R.C.Edmondson

My forge name is "louis and lady forge". Kind of along story but the year I was born 1979 my father won the Alabama state championship in coon hunting. He was 20 years old. I remember whaen I was real young asking him all the time about the hunt and his win, He told me when he got to Opp that night he saw people with 10,000.00 dollar coon dogs everywhere, big nice camper style trailors and when he pulled up in his beat up jeep with his and his dog ladys tent everyone laughed at him. Little did everyone know just who they where. Lady was a Grand night coon dog and my dad had spent most of his life in the woods at night. I remember him telling me he felt abit embarrassed not to have a big nice pull trailor and big expensive dog box like everyone elses but he knew he and lady had the "game as he would call it" to win. He told me he put up his tent that night and talked to Lady all night about the up coming day and prayed she wouldnt have her puppies during the hunt, The next night was their time to shine. He would always smile when he told me right before the hunt he bended down, looked lady in the face and said" lets show them what were made of", That night my Father and Lady tread 3 times the amount of everone else and he came home with a six foot trophy. During the trophy ceramony after he won he said no one laughed then and he was offered lots of money for Lady but kept her until she died and he never went hunting again. Now if I can have the drive in Blacksmithing that they did in hunting I will be able to learn and hopefully one day become great at it just as they did. My fathers name was Louis and his Champion coon dogs name was Lady. note to people if your fathers still alive get up first thing tomorrow and go see him, I would give everything in this world I have to spend one more day with him, we like most people had our differences but our time here is easily taken for granted. He passed away on my birthday 7-25-04 he was 45 years old, hate to sound like Im preaching but I wish someone had done it to me, Godbless to all CHarlie

I am sure everyone probally already knows this but when your first gettiing into this addiction of knife making, you seem to never find enough material, even if its taking over your yard. I have a pile of knife making steel that is almost unimaginable that I have found at junk yard and scrap yards but the best finds so far have all come from pawn shops! I scored almost 300 old nicholson bastard file this past week from various pawn shops in my area and it only cost me 50.00!!!, I could have had a ton more but they didnt have a name on them, so to any new comers that look for good knife making steel remember to check out the pawn shops!!!!,Godbless,Charlie

I am looking for some nice cross peen hammers and have looked all weekend for a couple around 1 and 1 and a half pounds, can anyone help me out, thanks and Godbless, I know someone around heres gotta make them,Charlie

I was just wondering if anyone uses a oscillating sander for knife making? I recently noticed one at my local homedepot and thought it could serve many purposes for curved handles and tight to get places when doing stock removal? Anyone think its worth it? I am new to all of this and figured i might get a few tips to help me out, Thanks for all the advise,Charlie

Get out to your junk yard and I am positive you will find everything you are looking for. I make trips out to my local junk yard a couple of times a month and I always find something interesting. I am sure you will be able to find some of what your looking for, Godbless and Good luck! Charlie

Heres a couple of finds from recent trips to the junk yard down the road, Most are A.S.O's but a few good old saw blades and one huge piece of stainless steel. The stainless steel rod is 4 inches in diameter and around 6 foot long and weighs 208 pounds, Got any idea what to do with it? Enjoy,Godbless, also pictured my homemade forge and another forge I found for free and tried to repair, repairs still in progress,Charlie also the steel rods are all 5160 steel, I need to get to makin knives!!!!!

Thank you guys very much for the info! I appreciate all the advise,CHarlie

I recently come up on this Brooklyn anvil at a old shop in Wetumpka Alabama, I believe its a Hay Budden, I took pictures of it and the numbers on it, The shop owner told me he used it as a tool to wipe excess bondo off his bondo tools, he said it should clean up well, but how should I go about that, sandblasting? Anyways I hope to be bangin on her soon, the ring is also deafining, and the rebound is great, Thanks to all and Godbless,Charlie

I read this and thought of my own father and what he would have thought about me blacksmithin. It was very uplifting to hear a story about a son teaching his father something about knife makin. Me and my Dad collected knife for most of our lifes and some of the best memories I have are centered around knives. Spend ever single minute you can with him, its something you will cherish for the rest of your life, I am very proud to be amoung good people like yourselves that share wonderful stories, and I hope you talk him into makin a thousand with you, Godbless,Charlie ...also great pictures!!!

Hey I like that! Muskrat skinners! Thats what Im gonna call them,LOL Yea they are about 5 to 6 inches, not very long but they sharp!, LOL Thanks you guys I appreciate all they kind words,Godbless,Charlie

Sorry forgot to upload pics

About a week ago I got ahold of some weed eater edger baldes from the junk yard. I bought 50 of them for 10.00, and figured I might just be able to make something out of them, Not a hole lot of forging can be done with them because they are thin but they tempered very well and stay shaving sharp even after cutting up a thick phone book, I have not yet put handles on them, the biggest knife is made from a old leaf spring, I beat on that thing for DAYS!!!! and then SANDED ON IT FOR DAYS, Just imagine how long it took me to cut it out with a jewelers saw, I also put the file work in them , These are my first knives and I am very proud of them, Thanks to everyone for all their help, Godbless,Charlie Edmondson

well lets say he wanted 200.00? not worth it?

thanks so much Frosty, I am tickled to death, cant wait to get her!!!

I recently found an anvil today and I am going to pick her up Friday, owner said it was made in 1870, weights 152lbs and it is a england made anvil, still has the little tool on the top of it, What you guys think? i know she looks rough but I hope to bring this beauty back to life and give her a new purpose, anyone fimiliar with the england made anvils? Thanks and Godbless,Charlie

I just wanted to let everyone know the 2008 AFC at Tannehill was GREAT!!! It was the best money I have ever spent on any classes anywhere. I took some blacksmithin classes and learned alot from the teachers. Got myself a bunch of good forging steel, a bunch of old hasps and files, some 5160 steel "I believe thats what it is", a very old thick fire pot, and a hammer made by some guy named Bill Pinera? I was told he has passed away but he was very well known in the blacksmithin community, and also 500lbs of coal!!! I cant wait to try out these things I learned, but I gotta find myself a anvil. Now I have read a ton about them and looked at every picture on here about Trentons, Arm and Hammers,etc... But what do you guys recommend for someone whos wanting to make knives, and wall hooks, candle holders. Inotice the weights differ and also I was told to stay away from cast Iron anvils, because of the rebound and over all quality. Also where in Alabama or Georgia or Tenn can I find myself on, Thanks for all the advise and I really appreciate everyone helping me, If their is ever anything I can do to help you guys here in Ala, please ask I will do my best,Godbless,Charlie Edmondson

Thanks for all the advise, I will definitely look for you lyle, I hope I see you thanks for everything you guys, Man I tried everything even lighter fluid, but I definitley wont try that again, Seems like when it geting in that ash dump it likes to go KA_BOOM, I will try everything you guys have offered, Thanks again so much,Charlie I will be looking for you lyle, Godbless to all

Hi everyone, My name is CHarlie Edmondson and I live in Alexander city,Al. I cant wait to put some of this good advise to good use, Glad to be a part of your forums,Godbless,Charlie

Hello everyone, My name is Charlie Edmondson and I live in Alexander city, Alabama. I have always had my hand in metal working alittle bit. When my Grandfather was alive I would watch him forge things for fences abd small things like that. I am a small time fabricator and welder so I figured I would make my own forge. The fire pot is round pretty deep and I just got myself some coal. Now the coal is big chuncks that I had to break down and I was told it was from Russia. I have done everything a human can do to try and start it but it just wont start. Tomorrow I am going to the Tannehill,Al Forge council seminar and buy myself some good coal, So do any of you guys think its the coal? I have watched every single video on youtube and yahoo, mine just wont go? I wont so bad to start banging a hammer, any suggestions? Thanks for all comments and advise, Godbless,Charlie Edmondson