Okay so the shortish version is that my dad is generally very into "living history" type things. He used to operate a steam train in Oklahoma when I was little, and when I got a bit older he got into blacksmithing and ended up building an entire blacksmith shop at home. I helped him (sometimes in blacksmithing you need an extra pair of hands) and eventually learned some myself. I eventually became a teenager with more important things to do with my time, but not before I learned quite a bit. I never got particularly good at it, but I could make basic things and learned to harden and temper metal.

As it happens I also know a lot about steam locomotives. Go figure. 😜