Aussie smith in Finland- was Re: [TheForge] Re: Test mail

[Phlip]

OK, I'm answering Stephan too, but I think I might have a few resources
here, for any beginning blacksmith. Stephan, the guys are right. Bealer's
book is OK, but it's no where near adequate to teach you to smith
efficiently- he tends to take you long way 'round the barn. I find that's
true of many of the demos on iForge, too, but they'll all work.

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

First thing I suggest you do is learn some basic techniques- drawing points,
accurate bends, and even twists. Learn, first, to draw a short sharp point-
it's easy, and once you have a short sharp point, it's a lot easier to
lengthen it than it is to shorten it.

The following url is a good review of the basic techniques you need to know-
I'm working up a variation for my EKMetalsmiths, that doesn't use modern
techniques. The whole website is worth looking over.

http://www.appaltree.net/aba/education/dol_standards/processes.htm

I found these on line- they give you a very good idea of how to do the
techniques above. I suggest reading through all of them relating to
smithing- there's a lot of good information there.

http://www.countryside.gov.uk/NewEnterprise/Economies/craftpublications.asp

And, when you're ready to get into more detailed information, the following
urls will give you lots of useful information about the material you're
using:

Metallurgy of Steel for Bladesmiths & Others  who Heat Treat and Forge
Steel By   John D. Verhoeven,  Emeritus Professor,  Iowa State University:

http://mse.iastate.edu/files/verhoeven/7-5.pdf

And a very good compilation of information of the effects of various
elements in various alloys:

http://www.msm.cam.ac.uk/phase-trans/2004/Bain.Alloying/ecbain.html

I think I've given you enough information here to get you started, without
having to spend a lot on international shipping, until you're ready to get
books you KNOW you'll need.

Thanks to the guys from Knife List, btw, for the last two urls- been so
long, I'm not sure who I got the others from- likely, you guys here ;-)

Saint Phlip,
CoD

"When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
 Blacksmith's credo.

 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....