How to EASILY forge Steel and iron...

How to EASILY forge Steel and iron...

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-forge-Steel-and-iron/

Now you can also melt any kind of metal, to include coins. Old coins actually had real metal content, like pure silver and pure copper. One can even use the product for barter, for example. After all, we can’t eat metal, but we sure can eat food. If 3 out of 4 still have jobs, then 1 out of 4 without jobs is also a big number, and forging skills may help a lot in many situations.

Next is a link on making a basic metal forge in good times:  http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Metal-Forge

Now one can make a kiln from scratch and during hard times if they need to. It is like junior scout level stuff. Said another way it is not rocket science. There are many YouTube videos on how to do this, too. This is something you can watch ahead of time, too.

And here is a link on making a knife from scratch: http://www.wikihow.com/Forge-a-Knife

The working assumption is that one just wants to survive, vice becoming a blacksmith.  I suspect to become a blacksmith, some apprentice time or schooling will sure help. Here is one link on basic blacksmithing:  http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/07/14/blacksmithing-primer/

Last, here is a wiki link on forging:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forging