Cold Worked Iron and Steel

Adam Savage (of “Mythbusters” fame) gets a tour of the armorer’s shop at the Met: Some cool tools and even cooler history.

As noted elsewhere, I just picked up a Hossfeld Universal Bender #2 for cheap: I haven't started actually using it yet, but the plan is to use this thread as a consolidated repository both of my own learning curve and adventures in tooling up and also of a number of online resources that I hope others might find useful as well. NB: Hossfeld is still in business, and they are still making and selling the #2 and its tooling. However, after the patents expired, another company called American Bender started making an exact clone of the #2. Their tooling is interchangeable with Hossfeld's, and it appears to be somewhat more affordable. You can find their respe…

I just finished the polishing of this Lednica-style helmet, but I can't find any detailed sources on how the Vikings attached horns to their helmets. Any advice?

Hi I’m not sure if topic should be in cold working or quenching and tempering so if this is in the wrong place please say so. I’m forging a sickle out of rebar this particular piece seems to have some carbon if I make a piece thin, quenched it in cold salty water and give it a bonk it will snap. im thinking about work-hardening it my question is would u work harden and quenched and sneak a piece, the same proses as with carbon high carbon steel? minus the normalization? Or world u just forge it into a black heat and call it done? Any general advice about sickles is also welcome! Thanks!

Hello folks, My first post here, though I've been lurking for years. I have an upcoming project that's a bit out of my depth and I'm hoping to get some guidance from people who are smarter than I am (no shortage of those around here!). Among other things, I'm a saddlemaker specializing in historical repro work. In the past, I've always been capable of making whatever metal hardware I've needed. Now, however, I'm stumped. I need metal bindings or trim to enclose the edges of cantles and horns on certain styles of saddles. They would be made of nickle alloy, brass, and light gauge iron, probably in the 16-18 gauge neighborhood. The only time I ever made one before…

Just to be clear, this is about making miniature armor for display rather than for use, but there’s some interesting stuff about tooling and techniques.

No doubt everyone on this forum is VERY familiar with the dreded flat spot created in large cold formed steel circles (and scrolls, too). On a short run basis, this is no big deal, since you can hammer a nice short curve in the ends of the flatbar or roundbar workpiece. But what if you are making a ZILLION (well, 90 anyway) CIRCLES?? I find myself needing to make over ninety 15-inch circles from 1-1/2" x 1/4" steel flatbar, and that is a good thing, but I would like to save time on the ends of my 47 inch workpieces if possible. Has anyone here come up with a quick and consistent way of prebending the ends of what will become a hoop, that they would like to share…

Couple of interesting articles about Dimitrios Katsikis of Spata (the town east of Athens; not Sparta, the city-state in the Peloponnesus), an armorer working in bronze to recreate the harness of Ancient Greece and Macedon. "Meet the Blacksmith Resurrecting Greek History" "A Modern Blacksmith 'Brings to Life' The Armor of Alexander The Great and His Father Philip II"

Made this to complete my Norse Karl Viking kit. I want to make some additions to the aventail to help it lay better on the shoulders, but I was under a time crunch to finish a workable version. 16 ga. mild. Also the battle axe is my own build - mild steel body with spring steel bit. The seax too - brut-de-forge blade with maple burl handle, brass spacers.

This video popped up on my YT feed. It was too simple and brilliant not to share it. I certainly plan on making one to fit on a shank that will fit in my hardy hole on my anvil. Just a heads up, it is all stock music in the video so you could watch it on mute if that bothers you and you wouldn't miss anything. If it could be called anything better, admins, feel free to adjust the title.

I've been following the YouTube channel "World of Armor" from a Ukrainian armorer who makes replicas of museum pieces, fantasy armor, and harness for full-contact armored combat (such as the Battle of Nations). Although his usual channel has narration in Ukrainian with English subtitles, he just added a new YT channel called "Art of Armor" where he provides narration in English. Here is the first video from that channel, showing the making of a gauntlet from one of the characters in "The Witcher"; some of his shaping techniques are really interesting, and I'm looking forward to adapting them to some of my own hollow work. (NB: I'm posting this in the "Cold …

Well, who knew?

Between 1916 and 1923, John and Elizabeth Severance donated a large collection of arms and armor to the Cleveland Museum of Art. In 1924, they had a catalog of those donations printed in a limited edition of 300; one of those catalogs is available online at https://archive.org/embed/SeveranceCollection1924.

I've seen someone press skillet pans cold with a 20 ton fly press, so I was curious if using one of those bottle jack h frame presses would work the same? Of course its wouldn't be a permanent solution, but you think it would work? What are the advantages of a fly press compared to one of those hand cranked presses, given they are the same tonnage? Thanks

Guess this is right category for this. Made these last couple years. Frame and sheet metal all from scratch on Harley replica. Sheet metal on Indian replica from scratch. Bought frame.

So I decided to make a shield out of the bottom of a salvaged pressure tank for a water system. Im liking how it’s going so far but don’t know what kind of shield it is. Approx 20” diameter. Peak of the dome is 3”. It’s looking like the weight will be just short of 10 lbs. The steel is approximately 1/8” thick. And the outer rim is cut to include an original seam so it is a bit over 1/4” thick. Still figuring out the straps.

I am asking if there are people interested in learning the art of metal spinning. I am in no way a master rather a committed beginner. I have been spinning for about 3-4 years and am self taught. I have found getting good information really hard. It seems the Art of Metal Spinning is in this country is dying. It would thrill me to see a revitalization of the amazing metal working process in the way blacksmithing has seen a revitalization. To me the 2 go hand in hand. I have posted this question with the hope of getting a discussion going with any and everyone interested.

There is an interesting article at thehistoryblog.com regarding a Viking era (9-10th century) helmet which was found in North Yorkshire in the 1950s. I would have posted this in historical blades but a helmet is designed to protect from blades and other things. There may be something said for having a topic on armor, particularly since I know a number of people on IFI have made armor either as an exercise of for use in the SCA or LARP. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Mod comment: Armor/armour discussions live in the "Cold Worked Iron and Steel" section.

Hi to all out there, it seems that repoussé often means : working with nonferous metals. But in earlier day´s there was much repoussé-work on iron. Take a look at all these leafwork at older buildings etc. and you know what I mean However, I can´t find books about chasing, repoussé etc with iron? Does anyone know such a book explicit for ironworks, respectively for blacksmiths? greetings Sascha

Discover the world of medieval knights and see how their armor was made. This episode of Nova features Ric Furrer who did the one on the Ulfberht sword as well as a master armorer. Check it out, secrets of the shining knight: http://www.pbs.org/video/secrets-of-the-shining-knight-bt1me1/

Howdy folks, My wife and I are planning on eventually installing pressed tin ceiling tiles in our house, and we were playing around with the idea of making them ourselves. The only information I've found about the process was on wikipedia. They mentioned that they were originally produced using drop hammers and cast iron molds. I was thinking of making mild steel dies and using a shop press. Has anyone done anything like this? It would seem like I wouldn't need to use that large of a press? Any info or advice is much appreciated :)

A while back I made a dishing stump with attachments from a worn out 300 oxygen bottle. Everything was salvaged for free from my employer. The planishing stake was a shot put I found at a garage sale for a dollar.

Hello I recently aqquired some small pieces of tin roofing and I was wondering what I could use them for, I also would like knowing what the dangers are of using it if there are any thank you very much in advance

I need help with the repousee work on a job I have on hand. I will greatly appreciate any help.