Nobody Special

Hi, my version of a blueprint. Not much but it's mine. Pic runs the gamut from coilspring (on the horn) to finished product. (left to right). Yes you've seen the handled one before. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38308-screwdriver-bp/ Take coilspring and cut off a length. Anneal, or if you're feeling really antsy, normalize, but let's face it. Used coil spring tends to crack, so I'd anneal first, and you'll still lose a few. Square it off, fuller down to about 1/4 to 3/8 inch. Put a chisel point on one end, thin profile works better. Cut to desired length. I like about 7 inches or so, but it'll work pretty much between 4 to 9 inches. put a tang on the other end. Long skinny square taper for burnt in, like mine. If ya want rivetted, well flatten it and go with that. Now the fun part. Put desired twists in. I like a reverse near the tip, and one wide spaced long twist above it. But variety is the spice of life..... For phillips heads, you can forge or grind in a triangle tip. Straighten as needed with a wooden mallet on a stump. Harden the business end and temper. IMPORTANT! You can go from straw to blue, but if you don't harden, it'll round out over time and start to slip unless reground. Clean on the wire wheel. Make a handle as desired, predrill with a small hole and heat the tang, and push into the hole. It might take two or three times, but get it straight! You don't get a second chance. I haven't tried it with horn, but I bet it would look awesome. In wood, ya can always burn in your touchmark or logo. Finish as desired, I like linseed oil. Fun, classes up your tools a bit, and doesn't take long at all. It would probably be a good project for beginners too. Good luck!

Well, bronze made with lead and little to no tin might not be healthy, but it wasn't exactly unheard of either in antiquity. (It's a lot more soft and ductile) Arsenic was also used, but you know, being poisonous and all........maybe not such a good idea. As with any non-ferrous work, always take maximum effort to avoid metal poisoning/toxicity. Basically, the white metals tend to get found close together, and people weren't always terribly discerning. If you're just going for look pretty, could try architectural bronze, which i like to think of as extreme brass. Around 60 percent copper, balance in that wonderfully dangerous zinc. Maybe a little lead for fun. Tin is getting constantly rarer. According to the wikipedia it's gonna be extinct in the wild in 20-40 yrs. Recycled tin only after that!

I'm not sure about architectural, but try the American Natural History site. http://anthro.amnh.org/asia It's not all specifically about iron, but it has numerous iron artifacts. Just use their search bar to type in what you're looking for (such as hook, axe, etc) You can also look at artifacts in other parts of the world at http://anthro.amnh.org . I'd highly recommend their African collection as a good way to get lost for an afternoon. (and a well deserved shout out for this goes to the original ifi forum that clued me in a few months ago, )

And the world gets a little darker every day.....sigh. Comment posted on the tube of u's.

Why were you carrying planishing tools on your bicycle?

Flipped a tuyere screen on end and melted part of it once (actually, I do that part about once a year), and by the time I caught it, coals had dropped in and took the tuyere pipe to a yellow heat, (brake disc firepot only just got to red in middle). Coulda put a hole in it if it had gone much further.

Zipties leave less evidence than rope.........

Depends on a number of things, the size of the stock, size of the letter, how dedicated you are to those right angles, (which would take upsetting if ya want them clean), etc. If you can cheat a little on the corners, it's not too hard. If it's exact, plan ahead and practice with plastilina if ya need to.

Bevel's wrong for a watermelon roaster. Duh. Obviously for cantelope.

Hundredweight. Posted at 1 0 3 (115 lbs). Weighs 112 now, but may have been off originally, or just the years.

Some people get all the good jobs........ I think I follow most of the argument. (which worries me slightly, what have I become?) Doi you have, or could you take any pictures to help explain dishing and tension?

Also, listened to it yesterday. 'bout five different versions of it. Catchy tune. :D

Sounds like a good idea, does anyone have contact information (in a pm) or can he be reached at the anvils in america website? I found some "Henry Wrights" on IFI that look a little similar, especially the steep climb to the heel in the back and the oddball handling hole on the foot, but still doesn't seem like a perfect match.

First join a group, or at least attend some meetings, you'll make contacts and be able to see if ya like it. If you're in a hurry to hit hot metal, you can build a 55 forge (plans in forums) in maybe 2 hours flat with a little pipe, a brake drum and a 55 gallon drum. Short term makeshift anvils may include rr track, sledgehammer heads, large rocks (with eyepro and cautions, splinters!!!), or big chunks of scrap steel. Lump charcoal might be the easiest fuel to start with (not briquettes). Pliers and channel locks with the teeth on the end ground down will get ya started as tongs, but you'll want the real deal soon. Safety gear is a must. Eye protection, leather (only) gloves, i'm a little lax about hearing protection, but you might want to not be deaf at 30. Wear closed toe shoes, and clothing made from natural fibers like cotton. (no shorts!) And finally, read read read! Forums here are great resources, but you can also pick up a copy of The Blackyard Blacksmith, The Art of Blacksmithing, or any number of good books for beginners. Welcome and good luck!

'> Don't know about as a blacksmithing tool, but there's a prybar sometimes called a pigs foot. It's got a rounded end on it that looks like, well, a pig's foot. You can see a similar end on some of these.

You want a fun variant on this theme, try reading about korean fan death. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_death My korean language teacher at DLI used to swear that they'd chop up the air too fine to breathe oxygen and you'd asphixiate.

Didn't post the bottom I realized. Large "hourglass" shaped depression that takes almost the whole bottom up to the edges, and another handling hole in the middle. Another odd feature, the handling holes aren't purely square, they taper somewhat on the way in!

http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38299-na9/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38295-na5/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38296-na6/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38297-na7/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38298-na8/ Great rebound, got it for fixing a riding lawnmower. Lady's grandfather was a blacksmith in Dallas, Ga. She realized it's value, so now I have to help clean out old barn/garage stuff (only maybe half of which is wrought iron!!!) Every once in awhile, something just plain makes up for the bad days. :P

Picked up a new to me anvil today, can someone with the reference books please help? Is this a peter wright? Markings are long gone except for the serial numbers 25663 and (7?)34 and a double stamping of England. Also has a funky little hole in front foot below mousehole and a tapered in the middle hardy. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38291-na1/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38292-na2/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38293-na3/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38294-na4/