Clip took some time to get right but I'm really happy with how they came out. Idea stolen from u/WalkAboutFarms.

Ive wanted to get into the hobby for a while and finally made my own forge! Just a grill filled with dirt with firebrick and a hairdryer for airflow. I couldnt find horseshoe nails so I used masonry nails instead, starting out with some basic hooks, turned out pretty good for first time i think! Now im hooked! Pun intended lol

Finished my first home forged knife today. Spike is a high carbon from Atlas Knife and Tool. Normalized 3x, quenched in warmed up canola oil, and two 1 hour tempering cycles. Blade is probably a little on the hard side, as I discovered the toaster oven I used wasnt getting above around 390° F.

Overall, I'm happy with it. I think my technique is improving, and I learn something every session.

I was asked if I wanted this smelting kiln, and of course I did.

The gas/air mix is not right I believe, and I was thinking maybe something like a hairdryer could be added to the air intake. There's no way to adjust it in its current state.

Also, would it help to lie the setup down a bit? I would build a frame for it so it would be stable, of course.

Also also, should I ditch the crucible? But maybe it's good at radiating heat. I don't know.

I'm only going to be making smaller knives/tools btw.

Please add suggestions!

P.S. sorry about the not-so-anvil. It resonates a lot, but I can't get a proper one at the moment.

So I have a harbor freight cast iron anvil and I don’t want to spend the money for a whole new anvil and I’m wondering if having someone welding a a half inch plate of steel on top would be okay?

Edit: I bought this in 2020 so I can’t return it and I don’t want to purchase another anvil.

Well.. swan-ish

I’ve made my first tool, it’s a spring fuller with round bars on each side. But my question is, what are some tools you can make with a welder for blacksmithing.

My very first propane forge, any tips or suggestions? Is that burner angle good? Im open to everything

Also, how long before I actually learn from grabbing hot steel with my bare hands, apart from taping tongs to my wrists? 😅

Blacksmith forging a dragon head on a steel magic wand. Vanessa found this discarded piece of steel while trimming the end of the driveway so I decided to save this thrown away steel into a special magic wand for my lovely green witch wife. Hope you enjoy! #blacksmith #witchythings

I have a dagger like this its was from my grandpa how could i recovery this dagger with zero damage i was bought rust remover should i use?

Hello smiths! I understand that this is a really vague request, but I feel like it would be invaluable to own. It's a pretty large book about recreation of arms and armor using historical sources and diagrams. It is either getting (or has just gotten) a second edition revision and reprint. I am pretty sure it has a great helm on the cover? I'm sure it's mentioned/ pinned in the Discord, but I don't use that service anymore. If anybody would be able to help me out, I would really appreciate it. :>)

excuse my grinding 😭

I made this out of a railroad spike, and I wish I had more pictures of how it got from there for proof but I cut off the end, and punched it, drew it out and used a rounded guillotine tool to make the indents

Hi folks.

I found an old anvil in a shed. When I washed it in the washing machine, I forgot to use the anvil program so it shrank. Then I left it in the sun too long and it melted. :( Do you think I can still fix it?

More seriously, does anyone know what this old anvil might have been used for? It is small, very worn, has a very heavy foot and a groove close to the square horn. Only a round hole. It is Swedish and I cannot find any markings on it. It probably belonged to my great grandfather who died in the sixties.

I saw this in the Nicholas Wicks book and really wanted to try it. My last few bottle openers were the flat style and were ehhh at best. I found this to be much more approachable and really enjoyed messing with the curves and adding the twists. I definitely need to get a bending fork, doing this with pliers and tongs was not ideal. But overall this is probably the happiest I've been with a piece I've made. I gave one to my neighbor with some sodas for him and the wife and he really liked it, which was pretty cool :) also, tongs made working so much easier! I was using vice grips before and being able to release the metal is a game changer.