solvarr

thanks for that tip Solvarr. i think i might try it

I take very thick allen wrenches.
Cut off the L at the end
Clamp it in my drill press
Turn on the the drill press
Fire up the flap disk on the angle grinder

make sure the drill press and the angle grinder are going against each other.

about 2 - 5 minutes later I have a nice custom flat punch
If I am carefull I don't even need to heat treat it

A year ago some sparks off charcoal set the cotton cord for my apron in my armpit on fire.

The apron and the grommet kept the flaming knot at bay but it was in a place I literally could not reach to smother.

You'd think asking the guy next to you to put your armpit out would not be an involved conversation.

leaning over in an arc so the flames didn't spread I had to explain that I needed him to scoop some water with his hands and splash the fire.

my wife who saw this from a distance laughed but was amazed that it took three tries to get the guy to put me out. (stop drop and roll was next on the list but that would mean standing arround all day drenched in mud)

Needless to say my apron now has leather straps.

If they have an actuary table for it they can insure it.
try contacting Lloyds of London.
They insure a buddy of mine's house whose armoring shop is smaller than my kitchen and chock full of welding gear and a gas forge.

1) Champion blower with stand I have paid 80,90, and 120
2)30/40#Lb Leg vise I have paid 50,60,60,75,75,80,115
Hope this helps.

I've been asked to help the widow(2003) of a local bladesmith to help value some tools she is ready to let go, as she feels He would want the tools to be used. I need some help establishing value as I am interested in buying some of these tools myself.
1) Champion blower #400 . Complete in excellent shape ( looks to have original legs) dated july 30 1901
2)30# or 40# post vise in excellent shape. Original or authentic mounting
hardware, only missing the spring.
3)#0 size post drill that is free (turns with handle) and appears to be complete. Looks to be in good to excellent shape.
I am not rich but I am honest and I knew this sweet lady's husband and I want to be fair. Any help would be appreciated.

Johnny

I like it
it's a quick and easy style
You can use the handle as a bolster for punching too

Does anyone know a supplier for mini railroad spikes?
The 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 inch long ones.

One of the local smiths wants to buy a barrel.

Thanks
Solvarr

Solvarr,
thanks for the links, I was looking at the swage block stand he had for the little swage, I have one and would love to copy the stand, just wondering if he has a plan for the swage holder stand?

Here are some pipe working photos and video from this past weekend.

Jim Alexander forging pipe.


Jim Alexander and Peter Ross demo photos.

thor's hammer beer openers. (old friends want another batch of beer openers)

Make new boxes for tool transport for demos. I will fill any box I build so I want them not as long as the military cases I work out of.

See if I can finish up my plans for a two layer trestle table tool and stock stand for demos on the road.

modify my work boxes so I can mount my chisels to the underside of the lid and have a small flip out hammer and file rack come off the front

Out of raw curiosity I watched it on netflix watch it now.
Funny flick that loses it's way about 3/4 of the way in.
Nice anvil.

I was at the Metalsmything Symposium III and I was demoing the first ever ammo can forge. I had just started the forge and set the grill lighter down on the table near the forge.

While I was teaching how to do an S hook the lighter detonated behind me in a huge ball of fire... or so they tell me. I never noticed. I just kept on teaching.

I get ribbed about that to this day.

I think you are asking the wrong question.
You are asking if there is a colonial pattern hammer.
The question should be what do colonial era hammers look like.
Based on the specialties and specific jobs they had a range of hammers.
Since the colonies were being colonized the origin of the colony/colonist can make a difference also.

that being said.
here are some williamsburg and monticello photos

williamsburg silversmith shop (some great hammer photos)
Williamsburg Silversmith - a set on Flickr

Probably what you are really looking for is in these 2 photos



Williamsburg blacksmith shop (not so great on hammers it was honeymoon and my wife and I had a deal about not spending all day at the blacksmith shop)
Williamsburg Blacksmith - a set on Flickr

Monticello early american nail heading setup and clockjack pictures
Monticello 2008 - a set on Flickr

In a related vein, why is the price of steel so high and the price paid for scrap so low right now?

Good Luck!

most of the smiths and merchants I know have seen a downturn since the price of gas went up didn't see an upswing when gas went back down.

I get mine from ellis knife works 40$
My regulator costs under 20$ from The Gas Company of North Carolina
cheap and almost no tuning.
Burners and Components - Ellis Custom Knifeworks
Took under 30 minutes to get it running well from kit to forge.
including reglator, gague, and hoses I come in at arround 80$
-Solvarr

I call it the one year anvil loan.
It's not a great anvil but it does the job. Good enough to work on. Not so nice you don't want a better one.

I loan it for one year and then it comes back.

Update profile so we know where you are.
Do you have any access to a large piece of steel.
Several of my best anvils are not "anvils"

I used to forge on my patio and I'd get CO poisoning because there was no air flow.

Read up on the signs and know them.

CO stays in your blood till the blood is recycled.

I'm leaving out of Garner tomorrow morning at 6am.
I have an empty car and would like some traveling companions to and back from the Blacksmith Guild of Virginia Jessie Ward demo.
Blacksmith Guild of Viriginia - Home
I will cover gas.


She will be doing a demo/hands on for a lucky few on team hammering.

Sorry about the late notice.
My car went from full to empty this week.

I can't wait to see the photos.

This weekend I'm doing a demo over by mt airy nc
if all goes well we'll be making medieval styled sporks

if it goes really really really well some of them will be pattern welded

this is one of the styles of sporks

Display Image

One of the tricks I like is reversing the spoon
instead of the narrow part being the tip like a modern spoon have it wide at the tip and narrow as it goes back to the handle

Just a thought.
Spoons were in general cast or carved in the medieval period.
I always felt that this was probably a result of less reactivity of the metals and speed of manufacture.

http://www.medievaldesign.com/tavola/posatebig.jpg
Medieval and Tudor Pewter Repl
British Museum - Five silver spoons
Medieval design

this is 201-300 ad but fun
http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/dept/ant/opac/cataloguedetail.html?&priref=70534&_function_=xslt&_limit_=10