Me and my partner made knives this weekend and tempered them in the oven at home. Was told that they'd go straw coloured when they were done, but this is how they came out. Do they look alright? I'd like to sharpen them but don't want to break them whilst doing it

The dirt is very rich in iron where i live. You can literally pick up particles of dirt with a magnet...

Could i somehow purify this ore, and smelt it into bloom? If yes, how?

What kind of coating should I use for the insulation here?

I am not sure if this has been asked before or not. I am new to blacksmithing are there any discord groups that exist for blacksmiths? Reddit is cool but discord is just more immediate?

Hey all, I'm a novice Smith and I picked up an old bushaxe at a swap meet the other day. It's cast steel, and has enough chips and an uneven enough bevel to look like it's fresh out of a horror movie. Im currently putting a new bevel in by hand with a file and it's going in quick, a little too quick. I'm concerned that it might need to be rehardened, but I have no idea when it would be necessary and I can't find any info online. Any tests I can run to see?

It's not particularly large, probably suitable for a riveting forge or the like. Unfortunately I can't find much information at all just by searching online, so I was hoping someone here could help.

I'm planning on makeing a paint can forge heated with a propane torch, but I don't know how hard it's going to be to find a hose that is compatible. Can anyone stear me in the right direction. (I'm in the UK if that changes anything)

Had my first craft fair this weekend and would highly recommend doing one if you're considering. I went in with no target of pricing or anything but more just for fun and both paid off well! And you get to meet some really cool people.

I’m a hobbyist boatbuilder, bowyer and spoon carver and I’m looking into getting into blacksmithing because custom tools to whatever specs I want sounds soo awesome and I’ve been wanting to do it for years now. Any resources and plans for forges? Thanks in advance.

Traintrack anvil, anvil stand made from a old H beam and som pipes filled with concrete. Forge made from propane tank, airflow from a boat pump. And to top it all off, a slag catcher made from a coockie can.

Hello, I'm currently trying to set up a new workshop around Canterbury (UK), I'm not sure where to start looking, I only need something small, hoping someone here can give some advice?

Thanks

Hello

I'm scraping away at my sword with a file, but there are two small spots where the blade is hardened and the file just glides over. How do I work these spots? I don't want to anneal the blade again because I did once already and it started to warp like crazy, it took me hours to straighten it out. Is mechanical abrasive like angle grinder or belt sander the only way? I prefer a file because I feel more precise with it...

Hi newbie metal smasher here, want to know if it would be a good idea ro try to self upgrade my hero forge.

What I want to do it and a thick layer of insulation, add a back Door, and add forced air to crank up the heat.

My question is, is this advisable, I'm sure I can do it all just want to he sure it's safe, the forge is rate to 2800 but if I add air it would probably reach 3000 so i just want to make sure I won't melt my forge or cause a fire