Lone Tree Forge

Hey there 👋 look at what I did, on my first time forging in the last 4 months!

A pair of hammer hooks, forged from 3/8" round stock and seasond with beeswax.

Beginning to finish, 1hr 46min, not the fastest but I am definitely impressed; two matching hooks start to finish 😳 👏

Hey there I'm sorry that it's been so long, I was dealing with medical issues, 🙄.
I'm doing ok, spinal damage stuff is stable🤞.
I've been renovating my shop and I'm coming close to the end of the biggest and bestest renovation that I have tackled...
Here's a quick before and after, February 2026 - July 2026 and I can barely believe that it's only been 5 months.

Thank you Craig Larson for doing the brick work and helping me with building walls and shelving and so much more!

Spent the day getting ready to forge out some new blacksmith crosses, "Fredricks cross".

My splitting/flat chisels are tuned up ready to forge these out, tomorrow!

Most art forms are either - or +, sometimes used together, ie wood work or metal work or carving etc

Blacksmithing/metal, is a plastic art and the main art where you can use plastic deformation to create any significant 3d effects.

"In glass blowing there are so many opportunities for things to go terribly wrong, in blacksmithing there are infinite ways to correct, perfect and make better!"

Sorry for disappearing, I have been dealing with medical issues.

I am finishing a new shop makeover, and I will be posting that journey soon.

Better yet the new shop will be a proper shop, the full 9'x19'is open with a bench running the full length!

More to come behind that door!

Using the bandsaw, the metal shavings fall nice and slow.
Using the bandsaw, only the metal is removed.
Using the bandsaw makes a neater, thinner, straighter cut.

Using the angle grinder, the cut is wider, harder to get straight and neat.
The angle grinder cuts fast and throws metal dust and sparks across the room.
The worst part of using the grinder with the "abrasive" cutting discs is that the abrasive is designed to wear away as it cuts; causing the abrasive to float in the air with the metal dust.
The metal dust is gross and covers everything, the sparks are hazardous, the dust is breathable for quite awhile, (without a mask), and it all STINKS!

If I cut all these with the grinder, all this metal would have been powdered and spread across my shop and floating in the air when I disturb it.