choose between different anvils, hammers, tongs, and forge types. In your experience:

• What tools should every beginner invest in first?

• Which tools can wait until later?

• Are there any brands or suppliers you've had good experiences with?

• What common mistakes should new blacksmiths avoid when buying equipment?

I've been researching various blacksmithing tools and forge equipment and would love to learn from the community's real-world experience.

Looking forward to your insights and recommendations!

I came up with an answer I love to repeat

all you need is

something to make hot
something to make the hot thing hot
something to hit the hot thing
something to rest the hot thing on while you use something to hit the hot thing

I really cannot think of any way to make this list shorter

First, knowledge is essential. Books are very good, videos are hit and miss, but a good teacher and/or support group can be priceless.

After that:

A hammer, about two pounds, one with a face and a fullering peen, and or maybe a similar size ball peen.

Any block of steel that can be used as an anvil. Or you know, an anvil.

A forge, probably would recommend a JBOD for a beginner

At least one good set of tongs - probably a pair that is more universal but not quite as good at any one task.

Eventually you'll need files, grinders, vises, drills, and the like. Punches, chisels, and a great many other tools are easily made and good practice.

Considering the handle, blacksmitsdepot, are you considering forging, or trying to sell tools to would-be beginners?

21 hours ago, Nobody Special said:

Considering the handle, blacksmitsdepot, are you considering forging, or trying to sell tools to would-be beginners?

When starting out, it can be overwhelming to choose

yeah, I thought this sounded like salesmanspeak

Considering that the underlined word Blacksmiths is actually a link to blacksmiths depot, yeah, trying to sell.

Good Morning,

The most essential thing to start with, is sheet of paper and a pen/pencil. Now you can scratch some idea's down and think of how you can create it/them. The second most important Tool is a small container of Play-Doh, so you can figure out how to implement your assembly.

Neil

Thank you Lee for pointing that out, i missed it yesterday, I just removed it

You are welcome Steve.

Yah, seem to be under siege by AI bots a lot more so than normal recently. Someone must have figured a new way around the algorithms and filters.

Saw a legal firm from Mumbai, a rubber recycling plant somewhere else in India, a "contract management college", a moving company, an African Safari group, a stock company, and while who doesn't like shoes, the one about Punjabi juttis seems to have it backwards.

Juttis are accessories for festive dresses; festive dresses aren't accents for sandals or pumps and I don't think either would be appropriate while forge welding or around punch biscuits.