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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What kind of coal do you use?

A. Pocahontas #3, I've heard it called a "a high bituminous" coal. Very low sulfer, with enough volatiles to stay lit over a half-hour lunch break. It cokes well when you need it to. A well managed fire gives almost no smoke.

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Q. Have you ever used anthracite?

A. Yes. Hated it. Hard to light. Wouldn't stay lit. One phone call, and it would go out. Doesn't coke at all. Burned really clean though.

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Q. You don't wear gloves, do you ever get burned?

A. Yes, very superficial burns sometimes happen when bits of scale land on my hand (I try to rember to wet my hand before such operations). They're tiny and don't carry much in the way of BTUs so it's over in a small fraction of a second, but they can be a little distracting. The last time I raised a blister with heat was months ago. I was in competition and working a little bit too fast.

"Strike while the iron is hot" certainly, but there is such a thing as going too fast.

I find I'm willing to put up with the minor burns now and then to retain the dexterity of the bare hand. I do use a glove every now and then, but it's rare.
- Carl

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Q. Can you teach me how to make a sword?

A. Well, yes. It may, however, take years. Also, we're not set up for making swords; our forges aren't long enough to heat an entire full-length blade for the heat-treating stage of the process. Consider taking our Nothing But Knives class instead; you have to start somewhere.

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Q. What about classes for teens and children?

A. Our policy on minors:
For students under 18 we ask that a parent be present for at least the first class meeting.
For students under 16 we ask that a parent be in the class.
We are not prepared to enroll students under 13 at this time, but we are happy to talk to parents of pre-teens to discuss future possibilities.

Unless otherwise noted, the pacing of the instruction will be geared to adult and near-adult size, strength, and co-ordination.

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Q. I see you have a class titled "blacksmithing for women"—does this mean the other classes listed are NOT intended for women?

A. Not at all.  For the most part, anybody is welcome in any class so long as they can follow the instructions and stay safe. There will be classes working on projects that require a fair bit of strength and/or stamina and not everyone will be physically suited to them but that's not based on gender.

We may find there is a call for single-gender classes and we will be giving it a try.

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Q. What should I expect when I come to my first class?

A. First we'll deal with paperwork, which consists of having you read and sign our waiver (HTML or PDF if you'd like to print, sign, and bring it and save a little time.).
Then we'll set you up with an apron and eye and ear protection.
There's a brief safety review,
then a demonstration of the project for the class,
after that you get to start forging, but expect interruptions now and again for demonstrations and tips on technique and procedure.
When we're done, the protective gear gets stowed and those that signed up through the Brookline Community and Adult Education Program have a chance to fill out their evaluation form, and all who have time are welcome to hang out for a bit.

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Q. What exactly is the difference between a blacksmith and a metalworker? In my High School I took metal shop and I welded ... and did other things too. I was curious if these were used in blacksmithing or if blacksmithing was just the heating the metal and bending/pounding it.
(OK, not that 'frequent' but I thought it worth answering anyway)

A. 'Metalworker' describes anyone who works with metal, be it copper, silver, gold, platinum, lead, or iron, and it matters not _how_ they work it. They might machine it, cast it, weld it, forge it, extrude it...

Strictly speaking, a blacksmith is one who works the black metal (iron) by smiting (hitting) it. The blacksmith takes advantage of the fact that iron becomes plastic when hot and forms it to his will in that state. Most blacksmiths use modern welding equipment (mig, tig, stick, OA) at some point in their regular work, but most of them wouldn't call that part of it 'blacksmithing' per se, even though the overall job is.

From your previous note it sounds like you might want to be a metal sculptor; some do their work entirely with the torch, others weld and forge, some cast, others use machine tools... there are hundreds of different approaches. My recommendation is to expose yourself to as many of the different ways of working metal as you can, be it through art school or trade school or adult education places like Prospect Hill Forge. It will also help immeasurably for you to learn drawing, both creative/expressive and technical, and I have found the study of calligraphy to be extremely helpful too.

- Carl

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