[TheForge] Museum shop work

[john ortery]

The site I work at in Illinois as a volunteer is always looking for
someone who knows how to blacksmith and most other sites seem to be
looking most of the time.  I make my own tags for the things I forge
at the site. Mine look better and they have my e-mail address on
them(no web site yet). the things I make on site say hand forge at New
Salem on the tags, this sells them faster than I can make them. You do
sometimes spend a lot of time talking to people while on site as that
is part of the job. Things made at home just say hand forged by me
with the e-mail.
Once you are in the door and they know you you can have your way about
the shop and what it needs if they have the money for it. I do take
most of my own tools with me and plan to start making tools for the
sites shop so I don't have to drag 50# of tools in and out with me.
When I am gone they will get to keep them so the next poor slob
doesn't have to start all over with nothing.
  But anywho it can be a great place to let people meet a REAL
blacksmith and see what it takes to make that item in the gift shop.
When they see that" that was work" as someone said after I was done
making a russian rose for somebody for mothersday they are often more
willing to spend the money when they get to the gift shop. So good
luck at the site and have fun!  Allen Ortery