DanielC

And now the monster Cherry Burl. Its going to be beautiful I think. Can't wait to obtain more (also snagged some cherry logs and another smaller burl). I also found a small maple burl. Will take pictures of it another time. All burls were glued up on the end grain after taking these pics.

I have been collecting burl as of late (Knife handle material). It's as addictive as finding good scrap metal at a scrap yard, except I get burl free! I am waiting for my order from TurnTex Woodworks to begin stabilizing various woods, so I will be ready in years time for these burls! While installing drainfields in over 300 houses in a ritzy neighborhood (Just started. On house #20 of ~350), I am collecting the various burls left behind by the graders that also log (The neighborhood is cut out of forest). Luckily I have known the owner of the grading company for a long time, as a family friend, so he is more than happy to set aside any tree or burl I deem my own. Sections of the forest have been logged in years past (Same height and girth pine trees in areas), and other sections are virgin forest with a variety of old trees. Luckily this means my odds of obtaining burl is high. I didn't ask for all he came across, otherwise my shop would be nothing but seasoning burl. The first set of pictures is a hickory burl. I don't see much of it. Unique none the less, as is the nature of burl. The white spots are wood glue (Tightbond III) filling in spots after a previous layer of wood glue dried.

Not to toot my own horn, but it worked decently enough for me at the time: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30286-making-lump-charcoal/

Anvils in their own right are addicted to friends. Once you own one you own many. I went from one to four in a matter of months. Looking for a power hammer now too!

*shrugs* I use a chain and magnets on two Peter wrights and they changed the frequency from a ring to a thud. Perhaps the same db at a different frequency is less stressful to the ears than others?

Pretty much similar to a stake anvil!

Sometimes you have to travel to find an anvil. 3 of my 4 anvils were obtained 200+ miles away. My last anvil (371# Peter Wright)I raced a winter snow storm into the mountains of Virginia.

Wrap a chain around the waist, and hook it to itself. If that's not enough, throw a few magnets under the horn and heel too.

Very cool video! Much talent you have there.

I have kept up with a lot of your enthusiasm of the boards. Never had the privilege to meet you, but you are in my family prayers none the less. Be well, and heal up!

I used to live in in Spanish Fork, UT. It's the next town or so over from Provo. The houses in that area are squished together, but the people seem to be peaceful and kind. If she works in a garden or flower bed, make her a trinket that will look nice in her yard, and see if that will smooth things over.

I think it is a beautiful tool. Thanks for sharing, and I hope you get it sold.

Spark test the inner part of the rasp.

I'm sorry, cannot adjust size. I'm on a Kindle! My 371# early Peter Wright on a new ~400# white oak stump I recently got from a friend. Its a big stump but I'm able to get close to the anvil. Been working a lot lately too so no time at the forge. Huge bummer. In the process of making good spikes to hold this puppy down.

Woo, just picked up 2200lb. Of good quality coal!!

150# 1894

Alright, so i recently tried my hand at bladesmithy, and gave the heavier tool making work some rest. For the most part, the forging came out pretty good, I was pleased. Being my first real blade, I tried to make it knife like as much as possible. The material I made it out of was an old pre-Nicholson Black Diamond file, said around here to be closest to W1. I Annealed and normalized several times before I hardened. Initially I clayed the knife, to give it a hamon. Unfortunately I did not follow directions and did not cure the furnace cement (Furnace cement with crushed fire brick mixture), and even after 72 hours of drying, it still started to recede and peel away once I put it in the forge. So I scraped it off, and decided to bring the edge as close to non-magnetic as possible, and quenched in Vegetable Oil that I pre-heated to 125F. I tried to only dip the edge, but the flames got to me, and I ended up dipping the whole thing in. No matter, I only heated the edge any way. Already having the oven set at 340F, I tempered for 2 hours. Still hand cleaning this blade up (have a few minute low spots that are a pain to work the entire thing down. Thinking about leaving them. Even after quick brushes after every heat, I still had some inclusion) with a diamond sharpening block that has 200/300/400/600 grits. I also bought 600 grit, 1000 grit, and 1500 grit sandpaper. Still working with the 200 grit to get it all even. Unfortunately only a portion of the blade edge hardened, as indicated with an overnight soak in Vinegar. Bummer. First knife, but still bummer. The oval piece of metal you see there is the guard that I forge into shape from 1"x1" Wrought Iron, that I plan to lightly etch with Ferric Chloride. Still knocking the high spots off of that after some filing. Since I recently had my first child, I am strapped for cash, so am working on making a handle out of material I have here. Its not pictured, but I have a chunk of Hickory that I cut roughly to size, and will try to stabilize it in the microwave I guess. If it doesn't work, i'll give it a few weeks and order some stable pieces off of the various knife supply sites on the net. Critiques appreciated.

Got this Champion 400 for a steal. The forge has the No. 401 nameplate on it as well. I am in the process of cleaning it up. All of the gears, including the bronze are in pristine condition, and it turns very smoothly with an incredible draft.

Looks like you had the time of your life! I'm glad you followed up after your visit. All I can say is, is I hope Brian is available come next tax season!

Very cool. Hows the rebound?

Check Amazon you can buy singles of any temp.

The 45 degree angles on these remind me of my Peter Wright. It has a 45 degree angle on one side that seems to have been there since it was wrought. I understand the significance of a 45, but didn't realize it was that popular to be forged as such.

Very awesome indeed. I commend your zeal to get this project complete.

Go with bituminous and go with another coal source. I use coal fines like you got in that bag to suppliment cave building and last resort fuel. Sounds like your local group has exactly what you need.

I would say that my fascination to make something out of metal was when I was a young teen, and mulled over how to stock remove stainless steel to create the sword from a main character of my favorite book series growing up (The Sword of Truth from Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth series). After being too young to afford everything to do it, I put that idea on the back burner. As an adult it happened for me on October 10, 2012. I normally have all NOVA episodes set to record on my DVR. Nova being my favorite tv source to watch informational programming (Commercial free, less biased), I watch it every week. On 10-10-12 NOVA had "Secrets of the Viking Sword" making its debut, the one with Ric Furrer in it. I believe I watched it a dozen times. I was that enthralled in the idea of forging metal. After a few weeks I joined IFI, and shortly after that I bought my first anvil. These past few months have been some of the best of my life. Number one being mine and my wife's first baby was born into this world (Feb. 1st, 2013), and second this new found hobby/addiction to blacksmithy. I simply cannot wait to watch both of those things grow.