anvil

I was born in '47, my wife in '52, my first daughter was born in '73 and my second in '80. Two boomer parents, and two gen-x kids. And Im an early Boomer. Lol,

Yup, spinning around at 7200 rpm is a real rush.

Your pics and dialog bring a lot of questions to mind. Hopefully I'm not adding confusion. I'm pretty sure "mild" steel is a contemporary term and may not apply to something made around the late 1890's. Wrought iron would be more likely, or a high, medium or low carbon steel. Mild steel is a low carbon steel, but has other, more modern alloys in it. Thomas has a lot of knowledge here. Lol, it may not make any difference unless you need to match materials. When I look at the top pic, back, left side I see a bunch of holes on the surface of the steel. This looks more like something you would see in a casting. I see these in other pics as well. Arent some trees made of cast material? A spark test will answer this. It will tell you if your original tree material is wrought, cast, or a carbon steel. If the material is wrought iron or cast or a low(mild) steel, annealing won't make any difference. If its a medium carbon steel, annealing a rather large and convoluted shape is not an easy task. Also, if it is a medium carbon steel and you anneal a section, it's not easy to reheat treat just that area. If you don't, you create a stress point/line. Just my random thoughts. By the way, You are doing an excellent job fitting your piece of strap to the tree! Congrats, it's not an easy task to fit that close.

naa, they are smaller because we boomers used birth control.

Depth is determined by the size stock you use. Any depth will heat any size stock, more or less. the shallower your firepot, the longer it takes to heat larger stock and the number of irons in the fire decreases. 4" is a good depth for most contemporary shops of any sort. It will easily and rather quickly heat multiple pieces of 1" square stock. Multiple pieces over this size start to take noticeable more time. If I were to heat over 1" square on a regular basis, I would add an inch more, 5" depth. The Railroad firepots I've seen are 5" or more. Never forget, the initial heat is the longest. Doing multiple pieces basically take the ~ the same amount of time for the initial heat as a single piece. Always do multiple pieces when possible. Once all are up to a working heat, when you finish working the first, the rest are ready. Width and length tend to limit the number of irons and the length of heat. Centaur Forge rectangular firepot is a good example for most contemporary firepots.

Heres another idea. We humans are pretty good at multitasking. Get any anvil and forge setup. Don't worry about history. Start learning the basics. Do understand that learning "The Basics" is not a quick process. There is a reason that in the past an apprenticeship was ~7 years. Since you are not 12, it wont take that long. Plan on 3-5 years, depending,,,. By that time the basics should be committed to rote. During this time, start your research on whatever era you want to reenact. Timing is all. With luck,That should be the time needed to get setup with equipment. Now you are ready for the world to beat a path to your door!

I agree. You dont have anything to lose and a lot of experience to gain. Worst case scenario is you will have a nice first addition to your scrap pile.

I lived on the front range of the Rocky Mountains on the Rampart Range Rd. Every year or so, or more, a body was found. The newspaper stories always said it was found because a foot was sticking up. Sheesh I never understood just why they never buried the whole body.

Heres my answer to that. If it can be made "by hammer in hand" now, it was prolly made sometime in the last 3000 years by a blacksmith somewhere. Making assumptions from history is just that. Its tough. As an example, If we find an artifact at a particular place from a particular time, the only fact we have is that that artifact did exist at that place and time. If we assume that was the very first ever, that is an assumption, postulate, or theory. It is not fact. Lets take the first known water powered power hammer. I believe Thomas has a source for a specific date and place. Perhaps 9th century, as a guess. The important point is, should we assume that some blacksmith had an Eureka moment and thus water powered hammers came into existence? Absolutely not. All we know is that there was a water powered hammer at this location and point of time. So, whats my assumption, theory or postulate? They had water powered flower mills way before this. I have total confidence that some metalsmith saw that and realized he could harness water to run a hammer. To support this we know that the Romans made forged wrought anchors. As best I know, there is no evidence that a water powered hammer was used. Did they exist? My belief is that they did, in fact, use water power for this type of work. Rome was certainly the cutting edge for technology and they certainly weren't stupid. And yet, its only my assumption. How does this effect someone who wants to set up a "Historical" shop? First, select an appropriate point in time and a location. Now do your research which includes asking here. Follow Thomas's advice and search for old records, documents and bits from history from that time. Lets look at anvils. Lets say you choose 1756, north east coast, Lumber community. First off, one of the less known reasons for our Revolutionary war concerned iron monopolies. We could mine and smelt iron ore but, legally we were not allowed to make anvils. The iron was sent to England where anvils were made, then shipped back to the colonies. Assuming your historical recreation is based on a law abiding smith, your anvil most likely came from England/London. Now, to be "period", research imported English style anvils from this era and search, or make one to fit your data. After that, repeat til you are either broke or satisfied. For a more precise way to do this, do some research on Wallace Gusler(sp), the original "Gunsmith of Williamsburg". He started his research whilst in his teens and was eventually able to take a proposal to the Williamsburg Foundation and it was accepted. For we smiths, at least me, his shop and early vids are inspirational.

To be clear, if you do a forge weld close to a finished part, no matter what you do, it will get hot. As long as you dont burn it, you will have no problem. Anything you use to protect the finished part may contaminate your forge weld. Thus, bring your forge weld up to a non sparking heat and you will be ok. Heres an example. A number of leaf and tendril details to be forge welded together. All leaf and tendril are finished. Then forgewelded and no to little changes made to the original pieces. I know you said small pieces, but the principal is the same. I can show you a pic of them in the fire if needed. This detail is actually forge welded again onto a picket. So it is a completed detail, leaf and tendril, FW onto the picket.

A lot of good authors mentioned here. Ill include David Drake just because. Assuming a nuclear PA, we smiths will have another plus. The iron will be so hot, no forge is needed.

Thomas, I feel for your pain. We have different definitions to describe our craft. Both show a different view based on where we have come from with respect to our blacksmithing journey. You focus on historical and reenactment. I get this from your posts and thus your definition. I come from a background of technique. Thus that is a major focus of my view of blacksmithing. Isnt this technique what is taught in most blacksmithing classes? Don't many classes add historical sources? And I have no doubt that most if not all of your students have a basic competency in these techniques and history and are well prepared to take this knowledge to whatever level or direction they choose. Thus you list your literary sources as references and I list my mentors and others who influenced my technique. I also have no doubt that neither of us, nor the good folks here have any desire to deal with, encourage or condone tv or gaming type blacksmithing, so i'm not sure where that came from. " There is a lot of data to be mined from such records and a number of academic thesis have been written from them; some published in book form." Very true. We both prolly have a number of these. However, I feel the data concerning say a small village of 20 souls 400 years ago anywhere in Europe falls in the slim category. Even tho Jim Bridger, mountain man and blacksmith is well documented, and perhaps represents the epitome of the frontier smith, no mention of an apprentice. Did he have help at a rendezvous? Maybe, maybe not. Did he need one? nope. And back to the reason for my post. We come from a point of agreement. That is in this day and age the single man shop is the norm, from hobbyist to working smith. So why would the norm from, as you say, post modern, be used to discourage those new to our craft? To imply the need for a second person is critical, as shown from records 400 years ago, is redundant and not valid. I've asked this question a lot when this topic is brought up. Alas, I've never recieved an answer.

lol, i actually used this to make a point to a group of young Navigators once, standing in the door of my shop. If your predictions are valid, I'll either survive or not. If I don't, it wont matter and if i do, my skill set will be in great demand!

Actually there is no way to validate the existence of single man shops throughout time. just as to imply that in the past strikers weren't the norm would be foolish. To deny their existence, or stating good reasons for a striker as proof just doesn't fly. There are many good reasons for either. Thus its rather redundant and a bit negative and in fact is of no real value stating the past to those entering our craft concerning the use of a striker. Just my opinion. However, thats not really my point. Without a doubt, in our age, and in the USA, certainly the norm is single man shops. isn't it far more positive to point this out than an assumption based on the norms of the past? So, again, whatever the situation in the past, it certainly not that way today. Thus a striker today is not needed at any level and to imply that a striker is critical is rather negative. I choose to be more positive and try to encourage new guys to go for it. Its hard enough as it is when starting out. To be clear, my statement in no way implys a striker and\or a power hammer aren't of great value. And Thomas, if you read my statement about a locksmith, I think you will see i covered your response. If needed, you can always get help. Or am i misunderstanding you. I cant imagine you are stating a single smith cant do a lock by himself, or have a business with no help. Lol, refresh my memory here,,, how long have you been without power and the tools that run by a motor? Have they turned on your power yet? It doesn't appear to have kept you out of your shop. You are "The Example" here, good Sir, that validates my point of view.

I ordered two attachments for my Kubota tractor, a bobcat quick release adapter and a set of forks. I ordered the first last April. I'd been looking since the previous November. Prices nearly doubled and delivery time went from 2 weeks to 2 months minimum. I also scored a tornado 230 engine for my Willys pu. From Idaho to western Colorado took 3 months!

You said historical smith. Thats very different from traditional smith. A historical smith researches a particular point in time and a specific location. He then sets up as close as he can to emulate this moment in time. Think reenacting. A traditional smith is one who is fascinated by the few techniques used by blacksmiths across time to create an incredible array of simple to complex projects. These techniques include upsetting, drawing out, cutting, holes( punched and slit and drift), forge welding, and two or three more. There is often a debate on the need and type of tools to accomplish these few and simple tasks. Tools used to do these tasks is better placed in the historical smith category. So, to answer your tool question, it depends on what your goals are. I've always been fascinated by the incredible things that can be made using the simplest of tools basically a hammer, anvil, forge, post vice and assorted hand tools. Others have a passion for hydraulics etc, and all that can be done with that category of tooling. Personal preference in this day and age. And the work produced is as functional and beautiful as the smith chooses. He chooses this, his tools do not dictate this. As far as an apprentice goes, well, lets look at that a bit. Pretty much whats been said is valid, but my conclusions are different. Lol, nothing new. No matter where a smith was, rural or city, help depended on work load and work done. If you are a lock maker, you dont need a striker. However, if labor is cheap, or you want to take in more work, might as well have an apprentice or two. Working in an anchor factory? Best have as many as you can get! Generally the more rural, as has been said, the type of work could be done easily by one man, or woman. Wagon work, locks, horse shoeing, general repairs, on and on. When the community work load got too big, either another smith would set up a new business, or get an apprentice. And yes, a power hammer makes a great apprentice. Feed it a bit of electricity, oil liberally, and it will never complain, be sick, go on strike or ask for a raise. But you absolutely do not need an apprentice in this day and age, nor any age, to do most any kind of smithing you might want to do. So labor of any sort is just not a consideration.

Back to the original topic, what I do is what has mostly been said already, but my reasons are different. When someone wants to make something that is beyond his skillset, I try to be positive. I break the project down to its basics, meaning the few simple things we can do to iron. I then figure out the order you need to do the project, Meaning whats step 1 and whats step 10 etc. Most go away with a positive feeling that they can accomplish their deal and have a pathway to success. Lol I've only had one come back and ask for more help. I worked him thru the basics as they came up in order of completion. He finished his projects over time and was very proud of his accomplishment. We are still friends, he still has his project, and that was the last blacksmithing he ever did. I suspect the others never attempted their project, but ya never know. I was in that situation once. When I got out of the service I wanted to build a banjo. I had the Flatt and Scruggs Banjo book and in the back was a how to build a banjo chapter. I sought out a few pro instrument makers for advice. I met a guy who had a metal lathe and used it after he showed me how, and turned the body. yup, a metal lathe to turn wood! Then by luck I met another Vet with access to a wood shop in Victor, Co. He showed me the tools and how to use them. I did some wood carving, inlayed some Cripple Creek turquoise, and my friend inlayed my name in tigerwood on the tail piece (where the tuning pegs go) because he wanted to do something special on my banjo. We are still friends, and I still have and play my banjo. I never wanted to be a banjo maker, I just wanted to make one for me. I'm really glad and very fortunate to not have run into anyone who said I need to make dozens of things I had no interest in in order to learn the basics of woodworking to make my banjo.

Lol, so you consider 300' of railing, 900 acorns and a gate a small project?

10" will work, 12" is preferred. just run your stack a little higher.

I used lead sheet for a while. However as you use your anvil the lead sheet thins out and becomes paper thin. So it didn't work for me. I set trace the shape of my anvil on the top of my wood stump and chisel out a recess about 1-1/2" or so deep. Then fill with sand about an inch. The sand makes it easy to level my anvil and deadens the sound. The sides of the cut out keep my anvil from moving so I don't need any mechanical hold downs. And, if you need to move your anvil you can. I have another anvil for travelling, so I don't remove it from the stand. Also, my stump is buried in the ground about 2-1/2'.

Thanks for the sources. Interesting.

nice

can you give some places to go for layering copper in a knife blade? I understand braising and inlay. Im assuming you mean something different than this.

the only solution is political and politics are frowned on here.

I should add my layout table. It is 5'x10'x1". Besides the obvious use for layout it is used for many things from a place to sit to checking right angles, checking edge bend and twist, to light forging. Combined with vise grips, " c" clamps and furniture clamps it is indespensable and a top candidate for most used tool in my shop.