yves

I use household electric irons, one on my anvil, one on the side of my hand cranked blower (Champion 400); when it does get colder (-25Cº), I also heat up my wood stove, This done, I come back home, have breakfast and go the forge with a hot pail of water (no running water in the forge). When its -30Cº even when its -20Cº if that day I feel older than usual, I stay home. These are the days to design stuff, prepare interviews with clients, etc, the soft part of the blacksmith's work.

My team and I wish you a very happy 2015. Yves

Thomas, I have one of those blades I picked up while getting wood at a mill. It is huge. Never used any of it. Can it be cut with a zip? Any thing else I ought to know about it, any out of the ordinary precautions? Thanks, Yves

In the matter of space. My forge is in a silo, 14 feet in diameter, 10 foot ceiling. I store all my steel cut in 10 foot lenghts uprigh on the walls... or is it wall ... I do not have any welding equipment or the like. I forge small stuff but lately I haver been commissionned to forge larger pieces. I am completing a balustrade 40 inches high and one span measures 9 feet. There are four spans. You can do a lot in that kind of space. I also am forging a guard rail (four steps). A couple of years ago, I forged a tree as a six foot separation in a home. So, not to worry about 14 x 14 square. My silo is 20% smaller than that. Yves

Brian Brazeal has a video showing how he does it :

Might I suggest that you turn it upside down and get the point to ... point upwards. Two reasons : I believe the point, the clue as named by Ausfire would be more readily visible; if I read Plummer well (Colonial wrought Iron, the Sorber Collection), figure 4-74 for instance and I am quite sure I saw the same thing in Sonn, when there is only one decoration it is facing upwards. I am quite aware that you are holding it for the pic. Just mentioning for when you will install it. Have a good day ... or is it night, Yves

I'll remember the grappa press ...

So I listened to Glenn and ordered from the Stamp Man ... Thanks everyone.

swedefiddle, Thanks. I might try LV. They do advertise that the punches can be used in metal. If the punches do not last LV will take them back. I'll take youre advice ans use it on warm ("old" black heat ...) steel. I'm hesitating between LV and McMaster Carr. Yves

Peter, Notownkid, Thanks for the quick anwers. And Peter, thanks for the wishes. We need these. As I wrote to a friend : "We were lucky in the last two days we got everything : there was a little sunshine and then the batteries gave and it was as cold as a politician's heart and then it was warm like a kitten so we had rain as if the goddesses were crying their hearts out and snow, enough to foresee the coming of that xxxxxx reindeer again! it is presently snowing and not too cold but f***g uncomfortable! That was yesterday. Have a good holiday. Yves

Can the number and letter stamps sold by Lee Valley be used on hot steel. I dont think they would last very long on cold steel. http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32187&cat=1,43456,43461 Any of you used them or know about them? Thanks, Yves PS, I tried the link. It does not work but that is the address. The part number is 92W68.25. Link works now :)

Faber, Sorry. I am handicaped when it comes to music.

If you are to forge a few, there are three different models forged in the following video, from 03:30 to 05:31.

I have a fair tomorrow. It's my fourth. I go there not expecting to sell anything. It did not happen that way the first time where I realy made money then and there. I did not sell anything at the next fair. But a couple of months later, I got a phone call and got a 2000$ comission from someone who had seen my booth. Then I sold some at the third one and also got some commissions. Last year was bad. I was in a corner and everybody turned left just before getting to me. I didnt even speak to three people. And then again I got 2 commissions this year from people who had seen my sign. All in all, fairs are worth my effort. So please, go there with your lovely set up and just enjoy it. For my part, I am quite sure that you will sell at least some items and surely your passion for the work. And dont worry, things will fall your way.

I know nothing about cobbler hammers. What is wrong with this one that you would do better next time?

Mr, Reynolds, I was wondering wether Hofi forges inferior products when he forges "by hand" a run of hammers or a run of tongs, or a run of strap hinges? I am sure you did not mean to say, especialy here on IFI that all hand products are inferior products much like I did not mean to say that all mass run products are inferior products. Such drastic statements are never interesting. But you are right. Hand made is not always better made. But I assure you that in the case of the Auriou files, they are better made, they are worth every penny when you earn a living as I did in designing and making high end furniture and woodwork. They do pay for themselves as Dodge has just said. Yves

SReynolds, As you will easily find, the Auriou cabinet rasps prices, for instance start at 110 US $. As Rockstar said, they are a better tool than the mass produced ones and they make a better job I can assure you having used them. It is precisely the irregularity of the pattern that makes this tool better. Because it is imprecise, it makes for a more precise tool. As Peter Ross likes to say (in his videos), precise tools made with imprecise methods. So, I disagree with your statement that the Auriou company needs a better way to judge the quality of the workpiece. They produce the highest quality out there.

Ah! Grammar and the archeology of nouns highjacking a thread on blacksmithing. How deviant and all Powers' fault, again!

Alan, I also meant it as a joke, the "..." was meant to convey the tong in cheek. Thomas, Before writing I did research the term. I enjoyed finding out that you had used an archaic form. Like you, being archaic I enjoy the use of such words or passé ways of speaking. Here in Quebec there are quite a few old forms that we use. It is understandable in view of the fact that in 1763, when the king of France exchanged us and most of North America (ah! lobyists!) to the English for the sugar of the islands, our links to France were completely cut out. So we did keep ways of saying things that are now considered archaic.

Thomas, After reading your posts for what is now years, I, we all know that your wife spins, that she is a spinner. In this context, I must assume that spinster is some archaic form of spinner otherwise there might be a difficulty in understanding what you may want to convey ...

This is what I would try : (not sure that it would work, just a thought) Forge 2 pieces, piece 1, the "U" piece 2 an angle of "confortable" lenght. Rivet them together and forge weld the joint. Bend and adjust the angle and cut to precise lenght.

Hello, Compliments on beautifull work. The idea, the scroll, is classical but the result is quite modern. This to me is very interesting. A question : did you use a saw to split the 3 mm steel flat?

A friend from Scotland (he occasionnaly wears a kilt) invited me to his birthday party. He will be 70 years old. In the invitation he wrote that sometimes he feels more like 100 years old. So for those moments when he feels broken up I forged him a means to pull himself together and kick his heels :

Bonjour, Vous êtes à combien de kilomètres de Toulouse? Votre acquisition m'intéresse en ce que nous achèterons probablement une maison en Bretagne cette année et que je compte continuer à forger là-bas. Votre forge est belle. Y en a-t-il beaucoup de disponibles en France? Des moins belles bien sûr ou faut-il plutôt envisager d'en acheter une neuve chez Angele par exemple? Je ne réponds pas à vos questions j'en suis conscient et je comprendrais que vous ne répondiez pas aux miennes. Bonne soirée, Yves

If you want new ones, see Lee Valley. They are expensive.