Sheltowee

Sorry Frosty,  thanks for the welcome! Time got away from me a bit, that stuff happens with my two boys both under the age of 4. I actually am a fish monger full time and a blacksmith in mind all the time but in practice 2 days a week. Just enough to keep LTF up and going. my 3 most popular summer items so far. 

wow, beautiful. nice work! Love it.

I attached a round magnet that holds 90lbs to the top left side for a quick place to slap a set of tongs or chisels, and a remot control outlet controller that my blower is plugged into. It's handy to have a shutoff at all times in case the neighbors want to chat you up in between heats.

I have a magnet that holds 90lbs attached to my chaps for tongs and chiseles to be close at hand. And on the other side I have a remote control outlet controller that my blower is plugged into, quick on and off switch with you at all times.

Amazing, all of them. Dreamwork.

 mike-hr, I love some Hayduke distance measurements.

thank you! that's exactly right!I would shoot first ask questions later if they're in the no-mans land of my backyard.

I've been carrying around a piece of my 1lb rounding hammer in my belly for 7 years now. That's how as a newbie I learned hammers need their faces dressed. More recently I had some old friends I hadn't seen in a long time swing by the shop. We got to talking and I was trying to finish that days project "really fast " and stay part of the conversation, when I got reckless and let the hammer make an uncontrolled rebound and ate my 2.5lb rounding hammer. Chipped the lower portion off my right front tooth. Hard stupid lesson learned that day. Just like the Army forging requires situational awareness at all times.

Nice leaf opener. Would you post a pic of one of your horse head openers too?

I'm in the same boat,trying to work the 9-5 and keep up with forging holiday orders. Just hit me up whenever you're ready.

Heck yeah! Way to go! Congrats, that's half the Battle. Looks nice. Open invite still if you can find the time bud.

Here is one of mine, I usually do the Brian Brazeal style horse head bottle openers. I'll have to consider raising the price over $20 after hearing you guys. I just wouldn't buy an opener for any more myself so I haven't asked that much. But they sell faster than I can make them here in horse country.

Thanks for the reply Frosty. Definitely a medium carbon steel. Half way done with the first set. I'll post pics when finished. I'm having a heck of a time finding any coil springs. And the local scrap yard isn't into selling, just buying. It seems like all the auto shops have their own recycling programs. It makes it tough.

Came across this nice old fireplace grate and I am in the process of turning it into a couple pairs of tongs. It is definitely much harder than mild steel, but exactly what it is I'm not sure. It has a nice spark test. Any of you guys have any guesses?

Exactly, and when punching or chiseling the scale can obscure your lines or due to texture cause an errant line to be made. Crusty ole Carbon.

Awesome find! I'm so jealous. My local scrap yard won't sell but only buy. What is worse is that the scrap put on the curbs Sundays is picked up by scurvy people who just want the weight at the scrap yard and aren't interested in reusing the stuff, before us weekend Smith's who work a first shift on the weekends can get to it. Wrought with aluminum it doesn't matter. A bit of sour grapes I guess.

Not bad stock for tongs either!

Crobb, I live just down the road and there is an open invite to my forge every Sunday. That's usually the only day I can consistently make happen. Just let me know if you want to hit some metal sometime.

I love my N.C.Tool Big Face farriers anvil and at $370 it's priced right. I haven't had any trouble with moving metal,and the weird wide horn has not been an inconvenience at all.

Beautiful! Love the gunstock warclub!

I bought the n.c. tool 70lb big face anvil new from a local farrier supply store in the spring. Love it so far, it gets only around 16 hours of use a week and still looks new 6 months later. I would definitely recommend this anvil as a first anvil that meets any budget.