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Blacksmithing Here's a central TX blacksmithing association: http://www.balconesforge.org/ and a gallery with members' work: http://www.balconesforge.org/gallery/gallery.htm Check out these folks' work there, to die for ! : Bill Bastas is a blacksmithing instructor at ACC: http://www.balconesforge.org/gallery/bastas/bastas.htm Katherine Kagler's work, beautiful flowers here: http://www.balconesforge.org/gallery/kagler/kagler.htm Bob Pheil - fireplace screen with brass flowers: http://www.balconesforge.org/gallery/pheil/pheil.htm Scott Little's 6th anniversary "iron" gift for a friend: http://www.balconesforge.org/gallery/little/6th.htm Daniel Smith - cool chandelier and flower sculpture: http://www.balconesforge.org/gallery/dsmith/dsmith.htm Houston Area Blacksmith Assoc.: http://www.habairon.org/ their gallery: http://www.habairon.org/Gallery tutorial on making dragons, part 1 & 2, right side of page: http://www.metalsmithinghowto.com/ Blacksmithing stories: Why blacksmiths make the anvil ring, & why a horseshoe is lucky, An anvil wedding, and others: http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/stories/ Forging a spoon: http://sjaqua.tripod.com/spoon.htm This came in on one of the lists I'm on, in reference to Plains Indian artifacts. Some of the fancy parade saddles from the Crow nation have these forged iron "spoons" (bowl + very short 1" or 2" handle) used as tinklers that make a neat noise. They are hung off the back saddle drape on the crupper (strap that goes across the horse's hips around his/her butt) and jingle as the horse moves. Anyway, here's one of the comments about it (pretty funny): Forging a spoon is easy. Once a number of year ago, several of us were going to receive some rudimentary blacksmithing instruction. After a brief introduction, one of us was invited to try to forge a spoon out of a piece of stock. When the neophyte asked what to do, the instructor said: "Just hit it everywhere it don't look like a spoon." Check out this website - it's about building your own gas forge. http://sjaqua.tripod.com/forge.htm Check out the main page of that guys work: http://sjaqua.tripod.com/ Got some neat knives here that you might like to see: http://sjaqua.tripod.com/photos.htm I like this one: http://sjaqua.tripod.com/blacksmth.jpg "The Village Blacksmith" UNDER a spreading chestnut tree The village smithy stands; The smith, a mighty man is he, With large and sinewy hands; And the muscles of his brawny arms Are strong as iron bands. His hair is crisp, and black, and long, His face is like the tan; His brow is wet with honest sweat, He earns whate'er he can, And looks the whole world in the face, For he owes not any man. Week in, week out, from morn till night, You can hear his bellows blow; You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow, Like a sexton ringing the village bell, When the evening sun is low. And children coming home from school Look in at the open door; They love to see the flaming forge, And hear the bellows roar, And catch the burning sparks that fly Like chaff from a threshing-floor. He goes on Sunday to the church, And sits among his boys; He hears the parson pray and preach, He hears his daughter's voice, Singing in the village choir, And it makes his heart rejoice. It sounds to him like her mother's voice, Singing in Paradise! He needs must think of her once more, How in the grave she lies; And with his hard, rough hand he wipes A tear out of his eyes. Toiling,---rejoicing,---sorrowing, Onward through life he goes; Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose. Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend, For the lesson thou hast taught! Thus at the flaming forge of life Our fortunes must be wrought; Thus on its sounding anvil shaped Each burning deed and thought. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) View more articles