matto

I use s mortar or straight Portland cement with perlite or vermiculite mixed with it.  And have always had good success.  You want your mix to be smooth.  So you have less chance for air pockets.  The perlite and vermiculite help with heat but are more there to make the mix lighter.  I also take some 9 wire or barbed wire and make alittle reinforcement frame work.

I have always used mild steel or rebar for the electrods.  Has always worked. 

My thought is a pipe vise.

Most that I see is round stock but if you are going to do a few it is well worth it to spend alittle extra and get square.  You have to make it square to forge it anyway.  

Try a piece of angle iron for your jig to hold round stock.  You can make another jig off of the angle iron that will always put a center punch mark in the middle of the stock.  Will try and remember to get a pic. Today.

If your steel is scaling a lot you are in the oxidizing part of the fire. Usually to deep.  You need fuel on bottom and on top.  If heat leave fast you are not hot enough or your anvil or vise is still cold.  Remember videos are edited.  And you are probably not seeing all the prep time/work.  

Nice organic shape and flow of the hammer lines

On the heel you could just be seeing the forge weld line.  Where the face plate was welded to the body.  By tapping it with your hammer you can usually tell by the action from the hammer or the sound the hammer makes when it hits if it is delamination. 

No problem funny thing is he doesn't like to be called Mr. either.  But i tell him he has to because he is older and grandpa O is gone.

I have used both prime then paint, just paint and the rustoleum paint and primer.  You will be fine any way you do it.  With out primer you just might have to do another coat of paint.  Oh and the paint with primer do light coats it is thick but runny will make since when you use it.  I do think rustoleum is the best can paint.  

If you are going to paint the lettering rustoleum also makes a great paint stick.  Basically a paint marker.  

One last thing don't forget the PICTURES!!! We want pics!!

As stated before that is a great looking anvil and the edges are in great shape.  Don't do any thing to them.  If there is a spot with a sharp chip you can hit it with a 80 or 120 flap disc but use it just enough to soften the chip area.  That is it.  If you need a sharp edge make a hardy block.  

Are there flats on top of the feet?? My bet is Peter wright. Pics would be great.  Value is in the eye of the beholder.  What you old get rid of it for or what someone is willing to pay for it.

Slag my dad is still alive he is the mister I'm just matto

Brent bailey's every day hammer is a seven or eight pound straight pein.  He has some good videos using it making 3# cross peins.  He also swings it like it was a two # hammer.

Quebec is a French providence, so it would make since that they like a French style cross pein.  

My thought is listen to Steve.  He has put in the time and has had the success and oh crap what have I done points in blade making.  Ask right and you shall receive.  He is good stuff with a lot of knowledge.  

Really is coming together nicely and we are all jealous of you!!!

The English anvils are not cast iron they are forged wrought iron with a steel face plate.   Vulcan anvils and arm and hammer are different companies.  Arm and hammer are forged anvils and a better quality than Vulcans.  Vulcan was tring to mimic fisher.  They are a cast iron anvil with a steel face plate.

Use sucker rod for punches and chisels.  Use the knuckles for hardy tools

Goggle bostoncenterless.com has a weight calculator, and yes 2" of steel at 4.5" in length will yield 4.000063

The back bar is attached to the studs with 3/8" metal u clips for electrical conduit around the bar.

Right now I like the bailey cross pein better swings a lot like a Nordic.  The aspery modified takes alittle getting use to.  It swings very much like a Swedish.

if you use your dog head much you might really like the aspery.  I also use the modified a lot.  Has such great balance. 

So most forging is done with the Baily cross pein and the modified as a rounding.   

 Peter, I really like hammers.  There is about 100 more on the wall above the forge that I have not shown yet.  Don't want people to think I have a problem.  I like pist vise too

I will gladly post again, made by Brent Baily, one of my main forging hammers was made by Crazy Ivan.  Can't find the pic.  Will get another one.  It is a 3lb diagonal pein.  Can't find it he pic of the rest of my hammers either.  

Agree with you nice stack of anvils

Actually my anvil points north and south and I don't do blades.