[TheForge] blacksmith's boot dance

[peter fels]

It's the literary arena to which i can aspire...grin
That was one of my first articles.
Pleased to see it passing out the odd giggle again.

On Mar 30, 2011, at 11:28 AM, Ron Childers wrote:

> Peter, As we credit our contributors, Ur name will be in print; again.
> Thanx, Ron C
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of peter fels
> Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 2:10 PM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] blacksmith's boot dance
> 
> Honored
> On Mar 30, 2011, at 7:45 AM, Ron Childers wrote:
> 
>> And the FABA Clinker Breaker?
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Saint Phlip
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 4:22 PM
>> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] blacksmith's boot dance
>> 
>> Cute, Peter. Can I pass it along to the EK Metalsmiths list?
>> 
>> On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 1:17 PM, peter fels <artgawk at thegrid.net>
> wrote:
>>> 
>>> This is an old article i wrote for the CBA many years ago
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>                 Blacksmith's Boot Dance
>>> 
>>>              An advisory for the B. S.ing tenderfoot
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>            Surprisingly. your slake tub needs to be large enough to
>>> 
>>>       accommodate your entire boot. Space for two boots is seldom
>>> 
>>>       necessary. Be thankful.
>>> 
>>>            You will realize the wisdom of this the first time some
>>> 
>>>       lonely chunk of hot iron nuzzles its warm way down that little
>>> 
>>>       gap in your boot top.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>            So as to save the beginner some very important seconds
>>> 
>>>       trying to figure out what to do when there is a sizzling siren
>>> 
>>>       going off in their footware; the inquiring tenderfoot is
> urgently
>>> 
>>>       and rightly advised......
>>> 
>>>             Plunge the Whole Smoking Boot (be it right or left, his
> or
>>> 
>>>       hers) Unhesitatingly Into the Quench Tank!
>>> 
>>>            There is No suitable means of getting that boot off fast
>>> 
>>>       enough! Do not even consider hesitating !  Plunk it ,sock and
>>> 
>>>       all,right in there and never mind the laces or the laughter
> 'till
>>> 
>>>       it's under and coooling!
>>> 
>>>            This lesson can be burned into the student's memory more
>>> 
>>>       quickly by the wearing of cuffs , sneakers or shorts at the
>>> 
>>>       forge. Fingers may be used to assist the flow of water into
> the
>>> 
>>>       soggy shoe.A cold day can be worse than a hot day.
>>> 
>>>            The first time, I figured out the right move  a little
> late,
>>> 
>>>       then my foot jammed in the bottom of the bucket.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>            While we're on the subject of burns ; the novice smith is
>>> 
>>>       probably working with fire and iron as a matter of choice and
>>> 
>>>       thus is apt to have more than a wee bit of the pyromanical
> about
>>> 
>>>       them (in a socially acceptable form, you bet).
>>> 
>>>            This is a condition that results in frequent burns for
> the
>>> 
>>>       enthusiast, as their mommy probably told them it would.
>>> 
>>>            Some practioners of our art rely on butter for the burn,
>>> 
>>>       others lard or salves, aloe or what have you. More power to
> them
>>> 
>>>       (wait, do we really want to give burn victims more power?).
>>> 
>>>            My own experience with burns (those that do not break the
>>> 
>>>       skin) is...
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>            The Quicker you can quench that burn, the more you can
> limit
>>> 
>>>       damage and the less it will smart ( we're smart enough that
> way
>>> 
>>>       already). Individual seconds of delay seem to make a major
>>> 
>>>       difference .
>>> 
>>>            Unless your slake tub is septic or salted; plunk the hot-
>>> 
>>>       spot right in and leave it soak there a while. Pass the first
>>> 
>>>       minute perhaps thinking about the nearest ice cubes
> (portable).
>>> 
>>>            To fend off boredom while swishing the burn around;
>>> 
>>>       contemplate explaining to your significant-other why you have
>>> 
>>>       your elbow in the quench tank and your butt in the air, as I
> have
>>> 
>>>       done.
>>> 
>>>            Now that you know where the pit falls, take heart. Even
>>> 
>>>       black heat is a fast teacher and after a while you won't fry
> bits
>>> 
>>>       of your anatomy quite so often or maybe it's just that you
> don't
>>> 
>>>       notice so much.
>>> 
>>> ______________________________________________________________
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>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> Saint Phlip
>> 
>> So, you think your data is safe?
>> 
> http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/01/23/schneier.google.hacking/index.html
> ?hpt=T2
>> 
>> Heat it up
>> Hit it hard
>> Repent as necessary.
>> 
>> Priorities:
>> 
>> It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the
> smith.
>> 
>> .I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary
>> notices I have read with pleasure. -Clarence Darrow
>> ______________________________________________________________
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