Anvils
What to look for in an anvil for sale
A blunt guide to any anvil for sale: cast steel versus cast iron, published specs on the new picks, a fair price per pound, and how to test a face before you pay.
July 22, 2026 · 14 min read
The guide rack
Blacksmithing guides
Buying help and plain reference, hung on the rack by subject. Gear comes first because that is the question I get asked most: what do I buy, and what am I wasting money on.
All guides
Hammers and tongs
The blacksmith hammer I would hand a beginner, and the ones I would skip
An owner to owner blacksmith hammer guide: weight, face, and handle that actually matter, five hammers compared on published specs, plus dressing and safety.
July 22, 2026 · 15 min read
More from the shop
Blacksmith shops, explained from the floor of one
How blacksmith shops are actually laid out, what tools live in them, how ventilation and fire safety work, and what it takes to set one up at home.
July 22, 2026 · 16 min read
More from the shop
What a medieval blacksmith actually did all day
A plain reference on the medieval blacksmith: the iron he had, the charcoal fire, the anvil he really used, and which of his habits still belong in a modern shop.
July 22, 2026 · 17 min read
More from the shop
What a medieval smith actually did all day
A working hobby smith explains the medieval smith honestly: bloomery iron, charcoal fires, small anvils, guild trades, and which old lessons still apply today.
July 22, 2026 · 14 min read
Forges
The metal forge I would put in a home shop, and the ones I would skip
Which metal forge a hobby smith should buy: published specs, owner reports, and the ventilation and ceramic fiber warnings the listings leave out.
July 22, 2026 · 13 min read
Forges
The propane forge I would put in a home shop
Which propane forge is worth buying for a home shop, what the published specs actually mean, and the ventilation and ceramic fiber rules I will not soften.
July 22, 2026 · 14 min read
Forges
The propane gas forge I would buy for a home shop, and the ones I would pass on
An owner to owner look at which propane gas forge is worth buying for a home shop, what the published specs actually mean, and where cheap units cost you.
July 22, 2026 · 14 min read
Knife making
The railroad spike knife, honestly explained
A railroad spike knife is a great forging project and a poor cutting tool. What the steel can and cannot do, how to forge one, and how to make it actually cut.
July 22, 2026 · 13 min read
Forges
The smithing forge I would actually buy for a home shop
An owner to owner smithing forge buying guide: published specs, real owner reports from the forums, and the safety details cheap gas forges skip.
July 22, 2026 · 15 min read
Steel and metallurgy
Tempering of metal, explained from the forge floor
What the tempering of metal actually does to hardened steel, how temperature and time change hardness and toughness, and how I temper in a home shop.
July 22, 2026 · 14 min read
More from the shop
What the black smith actually is, and what the work involves
A plain explainer on the black smith: where the name comes from, what the work involves at the forge and anvil, and the safety that is not optional.
July 22, 2026 · 14 min read
Anvils
Blacksmith and anvil: the honest picks for your first anvil
A blacksmith and anvil buying guide to cast steel picks worth owning, the cast iron ones to avoid, and how to test rebound before you commit.
July 21, 2026 · 12 min read
Forges
The blacksmith forge I'd actually put in a beginner's shop
A blacksmith forge buying guide from a hobby smith: propane single and double burners, a coal firepot, honest tradeoffs, specs, and the safety setup each one needs.
July 21, 2026 · 11 min read
More from the shop
The black smith tools you actually need to start
A working smith's honest take on the black smith tools worth buying first: anvil, hammer, tongs, a forge, and the PPE you never skip.
July 21, 2026 · 13 min read
More from the shop
Blacksmithing tools: the short list that actually matters
A working hobby smith on the blacksmithing tools that actually matter for a starter shop: one hammer, one pair of tongs, an anvil, a forge, and eye protection.
July 21, 2026 · 13 min read
Anvils
How to buy an anvil without wasting your money
A working hobby smith on what makes an anvil worth owning, honest budget picks, and how to test any anvil before you hand over the cash.
July 17, 2026 · 12 min read
Anvils
What size anvil do you actually need?
How much anvil a beginner really needs, why rebound beats raw weight, and the weight classes that make sense for a home shop.
July 17, 2026 · 5 min read
Anvils
The best anvils for beginners: honest picks across every budget
A working smith's take on the best beginner anvils you can buy new, from a budget cast steel option to a forged anvil you buy once, with published specs and what owners actually report.
July 17, 2026 · 8 min read
Safety and PPE
Blacksmith safety gear: what matters and what to skip
The safety gear a beginner smith actually needs, the standards that matter, and where not to waste money, from a smith who learned the hard way.
July 17, 2026 · 4 min read
Forges
Coal or propane: which first forge makes sense?
The honest tradeoffs between a coal forge and a propane forge for a first shop, from a smith who runs both.
July 17, 2026 · 4 min read
More from the shop
Blacksmithing, explained plainly by a smith who still lights the forge
A plain owner to owner reference on what blacksmithing actually is, the core moves, the tools that matter, fuel choices, and safety that is not optional.
July 17, 2026 · 12 min read