matt87

Looks like some good work there! I'd like to make a suggestion if I may: cut out a second 'window' opposite the first one, at the back. That will allow you to heat bars in the middle -- for drawing down tong reins, upsetting bars and many ther uses.

The blacksmithing/armouring in A Knight's Tale is hillarious (hillarious tosh, that is).

If I lived in the US I might consider buying that for curuisity's sake. My electric blower is a cobbled-together mess consisting: - a small plastic centrifugal blower designed to be hand-cranked, for barbecues (

Yungsmith, If you have transport (parent taxi!) and you are lucky, you can possibly find one on eBay near to you. There are usually a half dozen London-pattern anvils at any one time on eBay.co.uk. Quality and size varies considerably. Read up on what to look for when anvil shopping. You can check local car boot sales too, put ads in your local paper, newsagent window etc. if you live in an industrial or rural area. Talk with farmers, you never know what they have squirreled away. I would suggest looking in scrapyards, but most don't like persons of such a tender age wandering round . Vaughan's anvils are apparently very good, never used them myself though. Get a Saturday job, and a Sunday one and an after school one though if you want to buy one. Their price list isn't on their website, but e-mail them and you will be sent a rather nice inkjet-printed one gratis. Don't just think of anvils as London-pattern though. It's something to pound stuff on. I use a 32lb length of railway iron turned on end. It does the job. Don't forget that for a while at least you will ding your anvil face up every now and again -- no point in buying an expensive, high quality anvil to make the top look like the surface of the moon...

Welcome Yungsmith! A lot of good advice has already been given, but here is something I think has been missed so far: you are still growing! Don't forget to make your stands etc. adjustable, modifiable or replaceable as you change. Also, not all of you will grow at the same time; your bones for instance may lengthen at different times to your tendons. I found that there were certain things I could do physically one week that I couldn't the week before -- or even vice versa! :shock: But once again, welcome! In one way we are unlucky to be in this era of a reduced continuity of blacksmithing (the 'dark ages' of the mid 20th century for instance) but we also have great advantages not seen before in history; power tools cheap to buy and run that can do a day's labour in an hour; materials cheaper and higher quality then they have been at most other times in history; a wider range of creative projects we can do; greater number of ways of doing things from around the world.

not to mention one slick laser cutter! You're not the only one :cool:

I think this discussion has got way off topic, and as much as I enjoy a lively debate and certainly have my own opinions on this topic (you can probably guess my stance judging from my previous posts) I think we should return this discussion to the original topic. As I'm sure we're all aware scrap metal prices have risen significantly recently, and there are many reports of all sorts of 'street furniture' being stolen for sale to sracppies -- cast iron manhole covers, street signs, bus shelters and all sorts. It's already been mentioned but our shops are as much a target for thieves as any others, perhaps even more so. This topic is about how YOU safeguard your financial and emotional investment in materials, consumables, tools and work.

Yup, it's the case of D.C. vs. Heller. Heller is a 65-year-old armed security guard living in the Capitol Hill area of Washington D.C., who applied for a lisence for a pistol but was denied, then started taking it to law. The state court (I think; it's been a little while since I studied any US law) held in favour of Heller in that the D.C. pistol ban was/is unconstitutional. D.C. appealled to the Supreme Court. The anti-freedom crowd may have shot themselves in the foot here as a Federal Supreme Court decision could potentially affect bans and restrictions across the entire union. The Supreme Court heard the oral arguments on the 18th of this month. Almost from the start the justices were of the opinion that the right described by the Second Amendment is an individual one; that old tripe about it being a collective right barely got a look-in. The final decision will not be released for months yet, but it seems quite clear form the language of the justices and the questions that they asked that they will find in favour of Heller. As to how wide their ruling will be, the jury is out. It will likely though be that it will be as narrow as they can making it. There is the potential though that they will help to undo decades of damaging and useless laws. Just depends on how wide they make their ruling. Back on topic, my smithy is part of my home, ergo 'standard' domestic security procedures apply (dial-a-prayer and locked doors).

I think he means Cabela's; an American sporting goods chain. Thinking of the bear/man traps I've examined (not many), I seem to recall that the two jaws pivot on a base-plate. The trigger-plate fits into a notch in each jaw when they are 'cocked'; steping on the plate pushes it down, releasing the jaws.

Our Bill of Rights predates yours, and infact formed much of the basis. It contains an equivalent to the Second Amendment but we have had the best part of a century now of those in charge banning and restricting for 'the public safety' and the general populace have followed like the good litle sheeple that the are. The knowledge of the RKBA has all but died-out in this once-proud nation and I honestly can't see it being reacknowledged without a major change in most peoples' way of life and mindset. That's not to say I have given up; I will continue doing what I can to campaign, to intoduce newomers to shooting (even just to show them that guns aren't bad), and to shoot as much as my time and money allow. If you live in a freer country, please do everything you can to keep it alive. (On a related note, congratulations to you Americans on the outcome of today's oral arguments in D.C. vs. Heller!)

I've made a couple but I won't show you as I'm sure you enjoy your sight... files are good recycled steel, as are springs.

Sucks living out here; we serfs aren't allowed pistols, unless they are muzzle-loaders or airpistols.

As provided by Mr J Browning? :D

I saw an article on a blown gas-fired glass-blowing kiln a little while ago where they spent quite some time discussing this and similar problems. I think they decided to use a solenoid-actuated gas control valve, so if the power went off so would the gas. They also had a therocouple so if the power came back on while the kiln was hot enough to ignite the gas, the gas and blower would come on, else not.

Ah, good points there Thomas, my hat is off. There is of course the Huntsman process too; European from the 18th century I believe. May I please have the reference to that thesis?

I prefer to use the term Damascus to the steel form the swords of Damascus -- that is likely Wootz steel (from certain periods at least...). I think that Damascene is a much better term for the more modern version. But I suppose it's like the magazine vs. clip debate; you can get by talking about putting a new clip in yoru Glock as most people will be able to figure out what you mean. When you talk about putting a clip into your Lee Enfield with a clip though, it can get a little more ambiguous! (Enfields have a detactchable magazine but the mag can be reloaded with clips from the top...) Exactly. :cool:

Non-new anvils on eBay usually go for way less than less than

Thanks for the info guys, I'm not all that clued up on 'proper' anvils, as you've probably noticed ;)

Hi wssd, and welcome. We typically would use mild steel for this today rather than iron due to its better cost and availablity. You can try hardware stores, welding stores, engineering supply places etc. What you need is hot rolled mild steel, or over here we call it black steel. This comes with a slightly rough, blackish grey finish on it already. You may have to buy a longer length than you need and cut it to length. You cna do that with a cheap hacksaw and something to hold it steady (vise, or clamps and a heavy workbench). You might get lucky and find somewhere with a suitable piece in their scrap bin they will let you have, for free or pennies. If you need want a dimpled, 'rustic' appearance, bang it with a ball-pein hammer a lot! Oh and heating it gives it a blacker finish, though this can be rubbed off with use. Seal with a clear laquer sray if you don't want this.

I periodically torture myself by looking at the numerous anvils on eBay going for a song and wishing I had a car, hoping against hope that a lightish one appears within transport links. Came across this little thing, and the shape intrigued me. anvil and sack truck on eBay (end time 11-Mar-08 13:08:20 GMT) Looks (from what can be seen) to be wrought, and a little swaybacked. The pattern isn't London or Portsmouth, or anything I recognize as such, though there is something a little Colonial about it to my eye. Any thoughts anyone? [No links to seller, FleaBay blah blah blah]

If it's a hood ornament, won't rusting be an issue? I appreciate you want to get some Damascene/forgewelding experience, but I think you should consider mokume gane. You can make it from a variety of metals (varying difficulties I understand), including nonferrous.

I'm interested in the mention of repeatable, predictable patterns. Wonder if we'll see Mokume Gane number plates soon? :D

Big box (wood, metal, masonry), with tuyere penetrating the side. Add ashes, sand or whathaveyou and you can have whatever shape of firepot you like.

If you burn veggie oil, no more so than propane (CO and CO2). Used motor oil etc. often contains small amounts of heavy metals, so all approriate safety precautions should be used (the best being not to do it ).

Ah Vladimir, I thin kI have you beat, I'm 20 Seriously, welcome to probably the best addiction you could ever hope for.