Dodge

Welcome to IFI. Nice start, Egg. I like the one (further in you Bucket) with the hooked beak. Looks like you also got a couple knives that show promise too :)

Jack 'o' forge! Now there's a concept :D Speaking of no shell, next forge I build is for a friend; using lathe screening for "shell" for wool with inside coated nicely with refractory mortar. May coat outside too but maybe not. As you say Thomas, The forge just needs a way to hold its shape. 2" of wool is sufficient that, save for the burner inlet, I almost think a cardboard tube would work in a pinch (Don't try this at home ;) ) My freon tank gets too hot to handle for long bare handed but I don't think paper would burn on contact....

Pictures! Pics are required after such an announcement :D

My only concern with using a garden pail is its shape. The tapered shape may make a uniformly shaped forge chamber difficult.

Very cool, ausfire. I may have to re evaluate the contents of my broken-tool bin :)

I watched both vids. They make it look ridiculously simple; Especially the Russian! :) I made my table adjustable albeit wished I made it deeper. Now just 2" wide x 18"... Anyway, I also made a similar jig. I immediately was able to make scrap pieces with identical grinder marks on both sides. :ph34r:

very nice. What steels did you use for the blade?

I wish I could draw well enough to get paid for it. I would have drawn for a living instead of weld. :P However, I just do sketches that I use as tools; much like a blueprint. I don't charge extra for the use of tools because I don't throw the tools in with the job. Nor do throw in the sketches or BPs that I could use again on the next similar job...

Pictures? :)

I would get a higher rated insulation, but yes, the refractory cement will protect the the insulation for the most part. I built 2 forges with ceramic insulating blanket covered by a somewhat thin layer of refractory mortar (cement;mortar/ potato;patahto) The stuff I used, AP Green's Greenpatch 421, is rated for 3200ºf and I put it over the wool which I believe is rated fro 2600º or 2700º in 2 layers totaling maybe a 1/4". One for is a naturally aspirated 1" burner freon tank forge and the other, a 1.25" forced air in a 15" x 10" dia tube type. both will weld and the blown forge will even burn steel. They get plenty hot and the insulation seems to be holding up fine after several years use.

Never done either, but I am imagining that an angle could be provoked from many of the same moves as forging a humming bird; just don't make the beak so long (tongue-in-cheek icosmiley inserted here) Google Bill Epps' tutes on forging birds and animals and such. Instead of the tail being forged at the end of the body, it could simply become the angels robes and the wings could be, well, her wings :) Imagination is the blacksmiths most important tool IMHO

Bad form, Haz. Bad form :( The problem of using photo host links is you have to keep the photo there forever. Move it and we can't see it anymore. Uploaded from gallery or your PC and a copy is kept on the site forever. No maintenance required on your part :)

Another beauty, Darren. I am beginning to expect a certain degree of quality when I see a new post from you, and you have failed to disappoint. Thank you for sharing, again.

Looks like a fun diversion you got going there. Keep up the progress and welcome to IFI. There actually is a an Intro section (General Discussion section titled Introduce Yourself) but due to the nature of your post (knives) it fits well here as well. While you mentioned your location in your op, if you fill out your profile with you location and you might be surprised to find the number of folks nearby with similar interests. Scott

Copies have been made of art since probably the beginning of, well art. You can pay homage to another artist (blacksmith) as Thomas eluded above; using elements that they are known for. And if you are really good, make an exact copy of their work. The key is to give that artist(smith) credit for their work. If you copied, say so. If you are inspired enough to develop a design solely on the idea of another, say so. As someone has already suggested, this is the information age, If you put something up, and don't copyright it, plan on it being copied. Hope you get credit. If you copy, give credit where credit is due. I think the later is most common, however. As my mother used to say "There is nothing new under the sun" and I'm sure that phrase was not her original idea :D My 2¢, Scott

Ooh-Rah!

Thank you Beth, Ian Ian: Hopefully not as long as the first two. :D

That is fantastic, HW! I would have loved to have been there for that. Thank you so much for taking the time to share. Scott

Thank you, guys. -_- Working on the sheath in between Honey-doos ;) Design is the hard part currently. Two piece? Wrap around? Simple belt loop? Belt slots? ALICE, MOLLE, ILBE fasteners? Eyelets or rivets? The choices are overwhelming :wacko: Scott

That was the sheath/scabbard, right? I actually meant the micarta handle material...

HW, Fine looking anvil you resurrected there! You mention re-hardening it in the OP. Could you expand on that a bit? I made an anvil (CNC flame cut from 4" plate) from mild steel. Its actually cor-ten just because it was the material we were running at the time but mild steel all the same. I use it as is and performs pretty decent for mild steel, but have always thought about a tool steel face. I have considered welding up with hardface rod or the like but the idea of all of that grinding makes me shudder even as I type. I did enough grinding as a welder ;) The method you used seem doable however, but there is still the hardening process to be dealt with. I don't imagine it was hot enough to just quench when you were done welding, was it? Thanks Scott

Got all the way up to 2º f this afternoon. Warm front coming through tonight. Could be as high as 7 in the morning

Neat looking piece, Steve. You make the micarta or buy from supplier?

I used die springs (I think they were 6" long) end to end. They are held in place with a through rod of high carbon unhardened steel. This isn't them, of course but the ones I used are the same dimension in diameter

I am not sure why you would assume this. I have also seen hammers' anvils made from train car axle. The big heavy (5", 6" diameter?) shaft the wheels are attached to. Makes, IMHO, the finest solid anvil. Its heavy (much heavier than rail), its round, and good quality steel. They are available (as one suggested) at railroad shops as they are routinely changed out as necessary and sold as scrap. I've even seen it turned into sculpture (Probably not done on a home made hammer LOL) OTOH, I could be completely wrong but as Rich Hale pointed out, the OP hasn't been back in 2 years to confirm or deny ;)