julian

Thanks, Ellen! It'd be great to pay you a visit! I'm out of school for the summer, so I've got lots of free time.

Thanks, Chuck!

This is my latest knife, a drop point hunter. I don't know for sure what grade the steel is, but it is HC according to spark testing. The handle is Wenge wood, given to me by Rich Hale (thanks rich!). In the first picture you can see the reflection of the camera, hehe

Great looking AND functional, awsome

I love 1-peice knives, theyre lots of fun to make . Nice ones you got there, look very well made!

I've also been watching eBay, and considering selling forged items there. Probably the biggest sellers I've seen are knives or t-hawks out of RR spikes. An online store of somekind would probably work better for selling artwork, since people dont like to pay diddley squat for things on eBay .

I saw that hockey game b/w Sweden and Finland. It was a great game :)

Before experimenting with metal and explosives (not the greatest combination in the world) I would attempt a simple potato gun. Me and my friends used to make these, and if done right they are quite powerful. Brass is also not a very hard metal and would probably either break or bend after it was shot. Again, a cannon is a weapon of war, and is meant to kill, so I wouldnt underestimate it's power!

So I would try a potato gun, they consist of only PVC pipe and hairspray. It'll still send a tater straight through plywood

Julian

Reedemer, if your entire forge is built from cinder blocks it will crack, and break apart. My first couple of forges were of the cinder block design and they broke apart in an hour or so. I'd recommend a brake drum as a fire pot to START with, but try and get a good heavy commercial firepot if you can. If you're using wood charcoal, you can make a simple forge out of a washtub and fireclay. Also, charcoal briquets give off toxic fumes when burned at high heat in a forge so I would stay away from them.

Most guys on here know lots more about blacksmithing than I do, but thats just my two bits.

Julian

I remember the demo that really got me into smithing..the blacksmith was a real nice fella, and I bought a small leaf keychain from him..today that leaf is still on the keychain next to one that i made .

Little things can really go a long way, eh?

There a BP on those? Real slick!

I have been tinkering around with practice knives, out of mild steel. I'm starting to get a better feel of what the steel likes to do; still got a long way to go before I can get the forging process of a knife down to more of a science. I also have lots more practice to do on handles, and many of the finer parts of blades. Trying a sword has given me a newfound respect for bladesmiths...it makes me think how much bladesmiths really put into their work, and how much I have to put into my future work.

Jim, thank you for such an offer; you are an amazing bladesmith, and it's a blessing to get firsthand knowledge from an expert. I'll take your advice; stick to knives, get comfortable with them, then take on bigger projects. Afterall, being a bladesmith has been a profession for many people; if it was easy, everyone would be a bladesmith!

Thanks guys,
Julian

Well, people have been asking me "have you ever made a sword??!", so I decided to try one, just to be able to say I have. Made out of scrap mild steel, just for a wallhanger, but i chopped some oranges withit . Also I have a question- what's a good method of making/attaching handleguards? I've just made out of steel and welded, but I've been wanting to try brass.

Thats crazy! Its like another language almost..but just as easy to read as normal print would be..

Way to go on the flowers, JWB. I'm sure your wife will love them .

You know those weird "mind trick" kinda things? Like looking at a picture of red dots for a while, and seeing a picture in the dots? Here's one


Say "penny" it makes you smile

Anyone got some more?

Heres the "tizer" as we call him (variation of fido). His names Kobe- a rottie/shepard mix. Hes a good lil man.

Well said bp. Fire welding may seem almost impossible the first couple trys, but once you get a weld, it feels great. Keep at it; the boring but true old saying---practice makes perfect. (or at least real good )

BTW i would recommend using commercial coke- more expensive than coal, but lasts much longer and burns much hotter/clean. Excellent for welding too.

JWB, before i really started blacksmthing, i tinkered around with copper and brass. One thing i found very easy to make out of copper and brass are roses. Also, these kind of roses are much easier to make/ decorate than iron or steel, and you can make a whole vase in no time if you want. So in case you dont have enough time to practice the iron ones or somethin, might wanna give these a try .


if that didnt work heres the URL

http://photobucket.com/albums/c256/julian60/?action=view&current=rose.jpg

I like the anvil in that picture, congrats on getting the forge all done :)

hey Andrew, thats some neet stuff! i like the chainmail pictures, thats really nice.

I post my pictures in links, i use www.photobucket.com, takes a few minutes to register etc.

Brad, that seems like my kind of ideal lifestyle too. I also enjoy the Victorian Age atmosphere, and artwork made during that time. Nice to meet ya.

lol, that things MASSIVE! blows my first hatchet out of the water, it looks amazing!

Those hatchet heads are nice! I like the second one in particular. Neet rasp knives, too.