Any blacksmiths?

[CoreyR]

As a blacksmith, life would be easier with a nice power hammer. The tricky part is pouring all of the concrete base.

No, the tricky part, for a powerhammer, is PAYING FOR THE THING!!! The concrete is easy!!

[Tsal]

As a blacksmith, life would be easier with a nice power hammer. The tricky part is pouring all of the concrete base.

No, the tricky part, for a powerhammer, is PAYING FOR THE THING!!! The concrete is easy!!

lol.. pricey, but badass! Depending on the size your better off installing the hammer then build your workshop around it.

[CoreyR]

I had a former colleague who was a blacksmith and did mostly ornamental iron. The father of one of my students maybe 20 years ago was a farrier. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy who looked as if toting 300 lb anvils around would be no particular challenge. I got the impression work for him was good, although he was not getting rich or anything.

When I was a paratrooper we used to do 400 pushups at a hit, just to see who could do them the fastest. We didn't see the point in repetition of chin-ups, we went for who could hold himself in the "up" position the longest.
That said, the master blacksmith I studied under used to impress the crap outta me. He would just casually pick up anvils, in the 150-200lb range, with one arm and tote them around his shop like he was carrying a six pack of beer. I once saw him pick up a 300lb, Hay-Budden anvil, still attached to its oak anvil stand and carry it about 10 feet. I do confess that he look a bit strained by that one though.
I also confess that I have gotten real week in my old age. One of the major reasons I have let my wife talk me into getting back into this is that I really miss the upper body strength that comes with working the hot steel. I also just miss making steel and iron do what I want it to do. There is just something cool about taking steel and working it like putty, having it move under your hand, change shape into what you envision it to be and, when you are done, it is, once again, a terribly hard thing which one would swear could not be changed.
I am gonna have to figure out how to post pictures on here. Then you can see all the fun pics of me burning myself and the crying and the.....I mean, the MANLY HAMMERING OF HEATED STEEL....yeah, that. LOL

[CoreyR]

As a blacksmith, life would be easier with a nice power hammer. The tricky part is pouring all of the concrete base.

No, the tricky part, for a powerhammer, is PAYING FOR THE THING!!! The concrete is easy!!

lol.. pricey, but badass! Depending on the size your better off installing the hammer then build your workshop around it.

You are right about that but I just do not see myself being able to afford one in the near future. My new "workshop" is one of those large, high roofed, "carport" like, kinda "barn" buildings, with sides but no front or back. It has a smaller, storage building siting right up at the back of it. I was using it as a "garage/workshop" for lawnmowers, tillers, generators, anything with a motor. It still will be that but a significant chunk is being converted to the blacksmith shop now. There should be room for a powerhammer, in the future, if I can ever afford one.

[Tsal]

No, the tricky part, for a powerhammer, is PAYING FOR THE THING!!! The concrete is easy!!

lol.. pricey, but badass! Depending on the size your better off installing the hammer then build your workshop around it.

You are right about that but I just do not see myself being able to afford one in the near future. My new "workshop" is one of those large, high roofed, "carport" like, kinda "barn" buildings, with sides but no front or back. It has a smaller, storage building siting right up at the back of it. I was using it as a "garage/workshop" for lawnmowers, tillers, generators, anything with a motor. It still will be that but a significant chunk is being converted to the blacksmith shop now. There should be room for a powerhammer, in the future, if I can ever afford one.

Those are good enough...I was thinking about getting one for my crap but I think I'm just going to build a small shed this spring for my mower and yard tools . I would love to get into blacksmithing but with two young ones I don't have the time.

[ncrobb]

I’ve hammered around a bit and have a friend who used to teach smithing at a folk art school. I never got good at it. I focused my blade work on stock removal ILO forging.

[Longshanks]

I have no knowledge to speak on the subject, but I'd love to learn the skill myself. I've seen some amazing KY long rifles made by a smithy in NC and a fella online. I'm AMAZED what people can make with a little heat and a hammer and metal. I dislike that we've become such a cookie-cutter-throw-away society that products of this craft aren't valued as much as they should be. The hours and effort and skill put into these things carry some serious value in my book. Unfortunately, that value often puts things out of reach for the common man, who probably appreciates quality-that-lasts-a-lifetime more than those who can actually afford it.

[CoreyR]

I have no knowledge to speak on the subject, but I'd love to learn the skill myself. I've seen some amazing KY long rifles made by a smithy in NC and a fella online. I'm AMAZED what people can make with a little heat and a hammer and metal. I dislike that we've become such a cookie-cutter-throw-away society that products of this craft aren't valued as much as they should be. The hours and effort and skill put into these things carry some serious value in my book. Unfortunately, that value often puts things out of reach for the common man, who probably appreciates quality-that-lasts-a-lifetime more than those who can actually afford it.

"Gunsmithing" is a whole realm of it's own. Traditional gunsmithing that is, and I mean the old sense of the word, when they MADE guns from billet steel and hardwood stock, not todays "gunsmiths" who repair and customize modern firearms. I worked, for many years under a master gunsmith (modern) and picked up some of the modern skills. I have spent some time watching the Colonial Williamsburg gunsmiths and, MAN, that is one specialized trade! A bit of blacksmithing a LOT of "locksmithing" and I mean the old sense of the word, making locks by forging the parts, in this case the "lock" mechanism of the firearms, a musket or a rifle, and then the simple "gunsmith." They have to forge the barrel and drill it out then, if it is a rifle, they must cut the rifling into it. No wonder those reproduction weapons, which are not mass produced, cost so much money!
For that matter, there used to be, until about 20 years ago, an actual "locksmith" still operating in Richmond, Virginia. I worked as a public safety officer for a historic park in the city. We had old, historic buildings on the park and needed a lock repaired on a mausoleum which was quite old. This guy came out, looked at it, took measurements, made drawings and forged a new lock.
Sadly, he is gone now. He was the last "locksmith" that I knew of. Certainly the last one I have heard of in business. His shop was...interesting, in the extreme, to visit. I used to have to go there every couple of months to get old keys made or an old lock repaired. Nice guy.

[Tsal]

I have no knowledge to speak on the subject, but I'd love to learn the skill myself. I've seen some amazing KY long rifles made by a smithy in NC and a fella online. I'm AMAZED what people can make with a little heat and a hammer and metal. I dislike that we've become such a cookie-cutter-throw-away society that products of this craft aren't valued as much as they should be. The hours and effort and skill put into these things carry some serious value in my book. Unfortunately, that value often puts things out of reach for the common man, who probably appreciates quality-that-lasts-a-lifetime more than those who can actually afford it.

"Gunsmithing" is a whole realm of it's own. Traditional gunsmithing that is, and I mean the old sense of the word, when they MADE guns from billet steel and hardwood stock, not todays "gunsmiths" who repair and customize modern firearms. I worked, for many years under a master gunsmith (modern) and picked up some of the modern skills. I have spent some time watching the Colonial Williamsburg gunsmiths and, MAN, that is one specialized trade! A bit of blacksmithing a LOT of "locksmithing" and I mean the old sense of the word, making locks by forging the parts, in this case the "lock" mechanism of the firearms, a musket or a rifle, and then the simple "gunsmith." They have to forge the barrel and drill it out then, if it is a rifle, they must cut the rifling into it. No wonder those reproduction weapons, which are not mass produced, cost so much money!
For that matter, there used to be, until about 20 years ago, an actual "locksmith" still operating in Richmond, Virginia. I worked as a public safety officer for a historic park in the city. We had old, historic buildings on the park and needed a lock repaired on a mausoleum which was quite old. This guy came out, looked at it, took measurements, made drawings and forged a new lock.
Sadly, he is gone now. He was the last "locksmith" that I knew of. Certainly the last one I have heard of in business. His shop was...interesting, in the extreme, to visit. I used to have to go there every couple of months to get old keys made or an old lock repaired. Nice guy.

I have to agree, blacksmithing is a very small process of gunsmiths. I am however amazed with handmade gun locks.

[CoreyR]

I have to agree, blacksmithing is a very small process of gunsmiths. I am however amazed with handmade gun locks.

You an me both. If you ever get the chance visit Colonial Williamsburgs gunsmith shop. They will gladly show you a lock in progress and their tools. This really impresses upon my how much detailed smithing goes into it. I own a Kentucky long rifle and a Hawken, both reproductions, cheap repros to. Still the lockwork is astounding though I modestly admit I have repaired a spring myself. ONE spring.