Trying new things - helps me grow.

  I had plenty of time off  this summer (4 months due to restructuring) in order to work in my blacksmith shop. I ruin three 10'X10' tarps over my summer coal forge until I spent premium bucks for a good one. It lasted the rest of the summer through several micro-burst and hail. I loved working out there but plan on a three hour tour as coal fire is rather expensive. I went back to the basics of rustic knife, fork, and spoon design. These were a favorite with the encampment (both Civil War and WWII) that I attended. In the end I never know which way the metal is going to turn out forging. Might start with a spoon design that turns into a knife instead. I have learned not to rush the process if thing start heading South, just go with it.

  In the late Fall, I folded up tents and headed into the "winter forge" of my 12'x12' shed. Things are tight with all the new tooling I have plus the forge only has a 10" sq diagonal opening. I am making smaller items but repeating the process until I get things right. I must have spent a solid week making a penancular broaches for a client in Texas. The twist was never quite tight enough and no the pin sharp enough for the material. In the end I used a torch for the twist and created a pin out of a No. 8 horseshoe nail. Now it is time to move onto other things. My bowls are turning out great so I experimented with crease lines and new finishes. The scale on the metal was always the problem till I started soaking it  in vinegar and them grinding off for a mirror finish. After a mild heat treating from the back, I created an entirely new blue color with gold highlights. With the advent of new candle holders for the Christmas season, I created a candle snuffer to sell with the set. For some reason, I know not why, the red rustoleum paint to bubbling up on the surface even after heavy cleaning. I may have to discontinue that color from my christmas line of wrought iron pipe.

  Well, off to the shop to create something else - maybe a new set of hand tools for my bench. I hope that there are still some of you awake from this blog post. Thanks for reading and following my progress in the Adventures of Blacksmithing.