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I Forge Iron

trinityforge

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
  • Interests
    I am into a lot of things. I have been blacksmithing for what seems like forever, but only recently have I been learning in leaps and bounds. I am part of the Society for Creative Anachronism where I am a blacksmith from the 14th century.

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    trinityforge@yahoo.com

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  1. Thank you Dogsoldat, I will do so.
  2. Sorry, and yes. The blade is going to be bone and the handle is going to be wood. I was wondering if there is a specific bone that is better to use and which bone that would be. I have seen a few where the handle is wood attached with animal hide glue.
  3. I have been considering making a bone knife. Does any one have any experience in this area? I could use some advice and direction. I would like to know what bones would be good for a knife (oh, this is decorative...at least at this point), attaching it to a handle, etc... Thanks in advance
  4. Oh, and AZ the others have given you exceptional information. Why don't you fill in your profile info and let us know where you are, there might be an exceptional blade maker in your area more than willing to help.
  5. AZ said: "During my last smithing experience, I found that I didn't have an issue moving the metal to the desired shape. However, I had a lot of excess material that I needed to cut off somehow. It took alot of bending back and forth and pounding on sharp corners to remove any metal." I don't understand this statement. If you were able to move the metal to your desired shape then what excess materials did you have? I have been bladesmithing for some time now and if I have moved the metal to the desired shape then I really don't have much to be removed. So if you could please explain a bit more I might be able to help.
  6. To hold the bit in place: Take the hawk out of the forge and place it on the step before the bick, placing the HC against the step, the eye 90 degrees or across the bick then place a few "lighter hits from the center of the HC end up the middle towards the eye and weld the rest. Weld again if needed. I don't have any pics of this process, it works for me and when I make my next hawk I will post pics.
  7. I agree with everyone, it looks AWESOME! I too would like to get a blow by blow of the process. I have been wanting to make a few hawks and you have inspired me.
  8. 1) Name: Jim (James) C. Kotsonis 2) Location: Wisconsin, Fond du Lac proper. 3) What type blacksmithing do you do, what do you make: I am (or more likely) I endeavor to make tools, I have been taught knife making by a master knife maker (who never took the test), I am starting to make grills and wrought iron gates. I hope to one day make armor and other period reproductions. 4) How and when did you get started in blacksmithing: I was introduced and subsequently inducted into the faith by the 1st Cavalry Mule team, in Fort Hood Texas. 5) What object or thing did you use as your first anvil: I took a piece of rail road track welded a large flat piece of 1” thick plate to the top, took the taper off a military style toe pintle and used that as the beak of the anvil (I have it to this day and still use it for some things). 6) Tell us about your first forge, hole in the ground, camp fire, brake drum, stacked bricks: After researching and still not knowing what I was doing, my first forge was made from 2x4’s and a mixture of concrete and mortar, the firepot was nothing more that a coffee can impression in the concrete with a 6” round in the bottom with holes drilled into it (worked well and I did my first forge welding in it…kind of). 7) Who assisted you or encouraged you in the craft: I have been on my own for most of my blacksmithing life. Although, with the advent and more widespread use of youtube, I feel as though Mark Aspery, J. Ganvil and several others are with me on a daily basis. (I am going to take this opportunity to thank these fine people for providing hours of instruction for those of who are challenged…Thank you very much!) 8) What event changed your attitude about blacksmithing: Well as a Scadian (ask me later if you don’t know) I became very interested in period reproduction…I have never done any period reproduction other than knives, but I have high hopes. Oh, and the before mentioned youtube. 9) What tool has changed or made your life easier in the shop: The hood vent; before that I was just stuck in the rain. 10) What advice would you give those starting out in blacksmithing: Pray to the God Vulcan…for thick skin, an undying curiosity for all things made, strong muscles, an eye for nature, and a love of getting burnt to a crisp at every false step. 11) What advice would you give those already involved in blacksmithing: You are the knowledge we seek, we seek it because we know it is there, please let it be there and ready for us when we need it. 12) What are some of the interesting things that have happened to you in your life as a blacksmith: I have met some of the strangest and most interesting people I have ever had the pleasure to know. Please add any thing we may have missed or should have asked. On that note, please excuse my musings, but they make me happy. In ancient times a lonely figure stands ready and willing. As if with magic, he stands before the elements and with breath and heat, muscle and will he shapes the very rock into life. No figure has provided more turning points in history than the forgers of iron. They changed the shape of agriculture; they changed the shape of war and provide us with comforts. Who am I, I am a blacksmith.
  9. You can always use a stake anvil. Tin smith anvils are long and designed to let you reach in hard to reach places. Look up tinsmith stakes and see what they have, if it is not quite what your looking for then make a new tool and let us know what it looks like and how it works.
  10. Polarbear forge has a product called "grinder in a box" it is about $700 and comes with much of what is needed. All you have to do is drill and tap, then get the wheels and motor. When you look at a Bader for $1700.00 or more, makes much more sense. Also, if you want to you can get the Grizzly knife grinder, it is not ideal, but does work well for shorter knives.
  11. Thanks Ciladog. There is soooo much info on this site, it is hard to find stuff. Jim
  12. It reminds me of Leonardo's Automatic Hammer. Which I am going to build...with a bit of modification of coarse. He,he,he...
  13. They are not. The screw box has only one revolution of thread in it, the rest were stripped.
  14. I do not have pictures yet, but I am replacing a missing screw and must build a new screwbox to fit the new screw. Any ideas on how to first build the screw box, but also put threads in it to match? Any help will be appreciated. Jim
  15. I know this is a late post to this but... Rail steels are primarily bainitic which is a structure of the steel, which is similar to hardened martensite. Bainitic steel is formed as a process of cooling and heating and has a fine non-lamellar structure, bainite commonly consists of cementite and ferric iron. The high concentration of dislocations in the ferrite present in bainite makes this ferrite harder than it normally would be, it also has a greater wear resistance. When forge welding higher carbon steels to lower carbon steels a carbon migration occures, which affects how the material inbetween the welding area will both cool and harden. You can compare this material with L-6, which is bainitic. I hope this helps at least with being able to h/t-ing.
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