Willis

I have a refridgerater in my shop. Lots of cold water and the occasional beer. The heat index has been over the 100 mark around here, and like ThomasPowers, I pace myself.

Classic 50's-60's rock

Could you describe the process you used to get the knapped effect? Please PM me if you need to.

I made mine out of an old iron log spliting wedge. Just cut it off to the length I wanted then used an angle grinder with cutting wheel to cut away what didnt fit into my hardy hole.

Try your local hardware store. They usualy keep a pretty good stock of hickory ax,hoe, shovel, etc... handles. I just bought two hickory hoe handles today. I reshap and use them for hawk habdles.

As I was being finger printed fo a concealed weapons permit in Florida, the officer mentioned that I must be a hard working man because of my lack of finger prints. I told him I was a blacksmith. That should tell you how many times I've picked up hot, black iron:)

I use dried corncobbs on my file handles. They give a soft but nonslip grip and are great insulators when hot filing, and I also use garden rakes for my files and chisels.

I think you should forge a hockey stick, then show up at a practice and ask if you can join the team. My kids grew up with the following advise. Ask them to back off-twice- Tell them to back off-once- Say nothing the third time, just whale the crap out of them.

Jeff Mohr. Mainly because he is heavy into the art side of blacksmithing, has a great since of humor and is more than willing to share any and all of his knowledge with anyone who is intrested. He also hosts an open forge each wendsday evening from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm provided he isnt at a show, and besides all that he only lives five miles from away.

Most of mine is word of mouth. Since I live on the coast where oysters are a favoite, I'll make a few custom oyster knives and just give them to some of the local fishemen with the priviso that they pass on the word about who made them.

As far as hawks are concerened, I found mysely using hardwood hoe handles from our local hardware store. True, they are round, but I can get three 18" handles from one hoe handle at about $8.00 a handle vs $3.95 + S&H for one online, and the round hoe handle can always be sanded or carved to shape.

I'm really fond of the oyster shuckers. Their a big selller around here. (just south of Tallahassee about 30 miles). I've made some out of copper coated grounding rod, and the copper patterns on the steel look pretty good,

Never tried a lennox. Very good results with Black Diamond and Nicolson-which bought out Black Diamond in the 60's I believe. I stay away from Simmonds, they're made in china.

DO NOT kiss your power hammer while using it if you have one. I usually hurt myself when I'm showing someone what not to do :)

I think Stormcow said it all. 90% of my stuff looks like it came out of a forge at a fur trade era trading post. If my stuff wouldnt look at home in an War of 1812 encampment, I probably wouldnt make it.

I have to keep my quench water clean because I cant stop my *&%!!#* catahoula hound from drinking out of it. I love that dog.

There is indeed an Italian book on fire steels. Called appropbriatly enough 'Fire Steels' . If you can find it, it will run upwards to $275.00 +. I am fortunate enough to have a copy and consider it the bible on the subject. It gives a whole history of steels, and the color plates of the authurs collection are fantastic. The Museum of the Fur Trade also has a back issue of the 'Fur Trade Quarterly' that deals mainly with this subject as far as Colonial America and the Fur Trade is concerened. I forget just which back issue it is.

Never seen one like that. I like it.

I think we missed spring here in Florida. It went directly from winter to summer. In the 80's today!

Life, Liberity, and the Happiness of pursuit or is that the pursuit of happiness? Anything else is icing on the cake.

The first thing I do is take a look around and make sure all my tools are in their correct places. I have small bench anvils in three different areas in my shop. I make sure their in place. I then clean the firepot, get my fire started with newspaper, lighter knot and charcoal. After the fire is going good I put on my left glove and wipe off the anvil. I then procede to heat N beat. After each project is completed I indulge myself in a glass of homemade hard apple cider.

Like the knives. I make our kitchen cutlery out of old saw blades.

Any time I hear the word 'juried' in terms of any event I avoid it. I've had bad experiences regarding so call juried events. Just who are these so called jurers, who appointed them, how do you get to be one, is there some kind of test or national standard you have to pass or meet to become one? I have asked these questions to a lot of people and so far no one seems to have the answer. What criteria does the smith have to meet to become 'juried" I agree with Randy, most folks, including the 'expert juriers' think that all blacksmiths do the same thing. Each and every blacksmith has their own niche, the thing we like to do best. I personally prefer making everyday early American colonial items. The whole juried thing just gets right up my nose, and is definitely one of my pet peeves. I wish you all the luck in the world Wind.

The angle iron and c-clamp thing is a 'shop trick' that I have seen in one of my metal working books. I've used it and am quite happy with he results I get from this simple trick.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge" Einstein. Like the forge. I used a 'Tim Lively" type forge for two years before I got my first real forge.