Alfie

I have about 100ft of steel cable from the barge that serves as the family workshop. It is straight steel cables (not galvy or stainless). It's fairly heavily rusted, but is free for anyone who wants it. It is in penryn, so pm if you're interested

Why I fancied having a go at making a laminated chisel was because the blade could be ground all the way up to the hilt, while staying tough and hard, without re tempering and other related nonsense but i think I will wait until I have a more reliable forge my setup is currently just a massive torch on a firebrick hearth which can get to welding heat - i tried with some success welding very small bits together, but not with any reliablility at any useful size but i am making a #proper' forge, so may well reawaken this when it's finishes thanks again.

thanks for the advice sorry, my bad. I meant panel or tenon saw on the welding, i will probably practice with some mild steel to get the hang of it before using the high carbon. I am presuming they weld the same? thanks again alfie.

it's a small world! I live very near mousehole - it's a nice place, but a bit twee. hehe good lights though...

I think I am going o have a go at making some woodworking chisels with the japanese style laminated construction. My plan was to use some thin L6 from a coping saw blade, laminated to some bright drawn 1018 by cutting both into equal and appropriate blanks, fixing together with wire after thourough cleaning and application of flux, heat to a bright orange heat and smack'em together. I would then follow this by forging to shape, arc welding on a tang etc. Please point out the schoolboy errors, and any tips would be greatly appreciated.

thanks guys I might have myself a go at one of they spanner knives...

I have access to a lot of horribly rusty, blunt and huge drillbits although i could easily use the shanks, would it be possible to clean them up, take it to welding (bright orange?) heat and forge into round bar? thanks Alfie

I use a gasser but in theory would a HVLP spraygun compressor work?

thanks for the prompt replies methinks i will just kiss it with a belt sander to remove anything especialy flaky/high. I'm pretty sure the anvil is in fairly good condition inside - it rings like a bell. it is real rusty on the sides though, which means the edge of the face has a pretty jaged edge. I am presuming that can all come off? thanks again alfie

I have aquired an anvil for nothing, and have been using it to slight effect recently. This is handy, as I have no money. The anvil face is fairly pitted (around 4mm deep at most?), and a bit rusty. what is the best way to get these out? is it worth it? I hope to use it for general stuff, and a bit of of knifesmithingish stuff aswell. thanks in anticipation Alfie.

hey Any working blacksmiths in the cornwall (specifically falmouth/penrynish) area after some free labour (sweeping, striking, shovelling, whatever) in return for sharing a little knowledge? Am relatively experienced with basic metalworking - grinding, very basic machining, woodworking, and rather irelavelently luthiery(?) and general common sense... Alfie, 14. thanks

It doesnt quite count but I was cleaning out The metalworking shop in my dad's workshop he works mainly in wood and the metal shop hasn't really been used in 15 odd years terrifying quantities of stuff two dozen adjustable taps worth far too much morse and square taper bits ranging from very small to very big (technical measurements?) vast quantities of taps and dies at least 4 dozen loads of sharp files/rasps ranging from needle files to about 24 inch files loads of really old dull files/rasps = loads of 1095ish tool steel a few sizes of ball pein hammer a 'thor' copper mallet/hammer hot cutter a sledge a club hammer head I rehandled and painted green a weird hammer shaped somewhat like a pickaxe but with two flat, blunt ends a monster propane torch a huuuge (3 ft+?) AJ spanner loads of grinding disks and loads more stuff! Along with stuff that i knew was there so counts even less. oh joy

I am very inexperienced, and probably talking out of my posterior but surely you could get a small woodburner, like a 'squirrel', take off the doors, and stack up firebricks around the entrance till have a 3-4inch hole to put stuff in, thus retaining heat and not melting your face off. you can pick up little woodburners cheap and easily and with a bit of welding etc it might work they get Hot but that's just me talking and my head isn't enourmously reliable.

hello I'm called alfie, as my username sugests. I live in cornwall, and was brought to this fine institution because I am the tender age of 14, and have started teaching myself how to work metal, and would greatly like to find knowledgable locals to talk to. I scored in that my dad has a workshop with a much underused metalworkinjg machine shope, so I have access to an early 20th century industrial lathe , the most beautiful pillar drill you have ever seen (it is 7 foot tall, and has the most beatifully graceful castings), an anvil and a nice big propane torch and it's all on a big boat! which isn't nearly as impractical as it sounds. I have been making stock removal knives for a year or so, on and off, and hae just started forging stuff. It's all pretty basic - candleholders, knives, coathooks, but I am improving. slowly. hello!

hey I like to use grinders but watch out if you are using normal grinding disks they will burn the wood, which is a pig to finish out and it glazes the disks try using 'flappers' they are designed for softer materials and a nice sharp rasp is surprisingly quick - dont use blunt tools! Alfie