[TheForge] question for part-timers & hobbyists

Fri Feb 28 11:05:01 2003

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> Back to the questions.
> What are your personal goals for blacksmithing?

Basicly, to use smithing as a basis for understanding more about the
Medieval cultures I'm studying (along with cookery and leatherwork)

>
> Are you more interested in technical skills, design skills, or equally
> devoted to both?

I'm interested in the thought process. I work towards improving all of my
skills, and am interested in all sorts of things related to smithing, but my
personal focus, at the moment, is on Medieval practices, processes, and
artifacts.

> Do you like to do projects or make up your own, or both?

Both.

> How much time per week, or month do you set aside for your blacksmithing?

Varies- I don't work at it formally, but, for example, in bad weather, when
I can't smith, I study and look for references and resources.

> How much time do you set aside for studying blacksmithing in other ways,
> through book research or your own sketching?

Don't set time aside- just sneak off and do it when I can.

> Do you set yourself certain goals in the shop?- for example, maybe in
June,
> you are going to work strictly on collars, or in August, you are going to
> work on perfecting scroll designs.

I never have. I look at a project, and teach myself any skills I need to
complete it. If I'm in doubt about how to do something, I have quite a few
people I can ask, including some on this List.

> If you don't like to work with a goal system- then how do you decide what
to
> work on ?

Depends on what I, or we (my SCA Household) need or want. At the moment, I'm
focussing on Medieval cookware, and aq proper Medieval forge set up, so I'm
working on plans and designs until I can get out into the shop.

> What motivates you?

Love of the steel ;-) I find it immensely satisfying to make things, and
leather, food, and steel are my favorite materials- consequently, I tend to
overlap projects. And, I'm starting to work towards making money at it-
beats having a Real Job ;-)

>
> Do you have anything else to add that I didn't think about asking?

Well, much of my interest stems from my involvement in SCA. If I hadn't
gotten involved, I'd likely still be smithing- I learned to love it as a
farrier- but I suspect I might not have been as motivated as I am towards
doing the projects I'm doing. But, me being me, no doubt I'd have found
something else which used smithing as a way to learn ;-)

Phlip

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....

----- Original Message -----
From: "Fiorini & Skiles" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 10:50 AM
Subject: [TheForge] question for part-timers & hobbyists

>
> I'll answer it too, but I don't want it to be about me right away.  I'd
like
> to see a cross section of responses from all of the part timers and
> hobbyists.
> -Kirsten
> [email protected]
> http://hosting.acegroup.cc/~koka/
> http://www.mnartists.org/?loc_name=viewartistfeature&artistid=2713
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  [email protected]
> password:  anvil
> ___________
>
>
>
>