Paul B

Thank you JHCC. Better late then never.

I think of this often for some reason.

Iron, case hardened top surface.

My son and I were working in Pocomoke City last week. We turned in to the local library lot I happen to see an Anvil and Hammer Grave Marker. I did not have a camera with me to take a picture. You could not read the stone. A little investigation came up with this: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmid=47947508&GRid=107280545& Pretty cool.

My son and I both have full beards,m his is a little thinner then mine but it is there.

I'd keep those tools for they're intended use and get some other steel to play with. You never know when yoou are going to need a good bar.

I don't know if this will help anyone but I am a trapper and wax my traps each year. I add about an inch of wax ring to about ten pounds of parrifin wax. I heat the wax to about 350 degrees F. Then I place the traps in the pot and let them sit about two minutes or so to allow the steel temp to reach the wax temp. I then remove the traps from the wax and hang to cool. These traps are set in the ground in all types of weather. Rusting will not occur until the wax is worn off from use. If not catch is made they usually will not rust even when buried.

This is off topic but I am trying to figure out where to buy a gas burner like used in a fireplace. I don't need the logs just the burner. My mom has a wood insert in her fireplace but at 88 she don't need to be carrying logs. I figured I would put a LP gas burner in for her just don't know where to get one. Any help would be great.

309-475-9012 I just called this number, I believe it is his home and he answered. Paul

You can heat some metal and start hammering like I did but it is a tough way to go about it. There must be some one near you.

I thought it had to be wooded stake.

In that photo, do you think that the flat surface on the top is welded on harded steel or do you think it is just ground flat?

I am not an expert on this by any means but I know when a tool maker grabs a piece of D2 or A2 or what ever, he does not examine it to decide what edge is good for what. Also I know that you can see the grain in cold rolled very easily after it is ground on a surface grinder.

Tomorrow I am going to forge a spongebob coat hook for my youngest granddaughter. I'll let you all know how it turns out. Her birthday was a couple weeks ago and she is nuts over this ridicules spongebob.

If you are taking the iron from large oil filled transformers, be carefull of the PCB's.