dimag

I've made mine out of 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 round and square mostly mild steel but some out of truck coil springs.I'm not a precise kind of guy so my straight lengths are not likely to be even.I have made them with the gap in the corner and with the gap in the middle of the bottom part of the triangle.All of the mild steel ones I heated the corners up to critical and quenched.They ring well.I have in the past found that the best ones [for ring] were the ones I heated up to critical and winged out the door into a 2' snowdrift with the ambient temp being around -20C.Those ones rang like church bells.Not sure if there is a scientific reason for that or not.Worked for me.:)

I also used a wire brush on a bench grinder,similar results to most folks.Little perforations everywhere.I bought a butchers brush,which works very well and mine has also lived a long time,9 years so far.I still used the grinder with a brush until I went to visit the aforementioned Mr. Epps.It took little or no effort to convince me to get a sander polisher with a cup brush.

Prior to injuring my hand,I never wore a glove on my hammer hand and only occasionally on other hand.One of the factors that created the accident was my glove getting caught in the screen on the top of a plow truck. Now I use a glove of the winter variety on my hammer hand as a cushion, it extends the time that I can swing a hammer.Still only occasionally on my left hand,never with tongs.

I have rain water in my slack tub.Well, part of the year,the other part of the year it is definitely hard water.I gather it by putting my slack tub right under the leak in the roof.

6010 and 6011 have worked for me.I have had less success with 70XX rod.Clean metal is important and post weld,work the metal hot,near forge welding temp.The last part is important,as I found out.I was told that by both Bill Epps and Jock Dempsey.Hey why would I listen to those 2 guys?.Turns out it cracks and even breaks if ya work it too cold. As for the "tradition".I have noticed that blacksmiths tend to be forward thinking people,problem solvers.My guess is if the smiths of old could have replaced a mule powered board drop for an electric driven one,they would have.If they had access to propane they would have used it.An arc welder is just another tool [mmm tools,I love tools].Whatever it takes to get the job done.