Hi there folks, after trying for awhile to get on the porch, I finaly made
it, [ thanks Tom and George!] I live here on the eastern shore of Md. with
my wife and 2 mean dogs, Bonzo, a pit dog and TonTon a filia brasilerio, [
a type of mastif from S.America bred to hunt slaves and indians]...I do
blacksmith work for a living, making mostly authentic 18th cent. axes and
knives. Starting to get interested in making tools now also.Do everything
the old way, I don't own any morden welders or such, rather I forge weld my
axes, [ most are made from 4 sections of iron and steel]  and do any other
welding in my old 19th cent. hand crank coal forge.Have a complete
blacksmith shop of old tools that I use every day.I think the best way to
make a faithfull copy of a 18th cent. object is to use the tools and
methods that was used originaly to make it. I have reached the point were I
have as much work as a lazy man can handle with customers all around the
world....We also sell antiques, with me sort of specilizing in antique
tools. Since I work when I want we can go to at least 3 or 4 auctions and
flea markets a week in search of that ellusive bargin here in the tool
heaven of the n. east Do have to admit to keeping more and more stuff for
myself. Very lucky in that my wife doesn't care what I buy or collect as
long as  I keep it out in the shop or in my one room in the house. After
all I don't say anything about what she collects,[tooth brush holders,
mounted animals, victorian mourning jewelry and funeral photos of dead
children].I am mainly interested in collecting 18th and early 19th cent.
tools, and also have a weakness for split screw saws and craftsman made/
repaired tools.Along with tools I also collect slavery items,[ mainly slave
restraints and runway slave adds]..., guns,[  everything from a registed
maxim machine gun to muzzle loaders], am particulary keen on english
flintlocks and american powder horns,[ have 120 horns now!]...Am always
eager in getting others started in blacksmithing and if I can be of help to
anyone out there I do hope that you contact me ...Do think I have a good
life and can honestry say I would'nt want to trade places with
anyone...Well I think I should bring this rather long[ and no doubt boring]
Bio to a close....will talk with you all later..now take care..Todd

Hi Todd & Welcome !

Todd Hughes wrote:

> Hi there folks, after trying for awhile to get on the porch,
> I finaly made it, [ thanks Tom and George!] ...

This is as much self-congratulations as anything, as my only
previous recruiting efforts have been in the field of helping
sweet young things get off (The List, all you DOM).

It's nice to see Todd's merging of the old methods (blacksmithing)
and the new ones (decoding the Listerver's secret instructions ...);
in my capacity as a metallurgist, I'd be happy to help with those
frustrating times when the blacksmiths' methods seem not to work
as they ought.  In my experience, I've found that the oldtimers
pretty much had it right, except for an occasional fanciful
explanation of why it works that way (wrong explanation, right
results, being the general conclusion about those).

Welcome, Todd, you've got a good thing going there on the Eastern
Shore.

Best regards,
George Langford, languishing in the office on a nice, sunny day
in SE PA.
amenex@a...

Todd,
Welcome to the porch, hope you hve as much fun as i do.

rick
in wyoming

At 08:25 AM 5/17/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi there folks, after trying for awhile to get on the porch, I finaly made
>it, [ thanks Tom and George!] I live here on the eastern shore of Md. with
>my wife and 2 mean dogs, Bonzo, a pit dog and TonTon a filia brasilerio, [
>a type of mastif from S.America bred to hunt slaves and indians]...I do
>blacksmith work for a living, making mostly authentic 18th cent. axes and
>knives. Starting to get interested in making tools now also.Do everything
>the old way, I don't own any morden welders or such, rather I forge weld my
>axes, [ most are made from 4 sections of iron and steel]  and do any other
>welding in my old 19th cent. hand crank coal forge.Have a complete
>blacksmith shop of old tools that I use every day.I think the best way to
>make a faithfull copy of a 18th cent. object is to use the tools and
>methods that was used originaly to make it. I have reached the point were I
>have as much work as a lazy man can handle with customers all around the
>world....We also sell antiques, with me sort of specilizing in antique
>tools. Since I work when I want we can go to at least 3 or 4 auctions and
>flea markets a week in search of that ellusive bargin here in the tool
>heaven of the n. east Do have to admit to keeping more and more stuff for
>myself. Very lucky in that my wife doesn't care what I buy or collect as
>long as  I keep it out in the shop or in my one room in the house. After
>all I don't say anything about what she collects,[tooth brush holders,
>mounted animals, victorian mourning jewelry and funeral photos of dead
>children].I am mainly interested in collecting 18th and early 19th cent.
>tools, and also have a weakness for split screw saws and craftsman made/
>repaired tools.Along with tools I also collect slavery items,[ mainly slave
>restraints and runway slave adds]..., guns,[  everything from a registed
>maxim machine gun to muzzle loaders], am particulary keen on english
>flintlocks and american powder horns,[ have 120 horns now!]...Am always
>eager in getting others started in blacksmithing and if I can be of help to
>anyone out there I do hope that you contact me ...Do think I have a good
>life and can honestry say I would'nt want to trade places with
>anyone...Well I think I should bring this rather long[ and no doubt boring]
>Bio to a close....will talk with you all later..now take care..Todd
>
>--
>
>