jake pogrebinsky

Larry,i'm simply inexpressibly grieved to hear all that.For your son,and for you,and at this point,more for you.I have a great misfortune to live in a place where something exactly like this happens several times every year,all within a tiny community.It just seems to get worse each time,hearing about it,and watching the suffering of others left behind. I don't pray,and i don't believe in anybody "being there" to prevent something like this from happening.It's a very hopeless and lonely feeling,being that way,but here we have it.I'd gladly do anything though,if it could possibly have made a difference,including giving up my own life if it could bring back your son,or any one of these other wonderful young people. I am so dreadfully sorry.

Hey,these are great,Clay,something straight out of classic Japanese tool aesthetic,i really like them! Spring,you've said,as in a leaf-spring,you mean?The photos say "pallet",started wondering if you've laminated some strapping(Really gone Japanese ).

OK,in brief: Heat one:Small round stock is molested and chewed-up,leaving just a little too long a bit on end... Heat 2.A miracle!Managed to pinch it between some random blows.Got it now. Heat 3.Total control now,can facet it to my heart's content.There's about 17000 ways to do it,but i only use one,a creative genius that i am. And now,if you want to be a wimp,and a wuss,and a REASONABLE person,for some reason,here's how you actually do it,as in RIGHT WAY.(Yeach...). Now,you can draw it out more(the stem),thinning it down in the process till it pings that bit off,due to overworking.Now,you're free to utter the most horrible and satisfying imprecations!Like Farmer Boggs,in "Fantastic Mr.Fox",Dang and Blast the Lousy Beast!!!(How's that for my British practice?) You must make sure that your tong hand is directly underneath the hammer,that way the festering burns on that hand will never heal.Also,never dress your tools,or maintain them in any way,or your bellybutton will not develop into a prehensile organ,and you won't be able to use it to read Braille(Which will be very important for later,as the safety-glasses are TABOO,bring terrible luck!). All this works!According to the latest,the Demosphenos Method!Trust me! I wonder if the Creator used His(Hers?) bellybutton,to create the Universe.Did Creator HAVE a bellybutton?! That's a most important question for the meditation while forging today. Also,from Kipling,"And you must Never forget the suspenders,O Dearly Beloved!"

Beth,just very shortly(i OUGHT to be forging,but,goddamn it,the inspiration for the entire project does indeed come out of your Britishness,Beth(thanks for that latest installment,it's lovely,i've never known such developed anglophilia in meself even existed-really,thanks a lot,i mean it seriously this time!). Those faceted "bits"()are,indeed,cool,they're a great practice,as in warm-up,and a neat little trick in the constant battle-the DIFFERENTIATION of MASS(our main job as blacksmiths). They're a function of fullering off a short,stout section,separating it off for the time being by a max.short/stout "neck",yet the fuller all around the neck being deep enough to use as shoulder over the edge of anvil. So:The rod is held below the anvil,with the edge of anvil fitting the neck or fuller,and the future bit protruding above the anvil on a 45-degree angle. The bit is worked square,just like any other work,but on the diagonals.The first few blows will be in part upsetting blows. Soon,as the bit is more ball-like,you'll have it by the (bits ),total control of it,and then can facet in any number of ways,or start rolling it to forge an actual sphere. At first it'll be tough,as the neck(being less stock)will want to bend over the anvil instead of letting you direct the energy diagonally through the bit.So there's always a moment of monkeying with it slightly out of control.But soon you beat it into submission,that is so much the sweeter for the suffering. Und,zo:The neck not too deep nor shallow(say,50% of stock),the bit originally cubic-ish in mass(later,when your masochism matures,you'll be biting off more and more,using this as a twisted way to upset more stuff into the bit.Greed!MOORE!!!). And you work over an edge that is not too sharp(to hurt the stock),nor too rounded to drive the ball slipping down.Just sharp enough to catch the shoulder of fuller. If all this is clear as mud,i'll take stage by stafe photos.Need to get my sorry ass in the shop anyhoo...:)

Wow,Clay,that's an interesting,and a very useful project:Scrapers are not easy to come by,in needed shapes,and STIffness,which can be so critical.So,you're out to make some out of spring,to be tough and last? I well remember this one job,scraping the woodwork off in an entire Victorian-era/style apartment back East,wainscoting EVERYWHERE,huge,wide,COMPLICATED trim on doors and windows,barely any wall un-panelled.It was a nigntmare that lasted months,and wide rivers of stripper flowed,for we could never find the correct mech.scrapers... I'm not going to even ask just how nice it is to run a self-contained pneumatic hammer,good for you!!! Belt-buckles are easy to make,especially in all the more archaic flavors,but darn it,they come out so heavy..Already,every night i feel like one of your friend's horses-when i drop my 59 lb pants down,with a clatter of all the crap in the pockets and on the belt...It's really tough on one's back,over the course of the day,to be packing a pound's worth of buckle...Hows about some leather strap suspenders instead?We're old fogies now,what do we got to loose By "forepunch",Sir,i take it that you mean some proper tool,with a wide part following the punch-end?Alas,i only use an old ball-peen as a countersink(which is most improper:It distorts the hole,and you may even need to use the punch again,then the sink,AGAIN,and so ad infinitum feeling like a genius that i am:)BUT!The silver lining is that you can,VISUALLY,balance somewhat a mis-punched,off-center hole,making it look almost deliberate). I'm having a hard time adressing the "primitive" factor in the order,as it was specified that the work is to be random-ish,and on the crude side.But that small ga.WI is so refined that it's tough NOT to slick it down! It IS a lot of joy to be properly challenged at the forge.With Beth here it helps a lot to try to imagine all those Gothic environments over there,just the sound of the word "Gloustershire" itself(i can only imagine just how it's pronounced there,too!:)It really helps to get into the spirit,or try to,at least. There's that one detail that's subtle,but very important:Much of the more complex old work was balanced NOT by careful proportioning of parts to be identical,but as a whole.If one looks closely,the individual curlicues or whatever may differ quite significantly,but OVERALL,the piece looks perfectly,geometrically balanced.An intuitive,talent/vision/practice trick,that. Stonework,of course,is not an example of it.But Yellin's complex grills sure are,much difference between the elements that,hypothetically,are supposed to be carbon copy of each other.

Beth,you truly are an extremely nice person.Now,that word is sadly over-,and mis-used,so i'll have to specify that i'm using it in the very original,English sense,a meaning that includes,among others,both compassionate and humane. And i'd venture a timid guess that that's exactly the point(one of the more redeemable ones ) of exercising the more conventional "religion" with all of it's strictures-it is in the hopes of raising the children that think the way you do.Obviously,it works at least sometimes! Thank you,and 10/4 on all that you've said. I've been very busy and scattered lately,i couldn't resist taking on a smal order to go to the Old Country(i've shipped orders to Europe and even Australia before,but never back there,somehow).And the communicating with a gentleman who now becomes a client was very time consuming. It's a very small and seemingly insignificant thing,a handful of hooks,of all things!But it fits so neatly into my inquiry into the size/scope/"quality" mystery that i absolutely could not resist.I'll try to make a batch of extra-cute Bespoke hooks(love that word,had to put it in there somewhere!!!). The Gloustershire-inspired job has been challenging me to the absolue extreme of my skill,design and execution alike.I absolutely intend to give it a superlative effort,but am on the very brink of my ability for sure... I'd really,really like to give at least some indication,reflection,no matter how feeble, of those sweeping and converging shapes of that ceiling. Much Gothic element is very tricky.It isn't quite floral,nor entirely geometric,it's a cunning mix of these two tweaked in a very distinct way.Beginning to suspect that some of it May have to do with the time some of those guys put in "in the service",in Palestine,and relates to the Muslim prohibition on the images of living things(violation of the Creator's copyright! ) .Anyway,it's all exciting,but very exhausting,i may do this neat thread of ours more justice in the morning! Couple of photos of assorted processes,if someone's truly bored,and before i forget again: Bryan,what are the dimentions of that Husq.poll,if i may ask?(Will start hunting for material tomorrow). Much respect and admiration for you guys,all the very best.

Wow,Beth,that is so neat that you get out and go camping with your family-that's real class!(So it was considered in the culture where i grew up,Nature,do-it-yourself sort of entertainment,maximum time spent with family,all that vs the ostentation of going to the Sea,or on some culture/museum trip ). And yes,you're right,i'm getting religious here,and fast!Stands to reason,when attempting to be creative,that at least some thoughts of Creator must occur to one! I always liked the fact that Sufism incorporated religious/mystical instruction with trades,very closely.The religion was taught while teaching the craft.Rose gardening was very widespread,(rose is such a symbol of everything for practically everyone,and,of course, of God's Love for Man in Sufism(like Beer is,in America ),but coppersmithing came close second,and other crafts too. I joke about all this because the Creator has gifted me with a sense of humor,as well.But there's a lot of truth to all this,too,for this,here,is Life.A very good friend of mine is dying right now,a man i've known many years,and love very much.His brother is staying here meanwhile,and his brother has dedicated his entire life to creating a Ministry(Christian,of a fairly fundamentalist views)specifically for the imprisoned youth,the worst of the recidivist characters.This man is extremely devout,and also extremely intelligent,and humane,and we've been having some incredible conversations.I'll never be religious in any conventional sense,yet,we agree 100% and more on everything that we stand for...So it goes,everything that makes sense-just does,it cannot be contradictory by means of it...because it all stems from the one Creator For a number of reasons i've not gotten much work done the last 2 days.I'm considering posting some photos of R&D that i'm desperately attempting in the direction of that Gothic project,and i will post them if the insomnia insists(i also feel that posting material proof of forgework done somewhat ameliorates my outrageous rethoric ). Bryan,so,do you want to go ahead on bootlegging that Husqvarna axe?If so,let's do it!!! I'd go about it as follows:Measure the poll,i'd bet that's the dimentions of stock that they started with.Add a 1/4" or 3/8" to that height,for losses in upsetting during punching Using the weight of the axe divided by 0.2835 should give the no.of cubic inches,and so,the lengh of the blank of those dimensions.(I'd add 1/6th,say,of the weight just for scale and giggles,will have to trim the blade anyway,if it'll turn out to be overly much). Now,an axe like that was certainly punched&drifted,so,the decision is yours:Make it out of mild+steel insert,or go ahead and slit and drift a hardenable steel blank. In any case,the slitter will have to be made(and at least one drift,will try to get by with one,kinda combination drift). Measure the circimference of haft by the eye.Theoretically,1/2 of that number will be = the width of slitter(if the s. is slender enough to ignore it's thickness,which i think it can be).BUT,the eye will stretch in the process,some from those drawn-down sides o eye,some in just working,every heat it'll stretch...Let's see,how many heats you think it'll take you? Just kidding,i'd go ahead and subtract a 1/4 or a 1/5 of the half the circumference of finished eye. That gives the lengh of the slit.Now,I'd build the slitter shorter,so it's free in there,and work it back and forth down the slit like the good Norwegians do. So,you need the blank of the right size/material,and the slitter.What out of that you may need from here?HEY!I've got a diabolical idea:Measure the thickness of that axe,and i'll see if i happen to have a leaf-spring of that gauge!Will save a ton of coal on welding in a bit(of course,it'll beat you up more slitting and forging it). Anyway,i may be getting too far ahead,let me know if i am!Cheers,All .

Perato,hi.Dig deeper into the maintenance dept.on base,USAF used 100# and 200# Vulkans(an inexpensive,in it's day,american-made cast iron anvil,VERY much sufficient for everything).The old tooling as well,as the guys said,but this is current(they're filed somewhere on the shelf in your transport maint.). 4" x 4" is great too,as long as you can get,but even a cube is bigger than most anvils used historically*. Yesterday i had to use an outer ripper bit off of a D9,it's over 60#,has a cool shape,and worked really well.Look for ripper blades/teeth around the base,and yes,like has been said,parts of fork attachements. Be leery of that coal:Soft Bituminous coal comes in many flavors,even from the same mine.What you found sounds like Usibelli mine stuff.Personally,i've failed to be able to utilise it(something about the type of ash that it makes).Also,it commonly has Sulfur inclusions quite visible to a naked eye(if you break some chunks)-not the best stuff for you. AKFeed in Fairbanks carries official blacksmith coal(not cheap,over $1 a pound now,not sure-ask Bryan).The "pickable" coal could be had at Sutton(east of Palmer),at the Buffalo mine and other of the same complex.There used to be a fellow who owned a streak of metallurgical-grade coal,but i don't think that he ever went into business. Anyway,try to find out where the source for that coal is,and try some before getting a whole bunch. And the very best of luck,no worries,tools will come your way.

Ciladog,i really do feel stupid for interjecting here.I've looked high and low,and only found a photo of YET another chain job that i did,this one a snowmachine drive-chain.That photo kinda shows what i meant about the spots,though...,and i'll shut up and fade out now.Sorry for the interruption.(BTW,it's not my polish/finish/etch...And i never ever even do PW...It was all a manic episode...).

Ciladog,you're right in everything you say,the billet must be worked in all directions,but while it's being compacted,to the density of a solid,it's parts remain relatively intact,they're just getting brought closer together. If,at the end of that stage,when everything is a solid,you have the side of the chain facing out the largest face of billet,you wil still be able to see the outline of pins... It's possible that one might structure the initial billet a little flatter to begin with,to prepare for it.And it would then be a tad smaller,to still allow the scale+flux to escape,but it's possible. To tell the truth,the time that it worked best for me was with a wide timing chain(out of a Cat grader engine),there it was a logical choice to lay it on it's side,a couple of rows wide.Later,i just did the saw chain the same way,thinking of it also the same way,as a stack of flat parts other than the rivets. I've brought this up for the heck of it ONLY,please don't let this derail your wonderful experiment,just do it the way it works for you!I'm almost sorry that i had to piope up here.(The timing chain did have an impressive pattern-very contrasting,had that funky organic-reptilian effect to it.Saw-chain was slightly less so,because of the third color making it busier.And these were my brief,inconclusive,scattered experiments only).

I dunno,Bryan,i think that technical drawing is(or can be) VERY "artistic".I've been talking with a friend recently in the Old Country,he's a retired Army Recon topographer(an artist-knifemaker last few/many years).Well,we agreed with him,and a few other people,that maps are some wonderfull form of art.I love some of the old ones,they're so cool,but(had i any walls),i'd put some modern topos up as wall art!!! Also,a friend's relative was going to architectural school in Amsterdam,and often practiced tech.drawing on the street,doing funky things like reversing perspective,or sometimes just sketching architectural detail.Well,people forever were trying to buy those drawings from him,right there and then,he ended up needing to hide to do his stuff in peace:) Getting back to R.Sauvage's thesis,forging is a language.Bergland and Clausen are some of the ones that are fluent in this language.What one uses that language FOR,doesn't matter.BBQ sets,axes,leaf-hooks,or gates,it's just like reading/writing different things in a given language. And,if you're a fluent speaker,then if suddenly you get a yen for some poem,you can read it,(or write it:),ditto with instructions to a bathroom fan,it really makes no difference! Same inference with the Zen parallel:Zen archery masters practice without arrows,because sticking an arrow into a tweety-bird is NOT the point.Being fluent at the biz is the whole deal,which means releasing the arrow correctly. That's what validates abstract forged sculpture,even for those of us to whom it's somewhat odd,et c.,it's the same language spoken,but the things expressed in it are slightly different. Now,my next weird premise is Chomsky'esque(as in the linguistics,not political drivel):Languages are INNATE to us all,are in our genetic make-up. That's why even the poorest,ineptly executed ironwork is appealing to people in general-it stirs things deep within their minds. And that,in turn,is the reason why i think that one mustn't produce crappy ironwork:Because the customer(who's ALWAYS WRONG(or they wouldn'tneed to hire someone else),can easily be led along,being a non-speaker of the language.Blacksmithing is no longer common,it's fading,becoming the dead language,so it's doubly immoral to lead the ignorant into error. (There's plenty of that done by K-Mart and Co.,which makes an honest craftsman have to work even harder). Howzzat,for a rant?:)

Those guys,i tell ya-some people's kids! (As if any self-respecting industrial spy can't have that stuff analysed). I'd imagine that the alloys differ between brands(after MANY years of sharpening chain/filing bars i still can't QUITE tell,if some last longer or what,but i'm in extremely abrasive conditions all the time). Chain must have 3 different alloys,eh?The cutters must get their qualities by means of micro-alloying elements,as they're not heat-treated that hard. Do you always put it together,initially,side by side,or have you ever done it where the sides of chain face out?Makes an attractive spotted pattern,where the rivets are,and can be manipulated by forging to further deform those spots.

Bryan,sorry,i needed to be more specific:These guys are Norwegian,Hovard Bergland and Ovind Klausen,and they're the HOTTEST in the world when it comes to forging that specific tool-Bilo(forgot the exact definition,it's the bigger of the two used similarily). Bilo is a giant handled chisel,used to carve notches in some very particular construction technique.It is a definite case where the function determines the form 100%.In the same time,i've read an article by this guy,breaking down one of Hovard's bilos into the Phee section(1:.618),and it worked perfectly!(I had to laugh,as i don't take the Golden Section too seriously,myself,i think that it's redundant when we have craftsmen like Hovard around:)) Anyway,both of those guys are worth watching,each and every motion that they make makes sense,or it will later,when thee and me will get better at this biz:) The angle rig is simple:2 pieces of angle(of whatever size/type,almost),flat sides facing each other,laying on anvil face.Couple of bolts holding them together,just drill holes anywhere,and bolt through.And,something going down into the hardy hole,to keep the whole from dumping over the edge. The idea is that you set the bolts to accomodate the angle holding the axe blank vertical,while slitting.In one Gransfors video they have similar rig held by one bolt in the middle.The axe goes into one end,and a larger wedge gets bumped into the other,see-sawing the clamp shut around the axe-blank. All of it has to do with slitting a very narrow chunk,maybe 3/4" thick,or even less.And tall,at that.As tall as you'd like the finished eye/socket to be.

Good work,Mark,a simple,practical design,well executed. Also,very glad to read about how well it worked out between you guys,very pleasant story altogether. Keep up the good work!

So,Bryan,if i read you right,you'd like to try a Husky-like axe/hatchet? If so,i'd consider rigging one of those angle "clamps" on your anvil(let me know if you've never seen one,they're way simple),for help with slitting. And speaking of slitting,i wonder if you've seen these videos here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4cJ0Vf72eI&feature=related I've only had the patience to download and watch one,but that slitting technology was an eye-opener for me.Really,why fight the friction by trying to jam a slitter that's the size of the entire cut in there?!

Wow,Beth,that's fantastic!Thanks,Vladimir,wherever you be,and thanks Beth,for digging this up to show us! Bryan,you're absolutely right.Like in all correctly stated questions the answer's contained therein.I don't know that answer,i'm dim,confused,and barely have an inkling of what's what.But: There's function,and there's Art,there's any number of things there.And THAT's where we,the makers,GET these shapes and lines.From function of an axe or a knife,from nature(the way that Fe crystal bounces and deforms),and from art as well,as art is just other people just like us,and by paying attention,we can learn from them,too,just like we can from the original sources. These things ARE,they exist,we see them and follow them in our designs wether we like it or not.But if we pay insufficient attention to them,then what we make comes out less than(it can be potentially). Man has never invented anything that did not already exist in nature(in terms of shapes,colors,combinations of things,et c).We combine and recombine stuff,with more or less success or effect.That's actually where that whole Zen deal comes in:If you don't interfere with an arrow,then it'll go perfectly true.Because the universe is perfect,and,even without our meddling(especially without it:)),things WORK. Yea,i know that i'm a maniac...Especially today,i've got a cold/flux/whatever that's about to kill me,i swear.I'll go and at least make charcoal for tomorrow,then in the evening write a couple of ideas for you,Bryan(excellent choice of design,by the way,i love those small Scandihoovian axes,they're VERY much what i mean in my clumsy ramblings-an essence of a tool,perfect combination of material,function,and purpose...)

Wonderful,systematic work,ciladog,neat stuff!(Forging has taught me some patience,but nowhere near that much!). I'm not a knifemaker,either,but did use some chain and bars in a laminate experiments. The bars seem like some TOUGH steel.I've only used Stihl brand,solid(yellow label),as opposed to riveted kind,but they welded to other stuff quite well(even to leaf-spring),making a very dark streak in the laminate. Anyway,great work,congradulations on getting such a degree of control over the medium!!!

You're right,Bryan,in that much still remains to be quantified,and written down(Sometimes i imagine people reading our conversing here,and rolling their eyes:"What a bunch of...verbiage!",yet,that's what we ARE doing here,quantifying and setting it down.Or,to speak for myself,making a pathetic attempt to do so,however feeble). Human teachers are cool in many ways,that includes books written by them.But it's impossible to learn well without that other greatest teacher of them all,Fe itself. However,that,teachers+practice,is still not enough,when the chips are down.The one missing magic ingredient is the interaction of a forged object with it's intended purpose,i.e.,how will that axe actually perform?That ties it all together. We can say,i think,that this triumvirate,Information/Practice/Interphase(of object with reality),would indeed give one a decent start on the craft.(That " correct interaction" can be a tool and it's job,or can be a forged church furniture that,as intended,makes you think of God,or that Fox of Beth's,imparting her intent,whatever it is must be correctly fitted into the rest of reality). The trouble nowadays that that very "tacit" reality is sorely lacking.Who in h...uses an axe anymore?Much manual action in our immed.lives is falling by the wayside.That's the reason why we see much stuff manufactured that's on the ugly side,the looks,based on aesthetics alone,don't cut the mustard. I often observe it in relation to the knifemakers.Technically,many are so good as for it to be unprecedented in the entire history of himankind.And too often there's most gorgeous pattern-welded material(each component of which is an engineering marvel in itself),such competence exhibited in welding it,finishing,et c.,and the entire object...A waste of time and material.A shape so divorced from any reality that only a persom who never whittled a stick,or never played outside as a kid in general,could've concieve of such an abortion. So yea,we're all learning to speak that language,and it's a long,hard trail.But very satisfying,even in the process,which makes it easier to bear the inevitable lumps...

Good job!So,what's the trick-what is the section of the working part supposed to be(ideally)?And how many turns are minimal?

Sounds sensible,Thomas,shock and impact resistance engineered for alloys. At the risk of sounding dumb:Why HT hot-work tools? Monty,mild is perfectly usable,but as stated-repeated,the durability is an issue.Mild will deform with each use,less if of a simpler form,but still some. Personally,i avoid production runs on principle,so it's often convenient and practical to make a tool out of mild,and later re-make it for next project.(That way all i make is "bespoke" )

I think that you do EXCELLENT work,Bryan.For one,a very the simple reason,:You're wise enough not to buckle to a temptation to use stock the size/shape. That alone will give your work the "right",the IRON, look,which is what looks good in ironwork(revolutionary thought,that). I never thanked you for your kind offer to join you at your shop sometime when i'm in town-Thank you,sir.Now,that i see what a great set-up you have,it's even more tempting.With what you have there,but,most importantly(!),with your good and sound taste of what needs to happen to iron at the forge,there isn't anything to stop you from producing some SUPERLATIVE work there!!! I'm extremely happy that you're in touch with Mark,he's a a Rock of metallurgical knowledge(and a prince of a man).The only trouble is that you'll probably be discouraged from using junk,after spending time around him,at least the less classy junk(i did buy a piece of a serious,industrial band-saw blade from him once.It was gorgeous,with the coolest corrosion pattern on it.(Mark absolutely led me unto temptation,though:I ended up letting him carve it out for me,then edge it,and HT,too(thugh he probably didn't need to,working cold with diamond-tipped tooling).When someone is THAT competent,why not let them do what they do so well?!). And it's a good thing,junk is cool,et c.,but that extra variable(s)...We have PLENTY to do even without it. I remember our conversation on another forum a couple years ago,about how potentially dangerous/unproductive it is learning stuff through the internet,how easy it is to just sit back,and after watching a video tell yourself:"I can do that",and other pitfalls.But you've obviously have made a great job of it,using this media MOST constructively,so you've my most sincere admiration for that. Beth,Michael,(and anyone else that may be interested,of course),i hope that you don't think that we wondered too far off the main,intangeble theme of this thread,with all this talk of axes.Here's something to tie it ALL together:(It's an exerpt from Raymond Sauvage MA thesis(Raymond is an archaeologist in Norway who recently joined us here at IFI,and most generously shared his dissertation on the subject of Axes,it just so happens (in Google translation(thanks,Luke)): "...Through the experience has been built up knowledge of raw materials, materials, tools and techniques (ibid.). Researchers have often termed this Chapter 1 Introduction 3 knowledge as "tacit knowledge". The philosopher Bengt Molander (1996:38) has stressed that knowledge of the practical work is not written down, but lies instead in the actions and implementation of the craft. Jon Bojer Godal (1996) have compared craft training to learn a language. The exercise of craftsmanship can be seen as a language expressed in terms of movement in space (ibid.). Young people are quick to learn the language, in the same way they quick to learn practical work through participation. Knowledge Transfer in crafts has taken place through joint ventures in which young people learn from the old (Godal 1996:11). Through long experience, tools, a practicing craftsman built up assessments and knowledge of various tools and methods. This is my starting point for interpreting the tools and processes that have taken place in the smithy. I have some practical experience with forging and using smiverktøy while I work through the task has been in contact with the smiths I have discussed the material with. First and foremost is the basis for the work smiverktøy and the methods and smiteknikk that can be read from the material. Much research on iron metallurgy and iron crafts are in Europe primarily studied metallurgical, technological and economic aspects of past crafts (Stenvik 2003:130, Barndon 2005:358). It has rained metallurgy as an independent technological fields, separated from cultural or social phenomenon, which has led to the human component has been sufficiently emphasized (Barndon 2001:47). Studies of technological actions in førmoderne society on the other hand, demonstrated that they are part of larger metaphors and contexts with many occur style rings around the actions and the people who have exercised the craft, as ritual practice, notions of magic, taboos and metaphors. In research on iron and iron are particularly etnoarkeologiske studies done that have iron technology into the larger contexts (cf. eg. Barndon 1992, 2001, 2005, Rijal 1998, Haaland 2004). This research makes it tempting to look for similar structures in iron technology and iron crafts in Norway in younger Iron Age and early Middle Ages. To shed light on the empirical source material and put it into a larger understanding the technology I use in the task tolkningsdel of sources that shed light on possible similar underlying structures and performances. I avail myself of etnoarkeologiske sources, but also ethnological studies of iron forging and machining in recent times. A third important category is mythological and religious history sources that can shed light on ideas and aspects associated with iron craftsmen. Chapter 1 Introduction 4..." See,what

Thank you,Bentiron,that IS one beautiful spear.I like the way that transition was decorated.That spot usually is very difficult to forge right,so,decorating it is most appropriate,and can cover-up some mishaps...Or,make it more difficult yet,depending on one's skill! Really nice close-ups,can see the striations,and the way the edge was welded...Good stuff!

Using chunks of an old axe is a good idea,they're probably some plain-ish,uncomplicated alloy,with enough C for an edge,almost certainly. Here's an idea,Bryan:Forge-weld a clump of chainsaw chain,leaving the pattern semi-recognisable,and blade an axe with that!(Not my idea,forgot where i've seen it).

Sorry,guys,the computer is acting VERY strange,didn't see your posts though refreshed the page few times. Bryan,it's really neat to have Thomas present here,with his sober wisdom.That's a really good point:Set up,and get good with a quench and break test.Possibly do a break on known stuff,and keep as sample(also for spark testing). I've never played with either strapping or saw blades.Of the latter,the band-saw blades,there's a snarl of about 300 pounds behind the house...(My buddy Vern,whose place this is,wasn't great about hauling stuff out.I'm still making charcoal from the milling cut-offs,and there are mounds left yet...).Some are,indeed,bi-metal,some-solid. Bryan,you may go talk to Mark Knapp at the "Cutting Edge",when in Fbks,he'd know about the bands,(many of which came from him to begin with,in town,as he deals in them,and re-sharpens,too).He,of course,is a knifemaker himself,and will tell you everything that you need to know. If the stuff of whatever use,i can probably use shears to cut you up a box-full.

Amasing man,Elmer Roush,what a neat site,really enjoyed looking through there.I'm sure that it's an honest mistake with the broad-axe,i doubt that many of these get ordered,so Elmer just hasn't noticed it yet(ought to send him a note). I really liked his carpenter,hewing hatchets,but not the wider stuff-broad,or bearder axe.The width,in my opinion,must be forged out of mass,not added as rolled stock.It looks off,and,surely,balances differently as well. But,my intolerance is legendary,and here is a maker of note,plying his trade,i'm sure that he knows his stuff:).