keykeeper

Iron Clad:

For a look at an image of one from an old catalog, check this out:

click it twice for the larger image.

I'm a fan of these old machines, really fascinating to mess with.

If I guess correctly within 10 lbs, can I have it? LOL

160 is my guess, by the way. I only say this because mine has approx. the same dimensions and weighs 162.

Can you measure the face, horn, etc so njanvilman can find out?

Member and Current Vice-President, Ripley area. Oh yeah, it's ABA by the way...lol..easy mistake.

Some of the folks up in your neck of the woods are starting some monthly hammer-ins in the Arthurdale/Morgantown area. When they get going it should be in the newsletter.

Quite a few members in your area, if I recall correctly.

When I ordered a 7/8" shanked hot cut from them a couple years ago, Mr. Kayne inquired if I knew I would have to fit the shank to my hardy hole. I told him no, but that wouldn't be a problem. Little grinding here, little there, fits like it should. I don't think it was much of a problem to do in my case.

So, I'm at the association shop yesterday, forging for a few hours.

I come home to find my wife is getting in the Halloween spirit.

Guess which of the jack o'lanterns she did for me!

Does anyone have a confirmation on this?

I tried checking all the newspapers I could find online in his area (NE Iowa according to his user info) and could find nothing on the obituaries online. His last post on here that I could find was 09-07-2009.

If anyone knows anything for sure, please update us on any info you have.

Heck Jr., with the Happy Hooker, you could kill 'em and skin 'em out without changing vehicles....LOL.

He will be sadly missed. I thoroughly enjoyed his contributions to the forum. Very knowledgeable and freely passed on that knowledge to anyone who wanted it.

I never met him myself, but feel like I knew him well through IFI.

Rest in Peace, Mike. I'll ring my anvil in your honor!

Yep, Bambi would have problems with that. Nice looking work there.

Yep, sounds like Off Center Products to me. I have one like it. Should be a little under 2 pounds in weight. Blacksmith Depot used to or may still sell them. Haven't checked lately. I bought mine from them.

Not trying to bring down the idea, just noting my observations and thoughts on the subject.

As far as making the knife an extension of the client, the only way to achieve that is to find out in advance what exactly the client wants, and make it for them. I do not know if anyone has ever created the perfect knife. That is what makes every knifemaker an individual, and what makes some in more demand than others. They know what the client wants, and have the vision and creativity to make it for them.

Good luck in your pursuit, and we want to see pictures of your finished work. Just from these discussions and questions, I think you have a future in what you are wanting to do, and will excel in the craft.

Not much to contribute as far as a list, pretty much everything has been said.

I will give this advice for bargaining: when you approach a table, if you hear the word "rare" come out of the sellers mouth more that 3 times in the first minute you are at that particular table, run away. 'Tis better to bargain shop elsewhere at another table. LOL

I understand the reasoning of wanting to fit a handle to a persons hand perfectly. However, the comfort/secureness of that grip will be compromised through any range of active motion. The fingers adapt to grip based on the range of motion.

Let's pretend a little:

Hold a 12" bar of 3/4" round by the end in your hand like a knife/sword/etc. Gripping it with the "tip" straight up, sweep it forward, backward, and side to side. Take note of the fingers either loosening or tightening depending on the motion made. Also, watch the wrist.

Do you think a cast handle based on one position of the hand will be as safe, comfortable, or steady as say, a generic shape? The swells and grooves of a cast grip/handle will tend to be bothersome, in my opinion.

Unless someone wants a knife made like that, purely to hang up and look at to say they have one fit "perfectly" to their hand. In that case, I say go for it.

But it will be a bear to use in real world situations.

-As for the chef's knife observation, I think that the basic design is a compromise, also. Chef's knives do such a wide range of tasks that they design them to be used comfortably over a longer period of time. The main feature is the blades wedge shaped profile. I've seen them used for many things in the kitchen, from slicing, dicing, crushing, scraping, even pounding meat by holding the blade and using the handle as a "head" of sorts. Chef's tend to have one single favorite knife, but few will stick exclusively to that one knife for everything.

Heck of an idea, but the man upstairs made hands adaptable to different grips and positions for a reason. The human body is THE best thought out "machine" known.

That said, I would experiment with different knife handles sculpted to fit many hands of many different sizes. To fit a wider range of hand sizes, if you will.

Your product will sell better, and you will be known as a maker of comfortable-handled knives. I see a lot of knives with the handle sculpted or cut with a groove for the forefinger, and a gentle swell for the rest of the fingers and palm. Probably one of the better handle designs used, IMO.

There's a lot of work you can do on the 70 pounder. You will be surprised with what it can do. Have fun.

Thanks Unicorn, I was gonna find that thread...lol.

In case anyone is wondering, back a few years ago, I toyed with the idea of cutting a propane tank. The above text box that Unicornforge posted is a short summary of the wisdom I was given. I have tried to pass that along every time someone posts about cutting a propane tank.

Other online suppliers---

-jantz supply Jantz Supply - #1 Source for Knife Making Supplies
-blacksmith depot Blacksmiths Depot *:* Blacksmith and metalworker tools and supplies
-blacksmith supply Blacksmith Supply

Look around all the sites you visit, many will have a link to request a catalog by mail.

"I" know what you mean, but Silver & Demming make all kinds of drill bits, straight shank, reduced shank, morse taper etc. And lots of folks make 1/2" shank bits for sizes over 1/2. The hard part is all the bits under 1/2, there you just about have to have a chuck.

Grant, I understand, I didn't elaborate much.

Ok, I'll explain what I meant for everyone's sake. At places like Harbor Freight or Grizzly tools, you can usually get a decent set of "generic" S&D bits for short money. They would work for occasional use.

Or, check out Grainger or MSC and get more better quality ones, either by the set or as singles. If they were gonna be in service every day for production.

My main point is that there are lots of options other than fitting a chuck if need be.

Personally, for occasional use, I would get a set of the HABA FLATE cheapies for the larger sizes. Under 1/2", I'd find a chuck for them, and mount it using a bolt shank.

Luckily, I've found quite a number of the post drill bits in various sizes ready to go in boxes of junk at flea markets. Just a little sharpening on a few and they are good to go.

For larger bits, use Silver and Deming bits. Grind a little flat for the set screw on the original chuck to engage. Will not slip when drilling.

As stated, find the size chuck you need, use the bolt as a shank method. Chuck it up into the old chuck.

Now,as an aside, how many chucks can a blacksmith chuck, if a blacksmith could chuck chucks? LOL

Bart,

Nice work, I'll be looking for it this weekend. Should bring a few bucks in the auction. See ya there!

aaron

Prayers going up to the Big Man for ya Frosty and Deb.

never could stand to not look inside to see what makes something tick.

Drifter

Yeah, I know the feeling. If it has moving parts, gotta see how and why they work, at least once!

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but sometimes I find that whatever was used as lubrication back in the day in the gearbox sets up like cement on the gears, most usually heavy grease. Sometimes the only thing that will remove it and free it up is time, soaking, and elbow grease. I've seen some instances of this where I had to literally scrape the old gunk out with a screwdriver or other tool. Be careful, though, if it resorts to this, as some of these blowers had fiber gears in them that can be damaged.

According to this page, there was folks with the surname Barron in Choctaw Co. Mississippi in 1860 listed on the Census books. Might be a good place to start looking.

http://files.usgwarchives.org/ms/choctaw/census/1840/mschoc40.txt

There's not any Barrons listed in the 1850 index.

If the blower looks like this then there should be a set screw on the fan blade hub to hold it. Should be a square one. If it won't turn for ya, hit it with a little PB blaster, go have a cold drink, then come back and it should loosen. This blower I use has screws, bolts, etc that hold things together. Don't force anything until you check for set screws, bolts, etc. You may do more harm than good. IF it has a set screw, you will not need a puller.

Oh yeah, toss that WD40. I've had no luck with it on things like this. Get some Kroil or PB Blaster or even Liquid wrench. Everything I ever sprayed with WD40 only rusted worse if left unattended and not oiled. It is made for water displacement, not protection.

I passed on a set like that at a flea market/antique show this summer for $50......man, I'm stupid, in hindsight!