[TheForge] RE: TheForge Digest, Vol 24, Issue 20

[Andrei Pandelescu]

Wooo ! Huge loads of information I really spent some time sorting it out :)

Thanks a lot for all this support ! 

After reading all these I devised this plan that was actually set in motion.

1. I Ordered the "new edge of anvil" off amazon - hope it gets to me in
about 2-3 weeks.

1 and 1/2 . Personally I am vary much drawn to all metalwork - I think I
will go for ornaments and knives first, then for some more complicated tools
and then I can finally take on to swords and armor :)) - and yes there is an
SCA group in Romania - but no blacksmiths in it - only bowyers. And it costs
money too :( which I am not so willing to give for only a membership - I
prefer investing them in blacksmithing :)

2. Sadly (or dunno, maybe a good sign for the country) the areas where they
still work the land with horses is pretty far away from the capital - and
the closest blacksmith to the town is in a place sufficiently far away for
me to have to sleep over if I go on weekends. So I guess I'm somehow on my
own.

3. I have a yard in a low populated area of the city, which will enable me
to use a cheaper , hand made coal forge for which I found the plans already
and started making it (it involves a brake drum, a hairdryer, some piping
and welding but I think I'll manage - mostly if I get the ol' father to help
me with some parts), and I actually spotted a heavy (!!) piece of cast iron
in my grandmother's yard that I will somehow ninja out and use it as an
anvil.

4. I bought some coal from a gas station - dunno if they are the right type
( I think they're barbecue coal or something) - hope they will do their
thing - if not - I will find a coal-heated house nearby (there still are
some if I look carefully) and buy some of the owner(these are better
quality). I think there is some law around regarding usage of hand-made
propane installations - so I will have to pass on those...

5. I bought me a round-headed 1kg (that's dunno 2 pounds I guess) hammer and
some tongs that were very cheap and have 30 cm handles or something - I
think I can make use of them.

6. The materials I still lack - I wonder if some scrap iron will do? I hope
it will - cause I have some old angled iron and iron piping lying around and
rusting away :) 

I'll let you know in a few days and may even post a picture of an attempt :)


Thanks again for all the support!!

Andrei