joshua.M

Can you use them like a "real" anvil, are they hardened and tempered or are they still annealed?

So i went to a local antique shop looking for some tools and was asked what i was looking for, i said blacksmith tools, when i explaned why they asked me what kind of things i make, and they want samples to sell in the store so what are some easy selling things i can make and what kind of stock would you use to make it?
-josh

ooo i like the look of rathole never seen them before what are the specs?

ok while were on this topic i may aswell ask my question, i have a canedy otto blower and i am restoreing it, i cand seem to get the plate protecting all the gears off, i undid all the screws and took off the handle but it seems to be catching on somthing inside the gear box, is there a trick to getting it off?

if you liked peddinghaus try a kohlswa b-38 or a refflinghaus, i personally like peter wright but they are no longer being manufactured

WOW that turned out amazingly the highlights and lowlights in the wood accent the pattern beautyfully i am thinking about ordering some of that wood, is it consistantly good quality? what is it like to work with?

cant wait to see the whole thing, where do you get that wood its amazing

looking great
-josh

if you tap the shell where the screws are with a small (1 lb) hammer it will loosen the old paint and rust, but be carful with the screws they strip easily (i learned all this through trial and error tonight on my seized blower)
-josh

cant wait to see it with the handle and guard

so i have a canedy otto/ western cheif blower, it was great when i got it, but in the past week it has been making a poping/gringing noise and not putting out as much air, i went to clean the oil out, the tube was clogged, i got it unclogged and the oil was abnormaly nasty (i change every 3 weeks) and i chased it with kerosein to get it clean, then put new oil, it was still poping and grinding, so i took off the gear plate and didnt see anything wrong, so i put it back on and oiled again, and now it wont turn at all. I'm worryed that i wont be able to fix it
thanks in advance
-Josh

have a speedy recovery stan

If anyone fancies a trip to Canada about 3 hours north of North Dakota to pick up a forge, drop me a line and I will put you in touch with the owner.

Weekend Haul...

Josh - in YEARS of looking I have found one published book on the subject and it's excellent. "How To Make Bits And Spurs" by Robert M. Hall, ISBN # is 0-914330-78-0.
That said, both can be made out of just about anything. The spurs should be tempered a bit if possible, otherwise the bands will warp pretty easily. The mouthpiece on the bit should made of mild steel ONLY. Pure copper will do but is too soft to last long. Anything else will dry out the horse's mouth which is not what you want. A standard width for the mouthpiece of the bit that you show would be 5 1/8" measured from the inside of one shank to the inside of the other shank.

Hope this helps.

Dose anyone here have any experience making bits and spurs. My dad is a horse trainer and wants me to make a tire iron bit, and a pair of clover leaf spurs, i have never made them so dose anyone have a bit of tips and tricks for making them? The pictures attached are examples, i like the rowel and shank on the spurs. The bit should be easy enough
-Josh

ok ill see if i can find some coil springs

I have some 3/4" 1018 steel, will that work for making some handled punches? they will be my first handled tools that i forge, i hope later to try my hand at hammers, so will 1018 work for a first set, i will be using them to make better handled tools and top hardies, i have no powre hammer so it will be all done by hand. I hope to later get some good steel to make some hammers with
thanks in advance
Josh

I'm just getting started.

lol rusty why dosnt that suprise me

My parents are thinking of letting me build a shop and i am looking for advice, how big should i go? i was thinking 16'x 16' with 8"x8" corner posts and 8"x8" posts in between each corner post, and it will be 10ft tall. 2ft and 8ft off the ground will be 2"x4" across each open section and leave an 8' section open for a door. I will put 1"x6" board and batton walls and a tin roff slanted to 25degrees, any suggstions?

Beware of the painted lady. Paint is common way to hide repairs, like welds or bondo but if its purple or pink, it may belong to RThibeau...

A mallet. That'll work

are you going to haft it or just have another spearhead lying around? because i usually end up with a spearhead lying on my bench for a long time until i decide to haft it or store it. anyone else have a hard time finding a shaft long enough and straight enough to use with a spearhead? its just been bothering me for a while now and i figuerd now is as good a time as any to ask.

one more question Sam, what is the overall weight? since its steel i would expect it to be fairly light.

Ed Steinkirchner

Josh are you asking if the 1095 is black before etched? because no its not, that is a result of the etching process. I use ferric chloride to etch all of our blades.