Guns International

So, I want to get into Blacksmithing.....

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  • Koinonia

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    I used the search feature (Holy crap, i know!) and couldnt find anything specific about Blacksmithing other then the Anvil thread we had a little while back.

    Id love to get into blacksmithing, but i havent the faintest clue of where to start!

    I was curious if we had any smiths (blacksmith, bladesmith, Smithysmith) within a 80 mile radius of San Antonio? I am hoping to find a mentor here, to guide me in the right direction, and possibly apprentice for. Im willing to save and spend the money, just need the knowledge.

    Please direct me to good sources of info, and chat up this thread! Im sure I am not the only one interested.
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    Vaquero

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    Anvil is one thing, hammers too.
    Forge is a biggie. Fuel for the forge is varied.
    Only ones ive seen in action burned local woods. Might be a use for nuisance trees afterall.
    Hand crank fan beats foot pump bellows in my opinion.
     

    PhulesAu

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    A backassward route might be to look in the local art community. lots of folks doing wrought Iron work. Also those that make gear for chuck wagon cookers / Dutch oven enthusiasts.
     

    ElevenBravo

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    There are a few online resources for blacksmiths. There are some community colleges that offer courses in smithing, but most of them are back east. There may be some in Texas, but you will have to check. I learned some basic smithing from a smith in Arizona that gives classes.

    Apart from the obvious (anvil, forge), you will need a wide array of tools. Different types of hammers, tongs, clams, punches, chisels. One girl I know that runs a smithing supply place sells a starter kit with a propane-fueled forge, smallish anvil and basic array of tools.
     

    Koinonia

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    Appreciate the info, ElevenBravo. I've gotten into the mind set of delayed gratification when it comes to acquiring new stuff, so I can afford to wait and pick up a good anvil here, and a forge there. Does her smithing supply have a website that we could check out?
     

    Sapper740

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    I learned a lot about Blacksmithing by volunteering at the Fort Langley National Historic site in B.C. when I lived there. The Fort uses living history reenactors to portray the early days of the fur trade and had an operating blacksmith shop and cooperage. Fort Langley was built by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1827 and was designated a national Historic site in 1955. I recommend you check around your area for similar such sites and if you find one with a blacksmith volunteer to help or to simply sit and watch him at work. You can find a lot of blacksmithing tools at flea markets such as tongs, whetstone, anvils, hammers, quench, forge, and bellows. Good luck, it's a lot of fun.
     

    ElevenBravo

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    If you do buy a used anvil, do a rebound test on it to make sure that it's not dead. If it's dead, any work you do on it is going to be that much more difficult for you.

    You may want to read a lot of the articles at anvilfire.com if you want to expand your book knowledge.
     
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    Vaquero

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    There used to be a living history village around Johnson City. A state park I think.
    Had a working blacksmith shop.
     

    karlac

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    ROGER4314

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    A friend who lived about 1/4 mile from me was a horse shoe expert (Farrier). He was actually flown to the Middle East to care for some rich guy's horses. The horse shoe business is a perfect way to get into Blacksmithing. Kirk could make that anvil sing and when you saw him work, you knew you were seeing the best of the best in action. Sadly, he was killed in a horrible head on collision with a truck some years ago.

    Historically, the blacksmith was the fellow who put shoes on the horses.

    There was a Horse shoeing school in Oklahoma. You might check it out.

    http://www.oklahomastatehorseshoeingschool.net/

    Flash
     
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