Blacksmith looking for Commisions

Harold the Bear · Post by **Harold the Bear** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 5:08 pm

Hello gentlemen and ladies. Its been a while since I have posted, but now I'm ready for some business. I have become a professional blacksmith up in Northern Maine. Commisions are usually small and not challenging from the surrounding areas. I'm willing to make decorations, hinges, buckles, studs, and anything else you can come up with. I dont have a website up yet, but i stand behind my work and will repair, fix to suit if not satisfied. If no agreement can be agreed on a unsatisfied piece of work I will fully refund minus the shipping on any work.

I can be reached at 1-207-736-3015 or reply by email to winnsmith@hotmail.com label subject S.I.W. My name is Sam Smith.

Thankyou,
Sam H. Smith
Journeyman Blacksmith
Owner of the Smith Iron Works
1127 Rt.2 Winn, Me. 04495

[This message has been edited by Harold the Bear (edited 03-14-2003).]

Harold the Bear · Post by **Harold the Bear** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 7:22 pm

*bump*

[This message has been edited by Harold the Bear (edited 03-19-2003).]

Galileo · Post by **Galileo** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 7:35 pm

Any pictures of your recent stuff Harold?

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 7:56 pm

give him a picture of that shield that was up a few weeks agow. cant realy find the picture but definitly a good project for a blacksmith.

Iain (Bunny) Ruadh · Post by **Iain (Bunny) Ruadh** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 8:18 pm

Hi Harold,

Can you do some basic furniture blacksmithy? I'm looking for banding for a chest, strap hinges and hasps to go with them. My last smith didn't pan out as he kept wanting to make them out of too light a material (roughly 20 gauge). They need to be able to support a pine lid of 36" x 18" dimensions). If you've got any pics of previous work that would be greaty appreciated too!

------------------
"His troops would follow him anywhere ... but only out of curiousity!"

taltosh · Post by **taltosh** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 9:11 pm

I am looking to get a set of feast utensils made as a b-day present to my s.o.

Do you work with wrought iron only or do you forge stainless as well? I'm looking for a 3 piece set, late 14th to early 15th cent. i.e. 3 tine fork, acorn round spood and small knife. If you could e-mail me with a quote that would be great.

Cheers

Chris

Harold the Bear · Post by **Harold the Bear** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 9:01 am

Sorry i do not have access to a digital camera at the moment. I have never really kept a journal of pictures of my work. As i said in the main post i back all my work, satisfaction is guranteed. I can make any hardware you want and in any thickness, Iain. Taltosh i can make mild steel feast gear and i can put a safe vegatable oil finish on them.

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 11:31 am

I thought I'd give him a try, and am currently working with Sam on a sawtooth trammel for The Red Company.

So far he has been absolutely diligent in corresponding with me to determine what I want. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Gwen

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 11:53 am

Email sent re: arrowheads.
But I also need some replica axe heads made, if you can do one w/o the temptation to make them too heavy... cost WILL BE an issue, however, so they'll have to be phased in one a month or what-have-you depending on production schedules and your interest...

JJ Shred · Post by **JJ Shred** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 4:51 pm

I, too might be interested in hinges & hasps to fit medieval chests consisting of 1" - 2" thick white oak, as 16 guage is the most I can cold-forge. I am paying $8 - 15.00 each for stamped 12 guage Indian, then pounding them with a blacksmith hammer and blackening them with charcoal/kerosene before installing. Forge-blackening would leave out one step anyway.

[This message has been edited by Bascot (edited 03-20-2003).]

Friedrich · Post by **Friedrich** » Thu Mar 20, 2003 9:50 pm

I agree with Bascot. I too am in need of good hinges of this type.

Harold the Bear · Post by **Harold the Bear** » Fri Mar 21, 2003 7:00 am

I believe that i can make the even the banding of a chest, but the only issue is form fitting. You would have to send me the chest. Although this is not the case for just hinges and hasps which can be done without the chest. Russell I would of responded on your light axe heads in the email if you had mentioned it. To make axe heads i will have to wait untill my permanent forge is built(waiting for snow to go)

Thankyou for your responses,

Sam Smith

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 1:32 pm

Update on my order:

Sam has given me a price for my trammel and I have agreed to it. I offered to pay 50% up front with the balance on delivery, but Sam wants 100% up front.

<I>" Unfourtunately I cannot, being that I have had no dealings with you before
take a 50% down payment. The sawtooth trammel must be paid for up front before you can receive the peice. What I can do is, in good faith begin construction of the trammel and have it finished before your payment has arrived. I can keep you posted on progress and even send pictures of its development, so you can approve of it before i send it. That is all I can do for you on a business stand point."</I>

(Insert Han Solo voiceover - "I got a bad feeling about this")

Frankly, I'm a bit taken aback by his not willing to do the 50% up front/ 50% on delivery arrangement, since I've not dealt with Sam before and I have no idea if he'll come through. He's newly in business, has no portfolio to show and no access to a digital camera to send me pictures of my piece in process.

I've thought about it and I want the trammel enough to risk the full amount. I'm going to send a check to Sam via registered post, that way I have recourse through the Post Office if I don't get the trammel.

I'll keep you posted.

Gwen

Rev. George · Post by **Rev. George** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 5:01 pm

Hmmm... I better talk to the boy....LOL

I think, what he may have thought you were saying was : "I'll pay you half, and then you send me the item. If i like it I'll send you the rest"

Which many nervous manufacturers may take as:
"You'll send me half, then when i send you the item, you'll skip town and claim it was never delivered."

Of course a nervous consumenr might see a 100% DP as: "i'll send you the money, and you'll vanish like a wing in the night"

That's why Ben Franklin invented COD and escrow.

In harold's defense, I have had 1 dealing with him. he ordered an archive favour, and needed it by X time. I mailed it b4 he sent the payment, and w/in a couple days, i recieved the Money order. I dont think he'd skip out on you, but then again, at some point, I woulda said that Galon or AG wouldnt have done that either.

-+G

Galileo · Post by **Galileo** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 5:25 pm

Harold, are you making blades yet?

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 6:13 pm

At this moment in time it would be a VER BAD idea for me to shaft anyone by not completing a transaction. I'm way too easy to find, and I have no desire to sully my good name and reputation for $50. I guess I'll just have to work harder at being better known, then this won't come up. LOL!

The check went out in today's mail. We'll see where it goes from there.

Gwen

Harold the Bear · Post by **Harold the Bear** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 6:41 pm

Yes what rev. george is true. If you meant 50% now and 50% upon completion then send you the peice, then I'm truly sorry. I had quickly jumped to a conclusion of 50% down and 50% when you get the peice. Unfourtunately you messaged "for payment on delivery" which I'm a cash and carry business. Have no fear I have very honorable business practices.

*I think $50 for the trammel is a good price. Please consider this email a
binding contract for production, and ***for payment on delivery***. Please let me
know how you would like payment to be made and if you need a start work
deposit. I am willing to pay 50% up front with the balance on delivery, if
that is what you require.*

P.S. My mother has a digital camera that she will let me use for customer satisfaction. Also, to lay your mind at rest I'm 1/3rd completed with your trammel as of reaching the archive this evening.

P.S.S. Since I had forgotten to mention in my email postage, I will swallow the loss for sake of good relations between us.

I thankyou for your concerns and patronage,

Sam Smith

[This message has been edited by Harold the Bear (edited 03-22-2003).]

Harold the Bear · Post by **Harold the Bear** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 6:49 pm

Galileo,

I'm not really a bladesmith and I dont have the facilites to produce good quality blades as of yet.

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Sat Mar 22, 2003 10:17 pm

Sam-

You didn't respond to the part of the email asking about postage so I added $6, which seemed like enough to cover postage. If you think it will be more than that, let me know and I'll send another check.

Glad to hear work is progressing, looking forward to seeing it!

Thanks-

Gwen

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 2:55 am

sounds like everything is going well right now. how about some pictures on the archive once it gets finished?

Harold the Bear · Post by **Harold the Bear** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 8:55 am

Thankyou Gwen for adding postage I'm sure 6$ will cover it.

Losthelm I will see about getting a picture of it up. I would need someone elses website to do it though.

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 11:09 am

I can post one, no problem.

Gwen

Wolfesco · Post by **Wolfesco** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 1:05 pm

Gwen,

I too have been considering one of those saw toothed trammels. I was wondering how long did you get yours? Since we both do the cooking for our respective camps I would like your input.

Steve Vaught
Wolfe's Company aka Lord Grey's retinue

Gwen · Post by **Gwen** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 1:40 pm

Hi Steve-

I asked Sam to make me a medium-duty trammel capable of holding a pot weighing about 10-12 lbs. The hanging bar is to be about 12" long and the sawtooth about 14". With those measurements I expect to have about 18 or so inches of adjustment. I think that should be enough for working down over a fire.

I've already told Sam to keep the pattern because if I like what he builds I'll probably want another one or 2. I started out ordering just one to make sure my measurements were right; I figured we could tweak things on version 1.2 if I miscalculated.

I'll be happy to send you my critique when I receive the trammel, and another report after I use it at our event in May.

Gwen

Wolfesco · Post by **Wolfesco** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 6:38 pm

Thanks Gwen,

It is usually me (in my group) gets to be the test subject for new equipment. I would love to hear your observations.

Steve