Dayne

six months ago I heard about railroad spike knives. I made one on a cheap anvil from princess auto. And before I knew it there was a forge and a while shop required !:) used applewood for the handle. Since the pics though I broke the handle and one sure it was cause the tangs wasn't square so the wood saw too many forces. Got its all flattened out and gonna replace it with jatoba

I used a cutter to make a slit.... And I home made hit chisel for part off it then a railroad spike for some more then finally the biggest chisel I have. Definetly angular. I've just come into some spring steel I've heard make good tools. I may just but some fresh stuff though from a local dealer and make a proper drift and other things. Getting started is always the hardest. :)

So I started this last night and I think I may need to make drift that would best open the hole properly. But other than that I've learned a few new techniques and have found this one a little "easier"
I started the blade first like a rookie and had a friend helping hold tools so my eye didn't stay straight either. I was curious about a bickerns horn and if maybe that would help the process at all.

Also, I tried forge welding a piece of flattened rebar. Got it on my second try. Not all the surface area but enough that I tried putting a chisel into the seem and the edges folded rather than splitting so I guess it worked. I'm gonna try a few more times with a longer seam until I'm better

Excited to hear what you think

I'm a rookie so maybe this is easier said than done but would there be a way to start with a cube of steel, haft would run down through the "top and bottom" corners leaving the other four corners around the edges to be drawn out. Like i said though, I'm not sure really how to do this but if i had to that's what id try

Yeah she's pretty crafty. Ill extend the comments her way . I've worked a bit with leather as well so were hoping to make some mixed armor peices and things to go with all the old world items I keep creating. There'll be more pics to come. I'm gonna try welding some scrap this weekend after I make a big round swage and a flatter.

Maybe two months into my exciting new hobby! I can't seem to get enough so I'm gonna stick with it. Ay advice on welding.

Hey thanks!!! I'll try out some carnauba I find in Calgary here next time. Trying to be a sponge right now and soak all the info I can. I'm stoked (haha stoked for smithing) about a weekend course I'm to take from a local bs here who has been going since '85. So again I welcome all criticism.

It's an old hammer so maybe 1085 or 95? I'm just going by the scientific steelworker. It could be crap. Lol all I know it's super sharp and only time and use will lemme know. I've heard mixed things about spark testing, I'd be willing to try for an idea but I'm no good enough yet to even consider buying good steel for things I make in a buddy's backyard! :) maybe later

My gf had made a little chunk of scale mail so I wrapped it on there. It won't stay like that but it looks nice. I ground it a little and covered it all in olive oil.
Beeswax is I guess the thing to use....

So I'm very new to this and have made a few flattened rr spikes you could call knives and I'm into every possible criticism harsh or otherwise :)

I have made my first axe from a 28-32 oz ball pene and put it on maple I got from a local stair shop, still haven't finished the rest of the things I've started but have a few ideas and five kinds of wood to play with

Hello all! Just getting started! I finished my little propane tank forge and have an anvil. Gonna start making some tools and see if I can't learn something! I'm super excited about all of this. Glad to be here