tompdw

These are a couple of hawks that I have been working on recently. They aren't done yet. Hopefully I will get them in the next couple of days. They are leaf springs.

I was told when in doubt use oil. The few times I've quenched in water I got cracks when I was using high carbon steel. I use used diesel motor oil.

Sorry about that. Parachute cord. It's about 5/16 thick. He's on his own for a sheath. I am out of leather.

I don't know if my forge will get that hot. I will take a piece of steel and see what color I could get. I have a fuel valve for my forge and an air restrictor. Forgemaster blacksmith model.

I am attempting to forge a tomahawk from 1095 leaf spring. I heated the steel and wrapped it around a 1" round bar for the eye. I don't wish to use my arc welder to weld it. I hope to forge weld it. How difficult is it to forge weld high carbon steel. Other than some borax what do I need to do? What color does me steel need to be? What can I put in my propane forge to keep the borax from eating my lining? This would be my first forge welding attempt.

This is my latest. I made it for a friend who provided the idea. 1095 steel.

As long as I don't bring home any new tool bigger than a small screwdriver I should be ok.

John, You just lost me. I am not a welder but I do it as a hobby. I have an AC/DC Hobart stick and a Hobart mig. I have no idea what you are tlaking about when you talk about magnetized structures and arc blow. Could you please enlighten the uninformed? Thanks.

I use 75% argon 25% CO2 and sometimes 80%-20% for my mig. I don't have a Tig. I hear that 100%CO2 will give you deeper penetration for mig welding.

I have the lawn chair. One out of two isn't bad. But it is pay day....

Is anyone going to the Hammer in at Burton, OH this Sat? It will be my first one. Do I need to bring anything?

Here they are. They are crude and rough but I know what needs done on the next ones.

Well gentlemen, I made a couple of punches. My full sized one is from a 1" bar stock that I sized with my milling machine. If I am going to cheat then I must tell you. After my first attempt on a spike I put my second one in my mill and cut a 1/4 in slot a little longer than what I need for the handle.

What is TSP?

I bought a beef bone from the butcher and wish to use it for a handle. could anyone tell me what I need to do to get from still having meat on it to ready to mount on my tang?

I punched it with an undersized round punch first and then followed up with a chisel like punch that is about the same size as my handle. My steel is regular round stock from the junkyard (low carbon) I did make sure the punch was smooth and I dipped my second punch in some moly grease. It helped.

Punching I guess, I'm a newbe. I don't have coal dust. I use a propane forge.

I was drifting a hole in a RR spike and my punch kept getting stuck. Is there any trick to keeping the punch from sticking in the hole? I am making a tomahawk. Here is some pictures of my first hawk. Crude but the tips helped. Thank you gentlemen. I'm not done with this one but I know how to improve on the next one.

Do you know what kind of steel you are using?

You found a friendly place to visit. I am relatively new here myself. Good to have you.

Don't forget band saw and air compressor( not just for smithing)

What is a good steel for the drifts?

Gentlemen, thank you for the insights. I'm not sure if I will use a block of common steel and punch it or get a ball peen hammer. When I figure out what I will do there will be pictures.

What kind of steel are you using? I noticed you had to make a special hardy cutter for your anvil because of the hole.

I am considering making a tomahawk or hatchet. I don't have a mandrel for the handle hole. does anyone have any helpful hints on how to build a mandrel or tomahawk? What kind of steel do I need?