Forging a simple poker or fire rake - basic blacksmithing

Forging a simple fire poker or rake for your coal forge is a great first project. If you are burning coal, charcoal or coke a rake of this sort is necessary for proper fire maintenance.
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The following list provides just a few resources to help you find supplies and equipment for blacksmithing.
www.piehtoolco.com/
www.centaurforge.com/
www.blacksmithsdepot.com/
www.blacksmithbolt.com/
www.oldworldanvils.com/
www.nimbaanvils.com/
fontaninianvilandtool.com/
www.abana.org/
www.mcmaster.com
kensironstore.com/
Blacksmithing and related activities can be hazardous. These videos are not a substitute for competent professional instruction. Your safety is your sole responsibility. Always use appropriate safety equipment including eye and ear protection when working in the shop. Follow manufactures safety guidelines for the use of all equipment. In the event something shown in one of these videos seems unsafe, it is up to you to make the appropriate changes to protect yourself.

[@rampanttricky17]

thank you so much! A large magnet made such a difference for me.

[@courtneythacher4578]

Just made this with a micro coal forge and harbor freight anvil. It’s the first thing I’ve forged and is useful! Lots of skills learned on such a simple tool. Thanks for your videos

[@sdjnwhyNZ]

Another simple project to start without worrying about any big loss is making some masonry chisels or rock splitters.

[@christopherharrylang7424]

Started forging just shy of 1 year now. A coal rake almost identical to the one you made was my first project. It is a tool I use every time I forge. Enjoy your content, very informative and useful. Thank you.

[@magusisrafael]

Thank you for these videos. I really love these "beginner" basics, and how to make starting tools. I think your videos are the best blacksmithing videos I've come across. I don't have to have years of experience, know all the technical terms, or have knowledge of special tools or material to be able to follow along with what you're showing. And that's enormously helpful for a beginner like me. So keep it up, and thanks again.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thank you, I am glad the videos are helping out.

[@ImTheDude326]

Thanks for this video. I made a few of these and sold them! @acforge

[@kennyw6712]

Getting ready to fire up for the first time, this will definitely be on my project list. Thanks

[@DavoShed]

Love the simple stuff as much as the complicated stuff. I think I’ll make me self one of those😀

[@davephillips7550]

Nice job. Just one thought to mention to viewers would be after doing the ring end would be tell which way to orient the poker end as to the intended use. It's all up to what the user likes. Good instruction for beginners 😎

[@christophercraft957]

You, my friend, are an excellent instructor for tge beginning smith. The in depth information and pace on this channel are spot on. Thank you for sharing what you know.

[@BlackBearForge]

You are welcome

[@mikemichelizzi2023]

Like others here, a coal rake very similar to this one was my first real project - yours is a lot nicer looking though! Thanks a ton for all the helpful videos!

[@oljames1687]

..Excellent video again Sir. In a pinch they make good back scratchers, just don't use the pointy end, i'm not gonna say why...!!

[@chrisspalding1971]

Great video John! A neat beginner project.

[@jakeradcliff3652]

A good quick tip anvil video for beginners; the best way to orient your anvil (horn to the left or to the right) and why.

[@BlackBearForge]

It would be worth talking about.

[@eriktorp-olsen1706]

Nice twisting tool.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks

[@GWIRailroad]

Thank You for another great video!

[@guiltyspark7933]

4 weeks ago i maked One as a b-day gift

[@Aa-wv4gh]

Beautiful work.

[@shadowcastre]

Details man... love the details! :-) Thanks for the video....

[@lenblacksmith8559]

Good one John

[@bc65925]

Forgot to mention in your "Quiet the Anvil" vid, I use one of the switchable magnets on my anvil. If it collects mill scale you just turn it off and it all falls off. It is also handy to hold your hook ruler on top of the anvil out over the side to measure like from the center of your hot cut.

[@BlackBearForge]

Sounds like I need to get one

[@bc65925]

Mine is supposedly a 90lb er. I kind of doubt that but it do have some hold.

[@bc65925]

Mine looks like this but one of the ones made for welding would probably be more useful around the shop. I have a couple of these to make a movable fence on some of my power tools like the drill press. acdsupply.com/magswitch-magjig-150?ads_cmpid=908332316&ads_adid=40817624050&ads_matchtype=&ads_network=g&ads_creative=214838550699&ads_targetid=pla-402445074935&ttv=2&gclid=CjwKCAiAn5rUBRA3EiwAUCWb2xsgwlcVXtszY3TKovVmkDY9ax6ZhIpnRKjFgPR7kBnfDeAgliYPeRoCLOUQAvD_BwE

[@mikemichelizzi2023]

Those are pretty nice and definitely useful. If you're strapped for cash another option is to throw a cheap magnet inside a thick plastic bag, then turn the bag inside out when you want to clean it.

[@SSSmithing]

Good video john I just made a video on making one of these

[@Rottinrock]

pie are round, cornbread are square

[@williamcunha9136]

Awesome Video! How’s your hand doing?

[@BlackBearForge]

See this evenings update on that very subject

[@tamjap1]

I'm pretty late to the party with this one, but I'm hoping to fire up my tiny coal forge this week to try something like this. Does this just use a mild steel? Are there classifications of mild steel like there are with high carbon?

[@BlackBearForge]

There is more than one type of steel people refer to as mild steel. But in the end it makes little difference. But mild steel is all thats needed for a project such as this.

[@dthomas021]

Well worth supporting. Can paypal.me be setup as a repeating monthly payment or is it just a one time donation everytime?

[@BlackBearForge]

If it can, I don't know how. I may Have to set up a Patreon account. I truly appreciate that folks want to support the effort. Thank you for your contribution

[@jimhumphrey]

Me thinks sometimes you just like the sound of the hammer on the hot metal.

[@BlackBearForge]

I suspect you are right

[@paulsalb1686]

Must be an older video cause you fixed your anvil with brackets and silicone so you do not need to find your magnet and put back on anvil

[@BlackBearForge]

Yes it is, for some reason I uploaded out of order by about 2 days