GRiley904

I'm in the florida artist blacksmith ass. And attend the meets when I can but I don't have transportation. I'm not opposed to moving our even working without pay so long ai can eat and sleep. Self employment isn't a important to me as a secure job but I would like for it to be smithing

I understand and appreciate your advise, both of you, but I'm afraid I have a more firm grasp on the business side than the actual smithing. I have experience in running a successful company through my father. Buy I must first polish a skill in order to market it. I would keep my focus to tools and blades ai see a bigger market for it

The problem isn't that the work is beneath me our that I don't like someone. I'm not above swallowing my pride. It's more the florida construction trade is abusive and ran on a whim. If you don't know the right people, or have about 10 grand to start out with you won't go anywhere. And as satisfying as the work is, I'm not fascinated by it as I am in smithing. I just want to better myself and my quality of life.

I'm in the process of building a life for myself and truly tired of crap jobs with crap bosses. It stands to reason that one would want to do something they liked. My question is, if one wanted to get into the world of smithing and fabrication with no experience, how would he go about it. What should I expect from an apprentice program and how would I find one? I'm a hard worker, I'd like to say I've got good morals, and I pay attention to detail. I've got next to no experience, I have made a couple things that served their purpose, and I'm not set in any habits that I know of. I need some one to teach me, and help me get started down this road we call life. Thank you in advance for your input. Sincerely, Riley

my bad it was a problem with my e-mail got it covered now

I'm interested in how the memberships work, I.e. new years to new years or from the time paid until that time next year. I paid up in July last year but haven't received the clinker breaker e mail in a while

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When I coated my forge with clay I picked up a can of primer/sealer and sprayed in a thick coat trying not to shoot runs in my pan but I suppose that doesn't really matter considering it will be covered, any way, seal it first and you should be ok. I don't know how long it will last or if I wasted my money but logic supports it.

Short answer, the heat caries it up the stack. Longer answer that requires research, there are a few different systems that deal with the exhaust through different methods, ie positive or negative pressure systems, vacuums, and a heat siphon to name a few. In all honesty a heat siphon is my words it's really a neg pressure system but slightly different than explained earlier and was used to ventilate mine shafts so possibly not relevant.

Would that be indicative of burning the steel? Or possibly something else, like say me not annealing the steel before working it. Looking back there are a few things in my minds eye that could have causes this but I'm pottery sure it came down to fire management or inaccurately judging the heat in my steel. Thank you guys for all the help so far

Rich I would say you're right and that is why I was frustrated. But the joy I got from breaking that piece was incredible, and I noticed it only takes one heat for things to go wrong. After this third attempt success or fail I'll pick something else to do. I guess I'm just driven to the knives. No matter the result I'm having fun and won't get discouraged.

I wanted to put in a better shot of the break

well I'm a bit frustrated. I broke the tang, I'm not sure if I got it too hot our hit it to cold. Then thinking I could still make it work I continued and broke it again. Off to the scrap pile, and man is it growing. Aggravated and wondering if I should go on with knifes our work on something else for a bit I decided to do it big. I'm working on a new blank and it's a good bit bigger. I'm gonna make a knife or run out of steel trying, at witch point I will buy some know steel and try some more, I'm determined. Here is a pic of the broken tang and another of the new blade in the works.

I also left the stock at about 1/4 of an inch thick until I start working out the blade shape. Hoping to keep any errors fixable. But that will change

Here is that scale pic I promised. I think I have the HT worked out but if there are any more comments or suggestions I would be glad to here them.

I have put some thought into a handle and I have 2 ideas. Either a good wood with a high contrast grain, or a pale wood with some burning Incorporated. My friend wants this knife pretty bad and he suggested that e burn in the names of the players on our pool team and the team name our a logo of some sort. So I'll probably star a second blank in the same style. I'll post a pic to get an idea of scale soon, but the sun hasn't woke up yet.

Well my friend came by with the end of a bag of charcoal before my fire went out so I squeezed out a couple more heats. Didn't do much just refined the blank, but I thought I'd update the pic anyway.

Delta File Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Files andrasps forallpurposes aremanufacturedbythe Delta File Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All Delta files are made of refined cast steel which has been . tested andexaminedby experts before it is permitted to be made up. The statementhas beenmadethat mechanics who reallyknow steel and its properties can take a good file and after treating it properly, make knife blades from it. Such an operation, however, can not be performed except when the file in the first placeis of -the very highest quality. The trade-mark of the Delta File Works has been found in many shops wherethis process obtains. The Delta File Works is one of the companies that knows the value of high grade material and is aware of the fact that no productis betterthan thematerialfrom which itis made. All DeltaFiles are backed by a written guarantee of

According to what I just read on delta files they are made from crucible steel but the arrival didn't say anything else

I just took a look at the file and was able to make out the words "DELTA flat 2nd out “ and I'm doing some research.thanks for the info.

What does it mean if it was case hardened? Will it not fully harden our something like that?

Thanks Justin that was very helpful, I was planning on a differential temper for this knife but I think I'll take your route. Pic attached

I'm currently working my second high carbon knife, the first hitting the scrap pile fast. Firstly I have a couple questions. On this knife I'm using an old worn file. So far all is going very well. Although I do know it's high carbon, I'm not sure how to treat the material through the HT process. Should I treat it like what I've studied on 5160 or is that entirely wrong? And if so how would I go about it? I guys what I'm getting to is can anyone take the need to test this metal before the HT to find out exactly how to treat it,i guess I'm being lazy or impatient one considering how easy some of these tests are. However now I'm at a stand still because I ran out of charcoal and I'm still working on the knife blank so no bevels yet and still at a phase where I can test it witch isn't an issue because I still have the rest of the file. Thanks in advance for either the help or the kick in the seat. Pic coming soon.

Look up Brian Brazeal on you tube. He is an experienced smith and has some great videos out there including one on how to forge tapers