Ohio Rusty

I use a vibratory bowl unit to polish the brass for my pistol shells. They come out beautiful like brand new. The media I use is plain ground up walnut media. I add a tablespoon of Nu-finish car polish to the media to make the shells 'slick' so they easily go in and out of the resizing and loading dies ....... That being said, you could use the same kind of vibrating bowl with what ever polishing media you want to use. You can use walnut media, crush up corn cobs, there is also a fine stainless steel media that does a great job of polishing. You can add a liquid polisher to the media to help in the final process. You may have to remove hard crusty scale first as that is difficult to get off by nature ....... Ohio Rusty ><> The Ohio Frontier Forge

I use either beeswax or Kiwi black shoe polish. Shoe polish is just wax with pigment. Ohio Rusty ><> The Ohio Frontier Forge

Using southern Ohio coal. Burned it for a bit to coke it up, wet it and started forging. The wood block worked nicely as a spoon swage. The edges of the bowl were filed to smooth up things. Ohio Rusty ><> The Ohio Frontier Forge

That is a nice little rustic knife ...... Sharpen it up, and that rabbit or squirrel you clean with that knife isn't going to care one wit ...... The metal you used in that blade was probably much better steel that they had available in the 18th century ...... and they staked their lives on their knives everyday to feed and protect them. Enjoy the knife you made ...use it in the kitchen too ............ You don't need a million dollar super vanadium-chrome-moly 1000 layer damascus knife to cut up game and vegetables. You'll get more pleasure from that one you made than one you bought ...... Ohio Rusty ><>

I made this bowl and ladle hammer from a railroad spike and polished the face. The curved shape makes forming the sides easier as you don't have to hold the hammer handle on a higher angle. The design comes of a 16th century armorers hammers I found in a book. (Somehow this post became a duplicate posting from my members projects post -- not sure how that happened --- MOD -- can you delete this one?) Ohio Rusty The Ohio Frontier Forge S.E. Ohio

I was at an auction yesterday (Monday) in Upper Sandusky Ohio where they advertised Blacksmith tools and items for sale. The hand cranked champion 400 (just the blower, no stand) went for $60, and the Buffalo blower with an attached motor and speed control (no stand) also went for $60. ( all the rest of the blacksmith stuff you needed a second mortgage to buy it !! ....nuts prices these days) There is a new made blower, blue in color either from India or Pak-I-Stan being sold on Ebay for $99. That probably isn't bad for a brand new, unused blower. Of course, you'll need to figure out about making a blower stand for it to set on. That ups your price more. Let me recommend you get onto a site called 'Auction Zip', where many auctioneers post things on their auctions. Put in some key words like Anvil, Blacksmith and Blower, tell the site you want every auction within 150 miles of your house selling those key word items. You might get lucky and find an auction close to your back yard............. Ohio Rusty The Ohio Frontier Forge S.E. Ohio

You might also see if you can find any petrified wood ... being it is quartz based, it will also make sparks. Ohio Rusty ><> The Ohio Frontier Forge

I know you can't own it all, but if you see something you really want, then apply the : 'Rule of thumb for blacksmith 'stuff' .... If someone else buys it, then you can never use it or get any enjoyment out of it if it is setting in someone elses garage ...... Just a personal observation ........... Ohio Rusty Purveyor and Blacksmith The Ohio Frontier Forge

I love making fire steels ..... Mike Ameling was a very good friend and a great influence in my blacksmithing path. I still miss his knowledge and willingness to share everything and anything. I just recently received a letter from his Mom updating me on how she is currently getting along. There is such an immediate success and feeling of gratification when the fire steel is struck against the flint and the sparks come off and crackle in the air before they burn out. I just recently came across a picture of a historical 18th century fire steel that I have not seen before, and I look forward to getting some forged ...... Ohio Rusty Purveyor and Blacksmith The Ohio Frontier Forge

Just want to try it on mild steel square or round stock, soft iron for making chain links, etc ...... It's not for knives ...... Ohio Rusty ><>

I see Centaur Forge sells a can of EZ-weld .... known as Climax welding compound in the 1920's. This flux according to what I'm reading helps you to forge weld metal at a lower temperature. Unfortunately ..... this stuff is $47.00 a can !! Did any list members buy a can and would be willing to sell me some ounces of theirs so I can try it ?? I don't want to buy a whole can. Ohio Rusty ><>

I have one of the two burner deluxe knife maker forges I acquired in December and I have been real happy with it. It has performed very well for all the items I have made so far.The gas usage hasn't been unreasonable although I only have access to 20 pound tanks. I'll use a coal forge if I'm going to try any forge welding as I can get coal much hotter. I can't use coal in the barn in the winter as it gets too smokey with the doors closed. Ohio Rusty The Ohio Frontier Forge S.E. Ohio

Yep Tim ... its snapped abruptly ... . I didn't expect it and almost fell backwards. I did the drill test Vapemac and it did produce chips and curls of metal. That is good news as I was hoping for something usable to work with. Just as a test I also drilled into a railroad spike for a comparison and they were similiar. The old iron seems to be softer as it drilled a bit easier. Tuesday I'll heat up a couple of short pieces and pound on them. I already have my minds eye on some things to make with this square stock. Ohio Rusty ><> Purveyor and Blacksmith The Ohio Frontier Forge

Great info all .... Thanks so much for your postings !!! I don't have a grinder but I do have a belt sander. Sparks are long dull orange with little forks on the end. Probably not a good spark test compared to a grinding wheel. I definitely have a drill press Vapremac. That is great information and I'll drill on that piece you see in the pic when I get home from work. Ohio Rusty ><> Purveyor and Blacksmith The Ohio Frontier Forge

I brush the piece briskly with a wire brush to remove any scale or soot on the piece, then I rub the piece while warm with either a piece of dark beeswax or black shoe polish and wipe off the excess with a rag. That is the best you can do on site without going home to do any extra finish work. Ohio Rusty ><> Purveyor and Blacksmith The Ohio Frontier Forge

A little background on this ... These square metal bars 3/4 x 3/4 were produced before 1870. They come from a Railroad concrete upright that was used to hold up a train bridge. The Railroad was completed in 1871 and went out of business and was abandonded right about the time of the depression. The railroad carried iron ore and coal in Southeastern Ohio. Like tall, quiet and cold giants from a long ago forgotten time, the comcrete uprights are now crumbling to gravel from age and the upright iron support bars are becoming exposed. I thought they might be wrought iron given their age and condition, but in a cut and bend test, the piece snapped off and left a crystaline structure as you can see in the picture. The bars are only surface rusted with some pitting, and not delaminating like steel does when in the outdoors for many years. Not bad for being 140+ years old !! I've not yet had the opportunity to heat and pound on a piece due to the cold, and I look forward to doing that next week.. I was fortunate to get 3 pieces about 8 foot long before the cold snap set in. Anyone have more info on what kind of iron these bars might be ?? The two end pieces pics shows the crystalline structure inside and the one long piece shows how it cleans up on the outside. What I also find interesting is these metal bars could have been made during the Civil War when the battles of Lynchburg and Appomattox Courthouse were being fought !! Kinda neat to have some old iron like this. Thanks in advance. Ohio Rusty Purveyor and Blacksmith The Ohio Frontier Forge

I'll see Jim (the owner/maker) on Saturday and ask him about turning the unit on it's side. The barn isn't tight ... It leaks air quite a bit .... just not enough to let out all the smoke from a coal forge if all the windows and doors are closed. (I don't have a chimney for the coal forge, just an open air forge). If I open both ends of the barn, all is clear. I want to run the box wood stove for warmth while forging. If I open the barn doors, out goes all the heat. Ohio Rusty ><>

It is too cold currently to use my coal forge in the closed up barn. It would be way too smokey. I am considering getting one of the Majestic deluxe knife maker forges as the cost is OK and Majestic is pretty close to me .... easy to just pick up this weekend. I liked the option of the deluxe to have the option to run just one or both of the burners. I have been reading the questions others have posted about their forges and quite a few say the one drawback to the forge is the gas tubes go straight down into the top of the forge and they get too hot above the heat. Would there be any issue with setting the forge on it's side running the forge on it's side so the gas tubes would be sticking out of the side ?? The flames wouldn't be directly shooting down of the metal either. Any thoughts about this ?? Ohio Rusty ><>

Those oak hardwood pallets get cut up this weekend for the box stove in the forge room. Hey RBerry 1911 ..... I'm North and east of Logan about 10 miles out of town. Ohio Rusty ><>

I've decided to call my hobby forge and smithy .... "The Ohio Frontier Forge" ..... as I'm so far out in the boonies, I'm basically out on the frontier ... there is nothing out here ... No internet, No DSL, no cell phone service ....... *THAT* is what it is like out here on the frontier. We at least have electricity, running water and a flush toilet.. I also do 18th century re-enacting, and the area of Ohio I live in was the edge of the frontier prior to 1800 .... Ohio Rusty ><>

Update from post above. It was nice to see all the stuff I couldn't afford. Gotta get car brakes and fuel oil for winter. I did get a pair of cheap tongs and an inexpensive cone mandrell for my anvil. Ohio Rusty

I'll be there Friday only this year again. I enjoy Quad State. I'll have a out a trade blanket with lots of goodies, and Bluegrass music playing on the boom box, so stop by and introduce yourself !! My quest this year is to trade for some offset tongs. Ohio Rusty

The Predator police are on the prowl looking for blacksmiths to stop and cite to add to their coffers of their little town. Last year they had 3 blacksmiths with their trailers stopped in town giving them tickets. BE FOREWARNED that 37 in their 35 zone is $185.00 !! They will stop you and write you a ticket. Remember New Rome and their police ??? North Hampton is just as bad. Be Forewarned .... Ohio Rusty ><>

There is something awe inspiring hearing the roar of the forge and the ring of the hammer on the anvil. What leaves one awe struck is iron, when put in a forge fire, seems to become alive. Iron itself is cold and hard. As the forge fire feeds the iron, the iron glows brightly becoming alive, pulsating with a white hot heat. The hard, unbendable iron now becomes a slave to its master changing shape and form with every hammer blow of the blacksmith. The piece of iron is bent and shaped to now an object with form and function. 200+ years ago the Ohio frontier was opened by men with daring spirit. They brought with them the survival tools, made by a blacksmith, necessary to create a new home. The crack of the flintlock rifle fed their families while axes and anvils helped build their cabins and make their tools. Thru time these frontiersmen and their skills all but disappeared. The sounds of the settlers went away as modern progress leaped forward giving way to the noise of this modern age. But now …… the hills and valleys of Ohio again ring with the crack of the flintlock rifle and the music of the blacksmiths anvil, keeping alive these past arts and the mystery of forging iron. The Ohio Frontier Forge in S.E. Ohio has brought the past back to life, and it fills ones heart with gladness. Ohio Rusty Purveyor/Blacksmith The Ohio Frontier Forge S.E. Ohio