Jon Smith

Bloody amazing

Will Turner from the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black Pearl"

"Orcrist, unfortunately, is buried with thorin oakenshield so we can't know both for sure until the hobbit comes out soon "
You mean beside the book where it says it would alert the dwarves to enemies approaching? All three blades Glam, Or and sting were forged in Gondolin and would glow in the presence of orcs---read the entire series over 20 times over the years and will be reading the hobbit to the grandkids over Thanksgiving!

Hard to think of a beautiful hundred poun hay budden as armor plating on a tank, but you're probably right

Lucky you. There are surprisingly few anvils to be had down south. At least from what I've found. I wish I had the luck that some people had to just find one lying around somewhere. Haha

I dig that very fancy anvil you have going there... :P

Good to know I'm not the only one smithing on an HF ASO (read: paperweight/boat anchor) :ph34r:

I may try leaf springs. I had just thought the coil would be easier to get hold of

Success! I rather like this system of etching. Works beautifully.

JB weld, if memory serves, is an epoxy with steel dust mixed in for strength, so I would say just a regular long set epoxy between the woods

Might still be ash, but now it's polished it looks more like maple.

Agreed. Forge the bevels in with a hammer by leaning the blade slightly on edge on the side of the anvil so you can do both sides at once. Then anneal and draw file. Hard on the hands and back but oh so satisfying

I was working on one last night but I gave it up and grabbed a piece of spring steel instead. Just too much trouble to work with as it tended to just bounce off my anvil rather than actually move, even after full annealing. But as said I was using a blade from six years ago, and one from back in the day might be better

It can be done, provided that there is some actual steel left under the rust and its not just powder that falls apart at the first touch. And a campfire, while not ideal, will work on a windy day or with a bellows. Just make sure you stick the piece in the middle of the coals under the fire, not in the actual flame; otherwise all you'll get is black heat--useless for forging but still enough to cook you.

I like the bedliner idea. Would be good for the knives a friend carries on the shrimp boats. I was thinking micarta but this is better

Ok now I get it

Yeah electrocution tends to be very unhealthy...
I just finished a blade last night and I think I'll give this a shot

Now this looks remarkably familiar...haha
Bears a marked resemblance to my first piece. Be proud

Sounds dangerous. I like it. Think I have an old charger lying around too...
I assume you used a laptop charger bc it has a DC transformer?

If it were anyone but you, I wouldn't believe the ros on the head was done by hand. I'm impressed. Beautiful inlay work as well

Stunning! Lovely hammon - oil or water, clay or not?

That is one gorgeous piece of steel, no matter how it was made. Be proud of it

Guessing that's an etched makers mark? Mind telling me how you did it?

I'm probably wrong but that almost looks more like ash to me.

Guessing the threads are cut with a die?

Of course Martin's Gendry Baratheon is awesome

And for the record, and I may be wrong here so don't crucify me, but I'm pretty sure Gandalf wields glamdring in LOTR and it does glow. Orcrist, unfortunately, is buried with thorin oakenshield so we can't know both for sure until the hobbit comes out soon