Hello from Essex.

[Wulfshead]

Hello all,
I chose the name Wulfshead in tribute to an English historic hero of mine, Hereward the wake.
I am 51 and live in Essex.
I am prepping as head of my family and also as a small cog in an extended group.
I was a bricklayer for 32 years until an accident finished me up 16 years early. I now, as a hobby and to stop me going mad from boredom, work in my workshop smithing pre-1066 Anglo-Saxon and Nordic style swords and my own design combat and survival knives. I am restricted to a couple of hours a day at most but I enjoy it.
I am married to a great wife that also understands the many reasons for prepping and thus is active in prepping also.
I have 3 children who have minds turned to the need to prep.
As part of the extended group there is an understanding of the various reasons to prep and as such I try to encompass each possibility in my/our regime as best possible.
I have read the site rules and understand that political/conspiracy theories are a no-no. That said, I keep in contact with groups from around Europe and across the pond and from a personal perspective I do not count out the possibility of things we hear about that don't make our UK news.
After spending a couple of days reading through many threads on this forum I must say I am very happy to have found it.
I look forward to interaction with fellow preppers.

Best wishes all,
Wulfshead.

[preppingsu]

Hello and welcome.
Sounds like an interesting hobby, I'm sure our members would love to know more.

[PreppingPingu]

Hello and welcome!

[junmist]

Hi welcome how do you smith??? if that is the right word and how did you get involved in sword smithing

[Rincewind]

Hi WH I'm Essex too,not sure where you are geographically (or even if I have spelt it right) but I live approx between grays and thorpe bay Engineer by trade but sadly looking to change career due to personal circumstances, more than willing to share metal working knowledge along with odds and ends that may be useful.let me know if there is anything I can do and as everyone else has said "welcome"

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

[Wulfshead]

Hi welcome how do you smith??? if that is the right word and how did you get involved in sword smithing

Hi Junmist,
For my blades I buy high carbon spring steel bar from the stockist in York, minimum 10 metre length at a time. I cut fullers and blade bevels via the stock reduction method and heat treat in my propane vertical sword forge (4 foot deep with 2 naturally aspirated 1mm jet burners which give me a good heat after 10 mins).
For hilt fittings I use steel and carve the stock with the tools in my workshop that is rather well fitted out thanks to mainly my father's tool fetish
I use the stock reduction method because an 18 foot fall from scaffold onto my back has left my right arm very weak and hammering steel is now, sadly, not an option. I can however hold a steel bar against my table grinder via use of my jigs I made to ensure equal blade shape.
Smithing is a general term that can be used for both people making heat treated blades of blades that have not undergone structural transformation in a forge of heat treating medium.
Because I use a forge to heat treat my blades it would have been more correct to write in my introduction post that I 'forge' swords and knives.
I was proud to forge and donate an Anglo-Saxon era style sword to a charity that sends period dressed speakers into schools to speak of England's AS history and culture/s. The presentation was in Chelmsford at the St Edmund's evening last November, Nothing like a good presentation washed down with real ale . There is a photo of the sword on the charity's website but as it is a charity I will not mention their name although I myself support it.
I got involved with blade forging to stop me going insane with boredom. Many years ago I worked in an engineering company whilst waiting to start my bricklaying work. After my accident I realised my engineering skills may not be as dead as I had come to think they were. My son, who I taught his building trade, re-fitted my workshop so I could work standing as upright as possible and an interim compensation payment bought the machines I would need to make the hobby as easy as possible.
I love my Anglo-Saxon history and as such it was a pleasure studying period sword types and recreating them.
I hope that answers your question

Rincewind,
I am in Chelmsford and thanks, I'll bend your digital ear if I have need for a tip or three.

For the welcomes in general I thank you all.

Wes thu hal ond frith,

Wulfshead

[damaralenoire]

hello and welcome to the forums, Do you have pics of the knives and swords you make

[Rincewind]

Good to see that old arts are not dieing,I would love to get in contact and maybe get a commission piece made by you I also have been taken out of the normal stream of things due to an accident,which I wont go into here , maybe we could meet up for a coffee and chat,bet of luck with your endeavours. R

[Cougar]

Hello and welcome from another Essex Prepper.