I started learning to blacksmith at Prickett's Fort in 2000 under Greg Bray (left). Since then I worked at the fort and continued to learn for two seasons until I got a desk job. I got a "portable" forge from Greg and do a little forge work now and then. But, now my hammer arm is weak and my only learning resources are the web and books.

This is my forge in operation. Thanks to Anlaith for the nice photo!

This is about three dozen brooches about an inch in diameter. They were made from 10 gauge copper wire.

This diamond cross-section awl is made from old rebar.

This is a fire striker made in the fashion of some viking fire steels. The metal is case hardened rebar. It was one of my entries in the 2007 Ice Dragon Pentathlon.

On the left is a stylus made of mild steel for tooling leather.

On the right is a creaser made of mild steel.

Ignore the thing in the middle. I didn't make it.

Twisted forks after the fashion of a find at an 18th Century soldier camp. The one in the middle kinda sucks but I got better at it. Made from 1/8" round mild steel.

An oil lamp on a spike. Well, it's kinda big for an oil lamp but it"ll work. The dish is 18 ga. sheet mild steel. The spike is 3/8" square mild steel.

A sorry attempt as sinking. This was supposed to be a cauldron but I didn"t sink it enough. Now it will probably be a hanging oil lamp... A friggin" huge hanging oil lamp. The body is 18 ga sheet mild steel. The bail is 1/4" square mild steel.

A camp fire set. One of these days I"m going to make a Viking tripod. Made from 3/8" square mild steel and 1/4" square mild steel for the S-hooks.

A simple candle holder known as a pricket. You heat up the bottom of the candle and jam it on the spike. Easy enough. Made from 1/4" square mild steel.

The hinges and hasp for this chest. The hinges are made from scrap (3/4" x 1/4" and 1" x 1/8") that came from my uncle's brush pile after he burned an old wagon wheel. The hasp is made from 1/2" x 1/4" mild steel.