My 6 year old daughter the Blacksmith

David Roeder

David Roeder

Well-Known Member
We homeschool our oldest daughter who is 6. One of the classes that we have given her is art appreciation. Well in that, I've categorized art appreciation into two sub categories. One being metal art. I'm a knifemaker, and I've been forging knives since I was 16, and that's back starting in 1996, and have been making knives all since then. I've also done blacks nothing. So with the metal art I've began to teach my daughter the use of shop tools. Blacksmithing starting off has gone well, so we will just work on this for a few years more. Today my daughter and I went to the scrap yard and she selected 3 pieces of metal. A Rail Road Spike, a piece of 1" pipe, and a piece of 1/4" round. We took them back to the shop and as we thought what to do, she began the process. She uses the drill press and made three holes through the spike, and the pipe, and weaves through that the 1/4" round. This is called "organic" forging simply because of the natural flow of the round being the same as a vine growing. She learned a bunch and is a natural at forging as I can tell.

This is one of the many reasons I stand behind home schooling :)
 

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This is good to see, David. My wife and I are homeschoolers as well and my oldest will be in the shop with me in a year or two.
 
Super, David, super !!!
I did all I could to encourage my kids in the manual arts and then was able to give to some of my grand children as well. Many years from now I'm darn sure you will see many good reflections of what is happening now. Frank
 
She needs a step up for when she's at the anvil. Looks like she is enjoying herself. Don't let her get hurt or the wife will kill you.
 
She's got a 45# Vulcan anvil that I got just for her. Following Bruce's suggestion I'm going to look at getting her her own forging hammer, or if I feel Froggy I may just make her one like mine.

She's always excited to spend time out in the shop, but now with the addition of the ability to use the tools she's always stoked to get out there and make something. Once she's better at using the tools and is comfortable handling things up close and personal I'm going to expand into knifemaking. That's a couple years down the road yet but that's the hopeful main focus for once she hits 10 or so if she is interested. I honestly don't foresee any issues.
 
Your little Angel has a very determine look on her face. I love it!
Its great that you can teach and learn with her.
 
Great job teaching her their is more to education than what you can learn in a book. Keep her safe and show her how to clamp items in a drill press. I can't count the times I had something go wrong when I didn't take the time to clamp down the item I was drilling. Luckily I always managed to jump back and hit the switch to off but, kids don't always think that way! She is learning something that will be with her the rest of her life no matter what her chosen profession is, that is number one!

Number two is the residual benefit, she will always be close too you for teaching her what some may call the unconventional. I had a sister who has passed with cancer but she was never afraid to tackle anything. I once saw her drop a tranny out of old 50 something Chevy. Of course she didn't know how to fix but her and Dad fixed it and he helped her reinstall it. She was also the only one besides myself that like to hunt and often went hunting with my Dad.Out of five kids three boys and two girls she was never afraid to tackle anything she sit her mind to, although some of those ventures didn't always turn out well! To say the least my Dad and her were always close!

Keep your little girl safe and close and the benefits will be reaped by the both of you! I have a great relationship with my daughter and she has that inbreed determination that comes with our name! Then one day some boy will show up and cause you grief..................................... don't kill him it ain't worth it! Don't ask!!!!LOL
 
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