Rashelle

Bronze can be fun to work, it squishes good. In the event you are forging it rather then stock removal or casting. Whichever way Bronze won't compare to steel as for use. Though they can be pretty impressive looking. You can work harden the edge some by hammering it cold till it "stiffens" up and seems to get harder. You could also use a brass/copper or other mallet to help with that.

Not knowing myself how to do a modern weld but able to do a forge weld. Myself if not going the bolt it together route would probly just forge weld a handle to the larger piece of tool steel, clean it up as necessary, then forge weld the whole thing together.

Rather then case hardening for a blade use case hardening for light weight hammer head such as for a leafing or modeling hammer. That to me might be worth trying sugar for case hardening out. I've used cherry heat (or is it cherry red?) for the above hammers, and Mark Aspery has used kasenite for them. If I remember right when I took the level ll course from him he said they've lasted for years with no problem. I've also used super quench on light weight light duty hammers and not had issues. Though for my forging and heavy use/weight hammers I use tool steel.

Can't IM or chat to finish reply.

Thisis nuts I'm forbidden to reply to your reply to my reply but can post this. Can't edit either. Like it was said above go to an experienced forge welder and let them show you how. Use what you learn on then branch out after gaining enough experience to tell what is different. When first learning forge welding do destruction tests. At the school I instruct at due to summer being over my class size went to only 5 students for today and tomorrow. Amongst those five are 3 10 year olds. Today I brought in a portable coal forge, demoe'd forge welding a historically accurate miniature trade axe. Then had my assistant repeat the process for his first weld, followed by ALL of the students. Only one didn't do the complete forge weld. I stepped in and finished it as he was afraid of the heat. It comes down to learning it right. Nothing else magical about it. That amounted to 7 successful forge welds straight in a comtaminated fire that wasn't cleaned out. Someone in the past mixed bituminous and anthracite with coke and charcoal. With bits and pieces of wood, metal, and other contaminants thrown in. I can write inane comments but can't finish my reply. Those kids were at day 4 of blacksmithing. It's more important to learn how to forge weld then what flux or lack of flux.

Ok I give up I'm forbidden, grrrrrrrrrrr. I can write forbidden but not post anything else?

Northwest Blacksmith Association. Heehee just up the road. I managed to go down your way a year or so ago to one of James Austins Viking silver armband classes. Thank you for the well done.

I finally remembered which was my first tool. I made a propane forge before I started blacksmithing. (Ok we are talking blacksmithing tools here as I had made tools as needed all my life.) My next blacksmithing tool made was day three of my first blacksmith class, the instructor seeing my interest offered my the option of instead of teaching my a bunch of different twists to do a pair of tongs. Which I did and are still better looking then many of my next twenty or so pairs.

I have the Canedy Oto blower and firepot like yours on one of my not so portable, heehee, set ups. In fact they are in the back of my jeep and I really like them. Forge welding heats easily with that blower and fire pot.

Thank you and go for it Wayne. When I got the job there was no curriculum or anything. I made the curriculums for both the Blacksmith weeks and the Bladesmith weeks camps. I took the job on the speculation that I could turn it into a permanent one. I now am full time through the year doing this. With weekend classes set up for 8 month one weekend a month type classes for adults and youths. 2 day knife classes, 2 day axe classes, after school classes, open forge nights, small blacksmith classes, and of course the summer week long youth camps. One day a week upgrade and make/fix equipment days also factored in. I now am making and putting together curriculums for all of the above from scratch. As well as working towards making/fabricating/getting more equipment and seeing what I can do with those forges to get them to where a student can forge weld in them. This weekend if I can actually make myself do it will be the first full weekend (2 days not actively working) I've had in months. No commissions from doing other blacksmith work, no volunteering at National or State parks doing demo's, no board member stuff for the NWBA, or doing stuff for the mentoring center. Just let myself take 2 days off. But I bet I get some work done on the upcoming classes anyways, lol. So the acknowledgement and kudo's from the blacksmithing community makes me feel it is well worth it. (The same thing from the kids do also.) It is a lot of work but it makes me feel good and happy. Thank you Charles and Thomas. Craft's are great to do also. You can see some of the background one of the archery camps where they make their own bows. I'm looking to hopefully get a leather working class for making sheaths and quivers for the stuff made too. The more I can come up with and get going the more I can do. Thank you and you are welcome Frosty. I'd of loved to of had the opportunity to go to something like this also as a child. I can get starry eyed just thinking about it even now. One of the neat things about this is right before summer the staff training week was a week long camping trip, as befits an outdoor survival school. Rashelle

Thank you Steve, Charlotte, and Steve. The positive comments coming from this site mean a lot. When people ask me what I do for a living I get a big ole grin and say " I'm a blacksmith/bladesmith instructor for an outdoor survival school." Frequently followed by myself saying "How cool is that?" I really enjoy being able to pass on some of what I know, especially to kids.

Heehee thank you Spanky. We do have classes through the year. It is fun, I enjoy it.

Thank you Ian, Ausfire, and Jim. I was already motivated to improve my smithing and be better before I started working there. Once I got hired as their main instructor my high motivation went up even more. Even on a Monday morning I get a grin before going to work. Hope the link works for you Frosty. Rashelle

KGW. com type trackers in the search. If the link doesn't work. http://www.kgw.com/media/cinematic/video/31444127/trackers-earth-offers-blacksmithing-camp/

Well I got a little bit of news exposure when they came by. Here is the link to mostly the kids forging knives. http://www.kgw.com/media/cinematic/video/31444127/trackers-earth-offers-blacksmithing-camp/ They got me talking a little. As some of you know I'm a blacksmith/bladesmith instructor at a outdoor survival school. Trying to pass on the love for the craft to the next generation. Above is the local news clip. link corrected

I'm with Frosty. I read the post and thought "why do the holes first?" Makes sense to me to do the bends then the holes. Much easier to align them after the bends then before. For me at least when I do similar items.

I did it then went and started using a punch to punch the eye punch. Easy enough to make a ball punch to the size and shape desired. I then have it to use on other projects.

Oops more ways popped into my mind. Someone earlier mentioned a compass set at the right length. Another was is using a metal square set at the correct measurement, or sometimes I mark with one of the earlier markings on a metal ruler or scrap the depth to stop at and hold it to it then hit it.

A round one works but you can try triangular, diamond, or square center punch. Placing the center punch mark on the edge of the piece making a frogs eye dimple on the side all work. Prior to scaling heat silver pen, silver pencil, soapstone, and chalk all work, same for the already mentioned white out, artists chalk pencils, etc. Making a line with the punch marks, scribing a line, or cold chiseling a line for a cut. Bends I normally use one of the center marks. You can also mark a place on your work that will be out of the heat but can line up with for example the nearside edge of your anvil, then use the anvil as an instant reference. Same as for using the face and sides of the anvil mark what you need with a form of above marker then reference the piece to it. It it's long ways reference the piece then place the edge of your hammer to it, move to where you are bending, then remove the hammer.

Oh I just remembered one of the founders of the girl scouts, Name not remembered but went by "Daisy" I think was an accomplished blacksmith. Her family estate still has pictures of the gates she made. Something for me, at least, to dream of emulating.

I believe there was a picture of a female blacksmith in one of the illustrated bibles from the 1300's. She may of been a chain maker or nailer according to some. There was a Welsh woman known for being a blacksmith, playing the harp, rowing men across a lake and only beating her husband twice. I can remember references where someone had looked back through records for England having females in the guild having male apprentices. That would of been in the 1800's, for those records. I can also remember another archealogist saying the Vikings definitely did not have women blacksmiths. I can not remember who searched any of that up though. Like Thomas mentioned I had heard of locations where the laws restricted women's participation to being an employee of usually a relative. Not much reason to restrict someones participation if there weren't people doing it. Note unfortunately my memory of someone else looking stuff up is NOT historical documentation. But may hopefully give a help.

"for those of you who have served, especialy those who have lost comrads, be patient and kind to the civilians, they afterall are the reason we served." I usually stay away from the prayer sections as differing religions can easily offend each other. Those words Charles are good ones and I feel needed acknowledgement. Today is for those who died, but they are gone, so today, in effect, becomes a day for those who survive them, because they survive. It is very easy to become caught up in the moment and forget, that there was a reason we served. To forget when frustrated, and angry, that............... Sorry I can't finish at the moment. I'll just Reaffirm that your words are good ones and that we need to remember despite the pain.

I like John's idea for doing it also. It'd be neat to tenon on the stem.

My original thoughts were: take a square piece of sheet, round off the corners, split it into fourths, to define 4 leaves so don't take the split all the way to center. Forge weld a stem onto center bottom. Texture the leaves, then chisel in veins or use a swage. With Jim's idea above I would neck down the pipe and draw out the stem that way. Then make the cuts to fold out the leaves. Or cut, fold out leaves then neck in stem. Cut corners and forge round, texture, then veins. I've thought of doing some before for st. Patrick's day.

I'm with Frosty. We used to have to wear Nomex in the chemical plants. Though we'd still mange to get burnt through the Nomex. Our mechanics when at our own shop preferred the simple cotton overalls. My own preference is simple cotton or other natural fabrics. Though note Womens denim jeans are rarely actual cotton denim anymore. We have to check carefully just what our clothes are for hot work and stay away from synthetics which melt to you rather then charring.