GRiley904

Thank you Dave, but this isn't a daily driver, it's actually my step mothers and she wants it rust free. I told them to keep it oiled when it's not in use but wanted to know if there is a better our more permanent way

Well now I have a question about my dads case. He started noticing little specs of rust on the blade and asked me if there was anything he could do to stop the rust. He mentioned hearing something about stabbing it into a potato but I don't know about this. I was wondering how you guys care for your old non stainless blades. What do I tell my pop?

Ken, I don't do demos yet, but a quick answer to your question is put a couple drops of water on your anvil and strike the hot steel into it. The steam explosion sounds like a gunshot and removes scale. That would certainly get the attention of any persistent jaw flappers.

I'm sure there is a turkey running around dusted with borax. We all had a great time, in fact, I haven't left yet. Still allot of fun to be had. Amazing, I had to come way up north to find some true southern hospitality. Stan gives us a good time and Ms. Clara and Susan put out some great food, and thank you guys for that. I gained a few great friends and learned allot. Lyle and Dave made a fine hammer and it was allot of fun to watch. My stomach still hurts from laughing so hard. Thank you to all of my new friends, you really feel like brothers now.

My guess at a couple of the other wrenches would be the one all the way to the left looks allot like a spark plug wrench. And the one on the right with the hard bend in it seems repurposed for a similar idea, to get to a hard to reach nut or bolt, allowing for a second wrench to be applied.

Nobody forces them to read anything, they click on the thread, read it of their own vilition, and then interject their own negative opinion. Not critisism constructive or otherwise, but looking down their nose at us because we mentioned a rr spike. Luckily I myself haven't directly encountered hostility over it but have seen it givin. And i dare say that these hammering elite who hane reached the pinnacle of blacksmithing and the knoweledge pertaining to it aren't as good as they think.

OK so not much about the actual smithing aspect. I just wanted to say that I'm a bit offended at the stigma placed on rr spikes. I'm offended that i would be looked down upon because I make something out of a piece of STEEL just because it used to have a head on it. Once you cut the head off or consolidate it back to square stock it is just that square stock and in fact no longer a spike. Like I'm less of a smith becuase of what my stock started it's life as. Sorry guys, I felt the need to vent and say " Look what i can make out of a rr spike."

briquets are not a good fuel as the adhesive that holds it together causes it not to burn hot enough. you want a natural hardwood lump charcoal, or actual coal. hardwood charcoal is'nt hard to make either build a fire let the wood burn off into a good coal bed then put it out. i've also heard of people burning corn or plain old pallet wood cut into small pieces ( 1 inch square)read through the solid fuel forges section of the site and i bet you could answer allot of questions about fuel and forges, plus im sure a few more will chime in here. Riley

follow up on that. How in the world did your anvil split in half? and at 13 amazing.

Howdy and welcome to the site. There is allot of great reading here, I would suggest doing allot of that. An anvil doesn't have to look like an anvil to do fine work on. I'm new to smithing myself so i can identify with you, however i use a piece of rail road track as an anvil and it suits me fine for now. I can learn how to forge without damaging a good by the books anvil. Read through the anvils section of the forum and you should be able to get a very good start with very little. After all this craft was birthed with rocks as hammer and anvil. Riley

Every now and then I pump out a knife shaped object. I don't let any thing near them that isn't food grade. Personally a food grade oil would probably be your best bet.

I would love to attend this. If anyone is going and traveling through jacksonville florida, please let me know if I can hitch a ride. Otherwise I'm stuck riding a bus if finances permit. I could surely pull my own weight on a road trip.

Jerome you are what we call ambidextrous it depends on the job as to witch hand takes the lead.i dare say you could work equally well with either hand one is simply more comfortable.

Well I guess that settles it. The knife stays as is. You know this thing probably hasn't had eyes on it in 10 years and it is sharp. Not quite shaving sharp, but pretty sharp.

you know I was thinking the knife had memories and I wouldn't want to change them or their scars

Well I was going through some things and came across MY GRANDPAS CASE. I'm not sure how many years he carried it, but it has definitely seen better days. The minute I held it I felt my paps energy and I couldn't help but notice the quality of the blade. I was wondering about giving her a little pep talk. Here is a few pics but I wonder if I should try to fix it up, use it as is, or put it away somewhere. It means a great deal to me regardless of actual value, however I wouldn't want to insult such a tool and I hear a CASE knife can be a coveted item. If I were to restore it what would be the best manner. One of the scales is broken and the other has a couple gouges, but it also has the badge and I could live with it. Or should I even try. Please forgive me if I sound ignorant, I've never touched a folder other than to use it and I'm new to smithing in general. I'm stuck here in northeast florida and don't have anyone to hold my hand, so I'm asking. Thanks, Riley

You have everything you need brother. Polish your skills and anything else you want you will be able to make or make something to make it. Start by making tongs. I bought my set but will make some soon, I will say that well fit tongs (to the material you are holding) are a must have. But you can make those with your grips or long enough material so that the part in your hand isn't hot. Riley

I'm speechless. Amazing work sir.

I'm only a beginner smith but growing up a carpenter I believe I can contribute. As a carpenter you would generally use a 20oz claw hammer 16'' handle, a pretty light hammer, always held at the end of the handle. My father always had some embarrassing comment for me or a pop in the knuckles if more than an inch or two past the heal of my hand. The reason is that the most possible force to be transfered to the nail and holding the hammer at the end gives you the most leverage. As it related to smithing and using heavier hammers the added leverage becomes the issue and 5 pounds turns into 20. To illustrate this pick up a 5 pound weight, then put that weight on a stick of some sort and try to hold it out level. So there is a point where the weight of the hammer overtakes the leverage advantage, but that point depends on the person swinging the hammer and their balance better strength and endurance. Riley

You need a magnet t to tell you when the steel goes non magnetic not a thermometer. Heat is judged by color of the steel and whether or not a magnet will stick to it, assuming a magnet stuck to it in the first place.

I do have mechanics experience in that I used to be a diesel mechanics assistant, built my own truck from the ground up, and fix all of my own and my families vehicle. How ever I wouldn't say I'm a mechanic, more so a parts changer with an educated guess. Diagnostic equipment? You mean a wrench, our the computer that often gives you an area of effect to look into witch means further testing, often with hand tools. I don't know much about the newer cars but before fuel injection, diagnostics was the easy part and in allot of ways still is. Anyway the point to all of this is as of now I'm a jack of all trades and master of none. I enjoy building houses, I enjoy installing home security, o really enjoy working on cars, and I could take or leave roofing, but I love smithing. Honestly my best plan as of yet was to get licensed in either roofing or a general contractors in order to fund my hobby as well as give me more time for it. However construction isn't quite back yet and roofing carries allot of risk. Neither license would be too hard to get but the start up scares me, you gotta have money to make money, our not be afraid to go into serious debt, witch I don't and am. Thank you all for the advise. I think I've found my coarse of action. More of the same ceasing opportunities when they come. Thank you again and I'm glad to be a part of a community so helpful, caring, and communicative. You guys are awesome

True you don't want problems with the neighbors. And I support the advise of Jim Coke. How ever if you live in the US your neighbor cannot dictate your hobbies. If your parents own their home as opposed to renting, I would smith anyway. If jim s advise didn't work first. The neighbors won't like you but you are undertaking a hobby that will teach you allot and could prove to be a life changing endeavor and when you think of it like that, your neighbors opinion has little to no impact. But if your parents rent there is a problem in that they can call the landlord and have you removed from the residence. Plan slow and act fast. Good luck and hopefully we see some work from you.

The way I understand it, an apprenticeship is supposed to be profitable to both parties, one gains a wealth of knowledge while the other names his price. A deal like the one you mentioned would be perfect for me. I would expect to learn the basics, fire management, forging temps, and heat treatment. I would expect by the end of it to be able to make a few things consistently well. I would expect to do as I'm told. I think my focus would be on tools and knives. I would hope to save the master time by backing some of his workload in return for his time spent on me. I would need a place to sleep and a meal a day or a way to earn it.

I'm not looking to open a shop I'm looking to become an apprentice learn a trade and find employment I in that trade. I'm not saying that opening a shop is out of the question but it's far enough down the road to worry about learning how to forge properly first. I don't want to get ahead of myself

Thank you Mr Turley and I will read that book asap. And thank you pulse I will keep those options in mind. Classes aren't a bad idea and are available at the group meetings and although I haven't yet, I'm sure I will attend a few. However I feel that if I could achieve more intense or one on one training, that would take me much further much faster.