anvil

I have just started adding boric acid to my 20 mule team borax this last year and those pesky shuts are going away like the old A36 used to do. When I discovered this, it really made me smile. :)

I'm interested too

Lol, I think just looking at the technique,hammer control etc of the two vids should answer your question. My "theory" is make your scarf as small as your skill level allows, and use as few heats as your skill level allows. The end results with any steel will, with time be a very small scarf/upset and one heat. Consider the alternative. How many times do you hear "I can't afford traditional techniques, they take too much time.". Then watch the first vid an imagine a 2' section of rail with say20 such forgewelds. Multiply that by three or more welds per union at say 3 minutes each, and you have your answer as to the proper theory.

Me too with Macbruce and Beth. Both my daughterss learned about wood burners,our only source of heat in the same manner. Used tos get really nervous when.visitors kids were in the homespace Great lil grinder. Use one like it to sharpen my drillbits

Also, as for good design, well that depends on its particular job, thus the need for more than one hammer. However, my primary hand hammer is an old mechanics. I do not believe these have been avalable for many years. Its balance is right for me. It is a cross pein. The weight on the flat face nearly equals the pein end. This means, when using the flat face, in mid swing, or usually the rebound, I can let is rotate in my hand and basically have anything from a full flat blow to an unlimited number of different straight peins to get what I need. And when using the crosspein, it rotates just to where I need it every time. This is ergonomectrically correct for me, and most hand mades that I have seenand liked are made this way. Again, works for me. Hope this helps.

I think ergonomics is not so much in the hammer as it is in how you use your whole body when you use the hammer. It is the dance at the anvil that really counts. Seems I heard that somewhere long ago,eh Frank? I teach me students to swing and follow thru from fingertips to toes. So far going on more than 40 years horseshoeing and traditional blacksmithing with no tennis elbow or any other problems. As far as discussing erg hammers, seems the semantics is focused on the wrong spot. Just my take on it.

I prepare this in an old gallon paint can with a lid. Put on the forge, and slowly heat til beeswax is melted. If it flashes, put the lid on. When done pour back into the original quart cans. They have a small spout, which when stored, will prevent evaporation, and should last a very long time. Also the small spout aids in applying with a rag.

Some folks like linseed,turps, and beeswax as a paste.I like mine more liquid, so50/50 linseed and turps, and when using a quart of each, melt in a walnut/Golfball size beeswax. On hinges, after I put on this hot, I will rub the barrel with my lump of beeswax. This makes a great oiled barrel.

My anvils are radiused from horn to about. A third back from horn. Both sidesmatched. I use these to get varied radiuses when forging tapers, bosses etc. The rest is sharp. Nice sharp edges to do final shear,, hot as an example on the sharp edges.

Good luck!! I have been a full-time traditional Smith for long enough to know better, and still at it. Two things. The primary difference between master and journeyman.smith is the ability to run a business, and learn to cook air in at least 5 different ways, that way youwill always have a varied diet. :) I am 6'2 and weigh in at 3 lbs. Works for me.

All canbe done with linseedoil,turps,and beeswax applied hot,then cleaned with alcohol works fine. Just watch it over a year. Reapply vegetable oil cold if rust happens. Always clean with alcohol to prevent black getting ontowles. The finish will evolve nicely over time. Switchplate covers are cool. Make a cold chiseled to match the top/bottom curveof plugs. Roll outer edges to raise cover. They look great and fun to make.

I once worked with a young lady for a number of years. We were working on a project with many drawn out scroll ends. One day she looked me in the eye, and with that very special twinkle that they seem to be a master of, told me that it isn't how long you make it, but how you make it long that really matters. My response, after catching my breath and picking myself up off the shop floor was that she seemed to have grasped some blacksmithing principals that many aspiring smiths never got. It may apply here as well. Anvils can be too small at times, but rarely too big. Good luck with your great score, but please always keep in mind the words of my young helper ;

Interesting. When using a file or rasp, a Burr grows on the tip. If you don't lift the rasp, this Burr points foreward,and interferes with the cut. So lift on the return stroke to prevent this. To do a quick and dirty sharpening, we must remove this Burr. This will extend the life of the file or rasp. Any acid will work. Some faster than others. We only want to remove this Burr on the tip. So first, clean the rasp of gradoo, including grease an d oils. Then make a baking powder slurry. Coat the rasp and let dry. Then lightly remove this from only the tip. Put in any acid From vinegar to whatever ya got. Soak til Burr is gone. The baking powder protects the rest of the cutting edges and removes the Burr. Voi la restored file/rasp. When done make sure to neutralize the tool in a baking powder slurry or other base to kill the acid, or it will continue to etch. Works for me. Stronger acids work faster,weaker slower. So watch and experiment. What ya got to lose? If dull, you can't use it. If you mess up a few, you still can't use it, so turn it into a snake, buy some more rasps/files and try again.

Yes to Turley Forge. Also if by chance the simple beauty of an anvil and hammer has grabbed your imagination, you may want to think about being a farrier/ horseshoer. Plenty of demand,good money,self employed,and working 24-7 withhammer in hand upon an anvil. Great base to move to more traditional forging as time goes by.

I agree with Frank. Also sounds like you are working too cold .."when its yellow, its mellow, when red its dead." Dont be afraid to get it hot. Forge at a yellow, finishing heat is red, and forge weld from a good yellow to light sparking,,and finally, hit the durned thing.

Frank, you may not know who this is, but I am going back to my roots,sorta was a farrier for a long time,'67 or so. Took your class about '80. Never looked back and been working straight up ever since. Latest project is custom made and fitted oxbow stirrups for the local cowboys. Puts these up about waist high, same theory,sorta to fit stirrup to boot to riding style. Still a step up, I guess. ;)

Francis Whitaker had a 25#LG,and called his shop a 1" shop. He certainly forged heavier iron with it, but felt this was a comfortable weight for his hammer.

I would slit it, upset the slit, then drift it first round, then square. Francis's cookbook gives lengthways for the hot slit. This will give you about half the thickness on the sides and looks great. If you punch or drill the hole first, you lose a lot of material. Oops, just noticed the 3" length. In thus case, start with a longer piece, then do the above and cut to length you need. If you don't want to change the outside dimension, you could drill to 3/4",then make a shearing tool that has a 3/4" tennon on the end and is 3/4" square above and hardened. This will remove the corner material using an 8 lb hammer or so. When I have done this, my tool is handled, but can be hand held as well anvil

I have used the claydon clamp on a few rails, and it works very well.. saw it at an ABANA conference many years ago,, Ripley, W. VA i think. I have the dimensions of the square tube on a sample piece at home, but am on a road trip. I believe the total height is a little less than ht of both round bars used. any size square tubing can be used,, depends on design. get the square bar white hot, place one round bar on your table, balance the tubing on it on its diagonal,, place the other round bar perpendicular,, hammer together, them,, most importantly, quench til cool. this last will then shrink all together.. this makes a very good and long lasting form of joinery, and is standalone.. but, you can if you want drill a hole through all, and add a rivet if you feel the need. I think the man who demoed this was "Claydon",, an English smith,,and he said it had been used many years ago in an industrial application to make rebar mats. anvil