Rhettbarnhart

Interesting!I've heard columbian produced vises for them.

Does anyone have any input on the hollow jaws of columbian vises and their strength or as some on the internet say,lack thereof?

There's something special about antique iron that you can't help but appreciate, there are new tools that do the job well but the old ones just speak to me a bit.

I'm not back at the forge yet,finally getting around to setting a shop up though so it will happen withing the next year. Creating something from raw materials is always good for the soul.

I agree with you,it's hard to see it but time marches on unfortunately,very sad to see them go.

I will check that site out ShoreB,was wanting to know a bit of the history of columbian tools. Thanks for the info.

Cheers Frosty,I've been hoping to get back into smiting again, welding and fab work takes most of my time nowadays though. I was sad to see a few of the old regulars have moved on,always enjoyed input from T. Powers.

I attached some pics of the vise all clean and oiled,enjoy.

Frosty!It's been 10 years since I posted here often but I always enjoyed your input,for the price I'm interested regardless,I think the wiltons are a little better tool but for the money I won't complain a bit!excited to hit it with a wire wheel and a bit of oil!

Was scrolling marketplace and found thise vise today,going to pick it up tomorrow and will post more pics,just curious though,is this thing as big as I think it is?it appears to be sitting on a folding table and absolutely dwarfs it

here is mine

for some reason I cant put on a link,i will try again later

Yeah dsw I'm the same way,I find beauty in vises :D

Good things come to those who wait!!This will be my 5th vise so far....I went to an auction today and was pretty sad when I was outbid on a smith and Wesson .357.Everything went high all day(used stuff for new price)finally at the end of the day when most people had left this vise came up I was the only one to bid and got this little jewel for 20$!The vise is made by the American scale company and has 3in jaws at 40lbs btw the vise is sitting beside a 8lb Wilton BASH sledge hammer for size comparison.



I forgot to mention that it needs new jaws which I will make next week

Ok,first please don't take the suggestions about not lining a cast iron rivet forge!!When I first got my rivet forge,I clayed it.After reading people's posts about claying not being necessary I just took the clay out,bad idea!!The forge cracked soon after while I was starting my forge fire,no,I didn't pour on water or do anything to crack the pan other then start a fire!

admanfrd,this is a cast iron forge and most people don't know how to properly weld cast iron(including me)brazing is definitely a better option imo.

Come on show the face!!

Thanks for the compliments guys,I'm thinking about building one for my teacher...the crack will be fine as long as it doesn't spread

I wanted a different slag hammer from all the Lincoln hammers so I made one from coil spring,here it is.
Btw I got done forging and found the spring had a surface crack,I went ahead and finished and I will hope it doesn't spread.

Comments and critique welcome

Sorry Alec,that doesn't look like a fisher,maybe a brooks type shape but not fisher IMO

Nice clean work as usual Mackenzie

I have an anvil that looks the same as the second,fisher type mounting lugs and a cast iron body,but the face is extremely soft and beat up.I don't think mine is a fisher I think it is something like this that was made to look like a fisher...I would pass on both.

keep watching craigslist something better will come up,i recently bought a 200lb anvil in nice shape for 300$.That anvil has been on craigslist for a long time and I doubt he will sell it

Thanks for the help Geoff what Is a typical length for a tomahawk head?

Here is my second axe,first try at a tomahawk.I have a question about the handle;I drifted the eye with a teardrop drift,from the top of the tomahawk.How do I wedge the handle in the tomahawk body?Right now I just slide it up the handle as far as it will go and use it like that,but I don't think that is right.

Comments and critique welcome

Thanks guys

Thanks for the compliments guys,556 it is a solid body from an axle....probly not enough carbon for the job but it is what I had.....btw does 556mp stand for the smith and Wesson ar15?

for some reason I cant put a link on but there are pictures on the thread"first axe"

Thanks Steve and the reason I have improved is because of this site....the amount of information here is incredible.Steve the angle grinder bit my hand.
Thanks Jim the compliments from y'all mean a lot!I hope your hand gets better soon

I have been wanting to forge an axe and after reading through 556mp's post I decided to give it a go.the axe isn't perfect but I think it will work fine.

Comments and advice welcome
Rhett

You inspired me to forge my first axe today,thank you;your work is incredible!

That is my prized husqvarna 9000.....I love that gun!!