Blacksmith Beginnings: Lesson 1

People look upon wrought ironwork with awe.  They wonder just how iron gets formed into the intricate shapes that decorate a fence or gate.  It is easier than you think.  And while it does require some specialized tools, it is possible to start without spending a lot of money.

This class give an introduction to forging.  A brief overview of some general safety considerations will be followed by techniques for forming hot steel and one way to make an S-hook with a tapered scroll and a fish-tail scroll.

I will demonstrate each technique using clay first as it is easier to see the details in clay compared to the white hot steel.  Then I'll show how everything comes to gether to make a useful hook.

• Introduction
• A few words on safety
• Project and goals
• Bending
• Tapering
• Scrolls
• Forging hot steel
• Cleaning the forge scale
• Closing thoughts