c/blacksmiths

A guy at the county fair said my bottle opener looked like a 'sad, flat fish' and honestly, he wasn't wrong.

Found a 1920s forge bellows in an old barn near Boise

I was helping a buddy clear out his grandpa's barn last weekend and we uncovered a huge, hand-operated bellows tucked behind some hay bales. It's got a wooden frame and leather that's stiff but not cracked, with the maker's stamp still clear on the side. I've only ever used electric blowers, so seeing this old setup made me wonder how different the heat control must have been. Has anyone here actually worked with one of these, and is it worth trying to restore?

I always thought you needed a full forge to fix a broken axe eye, but a buddy in Boise showed me a torch and a piece of rebar trick that saved my weekend project.

Hot take: my old forge burner gave out mid-project and it was a blessing

It happened two days ago while I was working on a set of fireplace tools. The burner just quit, no warning, right as I was bringing a scroll to a welding heat. I had to finish the job with my small backup propane torch, which took three times as long. Honestly, it forced me to stop and finally build the new ribbon burner I've been putting off for months. I used a 3 inch pipe and drilled 32 holes in the pattern. Has anyone else switched from a standard venturi to a ribbon burner and noticed a real difference in heat spread?

I finally got my forge up to a perfect heat for a Damascus billet and then the power went out.

Spent all Tuesday morning prepping the steel and getting the temp just right, a solid 2300 degrees according to the pyrometer. The whole neighborhood lost power for two hours and the billet was a total loss. What's your go-to backup plan when the grid fails on a critical weld?

Vent: My forge hit 2,300 degrees for the first time and I'm a bit worried

I was working on a big Damascus billet yesterday, just pushing the gas a bit more than usual to get a good weld. I glanced at the pyrometer and it read 2,300. That's way hotter than I've ever run it, and honestly, it made me pause. I backed it down fast, but now I'm thinking about my burner setup and if my firebrick can handle that kind of heat long-term. Has anyone else accidentally pushed their forge that high and noticed any damage?

Finally hit 2000 degrees on my homemade forge

I've been messing with the burner design on my homebuilt propane forge for months, trying to get a stable, clean heat. Yesterday in my Portland garage, the thermocouple read 2015 F for a solid ten minutes. It was the first time I could reliably get a welding heat without the flame going orange and sooty. What's your go-to method for dialing in a consistent high temp? I'm using a basic Venturi burner setup.

Why does nobody talk about using a piece of copper pipe to set a drift?

I mean, I was trying to drift a hole in a hammer head last week and my steel drift kept getting stuck, like, every single time. I was getting so mad, I almost threw the thing. Then I remembered my grandpa saying something about copper being softer, so I cut a short piece of half-inch copper pipe and hammered it in first. It actually worked, the steel drift went right through after that. Has anyone else tried this trick, or am I just lucky?

Shoutout to the old timer at the Mid-Atlantic forge-in

I was at the Mid-Atlantic forge-in last month and got stuck trying to forge weld a simple chain link. This guy, must've been in his 70s, walked over and just said 'your fire's too clean, kid.' He had me add a bit of green wood to the coal to make a reducing atmosphere. The scale just stopped forming and the weld took on the first tap. I'd been fighting that for weeks. Anyone else use that green wood trick for forge welding?

Just read that in 1900, over 50% of all US-made nails were still hand-forged. Found that in a book at the library about old Pittsburgh steel mills.

Question about forge welding high carbon steel. I was ready to give up after 5 failed attempts, then tried sprinkling borax on the joint before the final heat.

Saw a weird forge setup at a county fair in Springfield

I was at the Illinois State Fair last week and stopped by the blacksmithing demo tent. One smith had his coal forge built into an old washing machine drum, with the blower run off a car battery. It worked, but the heat seemed really uneven. I'm torn between thinking it's a clever reuse of junk and worrying it's a safety hazard waiting to happen. Has anyone here run a setup like that long term?

Had a close call with a propane forge valve last month

I was working on a big custom gate order and my main forge started to sputter. I went to adjust the regulator and the whole valve assembly felt loose, like it was about to blow gas. I shut everything down right then. Turns out the constant heat cycles over two years had worn the threads almost smooth. Has anyone else had a regulator fail on them like that?

Just realized my old coal forge was costing me more than the new propane one in Seattle

I ran my coal setup for a year and the propane forge for six months, tracking fuel costs. The propane forge used about $40 a month, while coal was nearly $80 with all the extra coke and cleanup time. The difference is the heat control; I can dial in exact temps for Damascus billets now without fighting the fire. Anyone else in a damp climate find propane just works better for consistency?

Cleaned out the old forge shed and found my first set of tongs

They were under a pile of scrap, and I counted 37 hammer marks on the reins from when I was learning to make them. That was back at the old shop on Maple Street in 2008. It's strange to think how many tools I've made since then, all starting with that one rough pair. Anyone else keep their first piece, even if it's not perfect?

My neighbor called my forge a 'noisy hobby' and it got me thinking

He said it last Tuesday while I was working on a set of fireplace tools, and it stuck with me. On one side, I get it, the hammering can be loud and it's just my garage. But I also see it as a real craft, not just a pastime, with a history and skill to it. Where do you all draw the line between a loud hobby and a serious trade when you're working from home? Has a comment like that ever changed how you run your shop?

Hit 500 hours on my main forge and it made me rethink my setup

I was cleaning out the firepot yesterday and saw the hour meter on my Johnson gas forge read 500 exactly. I always thought that was just a number, but it hit me that's a full year of weekends and evenings. The burner tips are shot, the insulation is thin in spots, and the whole thing runs about 50 degrees cooler than it did new. I used to think you just ran a forge until it died, but now I see the slow drop in efficiency. Anyone else track their forge hours and notice a performance cliff?

Warning: I just read that a 19th century blacksmith in London could make up to 10,000 horseshoes a year.

Found that in a museum pamphlet and now my output of maybe two a day feels pretty humble, so how do you even begin to get that fast without sacrificing quality?

Just realized my old coal forge was holding me back

I used a hand crank blower on a rivet forge for years, thinking it gave me more control. Then I visited a smith in Austin who runs a Whisper Mama propane forge, and the difference in heat consistency was crazy. After switching six months ago, my forge welds are cleaner and I waste way less fuel. Anyone else make the jump from solid fuel to gas and notice a big change in their work?

Just hit 500 custom knives made in my shop outside Asheville

I was cleaning up the books last night and realized I've made exactly 500 finished blades since I started keeping track. It felt weird because I still think of myself as the guy who just makes stuff in a shed. Has anyone else hit a number that made you stop and think about how far you've come?

Started letting my forge cool naturally instead of dousing it.

My firebrick lasts way longer now (no more cracks from thermal shock). Plus, the shop stays cleaner without all that steam.

My local supplier's new starter kits all have stainless steel

It makes learning basic forging much harder for newbies.

Cracked my first file knife during heat treat. Guess I rushed it.

Why I let my greenest hand forge the custom gate last month

Most old timers insist that complex jobs should only go to seasoned smiths. I broke that rule and put our newest apprentice in charge of a detailed wrought iron gate. Sure, he needed guidance and the finish wasn't perfect, but the client praised the fresh energy in the design. That experience boosted his skills and changed how our shop shares work. Letting new folks step up can strengthen the whole crew.

Caught a bad habit in my hammer swing that was wearing me out

I noticed my arm getting sore really fast during long forging sessions. Turns out I was holding the hammer too tight and not letting the weight do the work. What do you all do to keep your form in check over hours of hammering?