Nobody Special

I was going to mention the exothermic properties, but someone already mentioned it. I might also add that purchasing the stronger varieties of Hydrogen Peroxide will get the attention of three letter agencies, as it has certain umm...ilicit uses, which is as much as I will say on the matter.

A goat chariot? Like Odin's Wain? For awhile I played around with friction folders from half horseshoes. Very popular with horsey people. Cut in half and forge the cut end to look rounded like the other. You have to grind or file down the insides before bending though, or they end up way too clunky. Lot of fun, no wooden scales or such, so very little fit and finish.

Good evening, In Missouri, typically around $3 to $4 a lb if in good shape. I have enough anvils that I can afford to wait for the bargains to appear. Hay Buddens seem to me to perform slightly better, (i.e. slightly more rebound and move the metal a tiny bit faster) but ring louder, and the PW anvils I've had/played on have done just fine. Peter Wrights used to be one of the most common imported English anvils. If as you say, it's ringing like a bell, you may want to fasten it down, wrap some chain around it, and maybe put a cow magnet under the heel. A loose anvil makes my tinnitus ring like Quasimodo swinging around Notre Dame.

Out of curiosity, what are you attempting to make? If this had been thinner sheet, I would have said use a wooden stump, but not at 3/8".

I've found that it works well on most rust, but it's not magic. Anything I can't get off in a full day of soaking or less, I hit with the wire brush or try another method. Works pretty well with the addition of that. Also, don't you just love that sulphurous smell that you get with iron and vinegar? Heavier stuff you can also try molasses. Get the cheap, industrial stuff from the Feed Store or some such. I thought my leg was being pulled the first time I heard it. For files, I like muriatic, but much shorter times, and you have to give a rinse after with some baking soda.

I'm with Marc, wire brush with a non-knotted brush, although I prefer to rub the side with baby powder or corn starch instead of chalk. It fills any depressions rather than highlighting them, but it seems to work better to me. Are you sure that's a weld plug? Fairly common for some India Delta 10 Tango to drop scrap in and get it wedged, or break something off in one. They can get wedged in good, and even rust in place. Sometimes you can knock whatever it is back out. Be judicious, no point breaking a heel.

Evening, looks like a load of fun. Was wondering though, most of the ones I've seen have had the handles mounted evenly, either center of the hammer, or towards the rear like a dogface. Why did ya'll offset the handles one slightly in front of the other, and does it affect the use? Feels like it would make it more difficult to swing in unison, but I haven't tried it. Either way, you've made something cool. Also, almost every video or pick I've seen of these has been for forging large chain. Aside from being huge and heavy, anyone know why this would work better for that application?

And then I say that and find some just like on Google. Dang it.

Yah, would think they wouldn't have been made for hot work with those teeth, no idea what it's for. The nail clinchers I had had one flat jaw with teeth and one that curved up in a "C".

Dang it, missed the post, but I may be down there again at some point. We don't have anybody working the area. If I do, I will absolutely throw a pm your way...BEFORE I travel. Thank you, and sorry I missed it.

Waste good daikon radish on bluing? I mean, I love metal, but waste potential Korean carrot and daikon? Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope.

Anvils are expensive in the NW, but for that? I would strongly consider a new anvil first. But while we're yaking, I'm on Whidbey Island, and was thinking of starting a " generally North of Seattle" blacksmithing group. Would you be interested if I get any further? Or if there's one I don't know about, I'd love to join. I'm thinking everywhere from Everett to Lynden. I know there's a couple of other smiths on the island, and there' got to be a mess of wannabes in Bellingham.

Hola, so you have a ridgidizer and a coating? Breathing friable kaowool sucks. You also want a drain in your furnace so if you have crucible failure the metal goes out the bottom. Always be prepared for crucible failure at any point in the process. Cans are a lot more work than they're worth. Thin cross section so lots of surface area, meaning lots of slag from oxides. For aluminum, I liked to drag home car parts from the junkyard. Busted transmissions have a loooooot of aluminum, although you have to break up large pieces first. Some of my earliest castings started life as aluminum piston heads.

Small, fast, and cheap? I like icicle Christmas tree ornaments. Light square stock, put a point on both ends, twist, close one end into a pigtail or a loop. You want them to be fairly light, so the stock should be fairly small. If you wanted to save time, I suppose you could twist a long piece, then cut, and put your points on after, but I've usually done them one at a time. The finish takes longer than the forging. Look good brass brushed too. Also, make sure the loop is centered so the icicles don't lean.

TSP will break it down if it's too strong or goes too long, the artificial stuff they're selling as a replacement at the paint stores seems to work fairly well. I wasn't using it on horn though, it was cow femur, and really, I was trying to get the grease out of the middle where the marrow was, rather than bleach it.