B. Norris

Well... I used a chisel, not a hot cut. Otherwise right on the money. The old Keenjunk site had an area for excerpts from the Blacksmiths Journal and that is where I saw this twist, been wanting to try it for a while. There was one more complicated where you split the incised line into two lines for a bit and then bring them back together and down to one line. I want to try that one next but, not on something so short! I do not own a hot cut, yet. I just won an auction for one on EBay, should be here soon. Thanks Jens! Wish I could get a better picture. I just edge quenched into water, but wound up with three lines at the tip from the in, out, thing and all three show Nie. I think Nie are the coarse martensite particles. Right? I am itching to try out the W2 I bought off Dr. Batson but, I am making myself finish up some other projects first.

I wish I could get better pictures but, this will have to do. As the title says I had the time to just fire up the forge and play yesterday. This is one of the things I did. It was edge quenched into water, sanded to 220 grit and etched with ferric chloride. My brothers birthday is approaching and he may get this one.

I used to know a professional powder coater and he would burn it off in a pottery kiln. He did it at night, with the doors locked because, the smoke is so noxious it is a health hazard. Had the EPA found out about it they would have shut him down. Sandblasting would be the way to go. I have been able to get it off in the past by hammering the beejeebers out of it, cold, until the powder coating cracks and loosens and can be peeled off but, it is time consuming.

Suggestions: 1) Make more! Nothing beats experience. 2) Find someone to talk shop with, these Forums are great for that but, nothing beats going to someones shop and seeing what they do and how they work. 3) Take classes. Good way to learn what you are doing wrong! 4) Take the time to do it right. This comment needs some explanation. Each step must be done properly or it will mess up everything that follows it. Knives are a lot of work and the temptation is to say, "That's good enough." Put the extra effort into getting the results you want and each consecutive step will get easier, instead of harder. For example, sanding. Sand to 100 grit and if it is not right the scratches will show up at 200 grit. The temptation is to just sand them out with the 200 grit but, this will take longer and could leave a low spot where you do it. Take the time to go back to the 100 grit, it will go faster, and the end results will be better.

Have you seen Glenns' Blueprint for the 55 gallon drum forge?

Donnie & Helen Anderson 25550 W. Dodge Rd. Donnie: (402)651-5887 Waterloo, NE 68064 Helen: (402)651-3913 I think this is something the guy does on the side. I believe he works construction and this is a way to make a little extra cash. Also, info is about a year old and I never contacted the guy. If you do let me know how it goes!

I would just use what you have on hand. The high alloy stuff is nice, but not necessary and I would save it for that tool that gets used all the time. It is possible to make tools from mild steel and they will work, once or twice. If you only need the tool that once than you are set. Tools that will see a bit more use, (abuse,) deserve to be made from that old coil spring you found or whatever is high enough in carbon. A few years from now you will know which tools would be nice to have in an air hardening or red hard steel.

There is one up in Valley, but that is a bit of a drive for me so I haven't ever gone there. Let me know if you want particulars on it and I will dig them up.

I think I've been to the same one, just north of downtown Omaha. He wants 40 cents on the pound. I passed over some nice railcar axles that would make awsome post anvils because of the cost.

I do not know this for fact but, I've heard there is a bladesmith in South Africa who does all of his pattern welding without flux. All surfaces must be completely flat and sanded to 600 grit. Sounds like a real hassle to me!

"Always feel for heat with the back of your hand before picking anything up. If you burn the back of your hand you can still work, but if you burn the front you're done for the day."

After I stopped snorting and was able to get up off the floor... I had to go tell my wife this one!

Here is my oil quenching tank. I saw this on a bladesmiths site while surfing and cannot remember who, anyway, thought it was a great idea so I used it! The jug holds nine gallons of peanut oil, it will take a lot to get it to flash, and if it does... The lid is airtight. The whole thing fits on a turkey fryer, making preheating the oil simple. Note: I do not use it where it is shown in the picture, that is just where it gets stored.

Vinegar is strong enough to etch the metal on your pen, but probably will not touch the dried on ink inside there. I suggest taking the pen apart, removing any plastic parts, then soaking in solvent. Acetone would get the ink right off, but if there is any kind of clear lacquer finish on the the pen it would remove that also.

Here is my hammer rack. Very low tech. Just a two-by across two studs with a one-by nailed to the wall behind for support. First picture is the rack, second is a detail of the support board on the back wall. Also visible in the first picture is one of my tong racks. Just a piece of 1/4" x 1 1/2" mild steel ran between the two studs of my shed.

First picture is what I forge on now, it is one of the Harbor Freight Russian anvils and weighs 100lbs. Second picture is the anvil shaped, but really a boat anchor, lump of cast iron that it replaced.

How would you go about fixing this? I am talking about the gap between the jaws in the first picture. So far, I have had two suggestions. First. Grind the jaws down until they meet. Second. Take the vise apart and heat the side of the vise that moves, right above the pivot point on the end of the piece. The second picture shows the spot. Then, put everything back together quickly, while it is hot, and tighten the vise down. Theoretically this will bend the arm where it is hot and bring everything back into alignment. I suspect however, that both jaws are tilted outwards at the top, as though something was clamped, only on the top of the jaws, and tightly enough to bend them. What do you think? The only other issue I have is that when I built the stand for the vise it changed where the spring was mounted and I have been having a hen-of-a-time getting the spring to work the way it should.

I think I'll drop in.

This one actually has bids on Ebay!

While in college I worked for two summers at Yale University in New Haven. I used to love walking around campus and looking at the old buildings. I especially admired all the ironwork. Years later I learned that it had been commissioned from Samuel Yellins shop. Beautiful stuff. Brilliant use of materials and patterns.

http://pba.abana-chapter.com/ Follow the link to the PBA website, print out your application and mail it in! Probably will take a while to hear back from them, mine took a month or two. Nice to see another Omaha area blacksmith, send me an email to nethrower@cox.net, we could get together and talk shop. Take a look at the newsletter in this post, there is a monthly meeting in town at the Hot Shops, I think the second Friday of the month around 7pm.

Cool! Now I can not possibly loose my copy of the newsletter. Thank you Jr. Bruce Norris

Vinegar is a cheap and effective way to remove galvanization (zinc) from a piece that you want to get hot. A few bucks worth can literally save you thousands down the road in medical bills.

Alright, I am not a chef or restaurant owner but, I do enjoy cooking and make knives for fun. That's right I'm certifiable! Seriously, all kidding aside, I am not a fan of the big name, branded, kitchen knives like Wusthof or Henckels. I have used them but, was never satisfied. My personal preference is for non-stainless steels but, this may or may not work for you and the way you do things. The only company I know of that still makes non-stainless kitchen knives commercialy is "Old Hickory." Wait, some Japanese cutlery is available as well but, it is pricey. I have one stainless, 8" utility knife made by Tramontina that is quite good. The knives are made in Brazil but, Tramontina is an Italian company, they are about half the price of Henckels, just check them all over when you purchase and get the straight one! There are many stainless kitchen knives that are quite high quality if you are willing to spend a bit more than you would for the Henckels. Al-Mar has a pretty decent set for the money, link is below, look at the "chef knives." I have been eyeing the "ultra-chef knives" by Al-Mar on the same page, my wife has issues with not cleaning cutlery immediately after use, these seem like they would offer the performance I am after and still resist her efforts to destroy my cutlery. That, and they look impressive! http://www.almarknives.com/ One last thing, if using stainless cutlery it is silly to not invest in a good set of diamond hones. The carbides that form in stainless steels are just as hard or harder than aluminum oxide or silicon carbide abrasives. The Al-Mar knives I provided the link to will definitely require diamonds to get them sharp, without they will seem to just never quite get to that tomato slicing edge.