Reasonably priced starter forge

[sihollies]

I was wondering if anyone could please advise.

I have no knowledge at all about metalworking as I am a woodworker, so please excuse my naivety in my input.

My 13 year ol godson has recently acquired a passion for all things wood and has a huge urge for making his own kitchen knife. (He is a keen cook/chef too)

I would like to support and encourage him on his recently found interests, as i feel it is far more constructive than looking at a computer screen or playing video games.

Could anyone please suggest a small/medium, safe, reasonably priced propane forge that can be purchased within the UK?

He has done his research and has stated that 'Mr Volcano' forges are ideal, but i believe that they are hard to come by in the UK and the import fees from the US are quite ridiculous.

Again, please bear with me on this subject, as it is all new to me.

Many thanks in advance, as always

Simon

 

[niall Y]

This is something that I have looked into myself. I homed in on one of the Devil- forges, on Ebay, I believe they are manufactured in Lithuania. They look to be fairly robust and are reasonably priced. And I believe they are available in 1,2 or 3 burner options.

I didn't purchase one,, as at present I have a small home -made forge adapted from a garden incinerator, which suits me fine. It works with coke or charcoal and a blower.

The reason I was looking, is that the propane forge would offer a more convenient, cleaner system which should be Ideal for knife making

 

[flh801978]

Simon
if you like to consider secondhand and you fancy a trip to sheffield
i have a propane forge hose and a big gas bottle and an anvil and tools etc and some steel stock
all very reasonably priced say <£150 for the lot
Ian

 

[Ozi]

Simon
if you like to consider secondhand and you fancy a trip to sheffield
i have a propane forge hose and a big gas bottle and an anvil and tools etc and some steel stock
all very reasonably priced say <£150 for the lot
Ian

If Simon isn't interested I probably would be.

 

[sihollies]

Many thank flh801978

I have PM'd you.

 

[johnnyb]

for a decent kitchen knife don't try forging. buy some o1 in an appropriate thickness and size. file it using a coarse file and a vice until its shaped correctly( blunt though. then harden temper and sharpen.handlefirst of course.

 

[sihollies]

Thanks for the advice Johnnyb, and will certainly follow your instructions when making the knife, but I would still like for him to gain some hands on experience with the forge and let him learn by making mistakes, which we all have

Besides, It will allow me to have a 'play' also.


Thanks again,
Simon

 

[Keith 66]

Might be worth getting him a forge experience, My son & i did this last year, Although i was 60 & had some experience due to having been a D&T technician, I learnt more in one morning with a first class blacksmith than i had learnt in the previous ten years. That way he can hit the ground running & get inspired!

 

[heimlaga]

Blacksmithing is so much more than knifemaking. It can be anything from decorative hinges to custom turning tools to sharpening the digging bar to adding new steel in a worn out axe head to repairing bent front loader forks.
13 is a suitable age to get started. Go for it.

I have always used coal forges and don't really know much about gas forges. I cannot call myself a bracksmith but I do some blacksmithing for household needs and occasionally some small odd job for others. The latest such was when I made and schrunk the iron hoopps onto a gear wheel for a 18th century wind mill.
If I was to use a gas forge I would want it to have a rather large combustion chamber which can partly be filled in with fire bricks to save gas on small projects.

 

[sihollies]

Thanks all,

He recently attended a session with a local blacksmith, making a small, veined leaf & he thoroughly enjoyed it.

Even though I had no hands on experience that day, I learn't so much myself and am also keen to explore the world of metalworking / blacksmithing now.

After the session, it was clear that blacksmithing is a skill of its own right and cant just be considered metalworking.

My godson seems to be more interested in what I would call engineering metal working, but I would like to have a go at more creative / craft blacksmithing.

It's going to be a learning journey for the both of us and look forward to learning from our mistakes, which I'm sure there will be many!!

Thans to you all for your input and experience!!!

 

[Fergie 307]

Helped a friend make one out of an old gas bottle. Lined with fireclay and using a big propane torch, the type used for torch and roll felt. Very simple and cheap.