Business as usual...but: Santa Volker;-) makes some kids happy again!

 It´s Friday, and it has been somewhat stressy those days, but, funny enough, working at the Bethaus smithy somehow let all the Chrismas stress subside... Those kids were all there to celebrate the birthday of ?Max?, and they obviously had some fun.

 Waiting for the fun to start. Volker explained how the forgework would be done, and the kids were fascinated by the heat, the smoke, the smell of the coal, and the atmosphere.

 "Now this is the forge", says Volker;-).

Thanks, bro, it is always a pleasure to work with you!

He makes it look easy for the kids and really loves to work with them, and it shows. Even if it´s a bit stressy at times, I have never seen him lose his temper, yelling or cursing.

 Here he forges the preform of a decorative horseshoe. First the bend is forged.

 Then it´s being flattened. This is a good practice for the kids or even any smith looking for some practicing his surface skills.

 Back into the fire...

 Some cleaning up work...

 And then it´s cut on the hardy chisel.

 Like this, see;-)?

 Some more cleaning up later, this is the finished product. Oh, and top is a small knife we made like hotcakes from rebar. Selectively tempered. I guess it were some 15 knives we made in total, all in about three hours, tempered, annealed, sharpened and serviceable. We handed them to the adults who were fascinated and seemed at least a tiny bit content. It was a very satisfying experience, and fun to work for customers like these!

 Leon trying to coax me into making him a third knife;-)after he had made two himself and a third for his friend:-). Joking aside, this little fellow forged a BIG knife from BIG rebar (with a little help from the adult at the sledge) and even had a go at working the 10 kg sledge hammer. He also tempered and annealed with but a tiny bit of help by myself. Great job! Plus, he did not go through this ordeal for himself, but to give it to his friend.

 Filing the grates...

 I also made this blade from an ancient piece of spring steel with a carbon content of approximately 0,75%, 100 mm, spine thickness 3 mm, scandi grind, no worries;-).... Merry Chrismas to me;-).