Smithing
I have so many things I should write about - concerts and visits and games and talks and projects and life and more - but that's getting daunting, so I'll just take a little bit for now.
And that bit, of course, is metal.
I was actually a bit.. nervous? Not as into going to my blacksmithing class as I've been last night. This is almost entirely due to the week before, I think. I'm on the second level class, so the lovely Silvergoose is not with me, and there's a new guy. New guy, J, gave me the 'girl edit' last week, with a whole 'This here is man's work, little lady' attitude that was about to get a red hot piece of metal shoved up his nose. Being constantly told how to do things that either I was doing very well or hadn't started on yet was super frustrating. Less so once it was clear that my spoon was way better than his, but still. If he was just an ass, whatever, but he didn't pull this with T, my beloved biker-esque blacksmithing buddy.
But this week rocked, as it always does once I get there. I managed to beat my 90 degree turn into sumbission (which is really saying something - it's taking 1" square stock, and making it turn a sharp 90 dgree angle, while keeping all of it 1" square), and totally rocked the carbon steel work for my round punch and chisel. So go me.
Also points to me for using a 2.25 or 2.5 pound hammer and really wailing on aforementioned carbon steel. I can feel it today, mostly in my hand, but it was good practice and I'm getting better about working big - my 133+ skillz with a light hammer doing small work is getting me some very nice compliments, but I have a harder time with the larger work, and just moving a lot of metal quickly. Finished my tools-to-be in record time, though. So go me.
I've got projects in mind. I'm loving the class, of course, but also looking forward to getting a break once my scheduled classes are done at the end of the month. But before then, I get to make a knife, so, you know: awesome.
And that bit, of course, is metal.
I was actually a bit.. nervous? Not as into going to my blacksmithing class as I've been last night. This is almost entirely due to the week before, I think. I'm on the second level class, so the lovely Silvergoose is not with me, and there's a new guy. New guy, J, gave me the 'girl edit' last week, with a whole 'This here is man's work, little lady' attitude that was about to get a red hot piece of metal shoved up his nose. Being constantly told how to do things that either I was doing very well or hadn't started on yet was super frustrating. Less so once it was clear that my spoon was way better than his, but still. If he was just an ass, whatever, but he didn't pull this with T, my beloved biker-esque blacksmithing buddy.
But this week rocked, as it always does once I get there. I managed to beat my 90 degree turn into sumbission (which is really saying something - it's taking 1" square stock, and making it turn a sharp 90 dgree angle, while keeping all of it 1" square), and totally rocked the carbon steel work for my round punch and chisel. So go me.
Also points to me for using a 2.25 or 2.5 pound hammer and really wailing on aforementioned carbon steel. I can feel it today, mostly in my hand, but it was good practice and I'm getting better about working big - my 133+ skillz with a light hammer doing small work is getting me some very nice compliments, but I have a harder time with the larger work, and just moving a lot of metal quickly. Finished my tools-to-be in record time, though. So go me.
I've got projects in mind. I'm loving the class, of course, but also looking forward to getting a break once my scheduled classes are done at the end of the month. But before then, I get to make a knife, so, you know: awesome.