Hi guys,

I live in Johannesburg and have been extremely interested in blacksmithing for a couple of years now. Could you guys give me a couple of tips on how and where to start?

Welcome to the gang, glad to have ya.

Oh yeah, we can line you out for sure. Below are some places to start with.

IForgeIron.com > Getting Started

IForgeIron.com > Lessons in metalworking > Lessons in Blacksmithing

IForgeIron.com > Lessons in metalworking > Lessons in Blacksmithing > LB0008 Reference material

IForgeIron.com > Forum > Archive (Look for multiple pages 2,3,4 etc at the top of page. Pack a lunch and a cold drink before you go.)

IForgeIron.com > Blacksmithing Groups

If you'll click "User CP" at the top of the page and edit your profile to show your location folk won't have to try remembering where you live. IFI is represented by more than 50 countries around the world and location can make a real difference in what you need to know, can get, etc.

Frosty

Thanx Frosty,

Have been doing a lot of reading since I made the post. Very interesting stuff. I must say there is a lot more to it than I originally thought. I can hardly wait to get started. Looking forward to many years of practice and great end products.

There is no end to learning a craft, any craft but metal working is the stuff of hundreds of lifetimes.

Don't wait to get started, find something heavy and hard to use as an anvil. Make something to hold a fire and something to blow on it for you, a hair drier works just fine through a piece of pipe of course. Light a fire, heat some steel and start practicing.

It doesn't have to be complicated, doesn't take "real" smithing tools and doesn't have to wait on instruction. Use proper safety gear and if you're using a boulder for an anvil a leather apron is VERY important to protect you from flying shards. Eye protection, natural fiber clothing, long sleeves and legs and leather shoes or boots are a minimum. The sleeves and legs can be optional if you don't mind scale burns or think the scars are sexy.

Oh, did I say boulder? You betcha, they aren't ideal but they beat heck (Sorry Glenn. I'll go gargle with a bar of soap now ) out of waiting months, years or in some cases till death finds ya before you start working the iron. Once you get the bug you'll really apply yourself to finding what you want.

Or making it.

Frosty

Edited February 13, 200917 yr by Frosty

Getting started is the easy part. Find something to beat on, something to beat with, build a fire, get a piece of metal hot, and beat in it. The rest are details and improvements.

As Frosty said, a rock will work for an anvil, most any hammer will do.

You have to build your first fire before you can practice. You have to practice so you can improve. The rest is driven by your desire to learn more and do better. Please do not wait till you can get $10,000 of equipment. The real joy comes from doing, not waiting and dreaming of what could be.

Thank you for the replies and encouragement ;-)

I really appreciate it. To the South African guys on this forum, are there any particular places you can reccomend to look for tools etc?

Hi Rex,
Welcome to the family. I am from Kempton Park, and have a forge in my backyard, right under the wings of OR Tambo. If you want, you can come and visit me. We can do some steel bashing together. Call me at 083 263 7325.
I have bought most of my tools at Pawnshops: Old chisels, hammers, punches, sometimes you find a pair of tongs below a heap of rusted spanners, remember, the hunt is as much fun as the result. Also scrapyards are a great source, for tools, but also for raw materials, and you only pay a 1/4 of the normal steel price.

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Wim