Jim-Iowa

Burning corn cobs as a substitute for coal, was a common practice on farms in Iowa in the30's, 40's & early 50's in Iin in coal stoves and kitchen stoves. They burn fairly fast so it was common during the day when you could mind the fire and then coal was banked up to burn through the night when you were sleeping.
Cheap as a by product of corn production, and comonly available. So I can't fault their use to start a fire or even as a fuel substitute.
But as was stated before, soaking them in kerosene could be a dangerous practice. Storing kerosene soaked cobs in an envoirnment where sparks could ignite them, seems like an accident looking for a place to happen.

I have a couple books to reccomend that don't have to cost a lot.
The Art of Blacksmithing by Alex Beal, found that one in a 1/2 price book store.

And since your interested in knife making.the $50 Knife Shop by Wayne Goddard.
He goes into depth on both Stock Removal and forged blades. Making fixtures and holding devises. And is a Master Bladesmith in the Knife Makers Guild.

Every kid wants to make knives, my first(at 14). was from an old file and never got finished ? If I had had Waynes Book I might have finished it?

I suspect your working on an allowance and don't have a lot of money. You can probably find those on Amazon.
If money is tight don't be afraid of used copies, my family buys a lot of out of print copies used and the quality is pretty good.
My daughter has gotten books from the UK in good shape and shipping was little more than if she had gotten them stateside.

Dalton: When I was 13, I wanted to be a Race Car Driver. A.J. Foyt and Mario Andrietti were my hero's. That never came to pass? Things do change over the years I have had a career working in the factory and another in an office in the field of Customer Service. And now that I'm in my early 60's like you I'm ready to enter into the field of Blacksmithing. Each of the posters above have given you good advice. Especially getting with a group of practicing smiths in your area, for mentoring. The only thing no one can take from you in life, is what you know. So pay attention in school, easpecially in the area of mathmatics reading skill, and speech and even debate. If you intend to make a business of any endeavour , the most important skill you need is communication. Take all the shop classes your schools offer Machine shop classes are good and you will learn a lot about how tools are made and used.. I did not know wood working was applicable, until my machine shop class toured a foundry and we toured the pattern room and all the patterns for moulding cast iron were made of wood? Auto shop, and even agriculture (If your school has an FFA Club join you will learn a lot besides riding a tractor)and will help you understand mechanics.. Another time We toured a Tool and Die shop. I mentioned mathematics and the owner of the shop told us he could take a man with a strong foundation in mathematics who had never seen a machine tool and make him a tool maker in a year. This may sound like a lecture, bu what I'm trying to say is everything you learn in life will have application in your life whatever career you pursue. Get started, pick the smaller projects that you can acomplish quickly and build confidence and build on it over time. I can not play the trumpet, because I could not quickly make it sound like a Jazz Sensation and got discouraged? Don't make that mistake.

On the hand drills it's taped to the cord(far enough down it has to be unplugged to tighten the chuck).
On the drill presses(both benchtop), on one it's in a tupperware tray on the shelf below the press. And on the other there is a sliding tray built into the base.
Like Frosty said, never in the chuck where it becomes a dangerous projectile if the press is turned on by mistake.

Professionally I am a Customer Service and Sales Rep for a national Distributor(work primarily with grocery & drug chains on the eatern seaboard from NC to Vermont). In my free time I'm a "jack of all trades and master of none".
A little mechanic work, Carpentry, woodworking, Currently building muzzleloading rifle. Spend as much time as possible out doors.
Blacksmithing is something I have been drawn to as part of the above pursuits.

That's a nice Blueprint. For an even softer insert( like I use for holding a gunstock), You can take heavy leather dampen and mold the same way the Copper was formed over the jaws(once the leather is dried it will hold form. A good source for the leather is a weightlifters belt, often found at Garage sales for very little.

Thanks Jayco & Glenn, I hit a stone wall while looking for this.
Got it Now.
Dan yes I saw this a couple months ago and thought It was something I needed. I make Muzzleloading rifles as a hobby and want to make as much of my furniture as possible. I think I can use this to bend trigger guards.

Was looking for the blueprint titled Gramps Bender #BP0204 by Irnsrgn.
I simply can't find it, and wanted to make one.
Any ideas?

I wonder how many hardhats he ruined before learning to do that ..

Thomas has a good idea there. over 20 yrs ago I worked in a factory.
There were some tools I used that I would never have imagined in a home shop, but do now. There was a Draftsman(are there jobs for draftmen anymore?) I worked with in the factory, who I ran into about a year ago and when the factory closed he got into the used machinery business (buying, refurbishing and selling). I may have to look him up.

Yep Steve, reckon we oughtta do that. I am free most Saturdays after 10:00 am. Wife takes her mother in for Dyalisis(SP?) in Des Moines and I Batch it the rest of the day. This Sat. their predicting a winter storm, Rain,snow sleet and general " normal winter driving conditions":) may be questionable? Let me know when your free and we can work something out.

Fixinta is a word that suggest a southern heritage.
My folks came from SE Iowa(most of my family is still down that way), and Fixinta is commonly used.
As is not commonly known, there is no R in wash, pronounced Warsh.
And a Creek is a Crick. like "I went to the swimming hole on Indian Crick".

My uncle Chet insisted he got better gas mileage, going From Waterloo to Knoxville than from Knoxville to Waterloo,cause Waterloo was up north and Knoxville was down south.
Making it all down hill from Waterloo?

Hmm that is a neat idea! low vicosity oil with color contrast? Red in color?
Would'nt that be the marvel mystery oil I have on the workbench all the time anyway?

The Steel GAtor like beast in this picture stands on the site where I went to Jr High in 1964 & 65
Welcome — Newton Public Library

I'm not sure how well this will work? The link I tried would not work for me, but will try anyway. My father was a preacher in Tatum for 7 yrs after he retired from Maytag. I toured one of these shops in 1990 when we visited for christmas. I think it was the one on 380.
Poor Boy's Metal Art Shop: 263 Highway 380, Tatum, (505) 398-2893
Westcraft Metal Art Inc. - 500 W. Broadway, Tatum, (505) 398-5295
Well this at least gets you a picture Poor Boys Metal Art, New Mexico

Also between Altoona & Mitchelville, Iowa ther is a home right along I80(south) There is a lit up Flag pole with the steel sillohettes(sp?) of two soldiers kneeling in tribute.(way cool in my opinion!).

Tyler: Nice job! Have you ever been around Tatum New Mexico?
There is a Cowboy Sculptor in Tatum who does a lot of plate sculpture.
There's not a ranch for 100 miles around there that does not have his work over the entrance to the ranch. Anyone who gets in the area should stop at his shop it's awesome!

WEll, I have to admit I'm just getting started. There is that charcoal forge in the corner of the garage I need to get finished ( the catlitter and Silica Sand refactory clay cracked but I can patch that).
But I blame it all on my daddy! He grew up on a farm during the depression and if you can't do it yourself it don't get done. He's one of those agravating people who can do anything well. Seemd like anything my 6 brothers and I wanted to do he had one pat answer " Theres the torch and the welder and a pile of scrap,MAKE IT WORK!". There was the Hemi in a 5 7 Merc, A 59 plymoth motor in a 51 Desoto Club Coupe, A 17 ft backhoe on a Massy 55(if you put enough steel on the front it will hold the front wheels down and if you put a Caterpillar hydralic pump on it will run the hoe That was one ugly beast that did a lot of work, Did I mention I was alergic to shovels and spades?) There were some failures along the way, but that was just a lesson in what did not work so we were smarter the next time. So while Traditional Blacksmithing is new, I'm gonna make it work.

Rarely see it dry enough to worry much around here.
But I wonder if it would not be wise to use a hood on the forge and a spark arrestor in the stack( would think a screen would do?) to assure no wayward sparks?

AH HAH!! So they do get sent to a scrap place (or at least yours do). My uncle works for Iowa Interstate (who it seems contracts ALL of there work out so getting a lead is that much harder). I mentioned getting a piece of axle to him once, and he remembered hearing a Rumor that the bigger RR's rerolled them to make spikes and such (which is logical even though the quality of spikes doesn't really indicate axles as the parent stock). Hm.... I might have to look up that Grossman company. One of those axles would be well worth the drive from central IL down to Missouri if it's of the correct size...thanks sstreckfuss!

-Aaron @ the SCF

Well I'm a little late getting into this one. My Rail anvil is 20 1/8" long.
I went to the salvage yard closest to the old Rock Island lines Service Shop(It's now Iowa Interstate Railroad). They cut off a chunk for me in their bandsaw for $10. I then took that to a welding shop and he cut 6" of the lower section off for a horn and 4" off the other end for the heel. He charged me $10. This I took home and Drilled a Pritchard hole and Multiple holes for the Hardie. THe workhardened steel was real hard to drill untill I got into it about a 1/4". I used Titanium bits and lots of oil. I step drilled, using bigger and bigger bits untill I reached a size that I could get grinding stones and roatary cutters into. I then spent untold hours shaping the table and horn(we're talking days with a 4 1/2" grinder). In truth there is not a flat plane on this anvil, but it's got unlimited contours for bending. It certaily can be done, and this rail anvil holdes a prominent place in my shop, But I don't reccomend making one from rail unless you have great volumes of paitence.