Eddie Mullins

There has been some discussion in one of my other threads about the benefits of having a small items to giveaway. In particular when going to shops as you are making introductions and searching for sources of free / cheap scrap items. Having a small giveaway or sample item could have other potential uses or benefits depending on the situation. I'd like to start keeping a few things with me to use as needed. Bottle openers are an obvious easy an inexpensive item to help "break the ice" and give others a sample of a forged item. I thought a small split cross might be good (maybe something for the office secretary), but these do take me a little time to produce. What are some other ideas of potential giveaway or small sample items that might make for some good PR (or maybe lead to a sell $ if thats your goal)?

Black Frog - a little bottle opener or something small like that I can keep in the truck is a good idea. Pretty good way to break the ice on a cold call. I stopped by a truck shop Tuesday, they didn't have anything but were nice and said to check back, and asked me if I had a card. I told them no it was just a hobby for me. Back when I was more active with hunting events with my dogs, I actually had some cheap (Vistaprint) business cards made up just so when I met new guys it was easy to give them my contact info to keep in touch. I might do the same for this as well. Frosty - your probably spot on again with gifting the secretary, not sure she'd be too impressed with a bottle opener, maybe a small split cross? I think I'm gonna make up some different "smalls" to keep in the truck, it'll give me practice and be cheap price for good scrap sources.

I've seen a few posts on here regarding electrolysis but had to share my success story. I built a tank recently and have been pleased with the results. I got to forge with a Smith here Monday and asked him if he had anything I could clean up for him. He had a blower which after soaking in many different things as well as other methods over the last 3 years, had been unable to free it up. After the first night I was able to rotate it with a little force, next day little more rotation with some channel locks, few squirts from a spray teflon lube and you can turn it with your finger tips. Feels good to have played a role in bringing this blower back to a useful life. The process is pretty simple and inexpensive, if you haven't given it a try, you should. I know all of you have or know where some rusted tools or steel is : ) .

Thanks guys. I have the 4140 in hand. Making some trial runs with A36 to get the forging to shape process some practice first. I hope to be making tools out of the 4140 this weekend.

Clodbuster - your post is exactly the process I was referring to. Thanks for the correct term "router sled", I'll be sure to bookmark this time.

Not to side track the thread, as I have not done this myself, by as I was searching for what type of base I would use I found some information about stumps/logs. I don't recall the link or site, but found some info on using a frame and router the level the top and also the bottom. What I found interesting and have only seen in that particular instruction, was to rout out three wide feet on the bottom of the stump rather than keeping the full face. The explanation was that on floors that were not perectly level this would help with the stability of the stump. Seemed to make perfect since to me as the 3 leg design for bases or stands is well proven. I ended up building my stand from wood, but if I find the right stump or log for the right price, I would like to change it out and will give the feet a try.

dcraven - thanks for the reply and links. Your links lead me to a couple of others. http://www.steelforge.com/alloys/?alloy=4140 this has some good general info on steels, tempering, etc. Great reading for me, would like even more. and http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/10211-slitter-geometry/?hl=+slitter%20+brian one of the best threads I have read on here. I have called the local steel yard and they do carry 4140. Its $20 for a 12 ft stick of 5/8" round bar. I figure I can get about 20 +/- chisels/slitters/punchers from it, so about $1 each, and I can get it today without wasting gas money : ) . I think I have a decent understanding of the whole HT process, but thats gonna be a learning curve also.

One other thought. I have a Habor Freight local. What about repurposing a HF punch and chisle set like this one http://www.harborfreight.com/12-piece-industrial-punch-and-chisel-set-4885.html . If I cut some of the larger ones in half and used a handle I could get about 20 chisels/puches for $10. Can these be forged and reshaped?

Lots of good ideas here, including some doughnuts : ) . I hadn't looked on ebay, but wouldn't have known which type to look for really. The shops , I need to figure outs whats here and get the time to go visit them. I have found a truck salvage that reportedly scraps some springs if not suitable for resale, but I haven't had any luck with them having any on hand when asked. Stripping the junker truck - pretty resourceful. Garage door, machine shops, rails, all more to add to the list. I'm sure over time I'll build the local network. 4140 seems to be the most commonly reccomended steel for my application. I have seen 4140 listed as annealed or hardened. Do I want annealed since I need to shape it still, and then harden myself once done? S7 I am assuming is just to hard for me to learn on or to forge by hand. W1 could work, but O1 I should avoid (also too hard?). 5160 ok. 1045 no good? why? H13? Like I mentioned in the initial post, if theres info here or elsewhere the types of steel, what its suited for, how to heat treat, etc, I would realy like to read and learn more if you can point me in the right direction. I know ya'll don't like repeating yourselves, and I don't blame you, so if I'm missing it, I'm sorry. I just seem to only find tid bits of info here and there (more in this thread so far that I have seen in one spot). If you have links would be great.

Charles - I am in North East AR, I have joined the sate org, met a couple of local guys and a local full time smith. Scrap yards here just aren't quite what they seem to be by reading others posts on here. I am trying to build a network of sources, but it takes time, especially if you can't make it to the shops during their business hours. You have suggested a couple different places I can look into. I have hit some flea mkts, picked up monkey wrenches, vice grips, pliers, but no tool material yet. I am going to keep looking, but ready to get material yesterday LOL. There is a local steel yard here I hve bought mild steel from, but I don't know if they carry other types. If they do, I'd like to know which type to get or ask for. Solano - McMasterCarr is one of the suppliers I am considering if I order. I agree, I consider my fuel costs running around all over for the chance to get materials as part of the cost. I'm ready to make tools already : ) .

Andrew - I was hoping to do just what you suggested, but only 1 yard in the area will sell to public, and with my work schedule, I'm just not able to make it there very often. I have been once, I got some other materials, but no coil springs, and it seem to be a bit of a hassle on their part. I'm going to keep trying and looking locally, but would like to get something soon to tide me over, I run short on patience some times : ) , and I need the tools for some of the things I'd like to do.

I am building my tool collection and am needing punches, drifts, chisels, etc. I had hope to locate some springs to make them, but not having much luck so would like to purchase steel to make them. I have to admit I am bit confused by all of the types out there. For example, I have seen 4140 listed here as a good choice for my application, but this is not listed as a tool steel from suppliers, such as W1 is. Do I actually need "tool" steel? I'm sure the info is here some where, but I've found little, or at least little with the clarity or direction I need at this point. So which steel type should I be looking to buy? or if you can point me to the info I could read on my own, I would be glad to so, as I want to understand more about the different types also. If you have a supplier recommendation that would be great also.

Very nice. I don't fancy myself as anything near a knife maker, but have hammered out a couple of knife shaped objects out of mild steel. These were done just as simple projects to develop my smithing skills while I am learning, and find I quite enjoy it. I plan to aquire more suitable material to make more, however, I rarely ever carry a fixed blade knife, always folder. I may never make one the same caalliber as yours, but a functional daily carry folder is on my list of hopeful projects.

I will agree with the "death grip" and "ill fitting" issues being a contributor. My focus being on my hammer hand, I think my off hand has been given secondary priority, and it shouldn't. Being new to smithing, my tong collection is small, but growing. A side effect of that is that I don't have the best fitting tongs for each task, and I have probably been griping too tightly uncesarily as well. It would seem to me that a springer rein, but still providing adequate gripping on the stock, and properly fitted to the stock is best. I know I need to make tongs better suited to larger stock so that a wide, more open grip is not required. I can also related to the concept of the tongs when clipped to a piece acting like an extended bar. Working alone I find myself looking for ways to complete tasks with just my two hands, this often requires some ingenuity. I think having a ring on the tongs could be useful from this aspect as well.

The Biomechanics thread and this post below in particular has me pondering the use of tong rings to hold the tongs closed. I'm a newb, and with the injury to my dominant arm, haven't thought or focused a lot about what I am doing with or to my off hand, but I can relate to the post below. I have noted some discomfort in my left hand after using tongs for an extended period. I try to avoid using tongs when possible, just seems more natural and efficient to me, but I had not given rings much thought, mainly because I haven't been exposed to them. The vast majority of the tongs I have seen to date, did not use any rings. I can definitely see benefits though, and not just from an ergonomic standpoint. Just curious how common they are and who uses them, and what some of the benefits other than ergonimics might be. Or what are the drawbacks to them? I think I'll make some with, or a ring that I can use with current to judge for myself, but would like your thoughts also.

My jet cooker is a Bayou Classic.

duplicate post - sorry

Very good reading here. I am 40, new to smithing, but come with a pre-existing injury to my right elbow (dominant hand). I hope to be able to forge for many years to come so the use of the best technique is certainly important in my case. I am using hammers 3 lbs and under, and trying my best to use a relaxed grip. I started out with a 3 lb cross pein I found to be too heavy, and purchased a 2 lb crossed pein I like quite well. I later modified the 3lb hammer ( http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/32975-customized-8-hammer-project/#entry335783 ) and its a little lighter and more balanced now. I am begining to find I prefer using it when needing to move more metal as it requires fewer strikes to achieve the same results.

The hammer face is holdig up well. It was noticably harder after the HT. When first cut and ground, the was no bounce, after HT, a nice rebound and seems quite durable thus far. I don't have accurate scales to give you the weight, I would guess it to be between 2.5 and 2.75 lbs. I think the removal of the length helped with the balance to me. As far as the handle is concerned, I may have to disagree. I don't have large hands, but I find I like smaller handles becuase I like to have a light grip on the handle. As mentioned above, the more I use it, the more I like it. It moves metal well. I wasn't sure about the the larger pein profile for some tasks, but I actually found it to be functional for leafing as well as drawing. Oh, I have also just reground the face of another hammer, a HF 2.5lb hammer, I think sold as a rock hammer. I rounded one of the faces, similar to what I did to the 2 lb engineering hammer. It does quite well now also. Haven't made up my mind on the stuby handle though. I'll try to post a pic later on.

I agree for the price if it works, it would be worth it to me rather than making one. I think the 7 psi regulator on my other cooker should be about right for it. Not quite sure how to mount it?

Very nice mod. I haven't used a diagonal pein yet, but at $6-8 for HF hammers, I plan to mod a few more hammers and I may add a daigonal. I thought it was neat that your mod was for a knife build, I actually made a "knife" today out of 1/2" mild round stock today with the HF's hammers I have now. The more I use the mod cross pein the more I like it. I don't think this "knife" is too bad for my 1st solo attempt, and it was even better to me doing with hammers I modded to suite me.

Well - there's probably some problem I don't know enough to recognize yet, and I need to cut some brick to make the form a little better, but, I got 1/2 square stock to a yellow heat with not preheat of the staked brick forge, and it just took a couple minutes.

I'm new to smithing and building my tool collection. Not quite at the point yet of spending top $ on a high quality hammer, as I just don't quite know what I want. I purchased a $8 3 lb cross pein hammer from Harbor Freight and didn't really like the weight and feel so made some tweaks to it. Here's what I started with. After cutting off about 3/4 " on both ends After regrinding, HT and temper Here it is in my main line up, Vaugn 2 lb cross pein on left, the moded HF cross pein center, and on the right another hammer I customized, and perhaps my favorite, a 2 lb HF engineering hammer that I reground one face to make it round. My 2 HF mods function much better now, with little expense and just a little effort.

Here is a shot of the flame from the side. The flame is about 24 inches high. And a pic of the burner.

Thats terrible. Angle grinders are definitely worthy of your respect.