Francis Trez Cole

I had a metal working class in 8th grade it was one of many that we had to take. Made a sign with scrolls. Turned some stock on a lathe and cast a belt buckle out of aluminum. Still have the belt buckle. The items I made in wood shop and the photos and stamp I made in printing. I teach a course through the community collage in there enrichment section here in town. Have a bunch of dedicated students. I give the students a good start.

Brian explained it as the house for the handle to give more surface contact to the handle. Philip Simmons hammer of choice was the ball peen. All hammers have there place

Rounding hammer is a style there are many styles, cross peen, straight peen, french style, German style, Japanese style, Swedish style and more. You can dress any hammer face to have a rounding face.

Yes and Larry (quick and dirty) learned lots from Grant. Tried to hook up with of them 4 years ago when I visited Seattle but it just did not happen. Bad timing.

Charles springs are ok but it takes time, money and fuel to straighten them. And all springs are designed to fail at some point. I have spent time straightening out a spring just to find it has a flaw right down the center the long way. I don't know what you charge for your shop time. Even if you got the spring for free A 6" length of 3/4" s-7 cost $4.50. Heat it shape it and done. I have priced out what it cost me to make a punch from a spring. Cutting it. heating straightening and shaping it then heat treating it. It dose have its place. But it is not the most economical

If you can pick up a copy of Otto Schmirler's book the Smith's craft and tools Isbn 3 8030 5040 5. You will use up what you have and a lot more. You can also make top tools to go with the bottom tools. Keep at it before you know it you will have a whole shop of tools

other than coil spring take some of that money and buy a length of 3/4" round s-7 and h-13. you will never go back to coil spring

the answer is the rooster. First you have look at it this way you are starting you journey as a blacksmith. Second Blacksmith make there own tools. I have seen 100 different versions saw one made from square tube. Most tools they all work and they all have there limitations. I have 3 different guillotine tools. One for necking down pipe, one for making round stock a certain size, and one like the yesteryear forge design but set up for the size stock I had to make my dies. Just do it you will learn something and I am sure down the line you will make a bigger one.

nice pair the things you need to watch is the bit should have a taper to the thicker near the boss. There are a lot of post on tong on this sight read a lot of them and keep hammering you are headed in the right direction

A lot that I have seen were just a piece of wire with a clover leaf on it I will have to look in some of my old books and see if there are any reference to them those are nice and look like they would work fine

my first project was a shovel. All I had at the time was a forge, hammer vice and some re-bar I even welded the bends with a small stick welder, and cut off nails for rivets.

I set a goal for my work each year. Last year I was to demonstrate the elements and tools of the ABANA grill project to my Florida chapter of FABA. This year I will be working on filing and finish work in all my demonstrations.The goal is self improvement and to challenge every thing I create.

there is an easier way. Here is a blue print of how I make fire pots. You have to be real careful with cast iron watering your fire can cause it to crack. If you go with a cast iron fire pot use a mop to wet the fire fire pot.pdf

Here is how I do it it is very easy try not to over think it www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBNMM4zTuRc

You bet John thanks for sharring

I have a Dalton Arrow head and a quartz Clovis arrow head I found in NC they date back to Paleo Indian 20 to 30,000 Bc found them with some crocodile teeth.

Make 10 and you learn how to make them, Make 150 and figure and easier way to do it. when I have done piece work I have found that if you do one step at a time you get faster at it. Make all the cuts, heat then open them up and then do the finishing touches.

SJS there is an other good source of tools it is Otto Schmirler book the smith's craft and tools its s good investment

stainless is a lot of work to forge short temp range to work in. I like A-311 steel medium carbon steel.

As far as historical Europe would be number one. As far raw material goes I would think the USA would be the best. But remember best is what you make of it. You can have iron work made in the 10th century but if you do not strive to make it as well as the day it was made. Then what do you have

John here is a photo of the heal set hammer. this one is made from 4140 and I punched the eye on the diagonal to help with alignment when using it. I used to make a collaring vise and mortise's it gets you back into the corner real tight helps with separating out the metal.

a set hammer is usually square in shape. a heal set hammer is angled with a edge that is off set from the hammer face I will take a picture tomorrow. Mark Aspery goes through the making of it in the skills of a blacksmith volume 3

A set hammer is a good project. But if you want some more fun make a heal set hammer they are very handy and fun to make

glad to see some found a good use for a railroad spike. LOl

SReynolds just for you here is a picture of my brushes. I only use them to clean off the anvil.