Following the preliminary experiments with the charcoal retort, it was time to make a fire and start hammering again, island style.
Though the shop is not quite organized, most everything is in place and we are ready to begin filling orders and creating hand-forged knives and ironwork for the Christmas season.
The very first item I forged with charcoal, and in the new shop, was a small leaf keychain, for my wife. It was forged from a small piece of a large nail from my grandfather’s shop. Her first project, ever, was a wall hook for the house.