philip in china

I just got 26 pounds of new hexagonal stock for $20.50 which is 80c a pound. Oh and it was delivered free as well. Also got a 10" circle of 30mm plate which was a drop about $3 so I am fairly happy. Have already used the circle to make a kettle holder for the stove.

Sam, I have a couple of spares. You can take your pick if you are willing to collect them. They are each about 280 pounds- one is a single bick London pattern the other is a double bick. A tree stump comes free as well complete with the necessaries to anchor the anvil down and an upsetting plate with the single bick one. How's that for an unbeatable offer? Might even throw in a free hardy. I cannot organise transport. You must collect.

Itinerant smiths- yes I think there probably were. The story about the rythm sending out coded messages- I absolutely agree it is nonsense and doesn't stand even the most cursory scrutiny. What did occut to me, however, was what tune would be appropriate to tap out to pass such a message? Ideas please. I have none.

.......and often the bit we make, whilst not as pretty as the original is a good deal stronger.

Re my earlier posting I have now found a Uri in a catalogue. Page 30 of the Angele catalogue shows all of Uri's range. I know it's probably not much use to those of you in USA but at 1180 Euros for the anvil and 365 for the stand it is well worth considering for anybody in Europe!

What is special about the habermann? I have just been looking at a price list and the habermann is appreciably more expensive than other anvils of similar mass.

Also remember that as you heat the air it expands. That means that a given volume of air actually contains less oxygen (and less nitrogen of course as well) so the advantage of the preheat is partially offset by this.

Devon Blacksmith, I understand that the secret is to have a plate at the base of the vice on which you stand. Of course you can't move the vice because you are standing on it. BTW not my genius but Maestro Hofi again!

Oh Uri you villain! You make it all look so easy! I never realised that Hofi hammers come witha hand made Hofi handle as well. Another good reason for owning one I suppose. So is that how everybody would do it? Grind away with a belt sander?

Are Hofi anvils available in USA yet?

Nate, how do you make handles out of a piece of raw lumber?

Just line it with some clay. If you want to make a better insulator mix the clay with some chainsaw sawdust first.

Full tang but it could be reduced if that is easier.

A couple of the girls here (13 or 14 years old) have forged a knife blade each out of some steel strip. They are as rough as you can imagine (the knives not the girls) but they are ferociously proud of what they have done. So next I want to get them to put wooden handles on them. Does anybody have any advice, please, on how this can be done with absolutely minimal tooling and very few resources. The local labourers recently chopped down some hardwood trees so I am planning on making the handles out of some of that material but really have no idea how or how, then, to anchor the handles to the knives.

Moulds are made for lead by companies like RCBS and Lyman who supply reloading equipment. They work fine on lead so should be OK unless anybody wants to correct me on this.

On a general point don't ever be fooled by letters or brand names on such items as ASOs. Here there are companies who make- for example- electric drills. If you buy more than a certain quantity they will make them whatever colour you want and will add whatever name, instructions etc. you want. It really is as simple as that to have fake anything made. Of course you would be breaking the law to import such goods into most western countries.

I have sent you a private message from here in China. I am fairly sure I can help you. If you are interested please email or PM me.

I frequently use a lump of concrete as a weight. Sean hates it but that is mainly jealousy. So my squat stands and dipping frame stand in concrete in the gym as does my goat BBQ. I also cast a slab on top of a bench where the bench grinders sit. The extra mass keeps them a good deal steadier and I just cast threaded bar into the mix to anchor them down. I think most smiths get fairly expert with concrete. It is just so versatile and useful.

Coal, Coke, Charcoal, Wood and electricity.

I voted for 3 and then remembered it actually should have been 5. Sorry.

Very good work. You should try to get some publicity with people like the National Trust. They might want some reproduction locks where they can't source originals. What are the sizes involved?

Combination vice and anvil units (not all as complicated as that one) were commonitems 100 years ago. As stated above they are usually neither a good anvil nor a good vice! Probably more the sort of thing you might have had in a gun room rather than a workshop. Most of them got damaged through being used as an anvil rather than just light occasional use which is what they were designed for. If I were in UK I would put a bid in on it just for the sake of the novelty but would never use it as a serious tool.

The square bick isn't undercut. The sides are parralell. (I had to look to see). It is a Hofi and I must say I am extremely pleased with all aspects of it. The shelf is very useful. It will all be even better when, eventually, I get round to making a stand for it. At present it is on a stump which prevents me from taking advantage of some of the very special features on it. I just need to get some 2" plate profiled for the stand to start with.

I had to google napkin ring. You mean there are people so poor that they can't afford a newly laundered napkin every meal?

I have a double bick. I find that there are shapes on the square bick which are easier to use than on the rest of the anvil. If I were more experienced then this probably would be less important to me. I know good smiths can make anything on a single bick! Having said that I also have a single bick of exactly the same size. I love them both and use them both!