TechnicusJoe Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Railroad spikes are not used on the Dutch railways, so they're hard to come by. Luckily I have nice friends over the "pond" who are willing to send me few. I forged 3 into a knife.. meh... I didn't see a good purpose in that as knives aren't that popular over here, as well as the law has few things to say as about them. So, I saved them up for a better purpose and that was forging a hanging basket bracket out of 3 spikes, for the variation. Here's a link to it, I hope you enjoy! Cheers, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maillemaker Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 That is excellent. I really enjoy how you welded the three together to use all of the material. It shows creativity and imagination. THANK YOU FOR NOT MAKING KNIVES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 That, youngman is truly old school smithing. Be proud of your skills, i'm certainly proud to share this small bit of electronic real estate with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyO Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Well done Joe! Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Good watching Joe. Well done. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 I like it. Good job on the video. Almost looks like a 'product placement' ad like they do in the movies, the way that Coke stands out on the back table. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 excellent job and a joy to watch! thanks for taking the time to video it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Joey, like all your other videos....job well done. Enjoyed watching it (and the others as well). I always learn something new in them. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Absolutely amazing to watch. Am I crazy or were you working ambidextrously? Hammering as both a leftie and rightie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Great vid. I admire your ambidexterity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechnicusJoe Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Cheers of the compliments! :D I'm glad you like it! I like it. Good job on the video. Almost looks like a 'product placement' ad like they do in the movies, the way that Coke stands out on the back table. Lol LOL, thanks for the heads up, I'll contact Coca Cola and declare some cash for the free advertising I'm doing :P Absolutely amazing to watch. Am I crazy or were you working ambidextrously? Hammering as both a leftie and rightie? Cheers. Yes I forge with both hands. I ambidextrous and it has given me many benefits in forging as well as daily life. In school it had great benefits too. I heard everyone complain about writing long tests and their hand hurt while writing. If my hand started cramping up, I'd switch hands to relieve stress and switch again when the other cramped up again. I've never understood why most people have one "good" arm and a "bad" arm. I've always wanted to use both. Why solely develope one arm, while you have two? It makes work a bit easier on the body because the work is spread out. If one arm gets a little tired, switch. In forging and in daily life as well there are opperations that are simply easier from a certain angle with one hand than the other. I use my abilities to my advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 True ambidexterity is a talent. Talents are inherent. Skills on the other hand can be learned. Those who are not born ambidextrous can train to use both hands proficiently, but it is not the same. Excellent video. Definitely a quality job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eujeankilt Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Nice work on the smithing and filming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunch Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Great video and really nice project. Thank you for posting it. You make it look easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Watch this kid and be impressed. I guess the reason that he used RR spikes is because he could but sure looks like a lot of work when he could have used material close to the needed size. Why forge weld the three spikes together WITHOUT FLUX. Because he could. And notice that sometimes he is hammering with his left hand then switches to his right, then back to the left. I guess that left arm got tired. He said that it took about 10 hours to do the project. He has a number of videos on YouTube several of which are on Fluxless forge welds. I wrote this and sent it out to friends before I read all the posts so I see that I have repeated what has already been said. Still, I am impressed and will be watching more of your videos. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechnicusJoe Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share Posted November 23, 2014 Watch this kid and be impressed. I guess the reason that he used RR spikes is because he could but sure looks like a lot of work when he could have used material close to the needed size. Why forge weld the three spikes together WITHOUT FLUX. Because he could. And notice that sometimes he is hammering with his left hand then switches to his right, then back to the left. I guess that left arm got tired. He said that it took about 10 hours to do the project. He has a number of videos on YouTube several of which are on Fluxless forge welds. I wrote this and sent it out to friends before I read all the posts so I see that I have repeated what has already been said. Still, I am impressed and will be watching more of your videos. Thank you. Cheers for the comment and compliments. I do like to clearify I had different motives to produce this hanging bracket. The reason I made this because I wanted to give an alternative for the r...rai....roa... ooh geez... *Takes deep breath* R....railroad spike knives....whheew.... I wanted to give an alternative for the knives made by many beginners, of railroad spikes. There is hardly any skill needed to produce a "knife" like that. Just "pound" *cringes* it flat, twist it. (You can't deny this. And no........ not everyone goes about it like that..... I know, I know, I know... But I'm not looking away) Then grind it to something more or less resembling a knife and demand 500$ for it. Blacksmithing is so much more, there is so much more to it than that. And that's what I wanted to put together in a single artifact, with the well known American railroad spike as raw material. I don't do things "just because I can". I think about it, I do it out love for the trade, inspire people to use the hammer and anvil instead of the welding machine, lathe and jigs. I do it because I want to get better and have an understanding about blacksmithing as deep my intelligence will allow me to go. I am amazed I am regarded as an old school or purist blacksmith. I don't see myself as old school or purist, but as a "normal" Blacksmith. I utilize the forge, anvil, vise and hammer to shape any artifact I need or have to produce for a commission. My personal view is that a welding machine, drill, grinder, don't belong in the equipment set up of a blacksmith. I really couldn't care less if this is regarded as a wrong view, delusional or whatever your opinion is, It's just as good as my opinion regarding to having fall back on those tools as incompetence and laziness, for myself. That's how I grade for myself.Please, if you (no one specific) are offended with what I just said I am very sorry. But it really makes me scratch the back of my head why you would call yourself a "blacksmith" if you weld or machine everything together. If you want, you can start a private discussion with me about this, and keep the forum clean. But I guarantee you, I will work as I see is right. The same applies to you. Work as you want. But welding and drilling everything does make me scratch the back of my head if you call yourself a blacksmith in that case. If you visit a restaurant with 3 stars, you expect a really nice dinner. Not some frozen and deep fried chicken from last week. The same, I think, applies to blacksmithing. I see too many "blacksmith shops/forges", some don't even have a forge or anvil, selling "quality wrought iron bla bla bla" for high prices (just mig'ed and drilled mild steel) to, sadly, ignorant customers. That is stealing!! That's stealing money from people who worked hard for it. You can give me any excuse/argument why you didn't forge it. But I think the only excuse is incompetence and laziness. Of course, I have many areas at which I am incompetent and lazy. But that doesn't mean I can't learn how to do it. If I can't forge it, I won't do it or sell it "forged/blacksmith work". I work on it! Others like me who aspire to become a (good) blacksmith too. Then bloody live up to that name and earn it. Take out the fundamentals of blacksmithing and you will never come close to becoming a smith. Just to have it clear for everyone this is NOT directed at anyone specific. This is to clearify minimally my motives of why and how I approach my work. If you have taken offence, I oppologize and advise you to grow a thicker skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Oh,,My,,, Gosh,, could I ever go off on a rant on this, but since I agree %110, and have been doing "traditional smithing for a long time, guess I'll just second your fine project,, oh yea, and your philosophy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnie Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Well done Joe, fantastic video as usual. Just hope your clients have seen it too and appreciate how much thought and effort went into their bracket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Great job, nice design, and wonderful use of a common material to make a nice product. And the video was very well done and edited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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