Reeltree

Glue is what makes reworking a head difficult to clean out.  I have some that the head was pre heated, wood wedged then metal  wedged diagonally then top end covered with epoxy.  They are still tight today after years of use.

I use a metal wedge or round diagonal over a wooden wedge.  Gets very humid in Virginia.   Also heat the head up first.

I'm steering toward  a cleaner  "tinkering" time.  When I see all the projects and items here on IFI  and when I have the inclination to give one of those items a whirl , it would be nice to use the propane instead of the coal for smaller items.  I'm not in production just a  heat and beat kind of guy.  Not into demos or events, have to try and stay non-commented .  I never know how the ol' body will feel from day to day. 

Stelie ,,,your blades have me intrigued.  The handles first twisted then ground flat ?

Worked a bit on the gasser today,. Time to get some gut material.

I tried my hand at carving one out in reverse last week but found my eyes aren't what they use to be and hands not as steady

I like the squares,, 1,  3/4,  1/2   ?

400 ? maybe   nothing is on the other side ? could be a 200 ?

Im now seeing blacksmith items on crapslist   described as museum quality and way way over priced

So yesterday I went in for the second 6 week check up after Achilles tendon and tarsal tunnel surgery. Started out " I'll have you back on your feet in two weeks" after surgery it was pushed back to 4 weeks non-weight barring.  At the first 6 week check up everything was looking good and sent to PT, and told "Achilles tendon could take up to 6 months to heal properly".  Made sense to me.  Yesterdays check up went ok, "coming along splendidly the tendon has almost completely grown back".  I said "grown back?"  you originally said had to go in peel back the tendon to get access to the 4 pieces of bone growing inside of and fold the tendon back in place.  OHHHH no no he said, "the bone  had grown within as part of the tendon and had to remove up to half the tendon as the x-ray showed".   On top of this new revelation he said I should be back to old self again in a year.  Im thinking to myself, really,not 6 months like originally discussed?    Any ho,, the PT therapist is a cute sweet girl and gives awesome Achilles tendon and ankle massages as a warm up to the PT.   Last fall I went to PT for 3 months in an effort to work out and correct the issues.  Didn't work thus the surgery,  I submitted the mileage for PT and doctors visits from last fall and received the check .  I am considering it surplus funds .  Although I have already cut open a 20# propane cylinder and made a couple burners, I am thinking of pulling the trigger on a built gas forge either chili or a diamondback.  Ive been called tighter than bark on a hickory tree but I may be able to talk myself into it.

Think of it this way,, they are china junk to begin with even if new, so yes you can rationally say you are recycling junk. 

Offer 350.00 without the stand

Went thru the files today,  cleaned up some and sprayed.  I keep a USA Nicholson bastard and smooth at the vise stand.  All my files are USA , most being older Nicholson and some Simmonds a couple Heller,  two made in Australia. The 3/8 round smooth Heller is my go to finish file

If by chance you found the seller via "crapslist " website, 99.9 % of the  anvils and related items are way over priced.  They usally buy at auctions at 1/3 of what they are selling at.  Even still @ 7.00 a pound,,buy new, find a chunk of wood to sit it on.  That anvil is 3 dollars to 4 dollars tops per pound as MC stated, so is that stand worth 3 to 4 hundred dollars to you,  apposed to building your own  or a tree stump ?

3/16 is impressive for a hand shear.

Wow ,, looks like a guillotine tool on steroids x 10 

Kinda looks like cast pot metal stuff to me.

JHCC, the shears do come in handy, I have found them to be a two man operation for exact cutting.  But I have short arms too.

Danzinar,,it took a bit of rummaging but I knew I had one out in the shop somewhere.  The shipping would probably make it cost prohibited.  But is here if you absolutely can't find one

Ben , they look like they go with the GI Joe blacksmith action figure of the  the cavalry unit.

JHCC, I have to ask,, how do you not trip over on all the clutter around your feet.

Neighbor brought by a top platform off a ladder stand ( dumpster find).  Modifying for him and daughter to sit in.

This getting old thing sure ain't for wussies.

With anvils and other blacksmithing items as in most other things in life there are those who will pray and manipulate on the weak, naive and uninformed.

Some fabricator buddies use HF grinders over name brands,, they claim HF holds up just as good and cheaper

"Cash is King"  I always say