Saying you’ll make a 1000 nails is a lot easier than actually making 1000 nails. Maybe I’ll actually finish them up in 2021
Getting Started
Welcome to Waters Ironworks.
I kicked off a Waters Ironworks YouTube Channel a year ago and then put a big pause on things due to the craziness of 2020. Even though the virus is still raging in 2021 I’m committed to getting the YouTube Channel back up and running as well as kicking off this website.
My goals for the site broadly fall into three categories:
- Documenting my Blacksmithing Journey
- Education & Resource sharing for other smiths.
- Earning enough money to keep this hobby paying for itself.
My Blacksmithing Journey
I’ll do more in depth reviews of my time as a blacksmith but here is the abridged version.
I started blacksmithing in February of 2016 so as of the writing of this post I have just shy of 5 years experience.
My original instructor was a blacksmith named Jessie Stamper who had just started blacksmithing at Pioneer Farms and I was one of the first students to take his classes.
I immediately fell in love with blacksmithing taking the 1.0 and 2.0 courses he offered. After that I started volunteering and spending every weekend I could out at Pioneer Farms helping Jessie teach classes, keep the forges in repair, and do anything else I could to make myself useful while learning.
In December 2019 Jessie left the farm and I took over as the lead blacksmith. I was focused on training up additional instructors, growing the blacksmithing community, and really making Pioneer Farms a hub for central Texas blacksmithing. Then Covid hit and everything slowed way down.
Now though with the vaccine being distributed and the hope of normality returning those plans are being dusted off and the future looks bright.
The old blacksmith shop at PF Farms where I first learned to blacksmith.
That next bit of knowledge, tip, or trick, is always beckoning from that book that I don’t have yet.
Education & Resource Sharing
Teaching has always been part of my time blacksmithing and I can’t really imagine blacksmithing without continuing to teach and give back to the community.
There is a lot of blacksmithing information and knowledge out there but it can be hard to figure out what’s right and wrong. I want to provide an consolidated location so that the next person making the same journey (or me making it again after I’ve forgotten something) has an easier time of it. I’ll be focused on the history, skills, and legends of blacksmithing so that our community can continue to grow both in size and skill.
Paying for itself
I’m a hobby smith and have a full time job that supports me but anything your passionate about tends to find a way to earn some money.
To be fully transparent one of my goals is to make enough money to have this hobby pay for itself. I teach classes, I sell the stuff I make, and with the YouTube channel and this website, with ads and affiliate links, I’d love to make enough money to keep me in coal, steel, and toys.
Did you know these things are kind of expensive?
Anvil Brand 120# Legend Anvil