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Thanks for the info.

Very cool, interesting knife.

Great stuff. When engraving knives do you always engrave after heat treat? I would think that would make it very difficult to engrave or are you making sure the areas to be engraved are adequately softened. I ask as I have only played with mild steel so far.

Where are you located at, I didnt see it in your profile.

That looks great. Nice job on that bolster. Any tricks that you have for getting that made up.

Thats cool, I looked up the number on it and all I got was pictures of rail cars. Guess it could have been a part off of one of those guys.

I seem to recall (very limited experience here) that they would dress one side and leave the other sharp. I won't get into what is considered a sharp edge. Personally being worried about making a chip worse I would smooth out any chips, radius the edges but pick one area and leave that non radius to use for those purposes. That's just me though. Both my old anvils are already radiused. My vulcan is not but I am selling that so I will let who ever buys it decide what they wanna do with it. Just my thoughts

Thanks for the info guys, Ill read over that stuff John appreciate it.

Hey guys have another question about some hammers/tools I picked up as I didnt find much info on them. First I have a couple of what look like hot cutter hammers and they have CUT DEVIL stamped on them. I didnt find any info on this company I assume it is. Any info from you guys, also anyone know if these are decent or not? Also have another hammer that has an A encircled with a horse shoe. Was this another company or a subbrand from a company. Kind of hard looking that one up so couldnt find anything on it either. Just kind of curious, I am picking thru a small pile of various hammers/cutters and what not figuring out what I wanna make a part of my very small collection and what I want to pass on. One last question for ya all. I am very new to this and was wondering how you tell the difference between a hot cutter and a cold cutter. I understand what each is used for and I think the difference is maybe the metal used for each one but other then that is there a way to determine the difference say as mentioned above in a pile of various tools. Thanks a bunch for any help.

Good ideas guys, ill investigate the waterjet idea as that would be the most useful option for me right now. Thanks

Not sure of the output of the blower yet, it is pretty decent. Found contact info for someone that can get me replacement parts for it and the specs and what not. Here are some pictures of the forge.

Not really sure, I was told that this one came off an old Navy or merchant ship of some kind back in the 50's. Not sure how moving the jaw would help. I am just gonna try and clean it up and give it a nice paint job before I put it on my bench.

Thanks Thomas, yeah was reading up on them. Its already got two decent little chips on one side but you can see how the top is only about 3/16 thick or so. Ill just give it a quick wire brush then see if I can send it on its way for a fair price and recoup a little money that Ive been blowing on this stuff.

Got this hunk of metal, was curious if it was meant for anvil type work. It has a arch to it , is about 2" thick, is hardened. I was assuming that it was just some piece of steel that was being used for light anvil type work. Think I will use it as a bench top type general use anvil. Heck who knows could even be a part to something that was repurposed.

I agree with the pugman.

OK that makes sense Thomas. I really dont know squat about the coal forges. Now I remember the guy saying that he had a hand crank setup at one point maybe on a different forge. The homemade forge in the pic I think was used with the blower but cant be totally sure but it looks like it. When I picked this stuff up it was all pretty much in a pile except for the forge which was being used as a stand for the vise I got.

That makes sense Will, Ill keep soaking it for a few days before I give it a go at taking it apart. Thomas this thing is a beast, I wanna go out on a limb and say its probably overkill for anything I will be doing in the next few years :D .

Well found one mention of the naming on these vises corresponded to where the company was located at the time which would put this guy about 1929 to 1947 if that holds true. I guess they were founded in Chicago then moved to aurora and then the current location Milwaukee. Atleast theoretically. Have one more question, the bolt atleast I assume it is a bolt holding the rear jaw in place looks to have been rounded off long ago. Am I correct in assuming this is like a set bolt?

Thanks VaughnT, sounds like a plan.

Picked up a 6" wide morgan vise. It says on one side morgan vice co chicago 360. Was primarily curious if that vocabulary would lead to a round about date of manufacture. Its a nice solid vise and I doubt Ill ever need anything bigger (yet) think it weighs something along the lines of 160lbs according to the website for the modern ones.

So in a box of stuff i picked up today there was this one axe hammer thing I am not really sure what it was intended for. Any help would be appreciated. It has one tooth broken off but I have just never scene one before.

Picked this guy up today. Looks like a homemade forge. Didnt get any good pictures of it but the center has a riser in it that has a bunch of holes drilled in it. The blocks are in there just because it had a big vise sitting on it. The blower works but needs some help, not sure even what type it is, has a odd shaped valve assembly type thing, guess thats to control the air flow. I am not really sure as never had one of these creatures before.

Just as it says grabbed this with a bunch of stuff I got today. Guess I am gonna try and sell it once it gets dusted off a bit. The top is super nice with the exception of two decent size chips on one side. Kind of weird. Like it wasnt used but twice. Its marked 12 on the front, assume thats 120lbs. I know these arent the most prized but what you guys think.

That turned out amazing, great job. Nice choice in the shape for the handle too.

Right now mine is on a cheesy homemade wooden stand with a couple of wheels that are too small for it but it works. My original plan is kind of what Thomaspowers uses. If I run across a free or near free grill that looks like it will work I am canabalizing the thing.