Hand sanding is an effective, if slow, way to finish a forged knife blade. While it can be done with power tools, they are not essential to do the job. I recommend beginners approach sanders and buffers carefully, as they are among the most dangerous tools in the...

There's a lot of debate about what the correct height to set your anvil should be. Some 'rules' about anvil height stem from folkloric rules of thumb, like "at the height of your knuckles when your arm is relaxed at your side and you make a fist." That will work well...

Heat treating is a multi-step operation, though not every step is necessary for every heat treatment. The four steps of heat treatment are: ANNEALING - heating to just above 'critical', or phase change temperature, the point at which the steel becomes non-magnetic,...

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO GET STARTED? Just about the BEST thing you can do getting started is take a class from an experienced smith. This helps you in a number of ways; first, you get a chance to use someone else's equipment, which helps you determine what you MUST have,...

One of the most important things for a beginner to understand is that blacksmithing is not an ‘instant gratification’ activity. It takes time and a lot of effort to become competent, and an incredibly large amount of practice to become skilled. But don’t despair! I am...