civilwarblacksmith

I make them into small ladels. I tell them it's a small decorative piece but they can use it for whatever they want. I started making them when I got tired of laying around the house after rotator cup surgery. Needed to bang some metal, was going through withdrawl.

Most likeky I wouldn't consider any more than like a high carbon rail road spike.

Nice work. Looks loke alot work went into it.

Is it tool steel grade?

Do you get any bounce or wobble with the blades being held with little support on the tang?

This is from the WebHome < BlacksmithInfo < TWiki that the guild I belong to host as an public domain site Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland This was written by Albin Drzewianowski, who is in charge of our Blacksmithing Academy. Coal Forge vs. Propane Forge by Albin Drzewianowski In order to blacksmith, you basically need 3 things: heat, anvil and hammer. Let's address how you are going to heat up your steel. Generally speaking, you have 2 options: coal or propane gas. The ideal blacksmith shop would have both. Each type of forge has positive and negative features. I have to admit, I am biased toward the coal forge. Overall, I think it is more versatile. However, it has one really major negative feature - COAL SMOKE. Many blacksmiths, due to their circumstances, neighbors, etc, can not be generating coal smoke in their home forges. (We will discuss how to minimize coal smoke when we talk about fire management in a future installment.) Also, if you are forging inside, you must have a chimney. So if you are going to use coal, you need to deal with the smoke issue. When you situate your blacksmith shop, take into consideration, if possible, which way the prevailing winds blow. Will the smoke be blown toward your neighbor's house?? If you forge in your driveway or patio, which way will the smoke blow?? Remember, the smoke contains soot which can precipitate out down wind. When you build your blacksmith shop, if you use a coal forge you will need a chimney. It should be, at a minimum, 10" round, 12" is better, or the equivalent if square or rectangular. In my opinion, 8" stovepipe just will not handle the amount of smoke generated when starting up the fire or when adding fresh coal to the fire. Some people add a blower to the chimney to help exhaust the smoke. Just remember, that coal smoke is quite corrosive and if you put a fan or blower inside the stove pipe, it probably won't last. You need to mount the blower out side the pipe and direct the output from the blower into the chimney to push or pull the smoke along. Having a good draft in the chimney is critical to successfully dealing with the smoke from your forge. The positive features of a coal forge: You can fit pretty much any size piece of metal into the fire. You can get a localized heat. It is easier to forge weld (in my opinion). You have less scaling compared to a propane forge. Adds less heat to your shop in the summertime, as compared to a gas forge. The negative features: If you are not careful, you can easily burn up your work. It is difficult to have multiple pieces in the fire at the same time, for example when making keychains, you want to have a half dozen or so in the fire at the same time. Tends to be dirty/sooty. You get more dirty and your shop is more dirty. Can be difficult to obtain good blacksmithing coal. Coal takes up more storage space. Takes longer to get the fire going. A little more of a fire danger since this is an open flame. Pretty much all of the above applies to using commercial coke vs. coal. There are a few differences. With coke you still need a chimney, but the smoke is not objectionable, the way coal smoke is. You will need to have a steady flow of air into the fire, or the fire goes out. Forging with coke if you use a bellows or hand crank blower is problematic. Coke burns hotter, this can be both a positive and a negative feature. You need a heavier/thicker fire pot. Coke burns cleaner, preferable for forge welding. Commercial coke in a good size for blacksmithing is even more difficult to locate than good blacksmithing coal. Now, looking at the propane forge. Positive features: The propane forge is more convenient. Don't need a chimney when used indoors. It fires up quickly and you can be ready to forge in as little as 5 minutes. *Can be set so that your work does not burn up. You can have a lot of blanks in the forge at the same time; very handy when making multiples of small items, like hooks or keychains. Propane is readily available pretty much everywhere. Adds more heat to the shop in the winter time. Overall cleaner. Don't need the storage space you would need for coal. More portable. Negative features of a propane forge: Limited to the sized of the forge box, can be difficult to get large or assembled pieces into the Forge. Can't get a localized heat, generally the entire piece is heated up. Need to use tongs more than when working with coal. More difficult to weld. If used inside, there is a greater danger from carbon monoxide. The steel scales more. Some say that the scale from a propane forge is more difficult to get off than the scale from a coal forge. Adds more heat to the shop in the summer time. Unless you build it yourself, probably more expensive to purchase. The positives and negatives of propane gas apply pretty much to natural gas with the following differences. Natural gas does not burn quite as hot as propane. You will need to run pipe from where the natural gas comes into your property to your blacksmithing area. Does not have the portability that propane as. Sometimes residential natural gas service is at too low a pressure. Some blacksmiths have had hassles with the local gas company over pressure and regulators. Each blacksmith has to look at his/her own circumstances and weigh the pluses and minuses and determine what will work best.

I would have to agree with Daryl except for inviting spectactors in to turn the blower. ONLY do this if you have insurance that will cover them if they get hurt.

While we are on the subject of hunting camp items, here is a descent list of items. Gambrels - 30" - 1/2" round stock Mild steel Larges hooked s-hooks- 8"- 1/2"round stock mild steel Fire pokers; 4ft long from about 5' long 3/8'' square or round mild steel. lantern stands; 3/8" square or round at different length depending on the height that you want. Meat flippers; also depnding on length can be made out of 1/4" - 3/8'' square/round Flesh/Meat forks; I usually make them from 3/8'' square about 24'' Spatulas; stainless blade with handle There are alot of possiblilties. These are just some for those not knowing what can be made for the hunting camp. anybody got anything else I forgot?

I've been using a weldpak 100 from lincoln that is a 110/115 using 20 amp breaker. They have upgraded this unit to the lincoln 140. It will run both flux core or gas shield by reversing polarity. I run the flux core, just because of the convience of it. Most of what I weld is 1/4" but have welded thicker with multiple beads.

Metal Head

What brand of scroll bender is that?

machine gun

Gorgeous knife. beautiful pattern.

any firepot over a 1/4" in thickness will not need lined unless you are going to be using it 8 to 12 hours a day on a daily basis. As a hobby smith or even part time smith it's not needed.

That really looks cool. Might have to try some of them myself.

Also make sure the sides that will be touching each other are free of any type rust or they may have a tendency to rust from the inside out. Plus it will make for a better weld.

Here's shop 1. The home shop I have pictures of the building process, but not of the finished building yet. Inside is still trashed while things get put away. Front of shop Inside 1 Inside showing the forge Inside showing the Bellows The Mill Race outside in winter Another view of the shop

Hey, another Marylander. Glad to see you.

drip.............

I would also take those questions in the perspective of where you are demonstrating. My main shop is in Union Mills, Maryland. This is a little unincorporated town (no mayor or council or town govt), of probably 200 -500 people. In a small village/town like that your general blacksmith would cover all the blacksmithing bases. He was your blacksmith, farrier, probably did a little bit of wheelwrighting. In the winter his forge would be lit 24/7. It wouldn't be uncommon for a resident of that town to go to the blacksmith shop in the middle of the night and get a small shovel of hot coal to restart a fire that went out, they would of course rebank the fire. It isn't until you get into the larger towns/cities where you find the trade begomming more speciallized into "blacksmith"; "Farrier"; "wheelwright"; etc. I also find that everybodies grampa was a blacksmith. Usually from the seniors, and it is very possible that they did some form of smithing. You need to remember that you may be doing a demo in farm country and the seniors remember grampas anvil and forge. Most old farms had them. Does it make grampa an avid smith, no, but he probably used it to make his own repairs. As far beginner smiths. I love 'em. I will do what every I can to grow the interest in the hobby. They may become a full time smith in the end. If they live close, invite them forge with you if you are able. If they is a local guild or blacksmithing association around, get them plugged in. You just might make some new friends that way. Handouts are always good to have on hand. Especially if you have handouts from a local blacksmithing organization. You can pass out this information, but it doesn't take the place of face to face, I care and am willing to take the time, communication with the interested party. Many women are interested in blacksmithing which tends to be thought of as a man's type of work. I had a 19 yr old stand there and stare at the smithing that i was doing, totallt enthrawled. He parents were with and noticed the interest she showed. I explained that anyone can do this, that my daughter was smithing at the age of 13, and also told her of alot of the well known lady smiths. Also that our guild has many women that smith. Hopefully she will join. Very cute too. I've rattled enough.

Beautiful work. I have a good bit of purple heart at the house and was wondering how it would look.

Have a customer who is wanting me to make some eel gigs. Having never made any before, I am trying to find pictures to see how the best way to make a couple. Any idea where I can find any?

Good job! looks nice.

warp.............

Park.................