Francis Trez Cole

do not know what happened it worked before.

I would agree with the statement about the power hammer and a ratio. Is an important factor. and a power hammer can hit a lot harder than a human. That is why it is called a mechanical advantage. Anvil size is not as critical. First Frosty will like this I went to the Juno museum of history. There is a blacksmithing display with tools and photos. Anvil and all tools had to be packed in so every thing was small the anvil weight was 50 pounds. the bellows was small also the tongs ans other items were regular size. Not only did the shoe horses but they fixed mining equipment of the time. The Earth as a whole is the Heavy part of this planet if your anvil is connected to earth than you have all that mass behind it. Now look at Brian Brazeal's striking anvil. I made one in total it weight is 60 pounds and I use a 16 pound sledge hammer on it. the area of the shop where I have used it for the last 3 years the sand under the pavers has been compressed about 1/4". When I do demos I use it first because it is easy to move around. second if I have students striking its not my good anvil and if they miss and hit the face, its only mild steel. I have forge 3" stock on it with no problem. I do not have anvil envy. Its not how big it is it is how you use it.

I made this ho a few years ago as a demo it has a piece of file welded to the cutting edge. it works real good and was a fun project.

I use a 1902 champion.

the only comment I will make is that the sides seem a little tall I like my top die to be above the support arms. But if it works for you than that is all that matters nice idea

I personal use vermiculite to cool it is a good insulator and it will hold heat in letting it cool. I heat and get a good saturating heat and just plunge it quickly in the vermiculite forget about wire brushing the scale until it is cool I leave mine over night.

nice idea how about putting in a set screw to hold the bit in place.

2 words cross ventilation

there is a video of a Russian making knifes in the woods with a block 2"x 5" with little legs welded to it to hold it to a log. It is not the size of the anvil it is being connected to the earth.

great start you are on the right track

flat springs are 5160, round are usually 1095

most coil springs are 1095 as well. you would be better off with H-13 or better drill out the hole

If you use a cast iron fire pot you should not use a water can. You should be using a wet mop. a water can can cause the fire pot to crack. You are using charcoal I have never used water while using charcoal. Now on the other hand with green coal it is very handy. but again caution when using a water can with a cast fire pot.

I would agree I have been at it for 25 years you need to learn to walk before you can run. I have had the opportunity to take a newbie and put them right into hammer making. She did very well. You can excel at what your learn given the chance. But take the time and learn the basics. it will serve you better in the long run

timothy I think his name is pain. Rt guess that makes me a master of something then. The person that I got it from thought it had come from the railroad

it is a big hammer it weight is 6#. and the face is hardened

I got this hammer a few months ago in a iron-in-the-hat. Dose any one know what it was designed for. I have never seen the curved end on a hammer. It seems to have a seem like it was drop forged. but I have looked in old catalogs that I have and have not found any of them.

vqapremac that is a neat little block would come in handy. I made a striking anvil that is free standing my vice is too tall for that setup. For filing your vice should be set up at elbow height.

Mudman you are going in the right direction. What type of hammer are you using? To me your hammer marks are very sharp.the one hint that I use is first draw a short taper. Then move back on the bar the length you want the leave do a second taper but only working two sides of the metal on the far edge of the anvil. This will give you metal you will need then flatten it on the diamond. Then using your peen to spread the back while keeping the end pointed. hope this helps.

Here are a few tools that I have built in to my vice stand. the first is an adjustable table to help support the bottom of a piece of steel being up set. Then this is the latest addition it is an adjustable support arm for when I do filing. you clamp the item to be filed in the vice and the area you are working on is supported off to the side of the vice hope you find these tools use full

First welcome there is enough here on I forge iron that will answer most of your questions second you will have a lot of reading to do.

when other call you one and you make money at it. Then there is whether you are any good at it. ABANA is trying to set a standard with the grill project. Is that all the skills you will need, no it is not. but it is a start to having a standard. As for those who feel they are not good enough or only self trained. you can achieve any goal you set. 25 years ago when I started with no internet and limited resources that's the way I had to learn. I would watch other smiths do a task and then go home and do it over and over again until I got it. reading all the books I could get my hands on and try each element. 2 years ago I got to take my first formal class. It was worth the wait I was ready to run with the project and all the work I had done over the years all payed off. Its not what school you go to it is what you retain.

my great uncle use to leave his axe in the stream by the house so when he got up in the morning to go cut wood it was ready. In Florida I had a similar problem with wood handles loosing up. the thing that helped a lot was when I set the wood wedge in the handle I glue it in with wood glue after its dry then I put in the metal wedges. But I switched to fiberglass handles for most of my hammers.

I use 3/4" square stock the extra material helps

looks good when you hammer out the Jaw's thinner at the end thicker at the boss. keep at it