How to Forge a $250 Fold Formed Bowl

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Buy steel blanks for making bowls at our website www.blacksmithpdfs.com.

[@spooky5257]

Do these sell for 250? That seems really high

[@FranconiaFriend]

I learned fold forming when I took a copper working class - glad to have run across this as I am just starting into blacksmithing and will apply those same techniques to steel. BTW there is some amazing work in fine metals / jewelry using this technique.

[@DeltaDawg01]

Just made one of these for my mother in law's birthday. Ran a brass brush along the folds and edges. Now everyone wants one. Thank you, Roy!!!

[@droiddoes58]

I’ve been watching the knowledge you offer for some time now. However the one glove technique always escaped my grasp of understanding any insight is appreciated. -John

[@TomofAllTrades]

Looks pretty cool. Nice design 👍🏼

[@richardkent3344]

I respect you for standing up for fair pricing of our art.not trying to get rich.just support me and shop

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Your welcome! my hope is to inspire other smiths to be able to follow their dreams.. And still be able to support their families while they are at it :-) God bless you this new year

[@johngalt969]

This exact bowl is listed by him on ETSY right now for AU$394.51 - you can't tell me that's fair pricing and 'not trying to get rich'. That's nearly $800 per hour of work. Lawyers and doctors don't even get that and have to spend 10+ years in university! I'm in the wrong line of work :O

[@paulorchard7960]

John Galt Ok John, take out the Aus sucker tax on imports, the freight and the GST the convert back to the exchange rate, the price is around $200 US! Do you have the 8 to 10 years experience in the forge to make this, can a doctor, dentist or lawyer do this, hard work is just as worthy as university degrees in earning your keep! Learning to work with your hands using tools and producing a product that will outlive you is a skill worth paying for!

[@TingTingalingy]

Dumb comment.

[@660tig]

Great coat hook video and bowl

[@brettsayers7768]

Roy that is one fantastic looking bowl, thanks for sharing.

[@grandadz_forge]

Such a literal gold mine of information. Thank you again Roy.

[@TufStockdogs]

Thank you very much for sharing. Your a blessed family I hope to get to meet you someday until then le you say be blessed and have fun!

[@tbc-9516]

Thank You, you really are a big help for this retired Preacher. By the way I don't speak proper english either.

[@GWIRailroad]

Roy that is awesome!!

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Thank you very much

[@hannemannironworks1651]

Looks great Roy!

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Thank you sir

[@tobyjo57]

That's a great simple and very attractive bowl Sir you make it look so easy.credit to you..Bye the way what a beautiful Swage Block, wish I could find a few of those

[@shadetreeforge]

It's a Green Mengle, good luck finding one like that rumor has it they're going out of business

[@tobyjo57]

Would you belive i'm from Sheffield UK, "Steel City" and there are few left in existence now, thousands were sent to the scrap pile, what a shame

[@stevecarlson5944]

Great Instruction Roy, Happy Holidays

[@ffemt1187]

Could a small flat area on the bottom be added just to keep it stable?

[@thesweetestjerk8905]

It's your piece. Do what you want to it, a flat bottom would be a nice addition.

[@johngalt969]

@@thesweetestjerk8905 If I paid $250 for a bowl and it didn't even sit up straight on the table I'd be pretty peeved :P

[@paulorchard7960]

Thats one awesome swage Roy! I use the base of an old OXY cylinder that may be 1/3 of the size and lacks the shape of that. You have a treasure thats extremely rare and its no wonder it can earn you a tidy sum, try finding another! Good luck to you mate, good things find good people, god bless!

[@bentoombs]

I like the fold design. That would look nice with some texturing or chasing also. 👍👍 I know what I'm doing today

[@standaffern6595]

Only thing missing is a flat bottom. What keeps it from rocking. Otherwise great job. Will want to copy for sure. Thanks for idea.

[@baldwindigital]

I appreciate the thought process- I know it’s an older vid but just found it. With a gas forge what kind of opening would I design to accommodate this size of work? I am seeing where I may need a more flexible design to handle some of the work. Thanks brother. God Bless!

[@grantpahlke9045]

Thank you for the videos Roy. Question for you, why the green tape on your tools.

[@random40s]

Just wondering where you are located tho.. Ideal vs/ideal is a huge difference you sort of use ideal a lot. Again I was just wondering.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

I'm located in Ohio :-) lol and don't speak proper English

[@j.wilson641]

Nice!

[@Njordgaangforge]

Just curious why not do the fold complete in the first heat? Is there a specific reason?

[@KneGros-nc1ss]

Depends. Larger piece of metal needs to be at least yellow-ish and a bit red in order to bend. Otherwise you might crack it

[@maverickm15]

Quick question are these just decorative or do you market them as a bowl for your keys or something

[@imprimisxo]

Where to find an anvil that size?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

EBay :)

[@thomasedwards2839]

Roy you left a gap between the folds, what if the fold overlapped would that have been a problem?

[@AdamRhein]

Where does one get that beautiful swage block?

[@DeltaDawg01]

I just picked one up on an app called Offer Up. Also, eBay has some smaller ones for $195 + $14 shipping. Mine has already paid for itself in orders.

[@Trick-theDev]

Yay not an ornament xD lol joking of course they were fun. Edit. Love that fold form ty for these free tips for the blacksmith business you are a ton of help!

[@mrmoosecreature]

You've probably been asked this a million times but what size anvil do you use?

[@stanervin6108]

Metal Origami ! 🔲

[@monsterbash9758]

I understand that for the work put in and tools and skill required that's a fair price but who really pays that much for a bowl?

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

fools with more money than sense.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

People who see value in art... Challenge you all to do better and send photos of your work to my gmail @Christcenteredforge. The real question is why do you feel you are not worth proper pay for your work? As blacksmiths we do not make items of necessity we make Trinkets and art and that carries a different price then let's say a kid who needs a kidney transplant. So therefore this allows us to charge what the market will bare. Interestingly enough there is always loads of people when I post a video of how to make more money for yourself as an artist and as a blacksmith always have something negative to say. You all can charge $12 for this bowl or you could charge $400 for this bowl if the market will bare it. It all comes down to what you are comfortable with I'm comfortable with taking care of my three kids my wife and a very expensive shop that all will still be here in 30 years trying to help the blacksmithing Community as a whole charge correctly for their iron work so they can do the same. God bless you gentlemen and I hope you have a Happy New Years

[@xArobainx]

@@ChristCenteredIronworks i understand proper pay but didnt that take you like maybe a few hours of work? if its more enlighten us but if it really did just take a few hours at most, thats a scam imo, i wouldnt even have the gut to sell something like this, that high i would feel horrible

[@cartercustoms4600]

You have to understand the group he markets to. The items he sales are mostly marketed to the upper class and upper middle-class at the prices on his shop I'm sure. I as a oil field worker and part time blacksmith couldn't afford to spend the money on a $250 bowl much less his large $1,700 ones. Yet, I'm not a lawyer, doctor, realtor, CEO, etc with literally tens to hundreds of grand a year in expendable income. At that point when you can blow that much money it's hard to have the "My stuff is nicer then your stuff" tirade with your rich palls if everyone can afford the same things. So how do you then win? You buy handcrafted or rare items at high prices to rub in their faces. So price depends on many things, from the market you cater to (wage class) down to the little details of how you word your description. Is it just a bowl or is it a work of art? The buyer decides the value. It ultimately doesn't mater if its to have more one of a kind items than their friends or as patreons of the arts as long as they pay. If no one was buying them he would have dropped his prices or been out of business by now.

[@maverickm15]

If you can sell on Etsy they are already used to paying a lot for the handmade goods so that usually eliminates the bargain shoppers right off the bat but still I would say that it depends on how many people know blacksmiths in your area like in urban environments you can charge more because they will care a lot more about the handmade aspect

[@johngalt969]

His $25 nails are on Etsy for $0.30 now though using the exact same construction method so the price of this bowl is prolly down to $1 :P

[@lastfrontierforge6170]

Why couldn’t you fold it all the way the first time what would have done different verses folding it twice

[@thijs3514]

Funky design, but $250..?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Your welcome to sell it for less. I'm just letting the blacksmith community know what the market can bare... Similar pieces have sold for this in my shop and a little bit more.

[@thijs3514]

@@ChristCenteredIronworks Thanks for your reaction. I was wondering about the market(price). If it is a fair price to you and people willing to pay, it's ok. To me it's a bit much compared to some tools, which to me require much more effort and cost. Anyway, thanks and happy new year!

[@kambranictay1]

When a very successful and known Blacksmith is willing to suggest a price that is fair, most tend to listen and break down all associated costs and time involved. Once that is done it is easy to see why that price can be asked. Under valuing your work does nothing but harm to you and other artists whom create such things.

[@bradleybellwether3063]

Thijs Nagtegaal ...IKR! You'd have to be a member of the more money than brains club to spend $250 for that. Normally I'd consider this a waste of 20 minutes, but I always learn something new from this guy and this was no exception.

[@bradleybellwether3063]

Christ Centered Ironworks ...You're doing the right thing in pricing! People using the "cheapest" buisness model screw it up for true craftsmen. They can't sustain at that level so they fold and only succeeded in lowering the wages of other craftsmen.

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

don't want to sound like an asshole here but i can't imagine anyone wanting to pay $250 for that, or even 100 or even 80. your arbitrary pricing is just taking advantage of layman's lack of knowledge to sell something really simple and cheap to produce. this product is not worth this price, and if it is not economically sustainable to make it otherwise, just stop making it, i doubt anyone would miss it all that much.

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Congratulations you succeeded :-)

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

indeed, it is from a noble origin, and this is not a noble earth.

[@paulorchard7960]

Dont like it, dont buy it!