Great article! I'm a dev turned blacksmith, currently getting back into bladesmithing. Working on my perfect kitchen knife. Here's my first attempt (San mai, mild steel with recycled spring steel edge) : https://www.reddit.com/r/ukblade_blacksmiths/comments/1g5v6s...
Same! (but more side gig for me) It was pandemic hobby. Started out just making a chefy with a custom handle for my wife from a premade blank. Did the next one by hand with a file and a little home made forge, then went all in on a belt grinder, evenheat kiln etc.
The material science side of the blade is a blast - but one of my favorite bits is actually all the variety in handle materials. https://gcarta.bigcartel.com/products has some amazing patterns.
Awesome! It's much easier to get into than people think. It's well worth learning how to make decent tongs, it's one of my favourite things to make, especially if you learn to punch the holes and rivet by hand.
I'm learning how to use a power hammer in work. It can save a lot of time but I love hand forging.
I haven't done much experimentation with handles. I've been rescuing bits from my firewood for handles so far :-) I also like curving the tang round to make a handle, which people call a "blacksmith knife".
I tried being self employed for 3 years but didn't make enough money to live on. Now I'm full time employed. I don't forge that much, lots more time doing cutting, welding, grinding. I love it.
Same. I tried woodworking for a year. Made 100+ sales on Etsy and made a living but it was barely paycheck to paycheck and went back to full time. It was so much work for so little money but I loved every minute of that year.
Sorry, I've got a long way to go before they're sellable! I'm just setting up a forge at a friend's farm to do more forging at weekends. There are a few people who want to learn and I've got a list of techniques from Forged In Fire that I want to try out.
