I’ve been a part of the DMS open forge and several blacksmithing classes recently. I’ve also just completed the first semester of blacksmithing at Brookhaven College in Farmers Branch. (There are a total of four semesters available) During my brief blacksmithing experience I’ve started to collect some ideas for beginning blacksmith projects. Many of them I’ve already made myself.
I wanted to share my beginner projects and inquire from the group what you think are good projects for the beginner.
First, here are the projects from the beginner class at Brookhaven:
- Flint striker - we made char cloth too and had to start our propane forges using the flint striker and cloth.
- Square punch
- Round punch
- Hot cut chisel
- Bottom fuller made from 1/2 round stock
- Square Nail Header
- Lotsof nails
- Bolt tongs
DMS projects (I’ve participated in)
- Horseshoe heart
- Fireplace poker (requires forge welding)
- Squirrel spit/Meat turning fork
Other ideas I think would work. Some of these are more advanced than others and
would likely require more thank just one Sunday session.
- Various hooks for hanging things
- Door handles/brush handles
- Leaf keychain
- Bottle opener (Can and Bottle opener, too)
- Railroad spike knife
- Bookmark
- Spoon
- Calipers/Compass
- Letter opener
- Double hook horseshoe
- Napkin rings
- Railroad spike bottle openers
- Cooking tripod
- Steel bracelets
- Celtic broach
- Dinner bell (Triangle)
- Door kniocker
- Fireplace tools
Lastly, many people want to make knives. Here are some of the tips and ideas from my experience and research. You can make a knife from any kind of steel, it may not be very tough, resist rust well, hold an edge well or be very useful as a knife, but you can make any steel look like a knife. For instance, railroad spike knives are very popular but they are usually not hardenable steel and therefore won’t hold an edge very well. Here are some steels that will make a pretty good knives.
- Standard high carbon steel knives such as purchased 1095/1084/1075/440 stainless steel
- Junkyard steel knives (files, bandsaw blade/circular saw, other tool steels)
Most so called found steel/junkyard steels are mild steel and therefore not suitable for knifemaking.
although they are great for forging other items which don’t require hardening. - Damascus steel knives (forged and folded many times x 320+ layers of mixed steels 1095 and 15N20 for instance.
Knifemaking can involve blacksmithing, wood working and leatherworking skills.
The smithing involves stock removal or forging, heat treating, sharpening and finishing.
This is a much more comprehensive process than a Sunday open forge
I’m interested in what other projects everyone might be interested in, particular beginner projects.