Dogsoldat

A video comparing different axes. First 15 min has several old hand forged axes. Can see the weld lines in a few of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUXUJXJG4Fw

I have one or two of these I had picked up from an estate sale along with a big mitt full of punches and drifts. A quick google get me a few ebay listings for P&C Peterson & Carlborg 137-1/2 Swaging Flaring Punch Tool. Doesn't let me know how and what it was used on. But its a start.

You bet, have that colonial axe video bookmarked for future reference. It's a nice well done video. That sounds like a little work getting that much nicely stuck together.

A36 mild. was thinking of a S-cam or bit of axle but nothing quite the right size in the scrap pile.

I've sprayed my vice down when welding in it. The bigger hotter chunks of spatter still seem to burn though and stick but the small stuff a light wire brush and they are off. The tables at work usually are dirty, greasy or rusty enough not much generally sticks to them.

Made a drift for the axe along with a few side projects. Started out with a piece of 1 1/4" square and drew a taper on it. Took a handled fuller and set a shoulder and necked the handle part down. Big stock but didn't move to bad. Tapers Came out fairly close to what I had wanted, a little thin in one dimension but it's uniform. Almost need 1 1/2" sq to start with. Still need a set of bigger tongs. blanks on the left may be a little small for what I'm after yet.

I wonder if it would have been casenite or some other case hardening compound. Though if treated before grinding there will be little if any hard surface left after grinding as the case hardening is quite thin

I think Rashelle has the right idea. A rounded caping chisel should work about right. Pretty sure the guys that make the knives that look like knapped material use carbide burr in a dremmel.

Nice looking anvil. Looks ready to go to work. The cosmetics of the punch marks from testing tools matter not one bit. Nothing wrong with the horn either. Just well used. Be assured you'll put more than enough of your own dings in it over time.

Had seen a thread on IFI or maybe the Bladesmith's Forums. Anyways now I have a hankering to try one. Between working on my truck's brakes yesterday and stripping the washer and dryer down to fix some issues haven't had much time in my shop to play. Been digging everywhere I can to find info. Grabbed the kids play doh last night and sorta ran a test. Figure a 1/2-3/4x3x6" piece of steel should make the right sized starting stock. Tapers in my sketch aren't quite drawn right. Had a random thought before I fell asleep, the cutting edges are curved a little different than other axes and had thought that using the toe of the cutting edge might push the axe head on more during use. Anyways had enough time to take a scrap of 1/4x1" and just went through the motions to get an idea of things. I'll have to do a little digging and make up a socket drift. Along with a large pair of tongs than what I have http://www.miljolare.no/data/ut/album/?al_id=2085 http://forgedaxes.com/?p=851 http://forgedaxes.com/?p=1186 http://bladesandbushlore.com/index.php?topic=3441.0 http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/24315-information-on-socketed-axes/ http://northernwildernesskills.blogspot.ca/2013/08/all-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about.html http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?s=538b4f13e7b594c7fe24488ec6cd0285&showtopic=22090&page=2 http://vstr1.nebula.fi/?id=5790585-1252308059&w=640&h=476&fs=1&c=1&r=640&a=1&p=1 http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=27499

Prevenge, last time I ordered insulation and ITC-100 I bought it from Tuckers Pottery Supply in Richmond. So depending just where you are in BC they could be right next door. At the time the prices were reasonable.

If you do some searching Frosty has a thread on just this. He has a recipe of sorts posted

A thought might be to look into magnifying lenses for your welding mask. Worked for one old gentleman for a few days and that's what he had in all his masks. Took quite a bit to get use to for me but he swore by them.

I have given him the this and the bladesmithing forum hopefully he shows up.

Well that's neat. I have a ratcheting handle for confined spaces (brace and bit) but there is nothing to feed like this. Learn something new everyday.

Have had a young helper at the shop for a while now. Been surprising him with the different ways I can get twisted and bent up parts off the equipment straightened around. After a few different lunch hour chats he had expressed some interest in playing around making a knife or two. Lent him what I had for knife making books and he's still got my copy of the $50 dollar knife shop by Goddard. And he's looking to get some sort of forge setup. Will be helping him if he decides to stop in one day. But I think the hook has been set Sounds like his Dad has an anvil for his farrier work but sounds like it's all cold work. Time will tell.

I'd say if the punch marks are truly offensive lightly peen them in with a ball pein hammer. I have an smaller anvil that that is all a previous owner must have made. Punch marks top to bottom both sides completely peppered. Nice score, hope it serves you well

Sorry about that... after trying I don't know how many times. just dumped the text file on, never checked to see if it saved there proper.

iforge reply.txt

hhh

yeppers Aus. took it to work and used the torch there took maybe 2 /12" out of the circumference. could still be a little smaller but does sit ever so much nicer. Been a real cluster at work other wise I just might have a shorter trammel hook . Go with what I have and see guess

Made a large tanto-ish blade from 5160 and had two smaller blades in need of a heat treat. Took a while to thaw out the olive oil but ever so much nicer to work with compared to old ATF. Wife had half a jug that had turned a little rancid on her so I ended up with it Youngest has a winter survival/ quinzy (hollowed out snow pile shelter) day so flogged a quick tripod and trammel hook to boil tea/hot choco on. Maybe I'll get lucky and sell it there and won't have to bring it home. Not quite happy with how the tripod sits. Loop may be a little big. The Trammel hook is definitely to big and heavy for the tripod. May make another slightly shorter lighter one, but at least it will work and we can camp in style for the day.

From what I have read, it's a bit of a juggling act in getting an old anvil to fix. The welding rod and time to do it right can far exceed the cost of another anvil. As for just using a wrought anvil without a steel face. It will have little rebound and deform being close to dead soft. There have been many pictures posted here of missing face plates and the damage done to the softer body from continued use. Lots of information on what has been done and what works acceptably well, just takes a bit of digging to go through it all...

Is there a hole in the bottom center of the top right hand object? if so it will be a plumb bob.

I'm assuming you have a forge... no need for a drill even. Hot punch and drift a hole to size... why limit yourself