A little throwback was good for me...

Chris Railey

Well-Known Member
I was contacted a few weeks ago by a friend of my wife's who wanted to know if I would give her 14 year old son a few pointers on blacksmithing. Turns out he built himself a forge and found a railroad track anvil and has been hammering everyday for many months. I cannot deny a kid wanting to learn so of course I said yes but one of the parents would have to stay with him the whole time (just one of my rules for kids). He told me he works a lot with rail spikes and he has trouble holding them with his vise grip pliers. We decided to make a set of bolt jaw tongs for him to use because that would teach many basic skills he needed to learn and he would get a new tool to hold his spikes securely. I kind of had to reach way back because I know it has been eight years since I have made tongs. He came over and I decided to do one side of the tongs showing him each step then he would make the other side doing what I said. As I walked through drawing the jaws out and doing the set downs for the boss he followed right along careful not to hit my anvil with an errant blow. He was very respectful and grateful to learn. Very unlike others of his age I have worked with who only want to make knives right out of the box and then get mad because they do not have the requisite skills I tried to teach them by making simpler projects. Needless to say I was impressed with this kid. When I am working in my forge I always leave my hammer on top of the anvil when I return my steel to the forge, its just what I do. Not only did he remove my hammer from the anvil EVERY TIME but when he was finished and returned his steel to the forge he PUT MY HAMMER back on top of the anvil. All of this without a word. We finished the jaws and I told him to take the tongs back to his forge and draw the reigns out until he was happy with them and we would finish them the following week. He took them home and drawed then out by hand, no whining to use my press or about how hard it was, he was just happy to learn. Needless to say he has partially restored my hope for the future...I will let him come back in a couple of weeks to learn S-hooks and steak turners. His Dad is a welder (a good one) and at 14 he has already started learning to weld. He can run an angle grinder as well as I can too. He reminded me how much I enjoy making tools again. I think I will make me some scrolling pliers next weekend...
 
Nice to hear!! Its the Parents that make the difference! All the interaction I've had with kids seem to suggest that. Nice to hear that your passing on knowledge to a younger Generation that seems to be only interested in Cell Phones and Computer games!
 
I said yes but one of the parents would have to stay with him the whole time (just one of my rules for kids).
And a good rule it is these days. Similar to our Youth Protection policies in Scouts.
Awesome that this young person wants to learn these skills and that he's found a willing mentor. Bravo to you both!
 
I was contacted a few weeks ago by a friend of my wife's who wanted to know if I would give her 14 year old son a few pointers on blacksmithing. Turns out he built himself a forge and found a railroad track anvil and has been hammering everyday for many months. I cannot deny a kid wanting to learn so of course I said yes but one of the parents would have to stay with him the whole time (just one of my rules for kids). He told me he works a lot with rail spikes and he has trouble holding them with his vise grip pliers. We decided to make a set of bolt jaw tongs for him to use because that would teach many basic skills he needed to learn and he would get a new tool to hold his spikes securely. I kind of had to reach way back because I know it has been eight years since I have made tongs. He came over and I decided to do one side of the tongs showing him each step then he would make the other side doing what I said. As I walked through drawing the jaws out and doing the set downs for the boss he followed right along careful not to hit my anvil with an errant blow. He was very respectful and grateful to learn. Very unlike others of his age I have worked with who only want to make knives right out of the box and then get mad because they do not have the requisite skills I tried to teach them by making simpler projects. Needless to say I was impressed with this kid. When I am working in my forge I always leave my hammer on top of the anvil when I return my steel to the forge, its just what I do. Not only did he remove my hammer from the anvil EVERY TIME but when he was finished and returned his steel to the forge he PUT MY HAMMER back on top of the anvil. All of this without a word. We finished the jaws and I told him to take the tongs back to his forge and draw the reigns out until he was happy with them and we would finish them the following week. He took them home and drawed then out by hand, no whining to use my press or about how hard it was, he was just happy to learn. Needless to say he has partially restored my hope for the future...I will let him come back in a couple of weeks to learn S-hooks and steak turners. His Dad is a welder (a good one) and at 14 he has already started learning to weld. He can run an angle grinder as well as I can too. He reminded me how much I enjoy making tools again. I think I will make me some scrolling pliers next weekend...
Geez Chris I feel like I’m having a flashback right now! Yup that kid has the fire and grit to make it far in this craft! Truth be told he’d probably find a way to make it work even if you didn’t help him out but I know he has GOT to appreciate the leg up.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached out to @John Wilson for help and advice and that has truly made all the difference for me to keep pressing forward in this craft. Best community in the world

I wish my church ran this well:p
 
Yesterday I was able to get home a little early because I had to teach a class near my house. As I were sitting in my recliner about half asleep I noticed through my window the aforementioned 14 year old was on my porch holding something. I went to my door and he was hold two aluminum plates about 12 inches long six inches wide and 1 1/4 inches thick. His dad rescued them from a trash pile at his work and cleaned them for me to use as quench plates. What a great gesture, I sure can use the bigger quench plates...Good family.
 
SCORE!! I need to get me some to try some different steels. All I've been using is 1084 or 1080 and the obligatory mystery steels!! LOL!@
 
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