Don Shears

Jeremy - once finished that tool box is going to be a prime portfolio piece for you at demo's. One of those "What have I done and what can I do. Well look here at my tool box!" Should draw a number of potential customers your way. I'm very impressed with the cleverness and uniqueness of using tongs as lid latches. Don

I have couple of comments: - for me blacksmithing is a hobby; my spouse isn't a sports widow (sports are other folks interests, good on them) instead there's a small smithy building in the back yard. With any hobby there's an investment made of time and money in differing ratios, but all done for personal satisfaction. And if the hobby becomes self-financing, BONUS!!! To quote a deceased friend: "If it isn't fun, it's futile" - Mike Glickson. - Dixie, if by now you haven't contacted and/or attended a meeting of the Vancouver Island Blacksmithing Association (VIBA), please do so. I visited them back in 2005 and found them to be welcoming, imaginative and resourceful group of people. If nothing else meeting them and getting their comments will help you make a more informed decision (just like reading postings here.) And, greetings from a former Comox Valley boy.

Just down the road from where I live the barn was torn down for timber salvage. The farm was sold to a cash cropping operation and the barn was an old dairy operation (pre 1920). what wasn't salvaged was dragged down field and burned. I had permission to hunt and shoot groundhogs on the crop farmer's land so I took my .22 with me and while there checked the ashes. In 30 minutes I turned up 6 sets of WI door hinges, all hand forged, and about 5 lb.s on large (8 inch) WI spikes and larger (4 inch) nails. I do however know where there are multiple wagon and buggy rims around the area. Just don't have the room to store them if I bring them home.

Divermike - Knock out shims seem very likely. However I'm still leaning towards them being be drop forgings not castings since I can't see any sign of vent or casting sprues.

I found these in the local scrap yard. Both are drop forgings. On the right is one with a 'Fuller' logo. The Canadian one is a little rougher with more of the die flash left. No manufacturers logo, but has a 'D' near the edge (top) and a number '2' centered above the shank. Neither seems to have been hardened. So being chisels or pry tools seems out. Since this area was heavily agricultural for the last 220 years, are they pieces for farm machinery? Don Unknown Tools.bmp Unknown Tools2.bmp

If you go over to www.farwestforge.com and go into the Recent Pictures of the Photo Gallery you'll see a very large version made by the folks in Indiana. Also Ptree (Jeff Reinhart) posted a drawing with cut lengths related to stock sizes. Just adding my gallon to the flood of responses.

Follow up - I went back to the scrap yard today and picked up the diamond harrow, 64 lb's of 1/2 and 5/8 inch square stock. Plus 14 teeth, 5/8" square by 6" long. Added in another quick peek at the scrap pile and found a draw knife.

The last coal I bought was at Quad State two years ago, US$25/bag. I can`t recall which seam, but almost no clinker and cokes very easily. If I don't go to Quad State this year I`ll probably buy from Rob (Thak) Martin in Floradale, Ont. His current rate isn`t posted but the bags are described as weighing 70 lbs. He does give his delivery rates link removed as per TOS

Checked out the local scrap yard for the first time in seven months (I've been away.) Found out the manager has changed (the yard is part of a group owned by one fellow.) His attitude towards picker's is the same, and both he and the office staff appreciated that I asked first before going into the yard. Picked up a cradle scythe blade and a few attaching parts, and a six foot piece of 1" by 3/16" hot roll bar stock (have to look closer at it later might be stainless!) While I was looking around the manager asked what I was looking for, I told him I was a hobby blacksmith. He noticed me eyeing a diamond harrow on the stack and asked if |I'd like it put aside! So I'll be going back tomorrow or the day after with a heavy hammer, punches and hacksaw to bring that home. From comments on other sites the scrap yard(s) that will sell or allow you in to look around are becoming rarer, so I count myself lucky.

Having just been shown "How to Train Your Dragon" by my daughter, I have to agree with basher about Gobber and Hiccup. Even down to the legendary lameness (of a sorts.) Don

Just a semi-educated guess; to me it looks like a Medic's variant of the 'bolo' style knives issues by the U.S. military after the Spanish American War (in the Phillipines) and IIRC used up to and through WWII. Those issued to the Medic's didn't have a stabbing point and were meant for cutting poles to make strechers, and build shelters. As I said, it's just a guess going on the size (related to your hand) and what little I can recall from a line drawing illustration in a 1950's book about weapons or U.S. military equipment. Hope this helps.

If you can't find a local source of coal (in Canada) contact Thak ironworks in Floradale, Ontario. He sells 70 lb bags of Virginia coal. On the coal page of his web site Thak also tells you how to order through Home Hardware as well as directly from him. It's handy if you just want to try just one bag (See linl below.) I just moved to Cold Lake, AB from Ontario. I brought tools and an anvil with me, but still have to assemble a gas forge and anvil stand. http://thak.ca/coal.html Don Shears

Wilkinson Anvil's are of British manufacture. From "Anvils in America" Richard Postman notes that there were up to four (4) different Wilkinson companys/shops in the Dudley/Birmingham area making anvils. And at least two of these companies were exporting to the U.S. I have a 225 lb'er stamped with 'Wilkinson' composed of a forged wrought iron body and horn, and a face of about 3/8 inch tool steel. Lines of the body are similar to a Peter Wright, with the horn being slimmer for its length. Don Shears

For any antique tractor collectors. There is a 1920's(?) McCormick-Deering tractor (predecessor to Intenational Harvester?) sitting in the Karten Metals scrapyard, located in Trenton Ontario, Canada. The tractor is by my estimate 75% or greater complete; missing left engine cowling panel (top and right intact), gas tank has rust out along bottom edges, seat missing. The engine appears to be nearly complete (no idea about the carb'.) Grousers are still on rear wheels. The scrapyard is Karten Metals, at 23 Subway Rd. Trenton Ontario, Canada. Phone 613-392-8202. The tractor is currently segragated from the regular scrap, but if no one shows interest it'll probably go the smelter soon. If pictures are needed, I can try to take some in the next few days (just let me know about file size.) Contact me through my hotmail account. Hopefully someone is interested in this info, to me this machine has a high potential as a restoration project or use as a parts donor. Don Shears Trenton Ont dgshears@hotmail.com Just as a note, I have no commercial interst in the scrapyard, I just go there regularly looking for material for (hobby) blacksmithing.

Small Tongs - Double Y: The smaller tongs showen in Sask Mark's picture are 'Gas Fitters pliers' or so I've have been told they several reliable and experienced folks. I've have a set myself, and they're very handy for small work pieces. Also those pliers are not a very common find. Don

Shop Lining - I live well North of you in Ontario (near Toronto), so for my shop I insulated and vapour barried; then lined with 1/2 inch Oriented Strand Board (OSB) and covered the areas most likely to be subjected to sparks and radiant heat with printers plates. The OSB sheets were construction surplus (new not used) and cost me at the time CDN$7/sheet - I lucked out with those. The printers plates are thin 24 inch by 30 inch (my guess 30 AWG sheet) from the local town paper at 15 cents each (3 years ago.) The plates range from nearly a perfect clean face to almost solid black or other colour depending upon page being printed at that stage. Throw in assorted sizes of screws and paint from "The ReStore" (a construction salvage store run by Habitat for Humanity) and not counting the insulation and vapour barrier, I lined my 10 foot square shop including the ceiling for under CDN$250. The OSB is a bit more robust then drywall in taking those minor dents and dings as stock lengths get moved around. My advice is be patient, think it through, ask questions (you're already doing that), think over the answers, then decide what you want to do and be ready for any deals that come along. As a caveat, check with your insurance company representive, they can save you some grief over something coming back to bite you later, especially if your working space is attached to your home!

I've heard of that company before, the Thompson Mfg. Co. made a post drill on (or was on) display in the Cumberland Museum in Cumberland B.C. (on Vancouver Island). Up until the 1960's Cumberland was a major coal mining town. It just goes to show the distribution that occurs with various goods. And also shows the variety of products a company will manufacture. There are pictures of the post drill in the photo gallery at Forgemagic.com (link thru: http://www.forgemagic.com/bsgview.php?photo=1390&cat=&by=Don%20Shears) Don Shears