gonefishin

I found this here http://cgi.ebay.com/antique-vintage-drill-press-pd-20-30-original-paint-/200546285563 It says "PD 20-30" on it like you described. It has the makers mark in a lot of places but I'm not sure of the mark, I'm sure others would be familiar with it. It looks to be a horseshoe or something inside of a diamond.

Sounds like your talking about a Post Drill, seems like it should have some kind of marking stating the maker somewhere, maybe on the underside of a part? DP probably just stands for Drill press like stated above, or drill plate? I doubt it has anything to do with the maker. If you post a few pictures I'm sure someone can identify it quickly.

This sword is too beautiful, I'm looking forward to seeing your others. Keep up the amazing workmanship.

Really great looking blades. Like others, just my opinion but I like the spike head being the pommel as well, makes it a little more interesting to those norms that buy them. I especially like the long Persian-styled blade (4th one from the top) Good work.

Excellent piece - Nice file work.

I'm not even seeing the question :huh:

Glenn, I had been to the book reviews section and read all of them - there just wasn't enough written to make a judgment from though. Everyone else, thanks for the suggestions, I think I'm going to start off with "The complete modern blacksmith" and "the backyard blacksmith" and after I read those probably pick up the ones NRunals suggested, the way he described them sounded like a must.

I'm just getting into the craft and to put it simply, I know nothing of it yet. I am going to be seeing someone who kindly offered to show me the basics and get me started, but books never hurt. I'm just looking for good book recommendations for someone like me (completely knowledgeless ) I've seen the "Backyard blacksmith" and plan on picking that one up, but what about "the complete modern blacksmith"? I've heard that book really focuses too much on grinding and has nothing to do with blacksmithing, would this really be worth the money especially since I'm a beginner (not even a beginner yet). What does grinding have to do with blacksmithing?

Thanks for the tip!

I've been looking around everywhere around where I live, asking around and looking around. Been to 4 flea markets, plenty and plenty of yard sales, went to a farm sale, auctions - haven't had any luck yet. Hopefully something will flow right along to me. Think my best bet is to take a chance at one on ebay (I hate ebay!).

Gotchya, thanks guys. I know the one they have for sale at Blacksmithsdepot.com is $700.00 :blink:

I'm just now getting into Blacksmithing and am trying to find a leg vise that will get the job done, I don't have $100.00 to spend at the moment but once I learn I'm sure I'll be spending a couple hundred on different vises that come up every now and then...but right now I don't have much to spend. I searched ebay and craigslist and I can't find any under $60.00, someone told me to keep looking and that you can find good ones for sale around $12.00+ - Not sure if this is true or not. If anyone has any for sale that would work and is just collecting dust, please let me know in a PM.

Alright so making sure I got this straight, Push the file away from you then lift and return, and push the file away from you again. And on the cutting edge, you just hone it with stones, you dont actually need to make it using sanders/files/etc. Thanks fellas, been working on a hell of a lot of practice blades lately and everything keeps on making more sense and gets easier, except the bevel process. If you do find a video of someone filing the bevels and everything, please let me know. Again all of you blokes have been a great help B)

Stock removal, still stuck on bevels. For the secondary edge bevel (the cutting edge), is that done with files, or is that made from sharpening it with oilstones, soapstones, etc. AFTER everything is done? And using files the correct way would be to stroke it forward-lift and bring back-then push forward again? Or would it be stroke forward-stroke back-stroke forward-stroke back without lifting the file? Just making sure on this part, I just read somewhere that stroking back and forth with a file without lifting up on it is the incorrect way to use it.

Thanks for the helpful tips guys. I've used a belt sander but I always end up making weird angles, very sloppy ones at that. And I always take too much off. Which is why I would rather use files, I have no problem taking a little more time. Can anyone recommend a website that sells a good file kit with everything I would need for beveling knives? I'm guessing a bastard file would be a priority, and a small precision one too (or maybe a chainsaw file) for the line where the bevel starts. I went to texasknife.com but their file sets don't seem to have everything I would need. So if anyone could direct me to a site that sells a good kit I'd appreciate it. Everything comes with practice, I've been trying every other day and each time seems to get a wee bit better. Hopefully I'll nail this soon! A good file set may help I've been using an old file without a handle (Talk about sore hands)

I'm working at making good blades by stock removal, but a problem I can't seem to get better at is making the bevel. I can make a flat grind easily. But I want to be able to make a hollow grind using files (Need to get a new belt sander). Or maybe not even a hollow grind, but a convex. Every time I try (convex), the part where it rounds off to the edge is barely noticable, I can't make it where it's a nice noticeable change to the drop, and it makes it look like a flat piece of steel. The degree I hold my file at is either too angled or too flat. I can never get the right in between for the bevel, it always comes out being a flat knife barely rounding to the edge. I know that's what a convex grind is, but you can't really see where the curves are since they're BARELY rounded instead of a fairly dramatic drop. Any tips? I'm not sure how to really word this lol, bare with me.

Thanks for the reply, no problem with wear and tear. I just wanted to be safe and sure that it was normal I've yet to actually get hammering...waiting for the weather to calm down.

Like I said...not bad, just the fact that a slight touch did it--