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X-WR-CALNAME:What I've learned so far: Rob Gallerani
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UID:66@cdblacksmiths.com
DTSTAMP:20141208T050000Z
SUMMARY:What I've learned so far: Rob Gallerani
URL:https://cdblacksmiths.com/news/what-ive-learned-so-far-rob-gallerani/
DTSTART:20141208T223000Z
DTEND:20141209T003000Z
DESCRIPTION:A summary of what I have learned and created since I joined t
 he CDBA\n\nI wanted to post some form of update for the work I've been d
 oing. I sadly had to miss last month's class. Luckily Steve Gurzler help
 ed me make some new tongs the month before (thanks Steve!). Also\, the w
 elding is something I'm eager to learn more about\, hopefully there will
  be demos again. I know this is usually for event updates\, but I figure
 d it might be nice to see some of the fruits of the group's efforts. I h
 ave always had an interest in the blacksmith craft. Now older\, with a h
 ome and kids\, I figured I had no excuse to not get into it. In high sch
 ool and college I made a few bucks on the side making chain mail\, and I
  even did a few short lessons with some armor smiths making plate armor.
  However\, it was cold steel and I really wanted the anvil and forge. I 
 have also recently gotten into straight razors\, and had seen people for
 ging them online and the amount of forging seemed quite minimal so it mi
 ght be a good way to start. When I started looking\, I started at school
 s\, but nothing casual\, and more importantly\, local. I did however fin
 d an online news article from All Over Albany http://alloveralbany.com/a
 rchive/2009/09/28/learn-to-be-a-blacksmith-no-really. I figured I would 
 look up the group\, and sure enough\, you guys were still having session
 s. I found this site\, and signed right up. My first session was in Augu
 st 2014 and I went with no equipment\, no training\, and no idea what to
  expect. I knew at some point I would need an anvil and fire. My first m
 eeting was a demonstration by Travis Edgington on how to make axes. I wa
 s pretty blown away at the quality of the work\, with minimal tools. He 
 basically made an axe with fire\, anvil\, hammer\, borax\, a spoon\, and
  a file. I was also very impressed with the spread of attendees. Within 
 the first 5 minutes of the meeting\, I had already met Mike Catalado who
  hooked me up with a sweet anvil. Free of charge\, so long as I made som
 ething good within a year. I just had to pay for the stand. Mike also as
 ked me what kind of forge I had\, and my answer was "nothing yet!" I cou
 ld see the worry he had over giving an anvil to some newcomer with not e
 ven a forge to his name. He was kind enough to let me know about somethi
 ng called a brake-drum forge. So the next weekend I made a few calls aro
 und and found a scrap yard who would sell me an old Ford super-duty brak
 e drum\, they seemed confused that I only wanted 1\, so if anyone needs 
 a brake-drum\, there's a scrap yard way up Hoosick that has just 1. So\,
  with my brake drum I hit up Home Depot for some plumbing supplies\, and
  a trunk full of cinder blocks. I also bought a cheap hair dryer for my 
 bellows. It was about $60 total\, plus a few bags of lump charcoal. The 
 first thing I realized I needed now was some tongs. This was probably th
 e worst thing I have ever made\, but they did work. During all this I al
 so managed to make it into Albany steel\, which is less than a mile from
  my office\, so I now find myself running out during lunch to look at th
 eir scrap room. This is the first razor I made before I melted it. When 
 I went to harden the steel\, I had gotten it too thin\, and I melted it.
  Turns out a hair dryer and some fire can get reallllly hot. However\, t
 he second came out OK. The scales of this one are made from some oak I h
 ad around the house from a mantle I had made over the fireplace. However
 \, when I took it to the next CDBA meeting\, I learned a lot about finis
 hing. I realized how bad of a job I had done with the sanding and filing
  step. So the next razor was going to be much better. It was for my brot
 her. It had Buffalo horn scales and a bone wedge. I was really pleased w
 ith this one\, and was worried because I wanted to do something a bit cr
 azier for my father. I was very pleased that his came out even better. H
 is had a high carbon blade\, but I copper plated it\, and made the scale
 s with purple heart. It came out really cool. I got the idea during Mike
  McCarthy's finishing lesson. Maybe I'll do a class on electroplating. I
 t was the first time I had ever tried it. After all these razors\, I rea
 lly wanted to get back to more forging\, and less grinding. So I made an
  attempt at the wine glass holder. The first one I made was so bad I did
 n't even take pictures\, but the second one came out pretty good. I gave
  it to my stepmother\, and had to have her take a picture of it\, as I h
 ad forgotten. Clearly her camera is a bit older.The glasses hang a littl
 e far out\, but it works. Great lesson Pete! The only thing I actually m
 ade for myself was a wreath holder. However\, I still have tons of techn
 iques I want to learn\, and I have lots of practice ahead of me. I hope 
 to try and build a small shed in the back yard and make a real forge. Ma
 ybe even start using coal. Thanks for taking the time to read this if yo
 u did\, I just wanted to post some pictures because I have given all of 
 these things away for the holidays\, but I couldn't have done any of it 
 without this group. Hope to see you all in January. -Rob Gallerani
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