This is a course on blacksmithing. I take you through a lot of the basic concepts of smithing. I show you the tools and techniques of blacksmithing and a variety of other things. Below is a breakdown of the lessons. You can hop to individual lessons or your can start with the first one and at the end of each lesson there is a link to the next lesson so you can simply move forward through the courses. This tutorial isn't complete and it is a work in progress. I generally add a new lesson on a weekly basis so you might want to bookmark and check back regularly.

If you are serious about the craft I recommend you get a book or two on the subject. I have several books and they have proven invaluable to me. Of course, one of the best ways to learn is to find a teacher and for many years this was a difficult thing to do. But in the past several years blacksmithing has experienced a revival and there are more and more smiths available and places where you can take courses and learn right at the forge!

The Lessons:

1. A look at the basics, the forge and the anvil
• The Anvil
• The Forge
• How to make a forge - This is an additional and optional part of this series where I show you how to make a forge just like the one I use in these tutorials.
2. Basic techniques of manipulating metal - bending, twisting and straightening
3. Drawing out metal
4. The Hardie tools - in this lesson I explain the Hardie tools and use a bending fork to bend metal.
5. The Eight Basic Hammer Blows with anvil and hammer. This is an important skill that every blacksmith works on.
6. Our first project: Blacksmithing a Simple Knife
7. How to make a Dinner Bell Triangle - This is a real easy project and a good way to do some simple blacksmithing
8. This is a great little project if you are just beginning in blacksmithing. RR spikes are so easy to work with and you can whip up a nice little knife in no time. Practically can't do wrong with a project like this and it will help you to develop a feel for hammering hot metal. Make a railroad spike knife.
9. Blacksmith tools: The blacksmith uses a set of general tools and also uses some unique and amazing specialized tools. Ever wonder how the groove in a sword is made? I have it all here with pictures.
10. The Changing colors of steel - This tutorial, with video shows you how the color of steel changes quite dramatically as it is heated. And why this is very important to a blacksmith. The changing color of forging steel
11. It is an easy project and we learn six different blacksmithing techniques while doing it. Want to learn what a blacksmith does? This is a good place to learn it. Forge a Medieval Letter Opener
12. New Sword Making Tutorial - I take you through the whole process of making a sword. And this one is a good sized sword! Really beefy and feels good in the hands. How to Make a sword

The Backyard Blacksmith

The Backyard Blacksmith shows you how -- with some patience and a working knowledge of metals, basic tools, and techniques -- blacksmithing can be easy to learn, and a rewarding hobby. Through instructions and illustrations, readers will learn to make simple tools and useful items, such as nails, hinges, and handles, and also an interesting mix of artful projects, such letter openers, door knockers and botanical ornaments. Written by an expert in blacksmith and metal artist, this book provides readers with a basic understanding of blacksmithing, including an explanation of tools like an anvil, an anvil stand, hammers, and tongs. Heating techniques like coal forging and fire tending are explained in detail, along with different types of metal like wrought iron, cast iron, and steel. You can also buy this book directly from the blacksmith Author Lorelei Sims. Check out her website right here http://www.blacksmithchic.com

The Art of Blacksmithing - With more than 500 illustrations, this book is perfect for craftsmen who want to set up a blacksmith shop, and for lovers of history and craft alike. This book describes and illustrates the equipment and techniques developed in more than six thousand years of working iron by hand.Indeed, this unique book covers every aspect of a fascinating and little-known art, the fundamental craft on which the civilization of the Iron Age was built.

Do you like making projects and exploring a variety of hobbies?

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