Hello everyone,

My name is Tom O'Connor and I live in San Diego. I've been a luthier and a wood worker most of my adult life, intermixed with 25 years in the Navy. I'm "almost" retired from my post Navy career and have just started blacksmithing with the emphasis being on bladesmithing. I am working out of a maker space in San Diego, I don't have the right location for a forge of my own, at least not yet. But the maker space has four forges, two power hammers and a press. Plus two of the crappiest anvils I could have hoped for... once I've been around the place for a while I may try to get them to do something about that. But, it's a start. I made a pair of tongs and forged my first knife about a week ago... and it's terrible of course, but still pretty cool... I hope to learn a lot by reading all the information on this forum. Maybe some day I'll actually have something to contribute.

If there are any other members around San Diego I'd love to talk to you.

Tom