In a post-collapse world, having a variety of skills will help you stay alive. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be proficient in survival. Sometimes, it just means you need to be useful enough that others will keep you around. A blacksmith fills a vital role, and it’s a skill not many people know. But, you can get started with just a soup can.
Getting a start in the blacksmith business can be expensive, typically costing around $1,000 for necessary equipment such as an anvil and forge. Thankfully some alternatives are vastly cheaper. To create a do-it-yourself forge, all you need to get started is:
- A soup can, or something similar like a paint can
- Plaster of Paris
- A 2-inch piece of a 1.5-inch threaded black pipe
- Sand
- Two 90º brackets
- Torch
Constructing the forge is simple. First, you need to drill some holes into the can. You will need one hole for the black pipe, which you’ll want as close to the pipe’s size as possible so you can thread it in. You will need to drill the other holes for adding the brackets to the can, which you will eventually fasten to a table or some other kind of base.
Once you drilled the holes and mounted the brackets and pipe, it’s time to start creating walls inside the can using the Plaster of Paris. You will need to make sure there is at least one inch of plaster at the bottom of the can, and you form the walls at an even thickness.
Knock away any plaster that is in front of the hole of the black pipe. Now, you’re ready to add some heat. A standard hand torch works great. You will use the first application of heat to cure the plaster.
Having skills that make you useful is vital when trying to gain entry into a survival camp or a prepper community. While being able to work metal is great, it isn’t the only skill that will be of service in a post-apocalyptic world. Check out this skill that’s great to have, both now and after a major crisis.
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