Randy McDaniel, author of "A
Blacksmithing Primer", issued a challenge to all smiths. His challenge was
to take a bar of steel, cut ten pieces of equal length, put one aside in its
original shape, and then forge each of the remaining pieces into something
different. This will show the variety of things that can be done with ten
identical pieces of steel.
Geronimo accepted the challenge with a 1/2" square bar of steel,
cutting each piece 3" long. Here are the results. There are ten pieces plus
the original.
The items made are as follows: a hind hunter/jumper shoe, a piece of
sheet metal, a forge welded egg bar shoe, a ball, a cube, a tapered twist, an
acorn napkin ring, a dog-faced dragon head, a split basket picket finial, and a
pair of fire tongs.
Geronimo encourages all blacksmiths to take up Randy's challenge. It was
a great deal of fun and will awaken creative energies you never knew existed
within you. The collection of pieces are also useful to show others what
blacksmithing is all about.