blkbear

I have a cache of railroad spikes that I was planning on using to make some knives - when the weather warms up a bit. I was planning on these knives being the functional camp ground variety - utilitarian, solid with wood attached to increase handling comfort and to give a more positive grip. I was speaking to a maker of carving tools who told me that RR steel was not good for anything - doesn't forge well - not my experience - and can't hold an edge. Now, correct me if I am mistaken, but I was under the understanding that if properly prepared - normalizing, annealing, forging, quenching, a bit of grinding and then heat treating - RR spike steel would be fine to use as a knife. Or should I preferably use the old leaf and coil springs I have? Brian Ottawa

Yes it would. Properly heat treated the edge can be long lasting and only need a light stropping to keep the edge keen.

Hello and welcome to the web site and forum. There is an awful lot of good information here as well as a lot of friendly and helpful people. Where in Ontario are you? I am in Ottawa. Brian

For those of you who have young ones at home or are just young at heart go to the website below to follow Santa on his annual trip around the world! www.noradsanta.org/ HAVE FUN Brian

I use them for safety but the mad scientist thing is really appealing. Brian

As per the title of my message - there is no such thing as a dumb question. If you don't know, or understand, or perhaps there has been a question raised about your understanding of a subject. You need to have an answer to clear up your question. Maybe others don't ask because they are too shy to ask or appear foolish or perhaps they thought they knew the answer. Whatever the reason - it doesn't matter. From the discussion thread that your posting is starting to generate, more people will end up understanding clicker than before you asked - me included. Brian

I have absolutely no issue with site admin. It can be one of those thankless tasks that must be done to ensure everything flows smoothly. I am grateful for admin for doing these tasks, as I enjoy and learn a lot from what is here. Brian

VERY nice work!! Brian

Hello and welcome. You will find this place to very welcoming and fuul of great information. I live in Ottawa - not that far from you and am likewise getting set up. Brian

I now have a leather apron AND jacket. Brian

Neede to do some heavy duty grinding last Sunday - first non rain day here in Ottawa in quite a while. Got myself set up all of the safety gear on, ear plugs, gloves, face sheild, work overalls and cotton sweatshirt. About half way through the grinding I felt my right hip getting a bit warm. In the nano second of my brain's processing it said "oh not to worry, it's just the sprks from the grinder" then it said "wait a minute - the sparks from grinding shouldn't be hot - you better have a look at your hip." So brain turns head to look at right hip then says - "xxxx xxxx - I'm on fire". Fire quickly patted out with no damage to me but a six inch diameter hole in my "new" work sweatshirt. Cotton may be best for working near hot stuff but I really need to pay more attention to peripherals. It is certainly not fireproof. Brian Edit: your choice of words does NOT follow the site guidlines and has been X'ed out. Please choose your words carefully in the future. Site Admin

Just read the thread about the sword on ebay. Man - you have to be really careful when buying things there. People have been trying to sell supposedly authentic civil war era bowie knives with no reserve. They are either crazy or are trying to con you. Hmmmm - let me which one would it be??!!! CON!!!!!! I am sure that everyone here is practical and has a level head on thier shoulds but if you should happen to see that one thing that you really need at an unbeatable price - log off and think about it. The old adage about "if seems too good to be true then it probably is" really rings true here. I have not purchased anything like that but have been saved a couple of times by other bidders who have outbid me - much to my sober second thought relief. There can be some good deals but you really have to know your stuff. Brian

Congatulations!! My "baby" is at her first year of university. They, whoever "they" are, are completely correct when they say time flies. Enjoy every minute of her because before you know it, the first boyfreind comes over for a visit, and then they are off on thier own. Oh BTW - if you want to impress how imporatnt she is to you make sure you are cleaning a gun when the first boyfriend shows up. Invite him to sit down while you are cleaning it and let him know how much you exepct from him. Subtle and effective. Brian

Looks like a good time. Most likely I won't be in the area, although I do love to travel. Is the group making charcoal in the picture with the massive black heap? Brian

I have some that is called conservators wax. I got it from Lee Valley tools. Have a look at Leevalley.com Brian Ottawa

Looks like your wife tuckered the little thing out! Congrats! Brian

I think that one reason people like LR's so much is that they can McGyer them if things go awry - as they do a little too often. The Disco is the most comfortable ride I have ever owned. I can drive for 7 or 8 hours and my back is as good as when I jumped in. This will probably be retired as a daily driver very soon but kept for the off road. Keeping a guzzling V8 on the road is kind of exspensive. If LR reintroduced the Defender I would sell the Disco and buy one in a New York minute. But that seems very unlikely right now. LR claims that they cannot get the deisel engines to NA pollution control specs. I suggested that they buy a VW and reverse engineer it. No reply - gee. Anyways - I do enjoy it. Brian Ottawa

Alan, If you have a pair of those then you must have a RR, either with a lift on it or you have replaced the springs?? Did you go to the MAR mudfest this year? I have a 95 Disco and have a rear pair that I swapped out and have been saving to use. Brian Ottawa

All I remeber seeing from history and pre-history are stone and bone tools and flaked points for arrowheads and spear points. I do know that pre white folk, aboriginals in Canda used heated stones put into leather "pots" to cook food. It would seem to me that if they had figured out smelting and forging that they would have created metal pots for cooking rather than leather "pots" with hot stones dropped in. Also tribes were nomadic in nature. Moving to more favourable habitation places in summer and winter. Brian Ottawa

The difference between the "old timer" and today's "new timers" has beena change of culture. Back in the early 20th century there were just not the stores and distribution networks around as well as disposable income to go and buy what they needed. In the thirties there was the depression and massive lack of money for much except survival. In the forties there was the build up to war, war and then the recovery from war. The fifties and sixties saw great leaps in income, productivity and access to many things. However, lingering memories of hard times can create a certain type of mentality - lets do with what we have/well let's see if we can make thing thing we need, etc., etc. Nowadays it is almost impossible to get something fixed as industry production, availability and cost has created a throw away culture. This is not an indictment of today's culture it is just how things have turned out. Try to get a 10 year old sewing machine fixed today. First you have to actually find someone who can actually fix them and then find out about parts availability. Last year I wanted to get a computer hardware problem fixed and was told the I could buy a brand new one for less than the company would chatge me to fix it. Just the way it is. Brian Ottawa

LOL - The is definitley the perfect book to get advice on women. We have been married 31 years and I still need to get pointers every once and a while. One think I have learned is to keep my mouth shut for fear of stirring up a hornets nest. I am defin9itely NOT complaining. She has certainly put up with a lot from me, including this blacksmithing thing with no complints. Goos luck and all the best Brian Ottawa

That is absolutely awesome!! I am glad you are learning about your family and history. It can be a wonderful thing. Brian Ottawa

Then why do we use it?? Does the benfit really offset the dangers? Brian Ottawa

Back again! I should have done this first I guess. I went to the Chapters/Indigo.ca website and did a search on Art Deco Ironwork and Art Nouveau Ironwork. If you do that you will have 5 titles to to choose from. You can also get the individual books' ISBN number and see if your local library might have copies. They are very specialiazed but hey - you never know. I purchased a copy of Art Nouveau Decorative Ironwork by Theodore Menten. The ISBN number is 0486239861. A great book with some spectacular ironwork in them. Good luck Brian Ottawa

I don't have the book with me at the moment but Chapters can order you a book that is on Art Nouveau/Deco ironwork from mostly Paris and few other European cities. Or maybe your library will have a copy?? I will dig up my copy and send you the details in the next day or so. Brian Ottawa