S.Willis

Here it is. This is my main forge since 1996 with about an average of 20 hrs a week. It has held up very well. It does not have a clinker breaker.

Looks good to me. Mine is made real close to it. If you need me to I can post pics

Its hard to tell, It looks like a stress crack. I have had sway bars crack from over heating and by hammer it to cold.

I have one simular to it I use for a center punch. Works good for that.

Thanks for sharing

Mike , I have wondered that myself.:D

Thats correct on the hot work alloys. Being made from a chisel from a junk shop it probably safe to assume it is not hot work alloy

This is my main forging anvil. 246lb Dudley

In the ones that have made and use the air blast is from the bottom with 3 slots.

Round is fine and at least 4 inches deep. I would suggest slots instead of holes. I started out with holes and was forever keeping the ash and clinker poked out. The slots stay cleaner and are a lot easier to poke out.

Mine I made from 1/2 steel. Has worked well for years. Go and build your fire pot. You want regret it.

You should not need to temper being you are going to be cutting hot with it. I have never tempered any hot tools. The temper would eventually draw back out any way by being in contact with the hot metal.

I agree with Thomas. It sounds like a quench line break.

That is great experience. It also makes alot of great memories.

Great job on the shovel and the knot.

You could always cheat and weld or rivet.

It dosen't matter if it is cast or not as long as it has rebound. It really would make a great traveling demo anvil. Great score

Great looking hawk and weld!!!!

The old masters are getting fewer and fewer

In 1989 my family had quiet a few horses and I had the bright idea about saving some money and learning the shoe them. I done that for a while and due to a back and knee injury just couldn't handle it any more. I did love the hammer and anvil so started blacksmithing done a few craft fairs and was hooked bad. Landed a couple of resident jobs a historical parks over the years and then started my own shop. I just something I can't shake or get rid of. It is worse than any drug.

Another beauty as always Robert. Great call on leaving the scales off

The ones that I have done with gun barrels I just fuller the neck of the bowl down to almost closed. Then split and drift the eye. Hammer out the blade some what,forge weld in a piece of steel and then finsh the blade on out. Go back drill out the inside hole in the neck to about 1/8 of an inch. The only forge welding is the steel for the cutting edge