Free calculators & field-tested buying guides
Beginner blacksmithing, costed - not guessed
Know your propane cost per hour, whether that anvil is fairly priced by the pound, and exactly what gear your first year at the fire really needs. Built for new US smiths.
- 8 free calculators
- 55+ guides & charts
- 0 paywalls or sign-ups
Start with a calculator
No sign-up, no JavaScript required - every tool runs on the server and links to the gear its result recommends.
Propane Forge Cost
Real $/hour and hours-per-tank for your burner and tank.
Open calculatorAnvil $/lb Rating
Paste any anvil price and see if it is a deal or a rip-off.
Open calculatorAnvil Weight
How heavy an anvil you actually need for your hammer.
Open calculatorForging Temperature
Working heat and glow colour for common steels.
Open calculatorForge Burner BTU
What size burner and BTU your forge chamber needs.
Open calculatorForge Insulation
Kaowool, rigidizer and firebrick to line your forge.
Open calculatorHeat-Treat & Quench
Hardening temp, quench and temper colour by knife steel.
Open calculatorSteel Bar Weight
Weight of round, square, flat and hex bar stock.
Open calculatorBrowse by topic
Guides, comparisons and charts are cross-linked in rings, so you can walk a whole topic without hitting a dead end.
Propane forges
Pick a first forge, size the burner, line it right and know the running cost.
ExploreAnvils
Weight, rebound, fair price per pound - and what to do until you own one.
ExploreKnife making
From 1084 bar to a hardened, tempered blade with an honest heat treat.
ExploreGetting started
The five core tools, what they cost, and your first ten projects.
ExploreBuying guides
How-to guides
Reference charts
Why tool-first?
Most "best blacksmithing gear" pages are the same ranked list with affiliate links bolted on. We flipped it. Punch in your burner BTU, tank size and local refill price and the propane calculator tells you what an hour of forging actually costs - then it recommends a bigger tank or a manifold only if your numbers call for one.
Do the same for anvils: our $/lb rating turns any listing you find into a clear budget/mid/premium verdict, and the weight calculator stops you buying an anvil that is too light to be worth the shipping.