Astygma

The Arador Armour Library has a wealth of information. www.arador.com
hope that helps!

I've never made a mace, but I have a thing for making Semi-functional war-hammers out of unlikely/recovered materials. You may try that for your mace, if you are only making one for fun or if you favor an "interesting" look over functionality for this particular project. 3 Pound bridge bolts make great hammers and are fully HT-able, for example (I'll post pictures upon request).

I think I've been inspired to make a mace now.

I wonder because of the sap, how I should season ths wood? any thoughts?

Well the monkey tree is a type of pine isnt it, or perhaps related to pine trees?
so if i am right i reckon that once the timber had been seasoned and stabilised and all that it would make a very beautiful knife handle.
if it was me i'd be grabbing some of that tree anyway, you never know what u will need it for down the track.
happy salvaging

Just one question, why were you thinking in geometry class? You know that ain't allowed.
I have made a hardy tool or two out of small slices of track and they worked pretty well. Wonder what ever happened to them, there not in the box now. Good luck with your project, post pictures.

Awesome work! what size ball peen did you start with?

Stunning work! very inspiring

hey fellas. My father in law has taken down a monkey tree, I am told it is great to use for projects. Has anyone ever used ths material and if so would it make a decent handle for a knife? what would you suggest as treatment for it?

Thanks in advance
Jeremy

You know you're a blacksmith when: you make a Lively style forge just to take camping with you, obtain a small rail type anvil, for size considerations, and start planning projects to do, long before you actually start packing all the other stuff. My wife definitely thinks I've lost it.

how exactly does one work with cable anyway? Is all cable forgeable? what kind of pattern does it make in the steel?

that should be the name of a book.... I was laughing so hard!

Maces/morning stars tended to not be that heavy; heavy = slow and slow = dead on a battlefield.

They tended not to be as large as hollywood portrays them too.

I have made several of each based on museum examples; sorry they predated digital pictures (back in the '70's)

On making a flanged mace: I once posited that one could make a flanged mace by taking a sheet of wrought iron and folding it, welding the fold and then cutting the first flange out of it and then folding it again and welding it and cutting the second flange, usw until you have them all done and then rolling it around a mandrel and welding the seem where the sheet would overlap.

Another method would be to forge the WI flanges and then forge weld them to the WI tube---I think the integral flanges would be stouter though.

Spikes were more a "holy water sprinkler" item often made from wood with WI spikes added to improve bite. for maces
and morning stars spikes were often low and pyramidal just to help the item not glance in use and so transfer the energy into the target.

sorry heres another try

fun little dagger I made from mild steel bar funny though I messed this thing up so many times and had to reheat it so much think I added a little hardness after all. I am not sure if this is even possible. oh well hope you like it.mamas knife.bmp

Has anyone ever tred to make a mace or morning star? I tried but didnt work out too well. If anyone has lets see!

Thanks Astygma
I've done some simple door knockers, candle holders and a few knives from RR spikes.
I'm really just learning so they're easy to work with and easy to come by.

I actually predrill some holes for the slot then heat up a slitting tool I made to cut the slot.
Then I drive my drift through and shape.

Great work on those R.R. Spikes! How did you do the work on the bent handle it almost looks like wire welded around it.

I wanted a small hawk for splitting kindling so this is what i decided to make.
Forged from a wrought iron wagon wheel with a piece of a file for a bit.
The head is 4" across with a 3" edge. This wrought has more silica or slag than i have ever seen in wrought iron.
Thanks for looking and your comments.
Bob

those look great I am trying to make a few of those myself! do you ever make anything else from R.R.spikes? how is the splitting of the spike done best?
Look awesome I am impressed!

Awesome! found a HUGE drift pin/ chisel looking deal. gonna bang it into something resembling a hardy I hope. you were right by the way I was talking about a slttng punch. thanks for keeping me straight.

WOW what a wealth of help you fellas are. I think I will be busy with these ideas I will take some pictures to let you know how it turned out. Thanks guys!

I am relatively new to smithing, and tool-less! haha would lke to familarize wth som RR spike axes and stuff, but my budget is even smaller than my little 55# anvil. Could a hardie be made from a RR spike or similar material? Also wondering about creating a splitting punch. I have a few misc punches that could be reworked... thoughts comments... smacks about the ear hole? Thanks fellas.
Jeremy

Thanks fellas great advice I will look into those!

So heres the deal, I am trying to buld an electric blower motor for my forge that is a little quieter than the local vacuum cleaner salvage. anyone know of any ideas or at least pont me in the right drection?

Thanks a million
Jeremy

Welcome to IFI Asty!

Where at in W. Wa? I'm about 18 mi SW of Mt St Helens.

What kind of forge are you rebuilding?

IFI is a great place for all sorts of information and you'll find a lot of good folk here.

Enjoy!
Neil