LDW

Went by Brians last week and stayed long enough to get some pics of him and Todd making a punch for putting the eye in a handled tool. I tried to get all the steps. Todd came down from Wisconsin and was a delightful person to be around. Here are the pics. https://plus.google.com/photos/106506050631612810521/albums/5800311375976463297

I was there Roger and took a few pictures too. We all had a great time. Everyone paid attention and I think it was a successful class that will help everyone have a better understanding of the simplicity of efficiency. Countryforge, or Ray, you have a wonderful family and I appreciate your hospitality. It is great to work with people that have open minds and are willing to try what we were sharing. Two days is not a very long time so Brian was pushing a lot of info. I hope these pics can help some and there are lots more on that picasa account that refer back to everything we did. You just have to take the time to look through some of the different class pics. https://picasaweb.google.com/106506050631612810521/OABAClassPicsOntario

Aaron came down from New England to spend some time with Brian. I went by last morning and got some pics of his first day of striking. (He is doing a good job, and learning fast.) I was able to take pictures of all the steps to making a Brian Brazeal style hot cut hardy. This is a good tool to make to help someone get used to striking. It can usually be made in about 15 minutes even if it is your first time striking. You can see another hot cut in the pics being used to cut the one being made from the parent stock.They are made from 4140 and are not hardened since they are being used to cut hot metal. When used properly, large stock can be cut without damage to the cutter. https://picasaweb.google.com/106506050631612810521/AaronBeckDay1?authuser=0&feat=directlink

The Young Smiths have neared the end of the journey. Dave will be heading home tomorrow and Alec will hang out till the 16th I believe. We had a great time in Bryan TX. The Young Smiths did a great demo, had two forges going the whole time and got a lot accomplished. I enjoyed meeting everyone. When everything was over the Lee brothers let the Young Smiths play with the big boy toys. They got to use three different power hammers and they had a blast. Thanks again for all the support from everyone that was involved and I am proud to be able to say I had a part in this fantastic voyage. Here are the pics of the Demo. https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/YoungSmiths2012AtTheLeeBrothers?authuser=0&feat=directlink

I am home for a couple days but will be heading back to TX for the Young Smiths demo at the "Lee Brothers" shop Saturday. I put the camera pics on this album and then stuck the pics and videos I took with my phone at the end of the camera pics. We had an incredible time with these young men. Traveled to the ABANA Conference, then went to Mount Rushmore, stopped off and saw Crazy Horse, headed to Yellowstone, then on to the class at the Zoo in Billings Montana then made the long haul to Bryan TX and got a pic of Pikes Peak on the way. Will finish up this journey at the Lee Brothers shop Saturday. We all will remember this for the rest of our lives. Thank you to everyone that made this possible. The young smiths concept, seems to be a bit catching. Hopefully this is the start of something that will continue everywhere. https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/YoungSmithsOnTheRoad?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Check out youngsmiths2012 ON FACEBOOK.

Young Smiths in action. Brian lit the first fire then the young smiths jumped right in. They made two hotcuts, a hammer, a hammer eye punch, a bird, a tack from 1" square stock, and theyb drew out a large piece of round 4140 and made a nail. As soon as I can load camere pics I will get them posted.

We arrived Tuesday and everythings set up and ready to go for the Young Smiths this evening. Here is a link to their FB page. http://m.facebook.com/home.php#!/YoungSmiths2012?__user=1841223624

Here is a cool pic of the forge welding taking place.

Here are the pics I have gotten in the last two days. We loaded up the shop this afternoon and will be ready to start heading to South Dakota in the morning. https://picasaweb.google.com/106506050631612810521/YoungSmithsDay6 https://picasaweb.google.com/106506050631612810521/YoungSmithsAtTheMSForgeCouncilMeeting

Here are some pics of the Young Smiths taking turns and making the 5 lb. hammer that was ordered. https://picasaweb.google.com/106506050631612810521/Day5WithTheYoungSmiths#

These guys all have gotten new hammers in the last two days. Brian directed they struck. Brian grinded all three of those large hammers and put handles in them for the young smiths. That may not sound like a lot but you ought to try and hold almost a 5 pound chunk of metal on the end of some hammer tongs, then grind the faces on both ends, then grind the handles and fit them. He said he was through grinding today, he already knows how to do it, so these young fellows will be working on more than just forging. He did it as a labor of love, but I assure you thats a lot of work. Karens keeping us all fed, the weather has cooled off, everything seems to be falling into place. We are all having a great time. You can see Brian in the background of this picture finishing up Daniels Hammer, while Daniel is directing the forging of the hammer for David Gaddis.

Here are the pics I was able to take today. David Gaddis got a hammer out of Daniel today. David is a great guy, Daniel did great directing the hammer. It took a few swings but David got the hang of striking and was doing great by the time the hole got punched. https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/YoungSmithsDay3?authuser=0&feat=directlink http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJuhOQWp8Ws&feature=plcp

When I got there this morning they had the forges going. Brian and Kainon were working on a sledge hammer Brian had won in the iron in the hat when we were in New Hampshire. It was long and had small faces. They were fitting the drift to the hole and I got there just in time to get to swing the big hammer and try and upset it. I also took some pics but may get more the day is not over yet. Here are the pics, https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/YoungSmithsDay2?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Here is the video of Daniel & Kainon punching the hole in a 2" hammer blank. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b912vdDPqR8&feature=plcp

Here are the other videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z4-wB1qxWg&feature=plcp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1U1Qpxy-mc&feature=plcp

I got to take a few pictures yesterday, and took several videos. We had a lot of fun. There were a lot of smiles. https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/YoungSmithsDay1?authuser=0&feat=directlink I loaded some videos but only see one right now. If I can find the others I will load them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9sgHor06Io&feature=plcp

Here is another knife I finished today. I think I am going to take this one to ABANA. I am not that great at grinding. I just get as much of a bevel as I can, I do not even know what forward termination means. I do appreciate the comments though.

Got some pics of Jim making a 3.5 or so pound hammer this evening. Here is the link to all the pics, https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/JimDay3AtBrians?authuser=0&feat=directlink Here are some of the tools so far he has made with Brian. Releasing the drift. This looks scary,

Brian got the new striking anvil anchored in place today so we made a new Round swage tool (cupping tool) for it. We then seated some of the other tools. The first few pics were of this. Shortly after that Jim arrived and they started making tools. I got a few pics but had to run off. After Brian and Jim made a hot cut, Brian then made the most used small fuller then Jim got started on a large fuller. This is going to be good because Jim seems quite capable of handling the hammers. https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/JimsArrivalToBrians?authuser=0&feat=directlink Brian and Jim forging a hot cut hardy from 1 1/4" round 4140.

I was just checking to find some pictures of the striking anvil. I just had to post this one.

Here is a link to the pics. Some of these pics were taken with one hand while I was helping maneuver the metal with the other. https://picasaweb.go...feat=directlink

This is a cable knife I started on yesterday and finished up today. Probably about 4 hours in it. Not counting the 30 minute etch in muriatic acid. I had made a v-block a while back and used it to do the welding in. I made a spring fuller yesterday to help divide up the blade from the handle and the forged element on the end from the handle. Here is a link to the rest of the pics, https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/11InchCableKnife?authuser=0&feat=directlink This is an old album of how I used to weld up a cable knife. Things have changed a little since then. https://picasaweb.google.com/LDWynn/BirthOfACableKnife?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Hoping I learned something from Dave. Finished Anil. https://lh4.googleus...40/IMG_6657.JPG

The cutting plate will only be needed when you are splitting a piece of metal. When you cut you should cut to the center rotating your stock on all four sides if it is square, rotate it also if it is round. Cut to the center and do not cut all the way off so you do not damage your tools or hammer. Make one hit then remove the cutter so the thin edge can instantly cool off. Hit once then turn. Good to hear you Shawn.