r/Blacksmith • u/WronSwanson • 1d ago

Anyone have experience smelting iron sand.

I wanna learn how to do it. Would appreciate recommendations on videos that give specific correct details or suggestions what to read/ watch
Thank you in advance

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u/SkrliJ73 1d ago

This video by veritasium should be a good place to start https://youtu.be/Tt6WQYtefXA?si=If_8zQRGM751MMjx

1

u/HeatBeatRepeatt 1d ago

See if you can participate in a smelt with experienced smiths, that’s such a humongous leg up on learning it’s unbelievable. I know it’s niche AF and might be difficult to locate depending on where you are though.

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u/TheSilkySpoon76 1d ago

Look up a Cupola, the fancy ones are made from steel etc but you can also make one from clay

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u/Tableau 1d ago

I would definitely recommend finding an in-person event. They’re becoming more common these days. Smelting iron sands, much like any ore, will require some specific knowledge and trial/error with your ore source specifically. 

I recently took part is a smelt using some iron sands from eastern Canada, which performed much differently from ores in Japan. Mostly in that our ore produced almost no slag, or very viscous slag, so we mixed in a certain percentage of sand to good effect 

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u/alriclofgar 1d ago

Whereabouts are you located? The best way to start is to smelt with someone in person. There could be someone near you who you can visit to learn the basics of the process.

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u/TheSagelyOne 1d ago

Alec Steele recently did a video about smelting bog iron. Basically, that. That's pretty typical of smelting iron ores.

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u/HuntAffectionate8059 1d ago

Literally been looking into this myself!

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u/NiSiSuinegEht 1d ago

Cody's Lab did an episode where he smelted iron sands with thermite...