patrickrock

Thanks very much!

All, I'm going to be making some holdfasts for some woodworkers and I was wondering if you had any input on the best finish, or the best way to black the steel. I've been leaving mine unfinished, but I think my friends would like them a little prettier. Whatever finish I use can't leave the steel slick as it needs to be able to "bite" into the holes in the top of a wooden workbench. Thanks in advance, Pat Rock

yeah. they're the cat's pajamas. pretty neat.

Hey, I've got one of those! Good eye!

Excellent idea. Thanks for the link to that blueprint. Does anyone know any scrap yards around Indianapolis. I know there's one in Noblesville, but I can't remember its name.

Thanks all for the suggestions, got my bend as I wanted. Most of my problem was not having it hot enough. Although for expediencies sake I made my bend with 2 pairs of pliers, and then cleaned up on the anvil. My stocking holder works great! Even made a not to shabby hay penny scroll on the end. Hard to get it perfectly round without a swage. But patience, many heats, and a soft touch with the hammer prevailed. Thanks again, all, for the suggestions.

The anvil's sides are crisp. No problem there. I think its just my technique.

Well. I got a nice curved bend. Just not a really tight bend. It occured to me this morning though that what I should do since its just a piece of thin flat stock is heat it and bend it with pliers.

Long timer reader, first time poster.... Hi. Im a new blacksmith, I came to the craft by way of Roy Underhill's wonderful book "The Woodwrights Shop." Took some lessons under the head blacksmith at Conner Prairie here in Indiana and have set up my own very small home forge. Tonight I was trying to forge some counterweighted stocking hooks something like this. Well. I just couldn't get a nice crisp bend on the angles. All I have is an anvil, a hammer, a forge, and tongs/pliers. I am using 1/8" by 3/4" flat stock. I know there has to be a way to do this with the tools I have, I'm just drawing a blank on how to do it. I searched the blueprints and tried to search the forum (does that actually work?) Can anyone point in the right direction? Thanks in advance, Pat Rock