Glenn

blacksmithtech, I feel I must amend your post. Dan (and others) are welcome to post as long as it is within the high standards and guidelines set for the site. He has expressed his desire that his posts are not to be altered in any way, and that is fine as long as he follows the site guidelines. This is true for Dan and every other registered member and is not something new. Dan is a valued contributor with 47 posts already to his credit. He is a gentleman and as such, I would expect him to respect the guidelines of the site.

Tony, welcome to the site, Push some buttons and find the material that is stored for reference on the site. The contributors have been generous. If you have questions, ask. But don't be surprised if you get several different answers on how to solve your problem. Try them all and use what works best for you.

Wayne, your both on the list. Tell Karen we are pulling for her.

Photos may be included in the posts by "calling" the image from it's location on the internet. Use the following code . Simply remove the "- - -http://www.imagelocationandname.jpg- - -" and replace it with the image url.

Your question has already been answered - twice. This original question came from outside the United States. Different cultures have different standards and I felt it could be delt with and answered from the prospective in the United States. The original post was modified to fit the forum with no objections. There was even a thank you for the answers provided. You have indicated that you do not wish any modifications to be made to your post. You will notice that your spelling has NOT been corrected.

I have reviewed my post and the media is flat, and does not allow for everyone to read words they way they were intended. The reply could be read that Dan had used curse words in a post - he did not. I have reviewed Dan's 47 posts to the IForgeIron forum and only one word from all his posts has been adjusted. That one word was adjusted to soften the description of an object so the post could fit the format of the forum. This did NOT change the content of the post in any way. Again, Dan has NOT used any curse words in any of his posts. Dan has been a gentleman and a valued contributor to the site. This post is made so there is no misunderstandings and no shadows cast in Dan's direction. Dan, Thank you for your concern about censorship, I hope my comments answer your question. You have been a gentleman and a valued contributor to the site. Please continue to use the IForgeIron site for reference and to share your skill and expertise with others.

IF your posts contain curse words, those curse words WILL be replaced with x's and a note made as to the change. IF your post tried to dance around the curse word by using creative literature while retaining the same intent and or meaning, those words WILL be replaced with x's and a note made as to the change. Some few times the offending words may have been lengthly and therefore simply removed or replaced without disturbing the content of the post. I always try to place notes in the post if any edits are made. This is done quietly as not to draw attention to the post or the person posting, but to remind everyone something happened and a change was made. We recently added Moderator01 to correct any spelling errors so the post reads better. In this case, no notes are made as nothing was changed in the post, the only change being correction of spelling. There has NEVER been censorship as you suggest. IForgeIron is a family forum. It is a clean forum. IForgeIron expects you to be gentlemen and ladies and to treat others with the same respect. IForgeIron promotes blacksmithing, and learning about blacksmithing by the interaction with other knowledgable individuals, and has become a valuable resource to many. IForgeIron invites anyone to view the site, just point your browser. You may read anything posted as there are no "special" sections. Yes, we have one topic about how to improve the site that is only available to those registered, but that is expected. IF you wish to view that topic, register and your in. IForgeIron DOT-NET is the contributors site for those that have contributed Blueprints to the site. IF you wish to access that site, contribute a Blueprint and your in. So you see, there is nothing hidden, there is nothing that requires "special" handshakes, fees, dues, money of any sort, or anything other than pointing a browser, or registration to be able to view the material. IForgeIron, being an open site, understands that this will include people of all ages, including teenagers, pre-teens and very young children that are interested in blacksmithing. IForgeIron set it's standards high to make the site a comfortable site where you do not have to put up with curse words, personal attacks, and flame wars in order to learn about the craft. If in order to keep IForgeIron a clean site and a family forum, words must be replaced with x's, then they WILL be replaced. IForgeIron forum has over 5, 685 posts with only one post being deleted. That thread concerned a specific off topic question that was answered and then locked due to the nature of the material. The off topic post was let stand and allowed to be answered, even though it did not fit the forum. The deleted post came in after the decision to lock the post from additional comments was made. The old forum had many posts with only two deletions. The discussion was getting heated and a warning was issued. An individual, not involved in the original discussion, objected to the warning and posted using inappropriate language for the site. It was deleted. They made a second post using more inappropriate language and that was deleted also for the same reason - cursing. I have reviewed your 47 posts to the IForgeIron forum and only one word from all your posts has been adjusted. That one word was adjusted to soften the description of an object so the post could fit the format of the forum. This did NOT change the content of the post in any way. As to expecting this message to be "deleted, censored or locked" I have tried to explain my actions as an administrator in great detail, and have posted it in the open for all to see. Not allowing anyone but the administrator to made deletions, keeps everying in the open. IForgeIron does NOT censor posts as you suggest. IForgeIron WILL remove curse words from any post in order to keep this a family forum. To avoid this, do not use those curse words, and do not use creative literature to dance around while keeping the same intent or meaning. But, I would not see this as a problem as you are a gentleman and treat others with the respect they deserve as gentlemen and ladies, and would protect the children that view the site from such things. Glenn - Site Admin

Metal. The topic had, in my opinion as the site administrator, answered the original question (containing adult content). The topic was closed and being locked from additional posts as your post was made. Your post was deleted only because my decision had been made to stop things at that point. There was nothing objectionable in your post, it just happened to fall after the cut off point. The topic was a reasonable question, but not well suited for IForgeIron is IForgeIron is a family forum that encourages young people to visit. Many school age children, 4-H students, and students of blacksmiths are referred to the site for information. These folks depend upon the administrator of the site, me, and the viewers to keep it clean, and keep it a family forum. My original decision was to let the topic run with the request "Please continue the conversation with upmost caution" so it could be discussed in general terms to provide an answer to the request. That was accomplished, and because of the nature of the topic, was locked from additional posts. MetalMonkey, you may choose to visit or not visit IForgeIron. I would hope you realize that the responsibility of editing posts is not taken lightly. IForgeIron has high standards and will continue to keep the site a family forum, a forum that encourages, and allows, visitors of all ages to view the site. Again, your post was edited (deleted) only because of the timing of the post, not because of any content. Glenn, Site administrator This topic is being locked as it requires no additional posts. MetalMonkey, you (or others) are welcome to contact me by email if you have any concerns.

This thread has been up for a while and representative replies have been made to answer the question. Because of the nature of the thread, I will condense (rewrite) the material and lock the topic from additional posting. If you have comments, contact me directly.

The question WAS reasonable and deserves an answer. It just needed the wording adjusted to fit the forum. Most times I try to avoid this area of blacksmithing (producing restraints). There are commerical products on the market that are available, the police use them daily. To make something intended to be used on another human is a personal decision, but understand that it is YOUR product being used. The individuals usinig the product may NOT have the good judgment to know when to stop, and the product could easily be misused. If for instance, a restraint was being used and the building were to catch fire, your restraint cause an injury or death. There was a discussion a while back on another forum about a knife made by a blacksmith being used as the weapon of choice to kill a person. The knife maker was understandably upset. As I recall it occupied the conversation for several weeks and ended up being a hoax. But the reality check was certainly presented to the forum, it could happen. The call to make the product is yours, but I would ask if you also want to make that product knowing the intended use. Others are welcome to express their opinions. I would rather have a discussion and form an opiniion before I was ask to make something of this nature, than to try to come up with the answer on the spur of the moment with the client in front of me waving money.

This is a reasonable queston as the request arrises from time to time. This is a family forum and I have intentionally edited the original post and redirected the conversation from a specific interest of consenting adults to making and selling ironwork in general. Please continue the conversation with upmost caution in your comments to keep the topic on selling ironwork in a general nature. Thanks You Glenn - site admin SWE_Karl, I have no problems with your question being ask, but have redirected the question so it so it could be answered in general terms. Please understand no offense is ment to you by these actions.

Woodtick, the words Blueprint come to mind. Show us how it was made please.

Sqeez, go to the Blueprints > subject > forge > coal, and read the material there about coal. There are indeed stuff in there that are nasty. Look for the trace elements at the bottom of one of the pages for instance. Also look at how much of each nasty is in the coal in parts per million. One ppm fir instance is one pound of nasties in a million pounds of coal. Depending on the forge, and how that forge is operated, a 5 gallon bucket will last a long while at a demo situation. But I have also seen a 5 gallon bucket of coal burned rather quickly in a large fire, being run hot, and under a production situation. Coal only has so much heat per volumn (BTU's). The speed at which you require the heat depends on how long the fire burns. More heat means less time. Less heat means more time. But the heat is the same either way.

You may want to go to the main page of IForgeIron and click on "Site Map" It is an index map to the site. Welcome to the site.

Jim That is indeed a nice press, but is it not a little narrow for most uses, like walnuts, bearing raceses, and the kid pressing his leaf collection? :roll:

Nolano, best advice I can provide to to stop looking and start seeing. There is metal all around us being thrown away at an amazing rate. You just need to locate someplace that uses metal to find the scrap. Let me provide you just one example to get your started - the local garage. Anytime the garage makes a repair, what do they do with the old part? They throw it away, leaf springs, coil springs, sheet metal, stearing linkage, torsion bars, the stearing column, bolts, bearing races, and all sorts of things. Or they throw it into a bin for delivery to the junk yard. The valves that are sometimes filled with sodium from what I have read. Leave them alone it is not worth the trouble. Follow the trail to the junk yard and who knows what can be found there. Just remember that they do not hold on to the suff forever, you have to keep looking every time you pass the location.

Welcome Uncle Levi. You sound like you have a good start on the tools. If you have questions, just ask, and someone will try to assist in answering them.

Welcome to the forum. Look at the Blueprints > Forges > solid fuel > 55 Forge (BP0133) for a quick inexpensive forge that will work. Last several times I built a fire, it was in a 55 Forge. The reason was that the 55 Forge would do things my normal forge would not do. The Gasser (BP0192 and BP0191) use propane if coal is not available in your area. Look for any heavy hunk of metal 100 pounds or more as a make do anvil, and a pair of vise grips till you can find or make tongs. After that you can build a fire and have fun while you look for the rest of the tools.

Strine, According to the weather Bruce is enjoying single digit C degrees for the next week or more. He would enjoy a warm anvil early on a frosty morning. http://uk.weather.com/weather/local/UKXX0085 (current weather in UK)

Congradulations, please post photos when you get a chance so we and drull. :)

Posted at the request of Alan B a Here is the knife Rich Hale made me for the pub knife swap. Thank you Rich. The blade is ATS 34, the guard is 416 stainless. The handle is stabilized oak with african blackwood, amber and nickel spacers.

Strine, I think they start to worry when you have to buy the thermometers that go below 0*C. We button up our shirts about that temp. :wink: But I think folks start to get concerned when the temps drop below the minus 17*C ( 0*F) and into the minus 40* below zero C range. And yes the "normal" thermomoters are marked to that temp and even a bit below - just in case it does get cold for a night or two. :shock:

Keep the thread intact. Weld that thing up and have fun. That is the purpose of doing all this anyway - to have fun.

Bruce, my son has heard my anvil being used outside during the summer at 4 blocks distance. Being used inside tends to kill the distance quite a bit. During the winter or heavy air the sound travels even better. Across water moves sound well also.

Archie, Read this story --> Working Late at the Smithy I have been at the forge wearing just 2 t-shirts and working at my own pace, enjoying the time at the fire and using it to decompress. When I looked up everything was covered in white except the fire and the anvil. There was maybe a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of snow everywhere and me in a full sweat and about to take one of the t-shirts off. It is most important to go inside the house and take a shower immediately, leaving the tools outside, and someone in charge of watching the fire. Later when the body has cooled a bit, you can collect the tools. DO NOT stare into the fire while the metal is getting hot. Look at the sky, the ground, your shoes, anything but the fire. (I still thank Bill Epps for that tid bit ever time I get a chance) Another thing I have learned to do when I run a fire hot for production is to wear a IR protection glasses. The ones I use are from the welding supply house in a #2 shade for one pair and a #3 shade for the other. I wear them over the prescription glasses that I need to see correctly. It takes away some of the glare but helps tone down the intensity of the fire so you can see the metal. It makes a real difference on the eyes. The glasses were $10 - $15 as I recall, and I would buy them again without giving it a second thought. Gray color lenses are better for me than green, try both and you decide what works for you. Forging after dark is a real killer on the eyes as the intensity of the fire is much greater than the ambiant light. Been there and don't want to go back any time soon.