medieval

Did you use any water (how much) in this concoction?? Thanks

Why Oxpho instead of 44/40?? Thanks.

Last night a student asked me what was the most difficult thing I had ever forged. I just gave him a blank look. I am old enough, but I still don't have a good answer. I tend to think of an item, or a technique, rather than an "anything I haven't tried" type answer. Forge welding was hard to do, until I practised awhile. Same with damascus. Or something as (seemingly) simple as making the next piece the same as the last. Making a quality knife is much the challenge, but the forging part isn't difficult. All the other processes have a long learning curve. Grinding, fitting, polishing, etc. What do you say????

I was under the impression that jack hammer bits were made from S series tool steel. Where did you get your information?

I was wondering if/when someone would mention polishing BEFORE twisting......... Much easier

Go out and buy a copy of the Machinery's Handbook. You don't need a new one, in fact, an older edition may be preferable. There is a HUGE amount of information related to metal working, mechanics, welding, metal and alloys, processes, etc, etc. The book is not cheap but well worth the cost.

Toilet valve float .........:)

Where do you get pieces of flint, for fire making? :confused:

I guess I"ll have to make another one......But I don't think that I can cut it, shape it, fit it, weld it, grind it and paint it in less than a day. What is your shop rate??? :o

I got a job to make a buffalo skull to fit over a harley horn cover. It took me three tries to develop a pattern. Lots of fiddling. Of course I underbid the thing, but I'm happy with the results. More to the point the customer is happy with it. I have welded it to the stock horn cover, and painted it since these pics. Sheet metal work is as much fun as blacksmithing. :o

I didn't understand the first part of that post, but if you forge a spoon, ladle, etc. it is easier to sink it rather than form it around a sphere. Sink it then planish it hot over the sphere, using light blows.

Germany has a state certified blacksmithing program. In order to call yourself a blacksmith (and offer your services as such) you have to complete the schooling and testing. It includes design, as well as personal skills at the craft. Like in the U.S. you have to be state certified in order to practice the engineering profession. To own/run a blacksmithing buisness you are considered a "master". I would like to know how accurate this is........Are there any members of IFI from Germany (or other "olde world" countries) that can set us straight? :confused: As with many topics on this (and other) forum(s), there are many who put in their 2c worth, but drift from the original question. Mark Asprey explained what the requirements are for a bronze rating in the WOB (?), but failed to explain the other rankings. I am seeing the ranking of bronze as a lesser ranking than silver or gold. Do you know the requirements for the other 2 rankings? Thank you.

Before I could afford a power hammer, I built a parallel-link treadle hammer (like the one shown). I didn't use it much until I started to make hammers (forging, repousse and specialty). Then it really got a workout, cause punching the hammer eye was near impossible, alone, by hand. Then I built a guiotine fuller (with interchangeable dies) for it, and began chiseling, it then became indispensable. I use it nearly as much as my power hammer. I know that everyone wants a power hammer, but building a treadle hammer is cheap, a good intermediate step, and profoundly useful.

With a 5" cylinder you are going to have a verrrrrrry slow hammer. Too much volume in the cylinder to get any speed. Kinyon air circuit runs 1 1/2"-2" cylinders. The difference in cylinder volume requires 6 to 11 times as much air:o to run your setup.

With a 5" cylinder you are going to have a verrrrrrry slow hammer. Too much volume in the cylinder to get any speed. Kinion air circuit runs 1 1/2"-2" cylinders. The difference in cylinder volume requires 6 to 11 times as much air:o to run your setup.

Welcome to the site........ My suggestion is to join the ABANA chapter in your area. Most (all?) hold conferences, or hammer-ins to share info and put on demo's, workshops, etc. It gives you someone to talk to, and share ideas with. As far as RR spike knives, it is as good a place as any to start. Blacksmithing is a skill. The only way to develop the skill is by practice. You may be able to find someone local that has a shop, either professional, or hobbyist, will give you some pointers. Have fun.......

When I forge weld cable (or chain) for a knife I make some with unwelded cable (or chain) as the handle. These are sold by me at minimal price at "art" festivals. I spend too much time removing the flux that flows into the handle area. Is there some way to remove this by soaking in solution? :confused: Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Here are a couple of 'hawks I made. I enjoy forging as well as all types of metal work. One 'hawk was made from a rr spike using the spike head as the cutting edge of the 'hawk. It was hardened with superquench. Handle was made from a broken baseball bat (ash?) The other was reforged from a ball pein hammer. I reformed the eye with a mandrel I bought from Centaur Forge. Quenched in oil......tempered in the oven. I carved the handle from a branch off the cherry tree. ;)My wife teases me about cooking metal in the home oven.:D

Just as an aside, the "new" sheets of copper (steel, etc) are seldom new. They are scrap that has been melted and reformed into "new" stock. If your client is concerned, explain to him that the "new" metal is recycled. In my opinion it is less expensive to buy new, than to waste time trying to find what I need in the scrap yard. This is doubly true for large sheet. ;)

I have HT'd many hammers. I got a lot of practice when I made special repousse' hammers ALA Nahum Hersom. What I have been doing, is heat treating the face and peen, rather than the whole thing, because they have a tendency to crack across the eye. Also, the mass of a 2-3 pound hammer doesn't allow the head to cool quick enough (except at the eye). Put the head in the forge, bring it up to critical temp (just pass non-magnetic), take it out of the forge and set it on a plate and allow to cool. This normalizes it. Then, using an oxy-fuel torch (rosebud tip, if you've got it) heat the face to a dull orange, be patient, when color is about 1/2" deep, quench in water. The idea is to bring the temperature down from critical to 400 degrees (or less) AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, so don't dip in water then take it out. Put it in the water and swish it around. Repeat this proceedure on the peen end. Clean up and put it in the oven at about 500 degrees. Let the hammer head soak for 2-3 hours. Chisels can be taken out after 1-1 1/2 hours. This has been verry, very god to me. :D

..........I make a leaf on the end of a piece of 3/8" square bar. It goes quick (if you know what you are doing) and it is a good example of how metal is moved. People don't understand that metal is in a plastic state when it is heated to forging temperature. The leaf shape is so different, from what it was originally, that it catches people off guard. Most people can "see" how a bar is bent. A leaf is simple, yet magical. Good luck ;)

I agree that copper is tough to melt. Silicone bronze is much easier. If you just want a chill block to use for welding, buy some brass flat bar. It is readily available and works just fine. ;)

Can someone explain to me how to build a vacuum setup I can make for home use? :confused: I want to stabilize some wood that I recently purchased. Also what are some of the products that can be used in this process? thanks, Bert

I am having trouble locating 3" square 4140 stock. I use it for dies on my powerhammer. The local dealer that handles tool steels has changed his inventory. He now saw cuts 3" plate into 3" width. I works but make it much more expensive. I live near Portland, Oregon. Any ideas? Thanks

I have bought some handle material from knife suppliers.....they talk about stabilizing the wood. I get the general idea, but could use some more info. What is used to stabilize the wood? Where do you get it? Do you need a vacuum table? I am asking because I got 8 pieces of maple (5" x 6") that I would like to use. I read that teak oil soakes into the wood and hardens as it dries. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks. :)