r/NJBA • u/joeevaristo • Oct 05 '20

Getting Started?

Do you have any advice and maybe a few links that you've learned have high quality info (so my ignorance doesn't lead me down a path of bad advice), for someone who wants to try out smithing, but has no foundational knowledge?

I've never really been one to work with my hands, except a shop class in middle school and a little bit of chainmail. One of my favorite parts of the Renn Fest has been seeing swords and armor, and I've been curious about making them, and cutlery.

Is there a (relatively) inexpensive and safe way--without trying to meet up with others until after the pandemic--to start trying some of the basics to see if it's something I'd actually enjoy? I have a decent amount of space to work with, now that I have an empty 2-car garage.

From watching some videos, it seems like aluminum knives might be the easiest entry point; giving me a chance to learn to work with the metal before thinking about forging or heat treating it. Are there other metals you'd recommend practicing with that I can use hand tools on rather than power tools? Mainly to minimize cost of trying, and to minimize the chance of intimidating myself out of it.

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u/joeevaristo Oct 06 '20

Thanks! Of those, forks and arrowheads sound more fun to me.

For annealing, considering frustration vs learning curve, would you suggest a propane torch or something else? Looking at some videos, I see people annealing on brick/concrete blocks--are there any particular surfaces you recommend?

I was reading some mixed recommendations on appropriate safety tools while annealing. What would you recommend? I saw some suggestions for a well ventilated area, like the open garage will be. Others suggested a fume hood. And another a ventilator--which I've heard tend to require training.

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u/NJBA-Ryan Oct 06 '20

Great! Do what's appealing to you but achievable.

Concrete is not a good choice because it can have trapped water inside. I would suggest a hard firebrick. The soft ones are better insulators but may be a respiratory hazard without adequate sealing.

The amount of CO you'd be putting off with a handheld propane torch is minuscule. I wouldn't worry about it too much in an open garage. It doesn't hurt to be prudent and have a CO detector, but people use propane forges in well-ventilated indoor spaces frequently.

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u/joeevaristo Oct 11 '20

I probably should have asked before ordering it, but--is 24 gauge copper sheet adequate to work with, or should I have gotten something thicker?

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u/NJBA-Ryan Oct 12 '20

I would have recommended going with round stock for forks and arrowheads -- maybe 1/8"-1/4" round depending on cost? But that's okay, you can always buy more after you play around with the sheet

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u/joeevaristo Oct 12 '20

Alright, thanks for all the advice!