At The Crossroads

jhiggins

jhiggins

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Messages
3,258
Hi Guys.

Over the past few weeks I've been pondering my forging and it's future. I love forging. Its been good to me. Trouble is, my arm just isn't up to the task anymore. I have a bad elbow, and and a bad shoulder on my right arm. Due to some regeneration of the ligaments and tearing of this and that, I no longer can forge with any degree of success. So I'm simply going to give it up. Its been a tough decision, but one I feel is for the best due to my health and my age.

I'll be venturing deeper into folders and of course there will always be stock-removal. My blades won't have the same soul, so I think I may have to take up engraving or something to fill in the areas that forging gave me. There's still plenty to do in the world of knifemaking, and I intend to stay with it for a long time - I just have to shift gears.

You see, I need what little there is left in my arm to support my job. I can't imagine doing my job without using my arm for hammering. If I blow it out entirely while forging, I am screwed blue and tattooed. Maybe later I can afford to buy a good air hammer and return to it.

So I'll be changing my sig to read Jeff Higgins, Knifemaker or something like that, and I'll be putting up for sale a brand new anvil and a totally unused commercial forge and some other things.
 
You May not be alone brother,

I'm hoping my shoulder is going to heal. I love forging with a passion , but I also have dreams of building a home with my own TWO hands some day. This hammer-in coming up in June will be the test for me. i've been real good and it's been real hard not to forge. I know just as you, that there is another whole world of knifemaking aspects out there. I just dont think that they are as rewarding as shaping hot steel.

Take care of yourself, you're the only self you get. I dont see what would be wrong with "Black Crow Blades"
 
Mark Williams said:
You May not be alone brother, I'm hoping my shoulder is going to heal. I love forging with a passion , but I also have dreams of building a home with my own TWO hands some day.
Click to expand...

I know you are suffering with this just like me, Mark. Having at least 15 years left to retirement still, I would like to enter those years with my lungs and my arms in reasonably good working order.

IG... that is a good idea, bro. Now if only I can get one that'll cook for me too!

Anyone wanna buy a brand new Nimba Centurion? :)
 
I will be 50 this June, and my shoulder and lower arm hurt as well. I don’t know if you have received serous insults like a bad injury to your shoulder (which would change everything) or what ever. But in the interest in all of our health I would like to share some things with you guys. I have read the writings of some of the people on this forum that appear to be very knowledgeable on this subject, maybe that is from personal experience.

There are some very good massages like the Shiatsu (I think it is spelled like that) massage. This, massage, according to the person that taught me, follows the energy lines of the arm and shoulder (I restrict the topic to the arm and shoulder for the purpose of this message). What ever it does, it helps me. My student athletes throwing the shot or discus have benefited as well.

Another thing that will help is ice. One of my brothers is a Chiropractor. He told me to do this; put the ice on the injured area for 15 to 20 minuets then let that area warm up on it’s own. When it has warmed up you may ice it again. This is how I understand it to work. The body is full of sensors that regulate our heat. When a small area is being cooled off too quickly the capillaries dilate as well as the sphincter muscles in that area. This allows an increase of blood to flow in that area. The blood will bring more nutrients into the affected area and carry out more trash as well. The swelling as well will go down with this treatment.

A third thing, a trainer mentioned to me is stretching. I was embarrassed when she told me, as I am a coach and PE teacher. But I seemed to forget that I need to stretch also. She reminded me that the hammering is hard on the bones, ligaments, and muscles and stretching before and after the work was needed(a warm up and a cool down). I said, “It didn’t bother me years ago why now?” Again, I should have known. As we get older we loose the elasticity in our bodies and then we feel the damage caused from neglect.

I taught my wife how to do the message (it is not hard or complicated) I ice when it hurts and stretch before I hammer. These things have helped a lot. Also there are many over the counter aids to get rid of the swelling as well as the pain.

I hope you can benefit from this Jeff. If you have complications it may not help much but it may help another blade smith.
 
jhiggins said:
IG... that is a good idea, bro. Now if only I can get one that'll cook for me too!

:)
Click to expand...
Higgy; I'll send up Mike Spangler. He is going to Johnson & Wales to be a Chef too. He is going to be a Knifemaker and Emirl all rolled into one when he grows up. :D
 
Jeff, bummer about your arm, just over two years ago I got hit by a drunk, he was driving a pick-up, me on my Harley. As a result , the tri-cept muscles in my right arm were torn, had surgery, but they've torn away again.
I also have an almost useless right leg, so I do my forging from a sitting position. I've found that I have to let the hammer do the work, I just direct it as to where it strikes.
And when that fails, stock removal,,, But I ain't a quit'n

L.T.Stawkey
(deserthawke)
 
I'm sure you'll find a way to keep the soul, Jeff....

"screwed, blued and tattooed" sounds like a really cool knife to me!

:D :p
 
Jeff, it's a real bummer that you no longer can forge your blades, but as Pen was saying you will certainly be putting your soul into your work.

Larry T

Member of NECKA & NCCA
 
Sorry to hear that, Jeff. I surely know the pain, being pretty physically trashed. It takes me several days to forge a simple blade and a week to get over it.

I wouldn't sell it all off, yet. Give some time to heal as much as possible, and somewhere down the line try it at a slow and easy pace. You do what you can when you can, and accept what you can't do. If it turns out no more forging, then at least you have he rest of the craft to pursue, just like you said.

Getting older doesn't suck, but the body going to crap sure does..... :barf:

Good luck...
 
Getting older doesn't suck, but the body going to crap sure does.....

I'll second that Fitzo

It happens to us all J. What separates the men from the boys is how we deal with it. I am sorry you can't forge but am glad you are continuing with knife making.

When my knees went, I started riding a bike (Bicycle). Turned out I liked the bike anyway. When I got sick from the grinding dust (and not wearing my mask) I started forging more.
It all evens out my friend!
 
Thanks guys, for the morale boost. I needed that! A toast to all of you!

CHEERS!

Hardrock1.jpg
 
Jeff,

There should be no need for you to sell the forge or anvil. I do stock removal knives but my anvil is always an invaluable tool for straightening. Just because you are not going to be forging does not mean you won't have use for the forge either. If you aquire a press or rolling mill you will still be able to use the forge for damascus and mokume.

Remember a man can never have enough knives, guns, tools or vehicles.

Arthur D. Washburn
www.adwcustomknives.com
In knifemaking everyone gets cut and everyone gets burned.
 
Thanks, Arthur, but the forge and anvil are new items I don't need. I have other forges and anvils, bro.
 
Jeff, before you decide to give up forging please consider forging in a different manner. I know a blacksmith named Tom Clark who I believe was in the same boat as you and ready to give up forging but with the development of a different forging technique and the use of Uri Hoffi style hammers is just as productive or more so than before his injuries.

Perhaps you can try to get in touch with him. He teaches at the Ozark School of Blacksmithing and does demos all around also. Here is the home page for the school and some contact info including email and phone numbers for Tom:

http://www.ozarkschool.com/index.html

It's worth a shot isn't it?
 
Sorry about your bad shoulder, Jeff. Just a long shot, try qigong exercises, especially those for hands and shoulders.

You'll never know what these exercises can do. Meanwhile, I am sending positive thoughts for some rapid recovery on your part. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top