Daswulf

Wow John. Looks like they are learning quite well. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

BigGun, they really seem get the point across. I dull the tips just a little.

Nice work Dylon. I like the way you have it hung and how it holds the striker. Don't know if it was the one I made a little while ago but if it was it wasn't originally my idea I just made my own take on it as you have. Good job, I hope it does well for the charity.

That is neat. Best practice I have heard is to work with the steel that you intend to use so you get used to how it moves. Rebar will act a lot different under the hammer. My personal thought Is if you are going to spend the time making a knife you are better to use the good steel in case you make a good one. Then it will actually be a good knife and not a mystery steel blade with unknown quality. Plus you will be able to improve on the steel you intend to use as far as heat treat etc. Just my 2cents.

Please leave that beautiful anvil be. It is absolutely perfect as is. what can't you do on it as it is?

ugh. so I am aloner... but for others...

No way tangledriver. spalling cattle I would not want.

Nice work John.

My cousin, who does wood work, was over this weekend. He had a wood branding iron in mind and sketched out. So we made it happen. It is a lotus flower outline.

Slag, thanks for the link. I will be sure to get it out to my woodworking friends.

Ah.. You were just Rocking the boat.

Yes and yes Thomas. I can't say how much ratchet wrenches have made my life easier in automotive work. Air jacks are pretty nice as well.

Looks very nice to me Gijotoole.

Hi Josh, welcome to the addiction. At least great information and rebar knife weren't in the same sentence. I only say that as usually rebar is stated here a lot as not a good choice for knife material. It is interesting, how did you do the name on it?

There Is better material to work with other then rebar. But, it is very common and that's why I used it with the rock slab anvil just to say it Can be done if that's all you can scrounge. Round or square mild steel would be just fine to use. Check out the videos Technicus Joe has on YouTube since he is way better at doing it then I am. I watched it several times to get the technique of making them down. After making my first ugly, barely functional pair the second came out much better as did the third. Also there are other sources online with step by step on that style and others. They could even be made easier but I haven't attempted the easy way yet lol. So far I haven't made any pretty tongs but they are functional. I will see if I can get a better picture on here this evening of those. But as I said that video is a good resource for learning how it's done.

hmm... In all honesty, there are No posted signs and no houses or marked property anywhere near. I will probably still go anvil hunting. I know an area up the river is owned by a rafting outfit but where this beach is there is no known authority. Lets say it's off a poorly beaten path. I am learning some things and it's all interesting.

Technicus Joe (Joey Van der Steeg) has a good video on YouTube on making tongs from rr spikes. Both flat bit and bolt head tongs. I have made some from his instruction and the technique works great as he shows. The technique can be used from other stock sizes, lengths. Just in fun I recently made a rough pair of tongs from 5/8" rebar using a cheap ball pein hammer and a chunk of granite as an anvil. The main thing is to learn the technique, and practice it. https://youtu.be/-e3Wox3pxK4 Interesting hammer, tho I can't see that being comfortable to use.

Looks heavy enough. I like the idea of using it as a vise stand as well.

Didn't know about riparian water rights.

Correct Anachronist. A real anvil. It works. BigGun, I did not know.....

My next Jeeping trip to the mountains I think I'll go anvil hunting. I know a good spot by a river. I'm only limited by what I can lift.

IFI sells a shirt, " Hold the cold end and hit the hot end, Get it right next time!" I know I have been guilty of grabbing something that was hot before. I've got better at letting go quicker.

The key it to just get a good heat where you want it to expand. ( for me usually just on an end) Use a water can to cool any area outside of where you want. I do mine with the heated side down on the anvil and fairly rapid taps on the top of the piece. Not heavy blows. It does like to bend a bit so just correct it as you go. I have also heard to turn the piece as you hit it. This seems to help a bit but a lot of times it still bends a bit so I just correct as I go. I wish I was better at explaining things.

Well who said it had to be granite? The face doesn't have to be polished. Just makes for nicer final work. Fine... I'll find an uglier rock.... If you did want a piece of granite I'm sure a grave stone cutting place has some mess ups the might part with cheap. And granite counter top is just too thin to use as an anvil.

Thanks Seldom. Donnie, I'm doing this for that reason And experimenting. Don't know if you could see it in the first pictures but this chunk had a minor crack from the start so I guess I "bought" a damaged anvil lol. Still, it held up to my attempt tonight to forge tongs out of 5/8" rebar. Why rebar? Because every other new post mentions rebar. Ok, ok. I have some minor skills under my belt, I had to try tongs without using tongs to make them out of rebar. ( first attempt at that) BigGun, the edges did not like the rebar being made into tongs and the edges gently spalled on me.( broke the edges, not exploded like concrete can spall with heat) so the flawed granite anvil took some damage making tongs out of the rebar, but it held together enough to make another s hook using the tongs I just made on it. And will still hold up to more abuse. I used different sized nuts as a pritchel hole and to start making the rivet, as well as true up the tongs. The tongs are ugly but function fine. I also stuck with my $2. Fleamarket find hammer, with an undressed ugly face. I could have tapered the tong handles but it was taking a while, and they could be functional so I moved on because I could. All in all the granite chunk is still functional and I will use it again. If I make more on it I will post it here.