Blacksmithing tools

[opsec]

http://www.blacksmithsupply.com/home.aspx?Merchant=blacksmith_supply

Is there a blacksmith in the house? What tools do we need?

[WolfBrother]

I'm not a pimple on the posterior of a blacksmith.  I did ask a blacksmith what I needed to get started.

He said:

You need
 - forge with blower
 - anvil or shaped piece of RailRoad mounted at an appropriate height.

The rest you can make

[Dame]

Fuel

[WolfBrother]

I asked about fuel for the forge.

He said he had 2 different forges.  One was propane fueled, the other would take coal/charcoal etc.

He said he was storing approximately 1/2 ton of anthracite coal each year in a shed out on his farm.  He said he scrounged some large diameter pipe and built a vessel to put wood into - to make charcoal. 

I gave him the funny look and said, " I suspect that your expecting hard times and are planning on bartering your blacksmithing abilities". 

He just smiled and  nodded his head.

[opsec]

What do we need to make after that?

[Ryder]

As far as tools the skys the limit. Tongs for holding things and then chisels for cutting things. Anybody know what a hardy is and what about a pritchel hole. I will try to get some photos of my anvil and my peice of railroad rail. The thing that you need tools for is to make or work on other things. If you are going to 'draw out a axe' or bring the edge back to a chisel perhaps. Knife making or making a part to fix the food grinder, wheat thresher, water pump etc etc.

[WolfBrother]

What do we need to make after that?

Go here and download this:

http://ftpforge.chez-alice.fr/Blacksmithing.pdf

read it.  Once you get minimum stuff

• fire/forge
• anvil like thing/anvil
• hammer like thing/hammer

you'll be in the position to make everything else you need.

[opsec]

I'm in the very act of downloading this. Thanks WB, good find.

[Ryder]

Good info. Print this and save it in a nice tough 3 ring binder. That way when the lights go out and you have a fire and two rocks you can begin making something.  I have been lately advising people to acquire info and tools that they may never use but someone else might be able to save everyone with.