Jump to content
I Forge Iron

a62rambler

Members
  • Posts

    111
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by a62rambler

  1. Alright, since somebody admitted having a thing for hammers I decided I'd try posting a picture to show why I'm asking about hammers. I only bought three of these when I started getting ready for forging. I had the rest in my collection. This is in no way all of the hammers I own from gunsmithing and general metalwork. I asked because I have as many carpentry hammers but find that I really only use two of them. I thought maybe I would end up the same way with banging hot metal. A box full of unused hammers and two that are well worn. I have already noticed that while the German short weighs 3.3lbs and cross pein weighs 3lbs, the cross pein feels heavier and awkward by comparison. Edited because I figured out how to add a picture and you don't have to pretend you see ten different hammers. :rolleyes:
  2. I'm just putting together my forge etc... I got a couple of hammers that were inexpensive to try several styles of hammer to see what I like before investing in or making good hammers. I have a short german, hofi style, swedish, ball pein and a standard cross pein. I want to get a french style but haven't found a cheap one. I am going to see if I favor one style over another or if I can even tell a difference. However, I am curious as to what others use. So, what style hammer do you use and what style do you dislike?
  3. I don't know the answer. I apologize if I'm a bit verbose in pointing out some facts. I think today that all would consider heat treating steel as a skill required for anyone claiming to be a blacksmith. Yet, the term blacksmith comes from a time before steel was used. You can't heat treat iron. Some today who are talented work only with a gas forge and some work only with coal. If a person isn't skilled with both are they then not a blacksmith? When blacksmithing was an occupation, they used only charcoal. I have yet to forge the first piece yet I've said I'm making a smithy. Should I not call it a smithy because I am not a blacksmith. What should I call it? It has a forge so maybe it is a forgery. :D Someone said that if you made a living doing it, you were a professional. However, to be a profession there must be formal education and the group must publish a journal. This is part of what is required to define something as a profession. So Blacksmithing must then be a vocation. I don't know if Mr. Haberman or Mr. Hofi attended any school of blacksmithing yet I don't think anyone doubs they earned the title Master Blacksmith. I am curious to know if any of the well known and recognized masters of blacksmithing have a definition of when you are a blacksmith. Just a guess, I doubt they care who calls themself a blacksmith. I bet they care more that people continue to learn the craft and skills. I bet they spend more time pounding iron then pounding a keyboard (advice I would to well to follow). ;) Is a novice blacksmith a blacksmith? If not, then they are a novice what? If you have to have a certain amount of skill or training to call yourself a blacksmith, why would you be a novice? If you are not a blacksmith can you own a smithy or does it not beome a smithy until you have reached some level of training or experience to be a blacksmith? If a person worked in an area where they made tools for farm and home use in some third world country but had simply picked up a hammer and a chunk of metal and begun heating and pounding scrap into those tools, when do they become a blacksmith? Or are they never a blacksmith because they don't make twists and hearts etc... on their working tools? If a person makes works of art with hammer and forge are they not a blacksmith because they've never made even a single set of tongs? Is a bad blacksmith not a blacksmith? I have fished but I've never entered a tournament and can't have won one obviously. I've never received instruction from a master fisherman. Am I a fisherman? I know nothing about muskie fishing so am I not a fisherman because I haven't fished for every kind of fish. I've only fished in the ocean once and caught only little sea bass. Am I a fisherman or not? I often outcatch my brother, much to his dismay, but I've never even fished for salmon. Am I a fisherman? I taught myself how to fish so I don't have formal training or education in fishing. I've never worked for a fishery and didn't take fishing in college. Am I a fisherman? I've never made any portion of my living from fishing. I have however fed myself and others on the fish I've caught. Should I stop claiming to be a fisherman? If I am not a fisherman, then what do I call it when I take rod and reel to the lake. Am I fishing or is that something only fisherman can do?
  4. I just picked up a rusted Swedish style hammer from Kayne's and when I got it I noticed it was OCP stamped. I wanted to have different style hammers to learn which I like best. I didn't get to know Mr. Sarver but that hammer will have a special place for me since I've read many of his old posts. He's gone but still helping out newbies like me.
  5. Hitch covers seem to be personal expression items in my area and with even most SUVs having the small hitches a pretty big market.
  6. Pictures will be a ways off. When I get the anvil in I'll shoot some pics of my dirt/gravel floor smithy complete with sagging roof and broken joists. :o
  7. Thanks for sharing my exitement. Where is quad state held and when in September?
  8. I managed to find a champion blower. I'm headed to pick up the steel for my fire pot tomorrow. The rest of my forge is made of scraps I had on hand. My local ferrier supply has hooked me up with a deeply discounted 200 lb Smithy Special that they'll order with their shoe order so no shipping cost. After a year of searching for deals it is all coming together. Now if I can find some coal I'll just be waiting on the anvil to arrive to make some noise. Sorry just had to share my exitement.
  9. I was thinking for a halloween costume, lighter would be better. You might also contact any of the local places that repair gutters. They use aluminum to make gutters and it would be lighter for the actual costume. I remember a great halloween costume I had which was great looking snoopy costume. However the weight of it made me dislike the costume and have a miserable halloween! Just a thought.
  10. I've emailed the guy in Louisville. Still that's a 4 hour drive one way for me.
  11. This piece is magnificent! I think eloquent is the best word I can find in my vacabulary. I think Herd Bull better describes this work more than Ox and that is all I would change.
  12. I've spent the last year trying to locate an anvil within 2 hours drive to no avail. The only ones I've found are in rough shape, at a dealer 4 hours away, and he wants $4 to $6 a pound for them. I have found one 80# Fisher that is good but for the price I can get a new TFS 100# or for $75 more I can get a new Anvil Brand Legend 120#. Everyone on here always says buy a used on but they are rare as common sense in the legislature in this area. So, which would you choose of the three?
  13. I'm going with building the forge out of 1/4" steel. I think one of the projects I make will be a ring with a sign above it that says, "totiemulesto". That book's going to be a big help.
  14. Thanks for the info. I guess that makes my decision easy. Oh and I picked up a copy of the book while I was at it. I heard the author was great guy that answered dumb questions from mewbies. ;)
  15. I can either build my coal forge fire pot from 1/4" mild steel or line an old gril with refractory cement. I'm leaning toward the 1/4" steel for ease of building but I think the refractory cement would hold up better. Either will be set in a table that I'm building out of scrap. Which would you use? Table will be made from scrap steel I have and use a washing machine case for the table top.
  16. I grew up using hand tools and I feel fortunate that my father taught me how to use them even in the age of corded power tools. Your video was excellent and the finished axe was a work of art!
  17. I thought I'd begin by saying thanks. I've learned tons from this site from reading. I've been working with metal for several years and have decided to try blacksmithing. I'm in no rush due to low funds but I'm building a box bellows and a forge and will use my tax refund to buy an anvil. I'm hoping to be able to make some coat hooks that will hold heavy coats since the fancy store bought ones broke under the weight of a leather jacket. My list of projects is quite long at this point and I have this site to thank for some of them after seeing the great items and pictures of the coolest things. I hope I can learn to make something worth posting some day in the future. For now I just want to thank everyone who posts because I have learned a ton and already headed off some mistakes I would have made had I not read for hours on this site. Thanks and here's an ever expanding list of what I want to make. Coal rake, Coal shovel, Coat Hooks, Paring Knife from broken punch or air hammer tool, TP Holder, Back of door towel rack, Grill Turner/scraper, Elevated dog bowel holder, Fire ring or outdoor fireplace, Airedale Head for decoration, Candle Holder with heart, Plant holders/hangers, Spatula, Butter/spreading knife, Flint striker Boot scraper with scrub brushes, Deer head, Fire poker
×
×
  • Create New...