Topic
The rest of the shop: guides that do not fit a single rack but are worth having on hand.
A beeswax finish for forged steel explained owner to owner: two attributed recipes, vinegar scale removal, the right heat, and the oily rag hazard nobody should skip.
September 7, 2026 · 16 min read
An honest read on forging kits from a working hobby smith, which bundled tools are worth owning, which to skip, and how to spend your first dollars well.
August 17, 2026 · 13 min read
A blksmith bottle opener is a one-piece forged lever that pops a crown cap. Here is what it is, the steel to use, how it works, and where they go wrong.
August 13, 2026 · 13 min read
A working smith's honest take on the blacksmith guillotine tool: the genuine G2, the budget imports, the heavier commercial dies, and when to just build one.
August 13, 2026 · 14 min read
What a blacksmith ruler really is, how to read a steel rule, why measuring hot steel lies to you, and the layout tools that keep a project square.
August 13, 2026 · 12 min read
A working smith on which blacksmith swage to buy first, from spring swages to bottom swages and cast swage blocks, and which ones just take up bench space.
August 13, 2026 · 13 min read
A plain, owner-to-owner reference on blacksmith working: what forging really is, how heat drives it, the core moves, the tools, and how to work safely.
August 13, 2026 · 13 min read
What a blacksmithing bottle opener is, how the lip and fulcrum work, what steel to use, and why it is the first project I hand a beginner.
August 13, 2026 · 14 min read
A straight look at blacksmithing railroad spikes: what the steel really is, why an HC spike only hardens so far, and the small projects it is good for.
August 13, 2026 · 11 min read
A straight answer on whether a female blacksmith can do the work: where strength really matters, where technique wins, and how to size a shop to fit you.
August 13, 2026 · 13 min read
An owner-to-owner look at Oleo Acres Farrier and Blacksmith Supply Inc: what a farrier and blacksmith supply stocks, what crosses over to forge work, and how to shop it.
August 13, 2026 · 13 min read
A black smith kit is really five tools: a forge, an anvil, a hammer, tongs, and eye protection. Here is what I would buy for each, and the bundles I would skip.
August 12, 2026 · 12 min read
A plain buying guide to the blacksmith pole vise, also called a post or leg vise: what to check used, the new Kanca picks, and the honest bench vise fallback.
August 4, 2026 · 14 min read
A blacksmith post leg vise is built to be hammered on. Here is what jaw size to buy, what to check used, and why Amazon bench vises are not the same tool.
August 4, 2026 · 14 min read
A blacksmith post vise buying guide: how to size a leg vise, what to check on a used one, the new picks worth the money, and honest bench vise stand-ins.
August 4, 2026 · 13 min read
A working smith on buying blacksmith tools vintage: which old anvils, post vises, and blowers are worth the money, how to check them, and what to restore.
August 4, 2026 · 12 min read
A blacksmith wrench guide for twisting and bending bar stock, the twisting wrench and hardy forks I would buy, what to skip, and how to twist evenly.
August 4, 2026 · 13 min read
A famous blacksmith is rare in a trade built on anonymous work. Here are the smith-gods, the legends, and the real masters whose names actually stuck, and why.
August 4, 2026 · 11 min read
A home forging kit worth owning is a real forge, a good hammer, and a starter anvil, not a bargain everything-box. Here is what I would buy and skip.
August 4, 2026 · 13 min read
A plain owner-to-owner explainer of what a black smith is, the forge and anvil, heat treating basics, safety, and how a beginner actually starts.
August 3, 2026 · 11 min read
A working smith on which antique blacksmith tools are worth buying, the rust and wax gear that restores them, and when to buy a new anvil instead.
August 3, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith cone mandrel guide: when a hardy-hole cone earns its keep, when your anvil horn is enough, and why most floor cones are a want not a need.
August 3, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith flatter guide from the forge floor: what a flatter does, how it differs from a set hammer, and which one to buy versus forge yourself.
August 3, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith mandrel guide from the forge floor: which hardy-hole cone to buy first, when to size up, and why floor cones are a used-market hunt.
August 3, 2026 · 14 min read
A smithing kit that teaches you to forge, from a hobby smith: which anvil, forge, hammer, tongs, and eye protection are worth buying and which to skip.
August 3, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith chisel splits into hot cut and cold work tools. Here is which factory set to buy, which hot cutter to forge, and how to grind and use each safely.
July 30, 2026 · 14 min read
A blacksmith fuller tool guide from the forge floor: hardy fullers, spring fullers, and guillotines, which to buy first and which to make yourself.
July 30, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith's honest take on buying a swage block for sale: which weight and material to pick, what the forms do, and when you actually need one.
July 30, 2026 · 13 min read
A working smith on picking a blacksmith filing vise: what to buy for filing and finish work, which specs matter, and the safety rules that keep filing safe.
July 29, 2026 · 14 min read
A working hobby smith's shopping guide to blacksmith tools for sale: the anvil, hammer, tongs, and forge worth buying first, and the cast-iron traps to skip.
July 29, 2026 · 13 min read
A cast iron swage block buying guide from a hobby smith: why ductile iron matters, the 66 lb and 50 lb picks, and whether you need one yet.
July 29, 2026 · 11 min read
A plain forging equipment guide for a first shop: the forge, anvil, hammer, and tongs I would buy first, what to skip, and the safety gear that is not optional.
July 29, 2026 · 13 min read
How I pick a hot cut hardy tool for a home shop: sizing the shank to your hardy hole, budget picks worth buying, and when to forge your own instead.
July 29, 2026 · 14 min read
A hobby smith's honest take on which axe eye drift to buy: budget import kits, hand forged options, and how to drift an eye without splitting it.
July 28, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith cone guide from the forge floor: why a hardy cone mandrel beats a floor cone for most home shops, with published specs and owner reports.
July 28, 2026 · 12 min read
What a blacksmith double caliper really is, why most are antiques, and the spring caliper and divider sets I would actually buy to measure hot stock.
July 28, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith hook is the best first forging project there is. What kinds to learn, the steel and heat behind them, how to forge one, and how to finish it safely.
July 28, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith hydraulic press guide: whether to buy a finished forging press or build one from a shop press, with honest specs, owner reports, and safety.
July 28, 2026 · 12 min read
A plain, owner-to-owner look at what a colonial blacksmith really made, the iron and steel he worked, his tools, and why his skills still matter at my forge.
July 28, 2026 · 12 min read
A blacksmith's honest take on the trepanning tool: annular cutters, hole saws, and lathe grooving tools, with published specs and owner reports.
July 28, 2026 · 13 min read
A blacksmith swage block guide from the forge floor: what it does, cast iron versus ductile iron, the blocks worth buying, and how to mount one safely.
July 27, 2026 · 13 min read
A plain owner-to-owner guide to the blacksmithing store landscape: dedicated suppliers, marketplaces, farm stores, scrap yards, and the used market that beats them all.
July 27, 2026 · 12 min read
The equipment for blacksmithing that actually matters: anvil, forge, one hammer, one pair of tongs, a vise, and the safety gear that is never optional.
July 25, 2026 · 15 min read
A plain owner-to-owner reference on the blacksmith village: why the forge sat at the center, what came through the smithy door, and what it teaches a home smith.
July 24, 2026 · 14 min read
A working smith on choosing a blacksmith vise: post vise versus bench vise, what cracks under a hammer, which specs matter, and what a used vise is worth.
July 24, 2026 · 16 min read
A working smith's honest short list of blacksmithing equipment: forge, anvil, hammer, tongs, vise and rated eye protection, with published specs and owner reports.
July 24, 2026 · 15 min read
What hoffman blacksmithing is, why smiths mix it up with Hofi hammers, and how to judge a hand forged hammer from any small maker before you spend the money.
July 24, 2026 · 14 min read
What master blacksmith means today, where the title came from, which ratings actually test skill, and how to judge the claim when nobody is checking.
July 24, 2026 · 15 min read
The smithing tools that actually earn bench space in a home shop, which ones to buy first, which ones to skip, and where the safety kit is not negotiable.
July 24, 2026 · 16 min read
A working smith's honest list of the blacksmithing supplies worth buying first, the ones to skip, and how to spend a starter budget without wasting it.
July 23, 2026 · 14 min read
A working smith's take on which smithing supplies are worth buying new, which to scrounge, and what the published specs and owner reports really support.
July 23, 2026 · 15 min read
An honest swage block buying guide from a hobby smith: which size to buy, why ductile iron matters, what to skip, and what to buy before one.
July 23, 2026 · 15 min read
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
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
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
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
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
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
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