Melchior

Good luck with the forging. I think you are doing the right thing. Btw. Just as a tip, try to implement a gallery function on your home page (example Highslide), I tried to look through the gallery and it takes a bit of time clicking on each thumbnail and then "back", instead of having a gallery slideshow function. Cheers /E

That looks really nice! /E

Hello, I have built a propane forge and when running it for a while the jet changes and starts to stutter. This is a video of it when I just lit it, it is running well, a little bit to much gas. I will open up the air intakes later on. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN0UAjuImJc This is a video when the forge is running badly and I limit the air intake. Then it starts running properly again for a while. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tgWz0H2zJ4 What do you think is the problem? To much gas and to little air? I am using a 0.8 mm tip right now. Should I use a smaller one? /E

Heheh, yes Steve, that will surly help. :)

The book Basic Blacksmithing was really good. That will be a great start. Thanks.

Interesting video. I must grab some mild steel to practice on first I think. I am going to copy a already made sickle, so I know what the end product is going to look like. Anyone that has made one that can shed some light on the process? /E

Hello, I am going to do a sickle for cutting olive trees. But I cannot figure out a good way of forging them. When I think about the process I need to bend the sickle in the other direction that would come naturally when forging it thinner on one side. I have seen this explanation of how to do it, but I cannot understand it fully. http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/14972-sickle-and-scythe/ Regards, Emil

I am in Metric (Sweden), not as cool as Lancashire! :) I am using M6 MIG tips and I can easily weld it shut an drill it again. So I will check what I can muster in form of small drills. And thank you for the info on how to adjust and test the burner. /E

Thanks for the comments. I do not think I follow properly, 2 or 3 of smaller jets? Pic? Hm, I do think you are right when it comes to the mix. I need to put in a smaller MIG tip. I will try to change it next time and try it out. I may be a good thing to buy some jewelers drills for the hole. I am going to use the burner for a small forge for knife making. I already have a big one that is used for big welding (using a blower). So the purpose is a smaller forge that does consume to much gas. I do not know yet if I want to use it for welding. I do not know if I want the tear and ware from the borax. But I may change my mind. I will post some pics on the finished forge. /E

The burner seems to perform well with high pressure gas flow. The flame does not loose grip on the nozzle (?). Here are some stills:

Hello, I built an propane burner today, and fired it up. I used a 3/4 pipe, drilled a couple of 10 mm air holes, a 0.8 mm MIG tip and forged a flair with a unscientific angle (thought it looked good). This is the first test where I change the pressure and limit the amount of air with my hand. What do you think? It seems to me like it is not burning with the best fuel/air ratio. Seems to need more air, but I do not know. /E

I have done approx 7-8 billets so far, so this is not the first billets. I have two more pieces that I am to forge into kitchen blades and then grind them. The others are from a failed attempt on explosion pattern. So they will look kinda strange I think. :) The tip to seal up the guard is something I will remember, that is quite important so no rust will start developing inside the handle. And yes, now the hard work begins. :) /E

Thanks. I am going for octagon shaped handles with front and back spacer in damascus. At least that is what I am aiming for. /E

Hello everyone, first post from me in this forum. I am a Swedish guy trying to forge some damascus for blades. I have been doing blacksmithing for 7 years now but only in my spare time, so not so many hours behind the anvil. My goal is to make functional nice looking blades and completing my dream: making a good looking, functional knife from scratch. I am not there yet, I am a little bit of a perfectionist so I have a hard time completing stuff. But here is my latest project, kitchen knifes in damascus steel that I have made myself. No twisted stuff, only straight, First one is about 100 layers, the second is less than 60. Realized that kitchen knives are really something that is both useful and really nice to have when a friend has made them, so I am doing 4 or 5 knives for my best friends. In that way I can test the design, the function and also durability. It is going to be really interesting. Next time I will forge the bars a lot thinner, the second knife was about 7-8 mm thick... I did a lot of grinding today... Sad to see so much damascus go to dust. Next time I will forge it more to loose less steel... The knives are ground on a 60 grit belt grinder, one side was done with 320 grit. So I need to do some more grinding before they are finished. They are not fully flat, they are a bit curved, I am thinking that it will prevent potatoes and stuff sticking to the blade. But I am happy with the result, just a quick etch in Spirit Vinegar. I was a bit too curious to wait. Here is the progress: