Francis Trez Cole

My last Job was excuitive chef and I was working on my master chef certification. The level is strickly controlled only about 100 at any time. The test is extream 10 days 18 hrs a day with the collective spread of food to be judged every day and the final buffet. The term master is loosely used by many cooks.
I would agree that when you reconized by your piers. I would consider Francis Whitaker a master also Uri Hofi.
There seems to be a standard set for a master bladesmith.

I have not yet there is a web sight Called torchmate. They have kits you provide the metal and they sell all the parts.

I did a project years ago and the coustomer only wanted wood charcoal. I went to the local food service supplyer for resturants bought it in 40# bags burned real clean took twice as much to do the same job but very intresting,

I have made railroad spike knives for 20 years. Easy to find material. I have made them in both coal and gas forges. have not seen a difference. There are different grades of railroad spikes. Some are high carbon steel they are marked. You can harden them somewhat. If you ues a super quench better choice. it will hold a edge. would I shave with it no. You know people will try to sell anything. I have seen a set of chairs made form rebar with fitting right out os a cataloge with a bronze finish. The people were convinsed they were bronze. I always shoot stright its the best policy.

make sure to use a mask when working with bone. fragments are like little hooks and can screw up your lungs. read about in a scrimshaw book.

they make temp pens mark the piece of metal heat it and when the mark melts you are there quench it. The are fool proof and can pick them up from your welding supplyer many different temp ranges for sale

I hit with my right hand but like the horn to the left I prefer the harder hole to my right

the only problem I have had so far was whasp making a nest in the burner tube and when I lit it. was a wake up call it was burnning out of the top of the burner

when I made my bellows I put in straps so the opening pressure was not on the leather they lasted about 15 years. when I make my next set I will be canvis. In Flroida leather dose not hold up.

My vice is refitted with a acme screw and nut and a piece of pipe to cover the exposed threads it works great. welded to the old handle with 7018 rod I am tough on vices and it has held up well. No problems at all and I do wrench it down. there was also a series of articals in a magizine called anvil july 2001 it was a 3 part artical on rebilding a leg vice

I have seen it keeped in a bucket wet all the time. the mud is great for forge welding you build your dome and coat the out side with the mud it holds in the heat real well

Check out Pieh tools they are in az far better service than centaur. there are many free plans on line for building a gas forge. Un less your doing production work you can build one that will work great. I perfure coal but thats just me

Mine is Nokomis Forge, after the town I live in. And She was the indian Goddess of the moon. Seems I am always working at night.

A guy in Fl is selling his works great. He made a special wrench to keep the wheel tight. buillt it in the class , Call Dennis 813-493-2350

the best advice I was ever given was "Just get started" What ever dose not work Just dont do it again

wire brush and oil would be my choice

You forge us is for heating rivit's A friend of mine uses one as a moble set up. He has a ring of steel about 10 in in dia which holds the coal tight over the blower. the ring is about 1 1/2 in wide.

I start mine off with a pine cone wraped in 1 sheet of news paper then place it in my turee pour coal over the pine cone. I use a weed burner hooked up to a propane tank light it off turn on the blower and in a few minutes you off to the races