wolfshieldrx

Just a hobby smith, but here's a few items I have forged for my Mountain Man friends. The fork may not have any historical precident but they seem to like it. 

Anyone know where I can find some of the small narrow gauge rail spikes? These are used on rails inside mines, or so I am told. Thanks...bart

I've watched several of the Peter Ross Woodwrights Shop episodes. He is consistently clear and articulate about what he's doing. I entirely agree with the comment about good filming.

As I thought about this ,there was an episode where Peter was talking about upsetting for 90 degree corners. As my foggy memory recalls, he said that he disagreed with the consensus view that stock was being driven into the corner. I know I've seen it a few times and it's never been particularly clear.

It seems like he said something to the effect that if he makes a punch mark to define the corner when the stock is straight - that mark doesn't change position as he does the upsetting and turns the corner. His mark was on one of the flat sides of the corner as opposed to the apex of the bend.

I also wanted to ask if his video covers making dividers with box joints?

1. I've seen the forged corner episode too. I didn't understand it either.
2. The style of compasses he forges in his video are like those in my pictures at the beginning og this thread.

Ross also has one on butterfly hinges and one on a striking knife. Also a couple episodes of the woodwrights shop.

Those are very cool. I like the hinge very much.

What size are they?

All the best
Andy

About 6-1/2 inches.

Very nice! I'd been thinking about getting that video - would you recommend it?

Thanks. Yes, the video is very good. Ross does a good job of explaining the process.

I never did make it to Peter Ross's class, but my wife gave me a copy of his video "Forging a Compass". I finally got around to giving it a try. The first set were just to get the steps/techniques down. Here's the second set with a little file work. The last picture shows both the new set and the "test" set. Thanks for looking...bart

Insurance! Lol

Friend of mine found a couple of these in his dad's office after he passed away. Approximately two feet long from hex stock. Thanks...bart

I commonly find deer antlers for a couple of bucks at local flea markets. Had one lady give me a small pair of antlers after I bought something else at her table. I noticed all the stuff she was selling was "guy " stuff. When I commented on that fact, she laughed and said "Yeah...I'm selling all the ####'s stuff!" Don't know what he did but she was not happy...

One of mine:



Thanks for looking.

I like making them too much to make a dozen of the same thing..Besides, Im just a hobby hammerer.

Same here. Just a hobby smith. Every now n then I'll do a small "custom" project for coal money :-)
Mostly I just give stuff away to family and friends. No threat to you guys that do this for a living...you guys produce more in a day than I do in a month.

One of my favorite things to make. My favorite steel is old hay rake teeth. I have a lot of friends that fish, hike, hunt, camp, etc and so I have given a bunch of them away to them. I *always* start a fire with one before I give it away. I pack flint, steel, some char cloth and jute twine in an altoids tin before presenting them ad birthday, Christmas presents, etc. Almost always brings a smile. PS, I miss Mike too although I only knew him through this site.

Hardy just for it!

Might consider punching the names of the family users you can document on the bottom

Was actually thinking along same line on both accounts. Thanks a lot guys!

I recently inheirited my great-grandfather's 100 pound Mousehole anvil. I have reason to believe it may hsve belonged to his father before him. It has not been forged on for 75 years. This morning I cleaned it up: wire brush and linseed oil on the body and 120 grit flapper disc on the top and horn.



I am going to use this as my main anvil, at least for a while. Given its history, I would like to forge something a little special as a first project on this anvil. I have been smithin about five years and consider myself an intermediate hobby-smith. Any ideas?

They look just like my first ones. Try to make them skinnier so you can bend the edges out more...

Thanks. Just trying to "figger it out".

Yeah... Is it that obvious? But the wife liked them :-)

First, your work is beautiful. I've made a few of these myself...and repeated the "legend" of the courting candle. However, I am convinced the so called legend is a fabrication designed to sell candle holders! I have several books on traditional lighting. None mention the "courting candle". A couple months ago, I posted a question to this site, asking if anyone had verifiable donumentation of the legend. Nothing. It's a cool story, but until someone can provide me with documetation, in the interest of historical accuracy, I will not propagate it. Once again, beautiful work.

While my head was turned, three roses sprouted from my anvil ;-)

The smaller ones are perfect for colonial cheese cutters or something similar

Ditto. Done it. Works great.

Cool. Thanks for the comments...anyway, it "followed me home". I'm always on the lookout for old hand-forged tools that I can give a new home. I use them gently, mostly as functional props when I demo. If they could talk...

Wow! Forgotten I had posted this. As an update, I have found I can saw much more accurately than I ever could with a pistol grip saw. I think this is due not only to the parallel handle but also the increased blade tension provided by this design. Thanks for looking! Bart

Thanx! Kinda confirmet what I suspected.

Found this in antique shop this past weekend. Obviously hand forged but not fine finished. This was a tool...nothing more, nothing less. Label said "saw wrest" but looks a lot like the twisting/bending wrenches I've seen in books (never seen one up close). What say ye?



Thanks for looking...bart

Thanks guys. I never intended to do this, only asked if you knew of it being done. I am sure I remember reading something about this in reference to rural English smiths. I was trying to relocate that reference. Thanks again...bart