(total time today working on actual bowls: 1 1/2 hours)
Today I worked on the same piece and started another fresh. On this last piece I'm working more slowly and carefully. Have a sense of how to do this. There was no way to work carefully yesterday because I had no idea how to do what I was doing - at least at first.
This work takes a lot of concentration and care, but I felt fairly relaxed as well as intense - an odd combination but it felt good. Burned myself again slightly. Dunked my hand in cold water and it was ok. The heat travels on this fairly thin iron and when I'm moving fast, I grab it where it's black. It can still be very hot. (This is not news to any other blacksmith.)
Had to stop early to shower and go to a party. I'm definitely building some momentum with this. Felt confident today that I'll finish this piece. I may make it a number of times before I'm satisfied, but I'll do it. My concern is to keep up the momentum even after the iron for both these two bowls is shaped. While I'm painting it, I need to start more work in iron to keep up the momentum. When I get back into the habit of working with iron every day, nothing will stop me.
10:07:05 PM 
|
