Benton Frisse

Absolutely awesome!

Well, after two failed attempts-errrr-i mean learning two way NOT to forge a bodkin head, here's an image for y'all. The two failures and the one that... kinda worked. I got the socket to fold finally on the third try. But after watching Mr. Hector Cole's war bodkin forging video about 17 more times, I figured out what I was doing wrong. When I would hammer the stock flat for the socket, I was flattening it thin enough, but it wasn't the right shape. I realized, that I needed a more square look like Mr. Cole was using instead of a fan shape. I made the socket too long, but I figured I could grind a lot of it away instead of taking the chance and not having enough material. I'll be attempting them again tonight and this weekend. Practice makes perfect and you have to start somewhere, right?

I watched the video you posted on another thread of him forging a war bodkin. Excellent video! I wasn't aware that you could become a certified master arrowsmith?! I have never head of that. It's pretty cool!

Thanks, Frosty! After reviewing the threads that Steve posted, some books, and a few videos on youtube I've seen... I'm not seeing many people forge weld the socket? I had assumed that was a standard, to keep them from opening up and getting stuck/removed during arrow extraction?

Wowza, thanks for the links, Steve! That's a gold mine right there!

Hey gang, I've been searching around and I've found a few resources on forging medieval style arrow tips. I've been thinking of doing some, maybe a dozen or so, and mounting them on some arrows for my English longbow and giving them a whirl (why not, right?). Have any of you forged any arrow tips? If so, do you have any tips or suggestions? I have two books that have nice, short sections about the subject. Thanks! Cheers! Benton

That's a nice looking ax. I like viking axes. A lot. I've seen where people drift and shape the whole thing, and some that fold. Which did you do for that little gem?

I like the warclub on the back!

I spent a week in Clearwater, MN in '06 and we spent a few evenings eating in Grand Marais! . Beautiful place! We were up at Clearwater lake just North of there. I fell in love with Northern Minnesota! I'd be very interested in taking a puukko smithing class. Will you be doing another class?

Excellent explanation! I think this would be an interesting topic for Ryan Johnson to touch on, too. I've seen pictures of people throwing their hawks. I want to make a Frankish ax.

Man, that looks cool! Awesome!

Man, that is one of the funkiest, coolest axes I've ever seen! I spoke with a bladesmith at a Lewis and Clark Rendezvous a month or so ago, and he said he used to do an ax that the piece that wade up the eye and collar was mild steel, and the blade, bit, and cheeks were 1095 and he just riveted them together with two 22 ton heavy machined rivets (or something close to that) and he said they were some of best sellers for axes that had a cool medieval look. "I've know many, many mighty men in my day... but never a man so might as to break a 22 ton rivet". What kind of rivets did you use, out of curiosity?

Sweet, will do. Thanks for the advice, Neg!

Awesome knife, EB! The blade reminds me of a Schrade Sharpfinger!

Love that deep green on those micarta scales. I've been looking into ordering some for a while, just have yet to pull the trigger. Beautiful work!

That's gorgeous, sir! I love primitive look. The red color on the handle is beautiful! That hamon though, that's a real looker, too. What was your process to produce such a beautiful hamon? I've found that hamon-work is much like anything in blacksmithing, everyone has a different way of doing it with different materials.

Clint, what did you use to clean that up so nicely?

That's a good looking hammer, my friend! Looks like it would move quite a bit of metal purdy well.

I like this, I'm going to have to try making one. I've got railroad spikes coming out of my ears. Did you do any hardening or anything to the face?

That's a pretty hamon!

I like the profile on farriers rasp knife! Did you forge it or do stock removal? The kitchen knife looks might fine, too! Looks like it'd slice through meat like a dream!

That blade shape on the first one... wow! Super cool. How well did the olive tree wood work in terms of sanding and shaping?

Stellar!

Man that blade design is super cool!

Thanks, guys. I don't really plan to sell any of these pieces, and realistically they'll never leave the sheath (I can see myself being a hoarder.) Matt do you have a shop in town? What side of town?! Are you an IBA member? We must have a rendezvous!