Common Mistakes Beginners Make

by Albin Drzewianowski

While watching some beginners forging, I got the idea that I would review some of the most common mistakes that beginners make. These are all mistakes that I have made in the past. By being aware of these and working to correct them, you will make your forging experience much more successful and enjoyable.

The 2 most common mistakes that beginners make are:

• Not getting the steel hot enough.
• Not using the right tongs for the stock they are trying to forge.

Most beginners are so anxious to work that they don't let the steel get hot enough, before they pull it out of the forge. You want your steel a good bright orange. A corollary to this mistake is that they hammer too long, before putting the steel back into the fire. Hammering the steel at the right temperature just works so much easier, in the long run it takes less time. You end up with a better quality end product.

Using the correct tongs is a safety issue. If you are not using the tongs properly sized and shaped for the material you are hammering, there is a good chance the red-hot piece of steel will come flying out and possibly burn you or someone in your vicinity. Whenever possible use a piece of steel that is long enough that you can hand hold it. However, eventually you will need to use a pair of tongs. You will notice a real difference in the ease of forging when you have the right tongs. with the wrong tongs, you find yourself fighting to maintain a hold of the steel. With the right tongs, you can focus on your hammer control and again end up with a better quality end product.

Here are some other techniques to keep in mind as you work. It might be helpful to make a list and review that list each time before you start to forge.

• "The Death Grip": Many beginners grip the hammer much to tight, as if their lives depend on it. This just tires out your forearm. You want a loose grip, just tight enough so that the hammer does not fly out of your hand; and then tighten at the moment of impact so that the hammer does not twist and change its angle as it strikes the steel.
• Be careful as you cut off items on the cut-off hardy. You don't want to go all the way through and either dull the hardy, or mar the hammer. Also, when you go all the way through, the piece cut off often flies across the room, which can be a safety or fire hazard.
• When working with tongs, especially when drawing a taper or rounding up, do not twirl the tongs in your fingers, turn the stock by cocking your wrist back and forth. This will be much less tiring than twirling the tongs with your fingers.
• Try to get into the habit of cleaning fire scale off of the anvil between heats. If you hammer on top of the scale, you drive the scale into the surface of your work, which can mar the finish. Ideally, you should wire brush the steel when it comes out of the fire.
• Pay attention to the steel in the fire. I often see beginners get distracted and the next thing you know, the have burnt the end off of their project. I quickly trained myself, that when I start to talk to someone, I would pull my steel out of the center of the fire and set it to the side.
• If you are using an electric blower on your coal forge, shut off the air between heats.
• If you are using a gas forge, once the forge is up to temperature, turn the gas off between heats. (This will save you money, a tank of propane will last longer)
• Don't let the coal in your forge burn down into a hollow. You should be using your forge poker every 2-3 heats to rake fresh coal towards the center and keep a nice mound built up in the center of the forge. Also, you should be adding fresh coal to the outside edges of your fire as you work.
• When you stick your iron in the fire, don't angle it down towards the bottom of the forge, the oxidizing region. Your steel should be horizontal, with a couple inches of hot coals on top . The corollary to this mistake is just laying your steel on top of the fire. It will not heat up. You need to stick it in the fire.
• Always straighten your steel before you put it back into the fire.
• Try to pay close attention to how steel moves as a result of each hammer blow. Notice that if the hammer strikes at a certain angle, the steel moves in a certain way or leaves a particular mark on the steel. Hammer marks in the steel will tell you what you are doing right and doing wrong.

With time, all of these actions will become subconscious. You will do them without being aware of it. But as a beginner, you have many new skills to assimilate. Being aware of these practices will make you a better smith.

-- RebStaup - 24 Jan 2008