Dan P.

This is something I've heard done to rasps, and I can believe that it might work to some limited extent with them, but I don't see how it would work with files. Have you actually done this, smoothbore, or is it just something you have heard?

Forgot to say congratulations on the new manc baby on the way, Harry!

I think you've already missed it, ironclad, I believe it was a daytime lunar eclipse. Which is to say, you won't have missed much.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_spheres

reminds me of these guys; http://www.machineseeker.com/A880339/machine.html

I never make jigs and always regret it.

Maybe it's time to let a little beauty and pleasure (and rythm) into your life then, George!

I'm not sure it is the pferd hoof plane, though pferd do seem to make a dreadnought; http://www.pferd.com/au-en/236_ENA_HTML.htm I think that a dreadnought might not be so good on a hoof because it might bite to much on the fibres, but I do think I saw one being used for that purpose, or I might just be talking out of my hat.

Dreadnought/panzer/vixen I think none were really meant for iron work, but they have the key recommendation that they do not clog up like regular files, which can be a problem especially with wrought. They "cut" rather than "grind". There is another version specific to woodwork, the "float", which has straight teeth. They do not seem to be very widely available, and I've not tried one myself, but they seem like they would be easily re-dressable. I think I've seen farriers using dreadnoughts, though?

I am a tapper because I like to make music and allow a little bit of beauty and pleasure into my life. If you want efficiency go and buy a CNC machine or pick up a components catalogue.

It's not really what you're talking about, Frank, but I love me a dreadnought, hot or cold! I'm a recent convert and never considered them before about a year ago.

Thanks for the answers.

Sorry, brevity is usually a virtue, but I guess not in this case. The taper I refer to is usually on one side of the dovetail on a die. The male dovetail. I believe one would normally use a straight key (for the straight side of the dovetail) and a tapered key for the tapered side. The reason I ask is that I want to have some dies made up, or at least have the dovetail component (for bolt on dies) machined up. No taper means simpler and cheaper. If it also means ineffective then simpler and cheaper have to take a back seat. For clarity, dies are not available for my hammer. For all I know it is the only one of its type still in existence, and the existing dies are knackered.

How important is a taper on the dovetail on a die?

I've seen smiths' marks that can be accurately dated 1690 or earlier. My mark is my initials.

Totally makes sense. I imagined a clutch to be engaged with every individual use of the hammer (as you would with a mechanical).

I know it's a bit schwaggy to post ebay auctions, but what is going on with this pneumatic hammer (seemingly) with a mechanical hammer clutch (seemingly)? http://www.ebay.de/itm/Lufthammer-Federhammer-Schmiede-Schmiedehammer-Amboss-Feldschmiede-/221146787330?pt=Industriemaschinen&hash=item337d602e02#ht_500wt_1363

Hi Owen, I have some unused Sahinler 50 flat dies that I don't need. Dunno if they would fit or if you might be interested?

Oh, we are, are we?

Frank- an interesting feature of old-old vices that I used to find where I used to live (London, UK) was that rather than the U-shackle attaching the vice to that Y-shaped thing, they had a tenon on the Y-shaped thing that went into a mortice on the vice itself that was held, like the shackle, by a pin. I have such a vice mouldering away somewhere, I will take photos when I can.

John, please believe me when I say that I do not visit this forum to contradict you, but I don't think many of the people on that list would meet bigred's standards at all.

I did. I tig welded them on so that all the welding was under the collar.

No, I don't know you, but I do know that you keep very odd hours for a self-employed metal worker who claims to be located in Edinburgh.

My first post on this thread wasn't actually addressed to you, bigred, but to the readers of the thread as a whole. Before this thread became "about you", there were some valid and important points brought up by members on the topic of training, to which I like to think I added. Ignoring the nastiness of the above quote, your use of the word "plater" is interesting, and perhaps indicative of the differences between people's understanding of blacksmithing. In the world in which I learned smithing, a plater is someone who puts the shoes (or whatever the equivalent is these days) on race horses. To you it means, I presume, a sheet-metal worker? I think that shows why your opinion, coming from (I presume) a corporate, jobsworth industrial background, and my opinion, coming from a small, independent do-or-die blacksmith background, are quite different.

What he said! .