Jon Smith

Sounds simple enough. I think I'll go with that route and then stabilize. Thanks

I do plan to try and stabilize it, but I believe it has be dry first, yes?

I started with a Harbor Freight 55lb ASO. If its all you can get hold of, it does work. However, there is a caveat. The edges tend to chip, it's light, and only the bottom of the horn is round (duckbill horn). It's also a dead anvil. With no rebound, you work harder to swing a hammer, and the stop will jar your wrist. Still, it served me well until I got my Hay Budden.

We were cutting wood for the fireplace and I had to do a double take when I found a good sized burl on a log. I haven't cut it up yet but it looks like some interesting grain patterns in there. So my question is whether or not anyone has experience using the stuff for a handle, either slab or block?

Timothy, thanks for the link. Great information!

Methinks it would be easier to build a power hammer. Got to be easier on the shoulder for sure

An eight pound hammer all day long must seriously move metal. What kind of work does he usually do?

Furlongs, my good man.

Sounds simple enough. I wasn't sure if it had to be really thick to hold shape on a piece that long

That makes sense. The only other question I had was the starting dimensions for the spring

I would have never thought of a scale pile, but that makes all kinds of sense now that you say it. I keep the anvil attached to the ceiling using a glue made of rust and beeswax. Wonderful stuff

Thomas, thanks for the info. I don't plan on it ever leaving my shop but its always good to know origins and such. Stephen, thanks for the pics. Now I can start making the missing parts and finish the restoration

I knew about the mounting plate and was going to make a new one, and I've started stripping the paint, but I don't want to go so far as to blast it, so it's slow going. Haven't found any markings on it yet, but again it was outside for at least 49 years (it was there when my dad was a boy) Didn't realize I was missing the other parts though. I'm guessing the spring would be to close the jaws? And what's a gib key?

I finally got my hands on a good leg vise, and, better yet, it's a piece of my childhood. I can remember cracking pecans in this thing when I was little (I could kick myself now knowing what I do). It was mounted for many years outside on the post of a lean-to shed and as far as I know, no one in the family before me even had any interest, much less experience, in smithing, so I have no clue where it came from or how it got there. The shed was torn down two years ago at the death of my grandmother and I finally tracked down the vise through my cousin who bought the house, and I am proud to have started restoring it. Oddly enough, there was enough dirt and crud in the threads of the screw that they are in almost perfect condition and the piece is now a proud part of my shop. It weighs about 45 lbs, and has 4" jaws. Anyone know how much it would be worth?

So I've made a few knives before, but this is the first one I'm not completely ashamed to show to the good people on here. Please feel free to tell me how I can improve, it's how I learn. The blade is 5160 spring steel 4" long, the bolsters are 1020 mild, and the pins are copper. It's all hand filed with a flat grind and hand rubbed to 400 grit. OAL is 8.5" and the scales are mahogany with a clear coat of gun stock finish. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36513-img-0426/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36512-img-0423/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36510-img-0428/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36509-img-0427/ As a side note, I have about 5 hours work in it, but that's just because I'm slow. Anyone have a clue what it might be worth, aside from the obvious "what a buyer will pay for it"?

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36502-img-0440/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36508-img-0437/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36506-img-0435/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36505-img-0434/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36504-img-0433/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36500-img-0438/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36501-img-0439/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36502-img-0440/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/36503-img-0432/ So I got her cleaned up and oiled and she's gorgeous. Rings like a bloody church bell too. I was right though, the serial number is completely obliterated; there's a chunk missing from the foot, almost like it was ground out.