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

[marilyn traber 011221]

> Wooo ! Huge loads of information I really spent some time sorting it 
> out :)
> 
> Thanks a lot for all this support !

I think it's called "paying our dues" ;-) Most of us here will agree that 
we've received nothing but help from the smithing community, whether it 
consisted of some cranky old smith we ran into by accident, or organized (us? 
organized?) groups of us, communicating through the wonders of the 'Net ;-)

> 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.

Good choice. There are others out there, which many have suggested, but, 
while it has its value, Bealer's book is something to wait on. He's 
responsible, in great part, for many of us getting into smithing, but he's 
most definitely a hobbyist, and tends to take you long way 'round the barn, 
to get a job done.

> 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 :)

Shouldn't cost money, beyond expenses for events. At least here in the US, 
you don't have to be a member to play, other than for reasonable expenses, 
like site fees, and food. Meetings should be free.

> 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.

Well, like any other skill, while it's easier to start if someone can show 
you a few things, most of what you'll learn will be between you and your 
metal.

> 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.

As soon as you can, try to get a large chunk of steel for an anvil. Cast iron 
is pretty brittle, and will break, unless you've got a really solid piece.

> 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...

Hit a dictionary, and learn the difference between charcoal, and coal. 
Charcoal is what happens when you burn all the impurities out of a piece of 
wood. The type you want would look like black pieces of wood. If you got the 
briquets, like people use for a barbecue, they'll all be the same shape. 
They're made out of compressed sawdust, and, while they'll work, they just 
don't get as hot as "lump" charcoal does. Coal is a mineral, comes out of the 
ground- very different fron charcoal, other than being black ;-) Working a 
coal fire requires an entire set of coal tending skills, including converting 
it to coke, and removing slag from the fire. It's not terribly difficult, 
once you learn how, but if you use it, particularly the sort commonly used to 
heat houses, you'll be spending more time figuring out how to get your fire 
working than you will actually smithing, until you catch on.

> 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.

Hammer's a bit heavy- 2.2 lbs, US style, but should work. Sounds like what we 
call a "ball pein".

> 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 :)

Anything but cast iron will work, it's just some is easier to use than 
others. Probably want you want is what we call "mild steel" which is steel 
with very low carbon content. Avoid stainless steels until you understand 
what you're doing better, and try to stick with "simple" steels- steels that 
are alloyed only with carbon. You can work the others, but each type works 
slightly differently, and you can confuse yourself cross-eyed, trying to do 
the same thing that worked fine on one type on another type.

> 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

We'll be waiting to hear.

Basic rules:

Get it hot. Get it really hot. Hotter it is, the softer it is- you want it at 
a texture similar to stiff clay.

Don't get it too hot or it will burn. I'm sure you'll discover this at some 
point yourself ;-)

Hit the high spot.

Have fun,

Phlip