Gergely

Couldn't make to the shop today, but I made this small bracelet for my little daughter (2,5yo). She cried so desperately because her old bracelet, some beads on plastic cord, has broken. What else could I do than say: - Daddy makes you an other that will not break.

Wow! I don't feel I'm worth to mention even in the same day as Yellin, but wow, that's couraging information...

Heading somewhere, hopefully. Planning and calculating is almost done. Today I talked with my experienced blacksmith friend about technical details, realistic numbers and the possibility of getting help from him. An appointment is being scheduled with the costumer for next week. We're getting through the main lines then, and I tell them my price calculation. Then I hope for the best It's really a tough question which is the better way to start: do this job or not do it. I try to not think about it but let the higher powers decide in this. - If my bid is going to be accepted I try and grow up to this task, if not I try to make better looking nail hooks Bests to all of you! Gergely

Nice! You know that's how it starts You better be careful before you wake one day to make the hundredth of it. Seriously, that's a good and simple design that allows you to learn and experiment. Go on with it. Bests: Gergely

Walking on Aus's path I tried to take this to more reproductive level: hook stem part is half of the original nail's size, hook bent on jig, leaf stem is drawn down to fixed size (the whole length is 390 mm when it's drawn). Tried to jig the leaf stem bend but it wasn't good, have to think more. Also need something to uniform the place of the punched holes - but I think I just eyeball them for a while. Tried the thinner, longer veining - I like it better! Also made a slightly curved chisel for veining, but it has to be reground -failed the test. And can't find my crimping stake... So, more work ahead! Bests: Gergely

This sure is a fun topic to read for a non-English-speaker I've really never tought of this many variations!

Pair of sai weapons for a friend. If I can help with my share: Hung: kovács [kova:ch], Finnish: seppä [seppæ], Northern Saami: rávdi [ræuti]

Thanks, Aus, that was the idea you mentioned earlier. Funnily I left the first piece in the house, so they don't match. But as I said I learned a lot about this thing: I won't do another without a jig. At least the big hook part has to be done on the jig, but I consider making a stem-bender, too. Today it hit me, I should mix my small flowers with this design: the two stem variation could get a leaf and a flower head. I still have a couple of those to spare: Bests: Gergely

Yes. I was also thinking of making a slightly curved veining chisel - nature doesn't like straight lines that much. And maybe a bit sharper edge on it.

Oh, thank you, but I go on with the painful self-sacrificing way I began. Neglecting any fun or happiness. It's really not a pleasing path but I'll do it for the human race. (Obviusly) G

I'll try that! Thanks g

Made a cold punch out of this material. Point heated to over bright orange, air cooled. Tested it a bit on mild plate - no chipping, no deforming at the point. It holds up nice and does the job. Also "tested" tempering, at blue color it losts its hardness pretty much. Before I started to forge the punch, tried to break the 3/4x5/8" cross section full hardened stock by hitting it with a 4lbs hammer - no damage. Any ideas? Bests: Gergely

Made another one as an opposite piece, can't say I'm very pleased, but learned a bit again:

only one bar of this kind. it's still 5' long exactly! that's why i'm confused. after forging it I didn't expect any hardening at all. I try and cut the hardened part to see if it hardened all the way trough. Also trying to temper it (blindfolded). If I achieve some toughness it can be good for some nice looking forged tooling. It can be forged decoratively while hot, let's see how undangerous it can be when using it. Thanks for your input! Bests: Gergely

Hi All, I know that this kind of ask for help is way out there because there are thousands of alloys and who knows what might show up in a Hungarian scrapyard. Still if you could give some pointer thoughts, search criteria or anything, it would be great. So, I found a 32mm/1 1/4" dia, 2m/6' long piece of steel bar. I was told it was brought in with a bunch of 304 stainless steel rods, and also with some 420 type stock I identified pretty surely. This bar in question has shiny appearance as a round bar stock. It is normally magnetic. While spark testing it threw short bright orange sparks, there seem to be low/very low carbon in it, and nothing I could recognize as distinctive element (ie. Tungsten or Chrome). In its original state files bit it very easily. After spark testing gave me no useful information I thought I try to forge it. Under my 30kg/70lbs springhammer at orange heat it forged like butter, easier than mild steel in same size. When I gave it some taper (but no sharp point) I tried the three step harening test. First I heated it to high orange (where 420 types harden when quenching) and let it cool in open air. Next morning I ran a file on it and it air hardened so much that no file bit it, not even at the corners. Hardening is consistent at the whole surface it was heated. Non heated surface remained soft. If these infos ring a bell to anyone, please feel free to share. Or about any more testing which could provide more usable information. Also if you got some ideas what to use this material for it is welcome, too. Thank you for time and energy! Bests: Gergely

Thanks, Thomas! That's real good outside the box thinking. G

Thanks, Aus! Interesting to hear about harder nail material. I always tought nails are made of pretty soft steel. My nail sure moved like butter while hot.

They arrived today! Boy those are big nails! These are 9mm/3/8" thick. Prototype experimenting on Ausfire's path :

Some recent ironware that followed me home: Some plastic injection moulding die parts from two batch of scrapped dies. There are more similar parts that can't be seen in the pict.They make a pretty strong a variable bending jig. A 22kg/48lbs anvil for travelling. I really don't need that 114lbs with me all the time This baby is pretty unique, it's a cast steel anvil that the workers of a casting company made back in the socialist times, just for their own needs/fun. Has pretty nice rebound. This scrapped copper band I couldn't resist. It's perfect size for bracelets, pure copper, and 8,5 m/25 feet long. How could I resist... These two rings I found and thought: Nr1 they can come handy sometimes, Nr2 they are so precious... we musts have them... And about a week later I found out why I was right: you can do pretty serious damage with a 9kg/20lbs ring when applied on hot steel: Bests: Gergely

True that! I got a bit distracted for the last two days as our heating system broke down in the house. In the middle of an actual winter, with two little kids in the house. Now I try to get the focus back on the job. Thank you for posting your thoughts, keep them coming. Bests: Gergely

Dear Glenn, There was more than one blacksmithing gem in the above comment G

Yeah! It's the season for it. Fully closed workshop here yet the snow managed to get in

Gentlemen! That is a truly valid suggestion. Thank you! Time as the main problem would be spared by using ready elements, also no need to worry about the correct how to on the frame. Unfortunately such thing as metal bed frames only, haven't crossed my path yet. I have to look for it specifically, maybe there is some luck waiting. Anyway I will ask my local metalworker friends what they know about the local traditions of this making. I'd really rather not invent the wheel again this time By the way once again my guesstimate went clearly under the realistic asking price. If nothing else will come out of this project I've still learned to not trust my instincts on the pricing. Bests: Gergely

Gdye zhivut medvedy: Where the bears live. And that is where my Russian skills stops Welcome Hadara! You have really nice works!

I'm leaning that way. Mainly because I can't find out anything simple and sturdy for the continous version. I have now an actual question: What do you think about using 50x50x5 mm angle iron for the frame of a 200x220 size double bed? I thought it will be strong enough and also good to accomodate the wooden crossboards they want. Above the angle iron frame they require flat bar running along all four sides stabilizing the matress and to give more strength to the whole thing. Thank you continuously! Gergely