VaughnT

I would anneal the file before continuing. While your grinding wheel will work for profiling the blade, there's going to come a time when you have to lay in the bevels and the grinder just won't work as nicely as you might like. Files and sandpaper are going to be needed rather soon, and working on a hardened file with those will be a chore, to say the least. Overall, you're almost there and it's looking good. I'm anxious to see pics as you progress!

I've been having the hardest time coming up with a touchmark to ID my work. While I don't make much, I would love to have some unique stamp to identify my work. The two trains of thought I have: One small stamp that will look good on small items. It doesn't have contact info, but does have a unique shape that is easily recognizable. One large stamp or plate that you could affix to larger pieces that has all of your information. Something like a brass plate that you could rivet to the underside of a gate... Just starting into the knife-making gig, I'm thinking a small proofmark is vital. But what does it look like.....

Thanks for the link, Sweany. Read it all the way through and still at a loss. Talked with one guy and he seems to think that the 8" ID will be too small after insulating for proper gas circulation. But, I see a lot of forges with 4" chambers.... Maybe I should just go ahead and buy one that's ready to light!

Good news! I appreciate all the input and have ceased using the propane torch to heat the blades. Thankfully, the only time it was used was to straighten the leaf springs so I shouldn't have to worry about ruining anything. And, I've finally come across a steel tube big enough to make something out of. It's a piece of heavy-wall pipe from the local water/sewer company, proving once again that it's good to know people. It measures 8" ID and 28" OAL, with a cut partially through that will yield me a piece approx 15" long. Good enough for knives once I block off the ends. The walls are 1/4" thick, and they said it was weldable steel. With an inch+ of insulating wool and refractory, I'm expecting to get a chamber that's about 5 1/2" in diameter. Two burners? I'm thinking of going with a forced-air system for better temperature control and propane savings. What say ya'll?

The only thing I would recommend against is using that heavy plate for the deck of the trailer. While having something fireproof is a good idea, you're talking about adding a ton of weight without any appreciable gain. Yea, you have the thick plate on hand, but a bit sheet would accomplish the same thing and isn't expensive. Heck regular wood planking with a bit of cement around the firepot would prevent damage and save on weight.

Just heard back from the owner and he was kind enough to take a tape to the anvil. Measurements are . . . 13 inches high, 29 inches long (point to end), 5 inches across on top, 12 inches across at the base, and the horn itself is 11 inches long. So, what say ye? Is that the size of a #300+ anvil? Or, more like what you'd see in an anvil that weighs under that magic mark? Oh, and he's staying firm on the price. If it doesn't sell by May 8, he says he'll drop it another $50 and see how that goes. Like I told him, the weight determines how good the deal is. More than $2/lb for that anvil might be hard to come across in this economy.

I've travelled a good bit and seen more than a few anvils, but I have NEVER seen one with the original paint and label on it. Never. I wouldn't use that anvil even in the slightest. It's a good anvil, to be sure, but the historical aspect of it is worth more to me than the utility. From reading your post, I gather that you don't really need to use this anvil for production, so why do so and lose that historical aspect when you don't have to?

Biggun, I'm going to talk with him a bit, but he seems kinda proud of his stuff. Seeing as how the consensus is in favor of the anvil, I feel better about buying it. If I can talk him down another c note on the price.... We'll see. I'd really like to know the weight, but feel safe guestimating it at at least 250#. I'm cool with the cosmetic damage now that I know it wasn't killed in a fire.

Thanks for the info, Mark. I would never have figured that an anvil would loose its ring just because of the base material. Neat to know. As for anvils and size, I'm open to anything. This is the largest anvil I've come across and it's going for a decent price if I can narrow down the weight. I'm not in any hurry to buy, but I'd hate to pass up a good deal on something sizable because I'm hoping for something better/cheaper down the road. What size do I need? Well, I don't need any anvil, so that's a bit of a sticky wicket. Given the choice, though, I'd prefer a heavy anvil over a light anvil simply for the chance to work larger metal with larger hammers. Everyone seems to think the above anvil is still a solid tool, at a fair price, so I just might grab it. I got the impression that there weren't a lot of buyers lining up to grab this anvil, and I'm thinking a lot of that has to do with the cosmetic damage rather than the function damage at the edges.

Thanks for the link. At least that gives me some solace, though now I'm going to have to drive all the way back up there to get the blasted thing! Think it's fair to say that it was made in 1909 or is that a code for something? Doesn't seem to mesh with the hundredweight measuring system as I understand it. I'm waiting to hear back from the seller for some measurements. Then I'll be able to better gauge the weight and see how I like the price with that in mind.

Earlier, I posted about an anvil I had found on craigs list. The pics looked good, and the price was decent, right at $2/lb, so I took the time to drive up today. Putting eyes on is always a good thing, and I was ready to walk away with an anvil. But, the pics didn't show some serious damage to the sides of the anvil. It looks like serious pitting caused by something other than a drill bit (none of the holes have a uniform look that you'd expect from either a drill or a chisel). Any ideas what might have caused this kind of damage? Is this what you'd expect to see if the anvil had been in a fire? The pitting on the side with the big hole is very deep, I'd estimate as much as 1.250" in some areas and give the side an almost-concave appearance. The big hole at the bottom is weird, but could be used to help fasten the anvil down to the stump. Aside from the nameplate under the horn, the only other marks found were a "1909" on the base under the hardy hole. Any markings on the sides were destroyed by the pitting. So, any ideas how heavy this thing might be? The owner is asking $600 and advertises it as between 250 and 350 pounds. I can say that it is larger and thicker than the last anvil I had, and it was at least 120lb. The face is very flat and has a minimum amount of damage, edges excepted. Didn't think to check it for a ring or get any measurements My biggest worry is the quality long-term. While I'm just getting back into this game, and am only working on knives at this point, if I'm going to sink big money ($600 is big to me), I'd like some feeling of comfort. Should I drive two hours back to pick it up? Haggle the price down? Wait for something else to come along? I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Did you temper the steel? I have never yet seen a striker work if it was tempered. Hardened, yes, but not softened by tempering. I've always used those cheapo screw-drivers you find at flea markets. You know, the ones with the brown wood handles that are everywhere!! Lousy drivers, imo, but great stock for flint strikers.

I always wanted to forge a rotating hasp. A blacksmith's version of what they use on the back of an 18-wheeler's roll-down rear door. I think it would look very cool, especially if you do a bit of twist in the arm.

Just got an email from him. The anvil is still there, as well as some hardies, hammers, tongs, etc. I really don't want to spend the money, but get the feeling that this is just too good an anvil to pass up. More anvil than I'll ever need (but I'll still buy more) and at a very good price. Still, I'm being mature and responsible with my money. I have two weddings to go to in the next two months, and a car payment, and.... I promise I'm going to be very very mature and responsible with my money...

I'll definitely do that, DL. We're working 60hr weeks and I haven't heard, yet, if I can have saturday off. If the rest of the wares look as good as that anvil, I'm going to be a very happy, very poor, young man!

I can't afford it, but I'm still going to head up that way this weekend if it's still available. The word is that this guy gets semi-annual shipments of old tools from his pops in Pennsylvania and resells them from his house. According to the list in his other ad, he has an almost complete blacksmith shop for sale, first come-first served. I can see me spending a metric f-ton this weekend! :o

I really wish I had the spare cash right now, but I don't. Anyone in the area looking for a heavy anvil, this one looks nice. http://asheville.craigslist.org/tls/1687333641.html

Oh, I just knew it couldn't be easy! I'm keeping my eye open for a cylinder that looks right and will go from there when I get it. What is "...way oxidizing..." and why is it bad for bladesmithing? On a scale of 1-10, how bad is it? What's it doing to the steel? Is it recoverable?

After a long, long time away, I've decided to get back into working metal. Lots has changed since I last pounded iron! Due to space constraints, I'm starting small with knife-making and would like to build a small propane forge for heat-treating. I was thinking about something with a finished chamber measuring 8" by 14". Big enough for the biggest blade I might attempt, but not too big for the majority of small, utilitarian blades I'll be turning out. Is this a good idea if the majority of my work will be one or two blades at a time, and only 1% of those blades being about 12" AOL? If I make a pass-through on the rear wall, could I use this down the road for forging? Is it too much space to heat at a reasonable cost using small propane tanks commonly used for barbeque grills? And, most importantly, can I use this http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_266859_266859 to fire the forge? It's great for burning weeds and ant hills, and I've used it to anneal a few leaf springs, but how would I go about fastening it to a forge body? Can I simply make a hole and stick the can through to the chamber? Of course, maybe the safest option would be to simply buy one someone a lot smarter than me has for sale..... :D

So, I found another website to help money leave my wallet. Great! Seriously, though, I apprenticed with a blacksmith right after high school and had a great time learning. I never got good mostly because I didn't have the money to spend on peripherals. I never could get it out of my system, though. There's something decidedly nice about making iron bend to your will. Long story short, I've recently decided to kick the drinking habit and reinvest that money and energy in working metal again. Seeing the works presented here has only reinforced this decision. As a neophyte smith, I've decided to start small with making some knives. My first love, if there is such a thing, is pounding iron, but I just don't have the room for an anvil and such. Thanks for all of the inspiring photos and such. I'm looking forward to what the future brings.