redeagle

3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

SOFA had a half dozen forges in their shop set up this way with the foot switch; but they also had an override switch to put the blower constant on for forge welding, coke, getting the fire started, etc.  or in the words of wisdom from Big Trouble in little China "Marry them Both!"

I like a foot switch. A small sledge makes a good manual override too. 

This is not OSHA approved. On the plus side, his anvil wont rust.

Poplar is soft. It won't make a good handle and it also takes stain very poorly. Most poplar furniture is painted, not stained. 

I agree with Charles. I was going to make similar comments but am trying to keep my post length down...I tend to run on a bit. A few years ago I did research into colonial tools and looking at only period pieces, that is correct. The first tomahawks were simple trade axes made of a folded iron strap with no poll. Almost all the later ones I saw with polls were spikes and seem to be oriented as weapons. For bushcraft I think the hammer poll is really useful. Again, nice job. 

I think you did great. Even without grinding there's ways to forge a cleaner arc on the bottom. With the fullering on the neck of the poll it almost looks like you made it from a ball peen but I can see the pic where you used round stock and drifted the eye yourself. Good job. 

Did you do any heat treat to it?

Scrap Rat, If you tried to post a picture of the tomahawk, it didn't work. Please try again, we'd love to see it.

3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

....  Was 4140 used for them back in the day?

Thomas, I saw in another post you mention Schrodinger's cat. Myself, I'm fond of infinite monkey theory, so perhaps in some totally random smelting, out of the hundreds of thousands of them done since mankind moved from bronze to iron, there was one where the random mix of elements fortuitously resulted in a perfect 4140 formulation. Maybe some lucky centurion or viking back in the day had a 4140 sword or battle axe, hmmmm......probably not, but technically, not a zero probability. Have a nice day .

Kevin, Thank you.

Latticino, I agree with your advice about leaf or coils springs, especially if you are practicing to improve knife-making skills. I'm not saying using a spike is a soup to nuts dry run of knife making. I like decorative ironwork and antique reproduction mostly but am of the school that a good knife is 20% steel selection, 30% geometry and 50% heat treat. Your comment goes for all carbon steel items. Make a punch or chisel with mild steel, 5160, W2 or H13 and you face the same issues. The forging range, difficulty of moving the steel, and HT are all different as is how effective they will be for their purpose.

I don't think it was ever a discussion to prove that a spike is good steel for knives. However, it is a great steel for railroad ties and even coat hooks :-). I've also hot cut with a mild steel hardy and it worked ok but I would not choose to make one like that. I think Chandler was just trying to prove a point (or get a monkey off his back based on his comments). My comment about having fun and practice aims more to the idea that all "iron-banging" time under your belt can teach you something and increase your endurance for forging (and be rewarding in some way or why not take up stamp collecting or something else).

 I enjoyed the video. Many of Chandler's videos are fun to watch and I applaud his efforts. His vids are not presented as a master teaching techniques to YouTube apprentices. They are a video blog of a guy sharing his passion for blacksmithing. Watching his "I'm not sure if this will work but let's try it and see" moments make for good entertainment as does the non-stop verbalisation of his thoughts. I like to watch the chaos in action of his trials, tribulations, discovery, recovery and achievement (or not). I often think I wouldn't do it that way but let's see where he ends up.

I think a RR spike knife is a novelty. I wouldn't call one a good knife by any stretch but they are fun to make and many like them. And if you are having fun or just practicing techniques there's nothing wrong with that. 

There is no picture posted.

Under the same premise, my scoutmaster now leads a weekly AA session :-).

Speaking of which, we are helping our local troop next month with their metalworking badges. I expect neither alcoholic or flammable liquids will be involved.

Its relative?

Where in Florida are you? I think you can buy blacksmith coal at the Barberville Pioneer Settlement. 

1) Are you crazy? Go to college.

2) It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

3) Just because its not red doesn't mean its not HOT!

4) If you're not happy with it, its not good enough so do it again.

5) You learn as much from doing it wrong as doing it right.

A few minutes with a file on the inside case of each boss. It should only be cleanup to smooth the mating faces since you've forged them pretty nicely. 

18 hours ago, Frosty said:

It's pretty wicked cool right now! 

Frosty The Lucky.

Hey Frosty, Is that a reference to the weather? Nice to know the club/community up there is prospering.

AkFilm, That's real nice work. That trapper knife looks great. You could put it into a museum and not tell the difference.

We have family there and have been going to visit since the early 90s. The kids want to see aurora so I might plan a Thanksgiving or Christmas visit another year. Thanks for the reminder to consider the solar cycle. I forget it impacts other things than just RF propagation. 

On July 22, 2016 at 4:07 PM, Frosty said:

Never heard of Atlantic Salmon? It's good eating if you like salmon, not my favorite fish but Silvers are good,  more like trout.

Frosty The Lucky.

Yes, I like silvers the best. We were out in resurrection bay last week but it was still a bit early and the silvers were not really biting. Had better luck with reds in the kenai and didnt have to deal with anybody getting seasick. Aurora will have to wait until winter but it was a great time in gods country. 

3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

East and west poles flip as well for the Salmon????  I'll have to set up to be adopted by an indigenous tribe so I can spear them as they go through the Panama canal....

Well it is kind of a gigantic fish ladder :-)  

Who needs a compass in Alaska anyway, there is only one road anyway so you cannot get lost. If the poles flip I just hope the salmon will get confused and come down to Florida.

I think its a great deal and a vulcan in really nice condition. I have a 150lb vulcan and it is a good anvil. flat and quiet. the edges are prone to chipping and the surface plate is not thick so be careful working on the edges. although not a top of the line wrought anvil, it is much better than rail or other makeshift anvils.

On April 27, 2016 at 0:45 PM, Michael Cochran said:

I like Thomas' idea myself.

Ditto. I play a lot of chess and have a roll up canvas board. The chain mail idea fits real well for portability and it's a great hidden carry mace too!

1 hour ago, littleblacksmith said:

this may help-http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/45494-why-wrought-iron/

                                                                                               Littleblacksmith

ThomasPowers. Thank you. I like that concept and is why I want some. I like the idea of making historical items using the same materials and types of tools.

Littleblacksmith, Thanks. That thread covers a lot of my questions. So for a certain look or to reproduce period work, it's fine. Otherwise, it's smiths choice depending on what properties you like to work with. 

What is your favorite use today for wrought iron?

I've seen it used for some decorative items, historical reproduction, knife and axe blades (with cs edges). They don't make it anymore and it is not so easy to find. It seems that unless you break a piece to see the silica grain, most people cannot distinguish it from mild steel so why seek it out? I think its a waste to use it for a fireplace poker if mild steel will do as well.

So if I get my hands on some, what would you recommend it best be used/saved for? I want to try and make a wrought iron/carbon steel knife as done ages ago, but its the only specific project I have in mind. I'm trying to understand why people hoard it or want to charge so much for it so maybe I'm missing some use it fits particularly well.

I would say record is better than a mediocre brand. They are one of the better woodworkers vise of this type, good quality casting and made of good steel. I think they stopped production a few years ago, but just like machinist vices, these are better than the made in xxxxx crap you will find today at the big box store. I see these going for $40 to $50 used pretty often. I've had mine taking abuse for about 15 years and it is still going strong. just attach two wood cheeks to it where they provide screw holes for that purpose.

update: it seems Irwin bought the tooling and brand about 10-12 years ago and is making them now in taiwan. the british made ones are very good and if you can pick a 52 or 53 up cheap, go for it.

I have a 150lb Vulcan anvil. I have no complaints and it provides me all the same ability of other anvils. it's quiet too.  I don't think a "lower tier" anvil means you can do an many things. Your not limited as if it can't make something you could on another anvil.  The quality aspect is more about how much rough use it will take without damage.

I think the edge will chip easier since it is a thin top plate. It might lose flat easier over time or take damage if you hit it cold that another might handle ok.  But if you take care if it, it's a good 150lb anvil.