nutinauniversalshell

I found a picture with some labels, but didnt copy it completely (just the rough sketch of the anvil....I cant draw that well). The picture was shown in google images and had a share option (actually I would have used a picture of an anvil but the general sketch looked easier to see....it had no copyrights on it and it was on an informational website supposedly to teach new guys...plus a couple other places). I didn't like the way they labeled everything, so I changed the numbers and labeling, then completely re-wrote the information as some if the descriptions were lacking. In all I used about 4 or 5 different places to get all the info and condense it to this form. For those who might want to do a similar thing, I changed lines and numbers in Paint, then pasted the pic in Word, created the 1-15 list, screen captured (twice) and copied back to paint with a little rearranging, and saved it as a png for easy uploading/posting. I try to be very careful about manipulating other people's work.... definitely dont want the copyright infringement people coming after me. There are quite a few pics out there of anvil parts, but many lack enough numbers or dont have any additional descriptions. For other tutorials, I hope to make the image or take some good pictures, but the anvil I have as a picture would be hard to see the numbers.

I found that most forums have an internal search....that hate's me. I didnt think about the google search to get back here but I did find another sight where a guy is making awesome info tutorials....iust just incomplete (dead links or coming soon/under construction). I read through some articles and both learned some and had a good laugh (I have used many of the techniques mentioned with the wife, but generally I just buy it and say "dont be mad, its worth X which is nowhere near what I paid"....is she mad, of course, but she gets over it...especially when I add something she likes to my pile of tools ;) a $20 set of glass canisters (cobalt blue) on top of $150 in tools gets you much more off the hook than you might expect :D

Good read. Thought there would be way more hammers, but many are probably specialty and not even related to blacksmithing. Im going to have to try the practice suggested (I keep bending nails when installing crown molding but I was using a pretty crappy hammer too). I definitely need to get better at searching because I couldnt find that the first time I went through the articles.

I understand and there are so many threads its hard to find some things. I made a little tutorial and put it in the anvil section. I will likely make more for other topics but Ill have to do some learning on different subjects first (hammers and tongs definately would be good to know the types and general uses). Youtube videos are great too but often something made into an image that can get copied and pasted will make a better impression on someone. I didnt mean to make this thread to annoy anyone, just a suggestion, and I have no objections to helping with this also. Stickies (pinned topics) for information helps too since its right at the top with no digging. EDIT to add: Oh and I get a little testy too, and tend to come off harsh, but I mean well and hopefully can both pester and inform as long as topics come up on which I have any insight. Afterall, the whole reason to get on forums is to learn and have fun right? B)

I thought a tutorial for super new guys (like me) might be useful. So I made one for an anvil. Most people here will not gain anything from it, but it may help some new guys down the road. I request it become a sticky, and I can try to add more information as I continue learning.

finished learning/creating a simple anvil tutorial. may do another for different types later. will post it in a new thread :)

To continue from the other thread on the info request.... I forgot the fun part about the library....xxxx school turned the main floor of the library into a coffee shop. they got rid of most of the cool old stuff (most books in fact are gone as computers are replacing everything). As for ILL, havent done it. Dont plan to. If there is a book that will be a great help, I will just try to buy a copy (wife still trying to figure out a christmas present for me anyway). I hate borrowing books because I like to crease pages, take notes, add stickies, etc. And driving across town to get it again would suck when I need to look something up again. Not trying to sound like a Bhole or anything just thought a simple tutorial someone might spend an hour on could be really helpful. If someone with spare time felt like making a tutorial on something they had a vast knowledge of, it would be a great resource. But if you have any suggestions on books that will tell me about different hammers, tongs, etc that would be cool too (a general blacksmithing book may have some info but maybe newer data is available too....like a new design that replaces multiple old ones). I am off to amazon to do some book research. Maybe I can find some stuff that would be good to have when I get some more $s.

Fair enough. I dont want people to spend hours doing this, just a simple tutorial would be great. Maybe once I find out enough info Ill make a nice tutorial. I can=me in not knowing a cross pein from a claw hammer. Now I can identify a cross pein at least. I spend some time with google looking for simpler stuff to little avail. Local library would probably be good, but then Id just buy more books to keep and it gets expensive buying books for every craft. I did learn a bit in the chat with a whats this and whats it for picture id session, but that only helped me. There are some blacksmithing classes close by too but dont have the money and its a couple months away. Anyway, it was a general request/suggestion that I think would make the forums even better especially for new guys. Just my experience from other forums with tutorials. oh and thingmaker, thanks. I didnt notice those before. there is alot of info here and hopefully I can make some good use from much of it. for my second wish can I have some gold bars? :) lead would be fine too if you are low on gold ;)

I hosed my 200 year old anvil down with Gibbs Brand lubricant and people said it looked pretty good. It was a rusty pile when I got it but it does look a million times better....at least until I build a forge and actually use it :)

I mention reasons in my post from this thread: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30928-yet-another-anvil-id/#entry316088 I request a tutorial sticky or actually stickies (I read through one already but some pictures were out of place and it got confusing with an overload of info on too many tools). If someone would take the time to make info/tutorials for some of us super newbies that would be awesome. I shall give an example in a second (I apologize if this is a bit long winded). Example stickies could include: hammers, tongs, hardee hole accessories, punches, and other general tool categories. I would request a layout that could be great for beginners to experts. Starting with the most common types, names, uses, and general pricing and working down to more specialized. Even in different working types like general blacksmithing, tinsmithing, etc. For me a really helpful one would be tongs (hammers too). I bought 2 tongs today to help me get started. I know from my little previous experience one set is for round bar (no idea if there is a specific name or if I did well on price though I assume $5 for about anything is a decent deal). I also picked up something that seems like it would be for flat stock (rounded ends with a flat profile but has an indention like it would hold a marble in the center)...it might be for something special but I am unsure (no pic as I left it in my uncle's jeep). I also bought some hammers and couldnt tell you if any are for special uses (with the exception of the lead hammer)...I am very frugal generally but I purchased quite a few tools and the hammers were basically free ($5 ea but I got a good deal on the lot or hammers, punches, bench vise, c clamps, etc). Anyway, I have researched in different places (and am reading through here with great enthusiasm), but simpler intro/tutorials are not found very easy. The details start to get in the way and it can be hard to pic up the basics at first. Hence, I make this request. This site seems like a great wealth of information, and I hope I continue to roam, post, and learn here for a good long while (make it my 4th forum that gets a daily read). Maybe I can contribute some cool stuff one day, but for now I have to sit back and try to learn more. In an unrelated note, I recommend to anyone looking for additional stuff that they check local antique shops. My uncle is looking for cast iron cookware and this blacksmithing bug bit me as the right stuff popped up to rekindle the interest (when I was little I did some with my grandpa but havent had tools ro anything for years to try again). So far in about a week, I have acquired an anvil & ASO (thread above), bufco hand crank blower (like my grandpa's forge used), 2 bench vises, 2 tongs, various hammers, punches (for marking stuff), and other tools not related directly to this craft (c clamps, solder bars 60-40, and glass canisters for my wife)...plus one shop took my number as they know a couple people that may have blacksmith stuff to sell. While I am out about $400, I think I got some great tools and the 10" c clamp alone is worth much more than I am out. Thanks for any info.

I hate to ask value but I like to know what things are generally worth (I am always watching for "deals"). So any $ value for each of these? Also, I am TOO new to all this so Im probably going to ask some overly simple things in various threads (been researching and reasing old stuff but need more tutorial stickies). The hardee hole is the square hole and is used primarily for additional tools...correct? Pritchel? I assume round hole, but what is it for? The holes in the front/back I assume is for carrying it somehow. This is a general recommendation/request and I may post in other forums as well, but a diagram explaining different parts and uses would be awesome. In the anvil section for example, a sticky on anvil parts/pieces/terms/uses (ie hardee hole, pritchel, horn, face, etc...just to make it super simple for super newbies) and different common example anvil types would be awesome. For me specifically it helps me understand parts better and quicker and helps me watch for more equipment. Along with ID/tutorials, general pricing would be good too. I found several anvils at one local antique shop yesterday. One was a Peter Wright and from what I have read they are very good anvils. I am unsure of the size but I dont think its super large (I would guess ...probably poorly... 100-300 lb range...I didnt pick it up or even try to). For me it was out of my price range (as all the others were also)...all were $400+ and I think the PW was $600. I have no idea if these were good prices and I hate to use ebay for values, but it is how I have to try to figure approx. values on some tools I acquire. If someone does take on this task, I thank you greatly. For those who may explain some of this in this thread, also thank you but a cool tutorial sticky would be AWESOME! (I ask because some of the firearms forums I use have many stickies for info for newbie to expert).

Thanks much Wayne. I might take you up on that someday when I'm less busy ;) Edited to add: I see you are in between me and Oneida (my wife's family is there). Maybe sometime when she is visiting them I can have here drop me there for part of the day. I like any reason to learn and save money (in this case gas).

It was the questionare in the blacksmith interview sticky. Im about half way between Nashville and Knoxville (Cookeville). My current projects aren't as much smith related as firearms, but if there is an appropriate area, I'd be happy to past on some of them. Im working on some barrel assemblies to build some egyptian AK kits, a yugo m70 underfolder, polish tantal, romanian g, and eventually my russian ak74u (krinkov) kit. Other projects currently include finishing crown molding, acquiring more tools (blacksmith and otherwise), and building a forge :)