How Many Smiths Have we got on This site????

[NW Wildman]

Where can I get smithing tools

[ValleyBlacksmith]

Count one more...

Howdy fellers!!!

[Wild Ed]

I have a forge and tools for when I move to the country.

[ValleyBlacksmith]

Where can I get smithing tools

What are you looking for specifically?
Each year in september there is a large gathering of smiths and sale of blacksmithing stuff in southern Ohio, it is called the Quad State meet.
Anything and everything you can immagine is there in quantity.
Otherwise go to farm auctions, look up your local farrier and ask him what might be around your area (I'm bettin' he knows a few smiths) and you could also place an ad in the local paper.
The closer you are to the east the better your prospects, the further west you go the scarcer stuff gets.
Avoid the antique dealers, they will scalp you.

[Grassmith]

I just put in a second bathroom. It is kinda rustic and I think it would look cool if I could make some rought iron towel bars and a hand towel ring for the sink. I would like to see some pics of your "interer art nouvo" stuff, for ideas.

[Grassmith]

I'm up for swappin' tips and such. Been doing smithing about 5 years, started primitive but now mostly ornamental  interior stuff (traditional and Art Nouveau). Any one interested in doing a gallery of pic's for the site here?

( I posted this earler but I was really directing the question to you and I am just learning how to do this message board thing so please ax qqqqqqs mi igners Translation please excuse my ignorance). I just put in a second bathroom. It is kinda rustic and I think it would look cool if I could make some rought iron towel bars and a hand towel ring for the sink. I would like to see some pics of your "interer art nouvo" stuff, for ideas.

[Thumper]

Grassmith, art nouveau is an old art form, used in many different disciplines. Google up "French Art Nouveau Wrought Iron", and you'll get more ideas than the human mind can comprehend. Welcome to the "I need to smack some hot iron", club LOL.

[ol brazos don]

i am a beginner , just being the fact that i do have an anvil(peter wright; 118#?) and i have pounded
out a few things on it.  i really do need a forge, i cant get enough heat on the bbq.  i am new on the forum

and looking forward 7o this area of talk and information

[wwpete52]

I love forging.  I wish that I had better tools.  One of these days I'm going to invest more money in it.

[voyageur1688]

Wish I had a Wright anvil, but my old Fisher works well for me. Wrights are just a bit pricey for my budget.
Voy

[elglide]

I learned enough to make what I need from some old timers and was really lucky. Most tools you make yourself after you get a anvil and hammer. I have a Hay & Budden 112lb. anvil and use a rivet forge with coal and I use a heat gun for an air source because I hate turning a crank for air. I am now in Florida and it sure is hot to hammer most of the time. There are some good books out there and I have many issues of the Black Smith Journal which is an excellent learning tool. It sure is hard finding steel down here though. In Michigan there are scrap yards and you can get dimensional steel dirt cheap. I am rambling on so have a good day!  Elglide

[Rev]

I do a bit of smithing and have mainly done strikers, knives, camp gear and hawks. Gonna be making some other stuff as time & inspiration allow. Unfortunately, here in the Valley of the Sun, 6 months out of the year the thermometer is showing above 100 degrees. Not much pounding of iron going on...

[Thumper]

Here's a neat tip for those of you who want to make some tongs. Farrier's (horseshoer's), nippers!!! Take out the rivet, and work the ends in the forge w/ hammer and anvil, swages etc, till you get the shape you want. Re-align the tips and make a new rivet, do NOT hot quench these tongs . They are a higher carbon steel than mild steel and they will crack (experience talkin' here!!)!!! You can make any shape tip you want, not just the standards and end up approx 16in long. Here's one specifically for 1/2 X 1/8 strap.

Here's a bunch of standard ones and a scrolling tong.

[monkeywright]

I guess you can count me in this I've picked up blacksmith as a new hobby here recently.  So I am definitely learning this from the ground up.  But will say this a friend of mine just recently asked me this how often do you see a blacksmith at the psychiatrists?  So I am going with that.

[ErikPrice1@msn.com]

That is sound advice, guess you can count me on this one too.  Gonna screw up alot along the way but boy is it addicting.