ABOUT
INTERVIEW WITH THE BLACKSMITH - JOSEPH
Why is your forge called Vulcan? Are you a Star Trek fan?
I know of the show but it's a bit before my time so I don't think I would appreciate it at my current stage in life. My forge is called Vulcan Fire Forge because of the Roman god Vulcan who was the god of fire.
How and when did you first get interested in blacksmithing?
I got interested in blacksmithing in third grade during a field trip to Wilder Ranch where they did a historical re-enactment and had a blacksmith shop. At the time, I thought of blacksmithing like most people, as a dead and unneeded workstyle.
How long have you been blacksmithing?
I have been blacksmithing for about 3 years. I started when I was old enough to take blacksmithing classes at The Crucible.
First blacksmithing class at The Crucible
What equipment do you need to start blacksmithing?
All you need to start forging is a large flat chunk of steel, a hairdryer, a bag of coal, a lighter, and of course something to grab the steel with, and a hammer. My first forge was made from a modified $10 BBQ!
What is it about blacksmithing that interests you / captured your attention?
I would assume that I love blacksmithing because of the primal urge to play with fire as well as the ability to take a bar of steel and make something out of a rough form. As a child, I always loved making things.
What blacksmithing experiences have you had?
I took a couple of blacksmithing classes at The Crucible, really great instruction as well as great teachers - like Celeste Flores of Clay and Steel. I also took a class at Lawless Forge. They helped me make my first knife out of a horseshoe. And I took a class with Nick Marcelja of Red Troll Forge, who’s the season 4 champion on the History Channel show, "Forged in Fire". He taught me to make a historical ax head. Another amazing blacksmith I got to meet is Kirk McNeill of Freedom Forge. He makes huge blacksmithing sculptures as well as traditional blacksmithing items. He’s a really nice guy who told me a lot about the business of blacksmithing and what school classes (ie, chemistry, geometry, and technical drawing) would make me better at blacksmithing; I recently joined the California Blacksmith Association, as Kirk suggested. All the blacksmiths I’ve met are a really a helpful community.
What types of things have you made so far?
I have made knives and tools so far, like bottle openers and BBQ forks. But I focus on simple things nowadays like the bottle openers or bracelets. My personal hobby is to make knives and jewelry.
What blacksmithing projects or skills do you want to learn next?
I’d like to make a piece of damascus steel in a feather pattern to make a needlepoint dagger. (Damascus steel is two different types of high carbon steel forge welded into one billet to make a pattern.) Another thing I want to make is rings because they’re used in everyday life and I like that people enjoy them and give them to their special people.
Describe your forge and tools.
Most of my tools are non-power tools. The only power tools I own are a tig welder, two angle grinders, and a belt sander, and a lathe.
Anything else you want people to know about you or blacksmithing?
Fire is dangerous, it’ll cause pain. Don’t fear it though because the fear may cost you the happiness that you would have gained from the experience.