wapiti_forge

Do hammer-ins count? Do we get a coin after a year? I have a sponsor, his name is Hay Budden. He does a great job of making me feel better when I have the uncontrollable urge to pound steel into submission. Thanks Hay...

If they are round they are probably cast iron. They'll also have obvious marks from the sand casting. The wrought iron window weights that I have seen were square. That's a good starting point. Regardless of the shape, you won't know until you do a break test to see if it is fibrous or not. Good luck.

Man, don't you hate it when you're almost done with a project and you run out of propane? I'm also low on large forging stock. I need to keep a better eye on my tank and make a steel order. Looks like I'll work on tools the rest of the day... Brook

For outdoor stuff that I don't want to rust, I wire brush when hot, cold blue, then use clear automotive engine enamel. The automotive and military marine paints are probably the best around for protecting against the elements.

Hello, My name is Brook and I've been smithing for about five years now. I started working on the anvil as a knifemaker and it slowly progressed. I didn't start any artistic blacksmithing until a year ago. However, I didn't really know what I was doing and most of it went into the scrap bin until recently. I spent the summer working at Knob Hill Forge in Chesaw, WA with Gary Eagle and Evan Scott. Their patience for a nubie in their smithy was overwhelming. I learned a ton and have since encorporated my new skills into my knife making. I'll probably post a few pics of my work for ya'll once I figure out the forum... My smithy is in Arlington, Washington. Oh, hmm, what else... Ah, my trusty anvil is a 126 pound Hay Budden made in 1902. I'd love to meet any local smiths if you're on the forums. Thanks for the great site, Brook