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My first ever Blacksmith demonstrations

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Topic: My first ever Blacksmith demonstrations
Posted By: Thad in AR.
Subject: My first ever Blacksmith demonstrations
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2022 at 5:15am
It’s Heritage Days this weekend in Berryville AR.
I belong to a group that sets up a Confederate soldier camp each year.
The Blacksmith from years past can’t make it this year so I was asked to step in last minute.
I’m very unprepared and out of practice.
I spent Wednesday night cutting out parts and most of last evening gathering and loading.
I have to use a hands crank forge ( I’m very unfamiliar with) for this. I just finished the forge recently and only got to try it briefly.
Wish me luck. All the local schools will have gradeschoolers there at different times today.
Hope I make a good impression on the young



Replies:
Posted By: Bob D. (La)
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2022 at 5:24am
Here's wishing you luck Thad. Just don't try anything your completely unfamiliar with and you will do fine.  

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When you find yourself in a hole,PUT DOWN THE SHOVEL!!!


Posted By: Dennis J OPKs
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2022 at 7:14am
Just a word to the wise.  I don't know your layout, but distance is critical.  I've been a volunteer at the Agricultural Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs, KS for many years.  They have a blacksmith shop and did demonstrations-not recently though.  It was done by a local smithy.

Anyway, I didn't observe this, but a kid was too close and got kit by a flying piece of hot iron, I assume while he was hammering it and a piece flew off & burned him in the scalp, I think.  No lawsuit & they paid his medical bills.  Have no idea how far that stuff can fly.

Good Luck, I remember my Dad bought a forge at an auction & rebuilt it.  He used it a few times.


Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2022 at 5:24pm
all the kids and 90% of the Adults dont know what your really doing anyway.. Talk confident and ACT like you know what your doing.... as Dennis said, Safety FIRST.

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Like them all, but love the "B"s.


Posted By: SteveM C/IL
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2022 at 5:27pm
Like the distance comment. Just heat a piece of round stock and pound it flat. That will probably satisfy most. lol


Posted By: DMiller
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2022 at 5:49pm
Speak of Heat Colors, Red, Orange, Yellow and White, the importance of each.


Posted By: desertjoe
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2022 at 10:41pm

  Hey Thad,,,,like most say,,KEEP IT SIMPLE to those things you know about..Most kids LOVE fire and you can lead them thru the different stages of heating metal and reasons for each color stage. Also, have you a pail of water to impress them little buggers with the optics of quenching of the HOT metal and reasons for such,,,,,You'll be OK,,,!!  Good Luck and wisht I could be there to help with the forge,,,,,ClapClap


Posted By: Thad in AR.
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2022 at 5:55am
I think I had 8 different classes of gradeschoolers from around the county. I got about 20 minutes with each. I made split crosses for each class.
It was a fun day. I feel like I put in a real days work.
Not so nervous about today.
Hardest part is loading a 168 lb anvil that’s bolted to a very large white oak stump.
No tractor at the show.
One funny thing I saw was a lady in a old time dress and Bonnet walking in a plastic outhouse while smoking a cigarette and looking at a cell phone.
The music was very good.
This is the second year of this. Hope it gets better each year.
And Joe I sure wish you were here to turn that hand crank blower for a while.



Posted By: tadams(OH)
Date Posted: 26 Sep 2022 at 2:11pm
 That turning the hand crank blower would have been a good thing for one of the kids to do to see what real work is like. Glad to hear it went well.



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