Got a surprise visit from an old timer at my forge last Saturday

I was out in my backyard shed working on a set of fire pokers for a neighbor when this older guy I'd never met just walked up and leaned on the door frame. He watched me for maybe 10 minutes without saying a word, just nodding while I was hammering out a twist in the cold iron. Finally he said, "Son, you're fighting that metal instead of listening to it. Let the hammer do the work, not your arm." He walked over, grabbed the tongs, and showed me a lighter grip and a slower swing that made this clean ring instead of a dull thud. Turned out he'd been a farrier for 40 years over in Lancaster county and was just passing through. He stayed for about an hour, showed me how to read the color changes better, and then just left. I still think about his advice every time I start a new piece. Has anyone else had some random person wander in and drop a lesson you still use?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade_hunt489d ago

Huh, cold iron's actually a myth, that's just low-carbon steel you're working with.

the_andrew9d agoMost Upvoted

Had an old carpenter wander into my garage once while I was trying to fix a sagging shed door. He watched me cuss at it for a while, then said "the wood talks to you if you quit yelling at it." Showed me how to plane a shaving off the bottom at just the right angle and suddenly the door swung perfect. Never even told me his name, just tipped his hat and walked down the street. Still think about that every time I grab a level.