mattbledsoe11

After struggling with my little Russian anvil for a few years I finally found a used London pattern. Its about 250-300-ish range, 31’’long 5’’ wide and 14’’ height, Its a little rusty but it came with a Bick iron all for 300 bucks. I just can’t identify it yet, the only letters I can make out on the side are (Shef.) it also has to deep holes on the side. I just need to find a few hardies for it the size is about 1 1/2, do you all know of anyone who sells those, if not I guess I’ll just make them.

I was wondering if any of you know of supplier that sells 5160-alloy steel, I have been looking online for the last few weeks and cannot find a supplier. The local steel contractor can get it but it would twice as much because of shipping from dealer to dealer; also I know that many truck springs are made from 5160, however some are not. So any help in finding an online supplier who sells 5160 would be awesome, or a similar alloy with similar characteristics would be great as well. Thanks

Thanks I appreciate the help, I usually like to do things the traditional way; however I took the advice on the drilling for the eye it punch through straight, although there is a little grove from the drilling. I guess it better to have a straight eye with a grove than a crooked eye with no grove. I tried welding the W1 it welded the first time, I fluxed it, then let it sit get nice and melted then I put more on it took my torch and melted more and more until it look like a piece of glass was caked over it. It worked and it took, it made my day LOL. I didn’t have enough metal to envelop the steel so it just sat in there. But thanks again guys I appreciate all your help.

I’m making a tomahawk/small axe; I have two questions concerning it. I tried to start it tonight but as I was drifting the eye it developed an unnatural bulge to one side. What is the proper way to slit and drift to avoid that again? I have done it several times on other projects and there always seems to be a slight bulge to one side and always fixable, but tonight it was ridiculous. So what is the proper procedure to make a good clean drift? My second question, is for the cutting edge, I have W1 steel for the bit; however I have heard that it is nigh impossible to forge weld W1 to mild steel. So should I try to weld with W1, if so what is the best procedure to insure that the W1 does not burn away? Or should I just use a different tool steel altogether, perhaps like an old file, I have several of those. Also I don't have a modern welder, so anything but forge welding is out of the question, plus I would rather do it the old fashioned way. Here are the specs: 1018 mild steel 1 inch square bar, about 3 3/4 to 4 inches long. Also W1 tool steel about 1/2 x 3/4, S7 steel, or an old file. My drifting tools are: 1 x 1/8 inch H13 tool steel, then I use a 1/2 inch taper drift, then proceed to use a 1 inch drift. If my drifting tools are all wrong let me know I'm always open to critique, I am fairly proficient with welding with borax and sand on mild steel projects as well. Thanks, any critique or help would be greatly appreciated.