jake pogrebinsky

Cesare,i'd say that (1)Keep in mind that a forge weld is a function of reducing atmosphere,in a BIG part,bigger part than the temperature.That's why the old wisdom had one welding on a rising heat.Fresh fire,with lots of unconsumed C. (2)You need to also think of a weld in a mechanical way-each situation has it's mech.solution.As in the hot-shortness of W-1,simly figure out how to heat them(mild and HC)together,with the mild acting as the heat ballast,to keep all in balance. The usual way was to insert the HC into the fire at such a time that both the alloys reach the welding heat/state together.(Again,the STATE is inseparable part of the equation,sometimes white-hot whatever will not weld.It's not because it's "too hot"-that's just an expression meaning that you have an oxydising environment,you done burned all the carbon from the surrounding fire). And,last,but not least,if you have friends present during welding,it will be detrimental to all processes,including the b.s.session with the friend.At least,that's how it is for me...The steel is a jealous mistress! Best of luck,keep trying,Jake.

Thanks,Frosty,it's wise of you to put it all that way,and extremely tolerant.I've not much to say in my defense...Maybe it's sort of like this:The metallurgy,even the very basics,even the very primitive applied-in-the-forge basics,is VERY challenging,to say the least.Many struggle with it,myself,of course,included.The struggle can be conduvted in a way more,or less honest.I.e.,more or less actual effort invested in the attempt to comprehend,vs charging others with this responsibility,or,as it seems to me in this instance,to want to completely skip over the hard stuff into the (meaninglessly)complex. Maybe you guys are right,and snapping at a dreamer like that can potentially discourage some up and coming Giordano Bruno...Though,it seems to me,that old G.B.has paid his dues before indulging in some very far-fetched dreaming... That's what made me think in this way,is that someone who honestly tried to comprehend ye olde normalise/harden/draw routine(and,most importantly,the WHY of it all),wouldn't have asked that question,or would've phrased it differently. But,these are probably just excuses...I must be getting to be ill-tempered in my old age! I do apologise if i've tresspassed upon the common ethic of the forum here. All the very best,sincerely,Jake.

I must say that Jimmy's curtness is very well justified:In my opinion,you folks suffer the fools too gladly here(i include meself with the fools!).It serves very little educational purpose,and "it annoys the pig",besides. To preface something:"I don't know jack about N,but let's wag about it at great lengh anyway...",is,well... Micro-depositing of exotic alloys-carbides of Niobium,Berillium,and the like,IS done in the industry,consistently.It WOULD be quite interesting to hear about it from someone in the know. Even someone ignorant of the process,but sufficiently INTERESTED,can research something like this,and THEN report,would be cool.But,some WORK must be done,otherwise the spuriousness of it all just wastes the valuable time of the many attentive,thoughtful folks on here. Such is mine grumpy opinion,so there! Most respectfully,Jake

I don't "do" e-bay,but i have looked there once,and found some interesting stuff:Apparently,e-bay encourages people to volunteer expert articles on a particular subject. The one on axes,and the collecting of axes,i found very interesting,can highly recommend reading it. One of the things that particularly struck me is that there indeed are a lot of modern reproductions being passed off as antiques,many of them involving some very competent forging.I just thought it curious,that some of "us",the forging folk,are actually in the biz of faking artifacts! But the article,in my opinion,is very worth reading for it's historical information.Of course,the very point of it is to help people to differentiate between the real and the fake(very challenging,at times!).

Sorry,but,to be blunt, none of what you list makes the greatest sense:Even the poorest "quality(?)"axe will outlast an average owner,unless lost. Edge holding/wear resistence are not really a great way to deal with the axe issues.You may only end up with some "Buck"type phenomenon-unsharpenable,and too hard for shock absorbtionto begin with. Making a good axe to compete with existing manufacturies is VERY tough.Many who only shop at the box-stores are not even aware that many american axe makers are still in business.Look at the Madson catalog,or even Bailey's...Personally,as many axes that i've forged,i'd prefer to use a 1 3/4lb Collins,Boy's axe,for every kind of woodcraft.Last i looked it was just over $13,handle and all...One would be VERY unlikely to wear something like it out in a lifetime. Naturally,all this is strictly an opinion of THIS crazy man,and is rather questionable to begin with.But still,with the utmost respect,this is one project not worth overthinking... The very best of luck,Jake.

Likewise,Ma'am,i couldn't agree more.And,it doesn't take going back too many centuries(2-3?)before EVERY feature was hammer-created,because it was the FUNCTION of the specific forging process. In turn,that feature determined the action of the tool on the intended material. As a result of THAT,a style of shape for that material was determined,a carving style,or even the architecture of the entire period/region. ALL that was seriously interdependent.Iron,the mother of all the tooling,dictating the way in which the tools were used,by means of dictating to a smith how it itself wished to be forged. To drift away from that,into "fantasy",or succumb to some happenstance of found junk,or other un-reasoned deviation from this clear course,is simply inane. Life IS stranger,more interesting,more challenging than fiction.In particular when one's only developing as a craftsman(and when does one stop?). But i digress,as usual...By the way,none of the above is original,it was already old news in the 1860-ies,John Ruskin,William Morris,Roselli,Ashcroft...Nothing's new under the moon! Happy forging to everyone,cheers,Jake.

Aw,Charlotte,i'm embarassed...Thanks,but i do wish that i could express myself better.Naturally,addressing the "choir",that you obviously are,makes it so much easier to be understood,but others,not so experienced in the trade...I'm afraid that i make it quite obscure. My approach to iron forging stems from my RESPECT for this element,and the magic of it's interaction with our central nervous system.That gives me a starting point relative which something can be "right" or "wrong",and only that.There IS a scale of "rightness" in forging,and all of it is determined by the material itself.I beg pardon,as always,if it makes my take on it sound harsh,but my love of iron exceeds that of the pernicious principle of the political correctness,so please try to disregard those aspects that you,any one of you,may find offensive. Here's a good example of what i'd consider a "right" approach to forging a handled tool-head.I've much respect for it's author,he speaks clearly and concisely indeed,and really good photos,too. Even as a first,or close to it,project,this might make a very valid,and,eventually,rewarding,exercise:Making an Adze - Bladesmith's Forum Board Most respectfully,Jake

Personally,i'd have to say that it would NOT be a good first project. The "first" implies continuity,a gradual build-up of skills.Skipped/misunderstood/un-understood functions would just contribute so much less to the learner. Yes,as several posts above state,you can cowboy your way through.Some depends on how much of a masochist you are-do you learn well from disappointment?Pain?Loss of much preceeding hard work?If so-great! Blacksmithing was the machining of the past.A.Weygers used much machining in his techniques,like drilling holes to guide the drift,and the like(Read him,if you haven't yet).Machining is more logical than forging,easier to grasp cerebrally. Forging has a larger intuitive element,very like many martial arts-you try to allow innate response of your physiology to compensate for the lack of precize measurability,like shooting instinctively.That is why the practice,the rote,comes up often,and is so strongly recommended by many.You don't really try to learn about the certain karate move by reading about it on the internet... But even machining employed training by rote,like flat-filing,as an example.One's body/psyche has a magic ability to move the file in a perfect,flat and level plane.But,to access that ability,one must practice ad nauseum...Weygers' steamboat engineer's degree took him what,6 years to complete?Much of it was filing. But,it's all a set of choices.All the very best with yours!Cheers,Jake. P.S.Don't start with a spike.Poorly proportioned stock,of worthless metallurgical qualities,the product is technically useless(not enough mass in the eye),and butt-ugly to all but the proud creator.Naturally,all of the above is my own take on things(Who else's would i expound on?Thankfully,there are other views on this forum!).

I agree with what Mr Hale has said,EMPHATICALLY.All forging consists of a very few,really,operations,but it's best to learn them sequentially. A tutorial on making an object is only a guide to how to apply the skills already aquired,and practiced. Having said that,here's a link to a bunch of info on the subject,by one of my favorite makers:Yet another hawk important thing to keep in mind,is that it's not a recipe,but just some,partial logic,to help one to think about it all.Thinking,however,never produced any ironwork,it must come from practicing the technique. Best of luck,Jake.

P.S.The 400F,of course,can be reached in any household oven or toaster oven.Oxidation color-wise i suppose it'd correspond to blue/purple. All that,naturally,is contingent on the nature of the object that you're trying to make. Getting comfortable HT'ing 52100 is useful,as many bearings are made of it,and it's one of the most common scavengebles. http://www.suppliersonline.com/propertypages/52100.asp

Well,Charlotte,all steel likes as much precision as possible,but 52100 especially...It can be eyeballed,i do it all the time,but then again-i'm horrid about stuff like that. So,if you ask me,i'd say normalise(as many times as you've patience for),quench into waste oil from just above magnetic,temper several 1-2 hour cycles at,say,400F. Here's some more civilised info,though:Testing edge holding and toughness on 52100 - British Blades :: Custom Knife Making Best of luck,Jake.

Bonehead,the Alaskan Mammoth/Mastodon ivory is known world-wide for being of the poorest grade,very often.(It really is not that rare,or high-priced.If you guys are interested in it for knife scales,i'd recommend contacting Mark Knapp(not sure of his coordinates right now,Frosty?).He's an exellent knifemaker himself,and has been supplying great quality scales to folks for many years.). The weathered/oxidised layer that you seem to be struggling with is usually simply discarded,it's just too much to cope with.I have known a carver in the past that did use some of the delaminated layers for assorted jobs.Ivory is very porous,and simply soaked in oil,or heated in it,better yet,instantly becomes pliant and flexible.If you care to,in essence,encapsulate it in epoxy,or the like,it shouldn't be rocket science-the stuff will soak right in...None of the above will reassemble the delam,of course,so that you will need to restrain the chunk from coming apart. But none of these will make a piece of decent material,if that is desired,it can be obtained.It just need to originate from a tusk that is not so far gone. Best of luck to everyone with their projects,respectfully,Jake.

P.S.I'd like to add that personally,i find upsetting against the pressure of the vise jaws annoying.Just doesn't feel right.Maybe my jaws are wore out and uneven.But the time lost in clamping,and the diminishing hold as the cooling steel shrinks,turn me off. In my understanding,you,the knife-making folk,like to leave a certain thickness of the edge for subsequent HT and grind. So,i believe that that thickness,as determined by the bottom of the groove,should provide enogh resistance to upset against.I could easily be wrong in all of the above,however.

I'll crawl out on the limb here,as a NOT a knifemaker,and forgive me if i make an ass of meself... It seems to me that a solid block,3"-4",with a vertical saw-cut in it,will make a hardy hole bottom swage for the purpose.The depth of cut would equal the width of your blade,plus the amount intended for the upset.The slot for the blade can be forged to a wedge cross-section,to lessen the chance of peening the blade inside it,it can match the intended bevels on the blade. Coal should do fine in giving one a plenty localised heat,plus the swage will be a heat-sink,very handy in any upsetting,and upsetting in a swage is sweet. The top lips of the slot are radiused,of course,to the inside corners of the T. Charlotte is correct in that making something along these lines would only take very little time and effort.An abrasive radial saw-cut,if you've access to one of proper thickness,and then a slender,tapered punch to wedge the groove out a bit. All the best,Jake

Here's a type of an architectural detail that is not done much anymore.

Bigfootnampa-THANK YOU,that is most kind of you to give such a detailed,expanded answer.Crucially important,that-to pursue a purpose in toolmaking,that is the other half of the tool.Without taking in consideration it's counterpart,the material that the tool will be used on,the maker is in trouble-our design becomes sterile,the tool will be a poem that will never be read. That roughing out of which you speak is extremely important,that's when the wood first encounters the cutting edge,gets oriented the right way,it's the beginning of most woodworking-the wheelwright,the cooper,the clog maker(who was it that brought up the block knife design the other day?),they all begin with a good,often specialised axe.Examining old tools,and communicating with the woodworker is something that the blacksmith simply cannot live without.(Here read the "user" of the forged end product,be one an armourer,or whatnot.Otherwise one degenerates into the abstraction further and further,but i digress...). So,a fine,apple-seed section for the edge geometry,and the steel capable of taking,and maintaining a good edge,is what you value in a carving axe,roger that,thank you. The choke hold that you favor,do you think it has more to do with control in general?Would you still choke up on a hatchet of lesser weight? How would you specialise,if at all,a hatchet for predominantly the end-grain work? (Sorry about my "insat'ible curiosity"!Of course,please only answer what your time,and inclination allows for). I'd be extremely interested in seeing some of your broad axes/hatchets.(The holy grail for any axe-obsessed smith,of course,is the "goosewing".Why have the Moravians,and other Germanic folk got away from it?Would love to forge one,at least once...). Having asked a pile of questions must say that i've a week or so long up river trip coming up,so that i may vanish for a short while,but,i shall be back. Warmest regards,Jake.

Thanks for that reply,Black Maple Forge.Roger all that.I can only imagine what joy it must be to use,to shoot.Very cool,keep up the good work.Jake.

As a blacksmith,i like it lots(only the grindmarks are a little disappointing),neat little deal,right on! As an archer(which,alas,i'm not...):Does the irregular form have much effect on flight,or is it just fine,for the point,not to be perfectly concentric? Thanks for a glimpse,anyway,all the best,Jake.

Thank you,Charlotte,it's fascinating info.

Thank you,Frosty,all's well,and the flood never materialised here.Other villages weren't so lucky,there's only 2 cabins left in the whole of Stevens village,FEMA,the works... Likewise,i hope that all's well with you and yours,and that setting up of your new Golem is progressing smoothly!Take good care,Jake.

Here's an example of my stumbling around in the dark,trying to reinvent the wheel. After viewing that Norwegian data about the Nordhordland regional axes,i've used that design to build one for a friend,as a general use,woodsman's axe.Of course,the originals are all broad axes,with an insufficiency of mass of wood in the eye,meant to be used in a much gentler,more controlled,slicing motion. So,naturally,the handle broke all too soon. I've cut the poll in half with a hack saw,forged the remnants into the extentions of the side pieces,and welded in another,wider,poll.The volume inside the eye is now almost twice of the previous. Just in case someone is puzzled by the design,it's basically 4 pieces:Poll,bit,and the two sides.Just like a box.The body on this is wrought,the bit is leafspring.

Thanks all you guys and gals for your kind responses.I've only just noticed all this. Bigfootnampa,may i ask if by Swiss you mean the type,or a certain brand?Pfeil,maybe?(the only ones that i'm slightly familiar with).If you've time,would you mind going into some particulars on the carving with a hatchet,such as weight,lengh,balance,blade radius,and the like? In general,personally,i find the axe design an EXTREMELY challenging subject.Anyone,any thoughts on the process of coming up with a properly proportioned tool?Much discussion as to the construction particulars,but it's rare that the function of the tool is discussed. Bill,thanks,that Gransfors Sweedish carving axe is a fascinating tool.BOTTOM corner forward,out of all things!Unfortunately,never had a chance to actually heft one,have you? Thanks again,good forging to all!Jake.

My sympathy,and i couldn't put it better than Frosty has,in the post above.(All but the computer part:I'm very divided on the issue,and the old saying keeps nagging at my mind(not sure of authorship):"The energy goes out of one's mouth,or,out of one's hands;there's rarely enough for both.") To add to all the many things already mentioned by all(unless i missed it),i'd say that the engraving and the inlay of non-ferrous metals into ferrous is an amazing range of skills to learn.But,more like 2 lifetimes,than 2 months!And,of course,if you like that sort of thing.But,if you do,then the making of the tooling alone is a fascinating business,and 99% strategy,vs force(as,arguably,all forging,or even maybe all trades!). The very best wishes,get well soon.Jake.

Very much so,sir.The scale and the complexity both are staggering.Many jams simultaneously along the 2000-some miles of river,each affecting the others,by controlling the volume of water passing.And since the substance of the jams is ice,all's drastically affected by air temp,say,and many other things that change the ice structurally. For more than 24 hours it's all jammed above here,no ice coming down.It just jammed below too,and the water's rising.Sooner or later the stuff above will come by here.It can be a mellow ice flow,or a vertical wall tens of feet high,wider than the valley here by ?... About 500 miles above here is a section called the Flats,hundred some miles long,where the avg.width of the Yukon is 20 miles.So,there's a serious volume of ice above,almost inconcievable!

Thanks,Mike,for going into such detail on this,really appreciate it.Old work has all sorts of incredible information,it's great to hear someone who had exposure to much of it.