Chilla,
What course are you taking? I am not familiar with any journeyman programs in the States. I learned by working my way up through forge fab shops and then starting my own business. You can check out my portfolio at
Let me know please. I like to know what is going on in the blacksmithing community.
Andrew
Chilla is in Australia.
That's correct I'm an Aussie.
The course is run by a TAFE college (you'd probably call this night school... I think).
The course is unique, but I'm trying to get a few friends in other states to encourage their local TAFE college to run the course.
I started doing my trade as a hobby, and pushed a computer for a crust, however an unfortunate (or fortunate... glass half full?) event saw my services no longer required at my place of employ. They did give me a reasonable handshake, so I was able to take a year off to get to know my children again, and to consider what I was going to do with the rest of my life.
I was making casting equipment (I have an interest in bronze), to add to my hobby's range of products of leather work and blade fabrication. I naturally fell into forging, tried making a couple of forges, gave up and bought a reasonable forge for close to $1500 AUD (inc. postage), then figured out how to make a working forge for about $120 AUD (ah well you live and learn).
I bumped into a group of armourers and was told about the blacksmithing/journeyman course... it's exclusive having only 8 students accepted, so I pulled every string in the book to get in.
It's a good course, takes you from the basics, some of which I skipped when learning how to use a forge for blade making.
Regards Charles P.S. Acquired a foam cutter, so I will be making foam models this arvo for lost foam casting :-)
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