Liam has some serious talent

[crex]

Ought to see my collection....never turn down a hammer!

No offense taken, just a pref on my part - "smith" indicates learned, mastered and applied skills where as "forger" - near about anyone who whacks things with a hammer.

 

[Fiddleback]

I was surely impressed with Liam. He was fun to hang out with, and his work and business are outstanding.

 

[Mistwalker]

..... where as "forger" - near about anyone who whacks things with a hammer.

Nowhere near everyone. With 25 years as a carpenter, I met many a man who whacked lots of things with hammers who were not even carpenters, much less forgers of any sort. Seems these days, any guy who can sort of read a measuring tape, and only buckle two out of every ten nails they drive, is willing to call themselves a carpenter. I worked for a few who couldn't have built a square box or cut out set of stair stringers if their life depended on it, much less finish a staircase or trim a house

 

[crex]

I've met more than a few like that ..... "cut it twice and it's still to short!"
If I bent a nail while working with my Dad or Granddad, I spent the rest of the day straightening nails instead of driving them. Pop always said there was no place for Iron Worms in his projects. He wouldn't even tolerate dimples. He could swing a hammer! Introduced me to forging when I was 5-6, but I was too stubborn to learn from the Ol' Man. He made and repaired mining tools in Dahlonega during the rush. He learned from my Great Uncle Knute (serious Viking Dude from Norway linage). Sad thing is neither ever saw me forge but one blade and I got whupped pretty good for that one (guess I shouldn't have used Pop's favorite framing hammer).