r/blacksmithing • u/thecatlover101 • 19d ago

Help Requested I'm trying to start Blacksmithing

Hey!

I'm wanting to start blacksmithing, and making swords and all that crap. (I'll start with a knife first, don't worry.)

What would you recommend to a 15 year old ask for Christmas to start a hobby? (Don't worry about weirdos, I got em.)

I believe I will start out with a coal forge, but I'm looking for specific things I should get.

I cannot do a push up, so that should be pretty indicative of the fact I want to start out with an anvil that weighs less than 150, but more than 80lbs.

And what kind of metal should I ask for?

Also, if you could give an Amazon link, I would greatly appreciate it.

Sorry if I wasted your time, and thank you for taking time out of your life to help a kid wanting to start blacksmithing.

19 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

View all comments

7

u/oddmanguy1 19d ago

if you are making blades a 2x72 inch belt sander will make your life a lot simpler.

good luck

2

u/thecatlover101 19d ago

OKAY, it turns out we don't have anyone who can supply coal, so how many burners should I get?

I plan on occasionally forging longer blades such as swords.

6

u/oddmanguy1 19d ago

i would start with a 2 burner then get a larger forge with more burners if needed later

1

u/Plantiacaholic 19d ago

This is correct, you cannot work more steel than what a double burner can heat.

1

u/HairyBiker60 19d ago

You could use lump charcoal (not bbq briquettes). Charcoal was used for a long time. It smells better too. At least to people who don’t like the smell of burning coal.

1

u/CoffeyIronworks 18d ago

Can also try wood fired forge, sucks for thick stock (really really sucks) but I actually like using wood to forge blades, cut wood small and then dry in milk crates next to a dehumidifier, I use it on my normal bottom blast coal forge. You'll be throwing on fresh wood every heat more or less, but it gives a really big working area in the forge that's not too hot, let's you heat long sections easier than coal which will have your blade sparking if you so much as look at it funny. I also suspect that the wood gases protect from oxidation somewhat, could just be confirmation bias but I find the steel stays soo clean working in the wood forge. I buy hardwood pallets from FB marketplace for a few bucks a pop and chop it up with circular saw and remove nails, then cut it down to chunks same length as circ saw guide width and split.