[TheForge] Basic questions, was Merry Christmas

[Bob Ehrenberger]

Ed,

Frosty answered most of your questions so I'll just try to fill in the gaps 
a little.

I like coal forges because of the control over the area being heated. But 
gas forges will get a large piece hot faster like when making hammer heads 
or damascus steel.

On hammers, I bought every blacksmith hammer I found at flea markets and 
garage sales that I found and tried them out.  I say "I had to but 20 
hammers to find the 3 that I like and use every day." When you visit other 
blacksmiths or go to hammer-ins try out the hammers that other guys are 
using and see what you like.  I've made several of my own hammers for 
specialty uses, one I used as my primary hammer for about 10 years before I 
switched to the Hoffie style hammer which I currently use. If you buy an 
expensive custom made hammer before you know what you like it could be just 
an expensive mistake.

Frosty had a nice overview of heat treating, but didn't answed the question 
that you asked.  The simple answer is, by the time you get steel up to forge 
welding temperature any heat treat/temper that it had, is gone.

You can sometimes find a good used anvil at a good price, but don't count on 
it.  If you ask everyone you know if they have an old anvil lying around 
somewhere, you will eventually find one. I recently found a broken anvil at 
a harness shop. I got it for $25 and then spend 2-3 days fixing it into a 
usable anvil, so if you figure your time and materials that $25 anvil 
actually cost me $300-$500. If you have the time and equipment it makes 
sense, if you don't you may be better off spending the money.

I have a point and shoot infrared thermometer and use it sometimes for 
tempering hammers or for preheating anvils before welding.  Most of the time 
on chisles and pinches I go by the temper colors, it is fast and reliable 
enough for most things.

As Frosty said, some people deserve respect and some don't.

I've made a living as a blacksmith for 15 years. But I came into it debt 
free and well equipped after 25 years as a software engineer.  When I 
started, I made most of my money demonstrating and selling at reenactments 
and heratage festivals.  Now most of my work is wholesaled to someone that 
does a  better job of selling than I do.  I'm about to transition into 
retirement and will probably make fewer high end pieces just to stay busy 
out in the shop, but without the pressure of deadlines and customers. My 
passion is more in tools so I can see myself making things to sell to other 
blacksmiths.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ed Eccleston
Sent: Wednesday, December 25, 2013 9:26 AM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Merry Christmas

Hah!  Ok, you asked for it...   So, what type of forge is best?   What size
hammer should I use?
Should I draw the temper out of spring steel before forge welding?  And what
the heck does that actually mean?  Where can I get a cheap but good anvil?
Is a point and shoot infrared thermometer a good way to check metal temp.?
Why were some smiths treated like dirt in history, and others like royalty?
Who are the guys making a really decent living in the trade, what are they
building and is there a common denominator?

    Just joking on most of the above (although not all....).


Ed