David Barnett
I'm casual with forging, too, Tom. I fuss over a lot of stuff but forges are so easy to throw together.

When I'm forging small tools, I just grab my oxy-propane jeweler's torch and use a largish tip, set it on its base and have at it. Occasionally, if I'm doing a bunch of repousse punches or something requiring several heats, I'll grab the little micro-forge, a single chambered-out firebrick with a hole for the torch, and it goes even easier.

A one or two firebrick forge costs next to nothing, can be made in less thirty minutes, mine have lasted years, and you can use just propane or propylene (replacement for MAPP) if you don't have oxy-propane or oxy-acetylene. I keep lots of drill rod, both round O1 and square W1 close by, some already cut to length, and when I need a new tool, voila!

Easy, fun, fast, cheap.