The blacksmithing terms I explain to every beginner
A plain blacksmith glossary of the blacksmithing terms you hear at the forge, from hardy and pritchel to upset, scarf, scale, normalize and temper color.
September 7, 2026 · 17 min read
Topic
Getting started
Everything a new smith asks in the first month, answered properly once. What to buy first, what to skip, and how not to waste money.
How to forge weld, from the fire to the first blow
How to forge weld, explained from the forge floor: a clean fire, a proper scarf, flux at orange heat, reading welding heat by color, and the first blow.
September 7, 2026 · 14 min read
The black smith starter kit I would build, not buy off the shelf
A black smith starter kit is five pieces, not a boxed bundle. The hammer, tongs, anvil, eye protection, and forge I would actually buy first.
August 17, 2026 · 13 min read
Presents for blacksmiths that actually earn their place in the shop
A smith's honest guide to presents for blacksmiths: the safety gear, consumables, and shop upgrades that get used, and the well-meant gifts that gather dust.
August 5, 2026 · 14 min read
Blacksmithing for beginners, from a smith who started on railroad track
A plain, owner-to-owner guide to blacksmithing for beginners: the four tools you need, the safety rules that matter, reading heat by eye, and your first projects.
August 4, 2026 · 12 min read
Blacksmithing gifts that actually get used, from the forge floor
A smith of twenty-five years on how to buy blacksmithing gifts that get used up or used every session, from safety gear and consumables to what to avoid.
August 4, 2026 · 10 min read
Blacksmithing ideas that actually teach your hands
A smith's plain guide to picking blacksmithing ideas that build real skills, from first hooks to tools you forge yourself, with safety front and center.
August 4, 2026 · 12 min read
What a beginner blacksmith actually needs to start
A beginner blacksmith reference from the forge floor: the four tools that start you, coal versus propane, anvil weight, hammer and tongs, and real safety.
August 3, 2026 · 11 min read
The beginner blacksmith projects that actually teach you to forge
A smith's ordered list of beginner blacksmith projects, from the J-hook to your first tongs, each chosen for the forging skill it builds and how to do it safely.
July 29, 2026 · 11 min read
The black smith projects that actually teach you to forge
A reference guide to the black smith projects worth making first, in what order, and what skill each one builds, from a hobby smith who teaches beginners.
July 29, 2026 · 11 min read
The blacksmithing projects for beginners that actually teach your hands
A plain owner-to-owner reference to blacksmithing projects for beginners: the hooks, tapers, twists, and openers that drill every core forging move.
July 29, 2026 · 11 min read
The blacksmithing projects that actually teach you to forge
A plain owner-to-owner reference on blacksmithing projects: what each one teaches, the order I run them in, and how to actually learn from the work.
July 29, 2026 · 12 min read
The beginner blacksmith kit I would actually buy first
A beginner blacksmith kit stripped to what matters: forge, anvil, hammer, tongs, and Z87.1 eye protection, with honest picks and the gear to skip.
July 28, 2026 · 13 min read
The blacksmithing starter kit I would actually put together
A blacksmithing starter kit worth buying is four honest pieces, not a boxed set: the anvil, hammer, tongs, and eye protection I would pick, with tradeoffs.
July 28, 2026 · 13 min read
How to pick a forging project that actually teaches you something
A plain guide to picking a forging project, choosing stock, planning your heats, and finishing the piece, written from the floor of a home shop.
July 25, 2026 · 14 min read