Daswulf

CTB excellent work with what you have. Please add onto this with what you think about forging on it. Nice execution of the before discussion. Great work.

Fireater, I believe there are detailed instructions here on making a nail header. Or atleast on the interwebs. As JHCC said its way easier with one and another tool in the shop. Tools to make tools to make tools lol. It happens. And I think it's fun and rewarding.

First off there is already a lot of info out there on venting your forge. You'll have to decide between a hood or side draft. Best way is what works well. You will get a lot of opinions on what people prefer. Is your forge a bottom blast or side blast? Size of the building? Pictures or a good description of both would help in getting many good answers to the question. sorry I can't help much in Where in Texas to get supplies other then vague ideas. Please fill in the details so we can atleast try to help. Yeah we prefer details or photos it helps us help you.

Great. also S hooks are fun and you can find many ways to embellish them to make em fancier. sometimes if I'm just starting the forge or dont have anything else in mind I make em. That and leaves. once you know what your doing they are a great warm up.

no idea from me on that one. I'm more on the side of you have a good tool. how hit some hot steel on it sooner you start the sooner you will learn more. it's one thing to read and research. it's another to do. I do understant the want of learning the history of your tools since they were inherited tho. I'm sure someone will shed more light on it.

second to last pic. sais Fisher even if I dont see the F in the pic.

You guys are getting me remembering when I worked at boys out camp and we would set up for the Order of the Arrow ceremony. Ah the coffee cans lining the trail with diesel soaked toilet paper rolls to light the path and the giant metal arrow we would wrap with diesel soaked strips of old decommissioned canvas tents. By the end of it I was usually soaked in diesel fuel too. Those were the days where they still had two warriors fight with the staves ends on fire.

Sometimes you have to just Pay to inherit it. Offer them some money for it. Sometimes other family members see dollar signs while you see a great tool you would use and have a respect for where it came from. I dealt with this with my grandfathers tools. I had to buy them. Granted for less then it should have been but still. Most of the rest of the family was just looking for $. Good luck.

Looks like the Fisher eagle. So I'd guess a Fisher from what I can see. They are good anvils. If you are looking for any other info I suggest using a wire wheel to clean it up and get pictures in better light.

Very True JHCC, but also sometimes they want to come take it away before you are done which means "they like it. You are done." "LEAVE well enough alone!" lol

just some stuff I've finished or didn't give away recently. just a taste. first real completed knife it's out of 1/2" automotive coil spring, hardened in peanut oil and tempered to a dark straw on a piece of 1/4" x 4" piece of steel on the forge. ( just for a fun project). not pictured is my first completed forge weld on a fire poker I havnt finished, yet that I am actually happy with. (that's rare.) have done more but I am a sucker at giving stuff away to friends, or new people to the forge ta get them interested or give them something simple (to me) that they saw forged. sure I'll go broke like that maybe but right now it's a hobby. and those kind of people spread the word. nothing amazing or spectacular at all. just some fun stuff I didn't give away. On the right are some skewers I made from some stainless rod that Rthibeau gave me. cant wait ta use em.

CT, I'm thinking your hooked haha. Joel, if I havnt said so before, It is beautiful and an amazing work of art.

the auto darkening shields are great. I like it. keep going.

yeah thats a small crowd that appreciates such things. Tho they are appreciated by those that know.

I wouldn't argue lol. But it's sad to see my children I've created leave. Then again some just won't.

Nice work. Like the Plierannosaurus Rex, he has some attitude they both look good. A little practice and you could be a better welder.

What? makes the anvil sound like a great deal haha. Think of how many tongs you could forge out on that thing.

Excellent work. Especially for a first. Very clean lines. Well done. Isn't that how it goes, someone wants one, you make it for them then you want one. haha

Wire wheel it and look closer at the side with the horn to your right and at the feet under the horn. Also a picture of the bottom of the anvil could be helpful. Some times you think the stamping is gone but hints remain. My Trenton only had the upper part of the diamond left that the name is stamped in. Its neat to know what you have, but it's a tool. A good tool isn't always about a name but how it functions. If it's got good rebound it's good because cosmetically it's in good shape.

It's in nice shape. If I were buying, I would do my best to try to get him to come down on the price a little but I would buy it. Hey maybe see if he will sweeten the deal and throw in some tongs or other tools.

pics? I like Trentons myself.

you can make tools for planishing.

^ that part will probably get you lectured. But as far as galvanized steel, if it's rusty, chances are the galvanizing has worn off. But it's better to be safe and soak it in vinigar and remove it. There are threads on removing galvanizing or atleast discuss it. It would probably be cheaper and safer in the long run to buy the steel you need and scrap the fence.

Your just trying to be the rebound man.

Gunslinger, nothing wrong with wanting your tools to look more original. Since you are set on it, go for it. It can be fun and fulfilling to repair a good old tool back to functional and aesthetic condition. You will have to pick a style mount bracket that You prefer. I have both styles, but have only made the split style brackets. One I made is like on the one you pictured as an example. That was for my big post vise. Another one Crazy Ivan and I made for another vise I have. It's split as well but attaches like the second of Johns pictures. I have a bracket for a Columbian vise that takes the U bolt. I spotted it in a pile of scrap at an auction and bought it. Unfortunately the vise was welded to a huge welding table and the winning bidder of the table didn't want to part with it. Good luck with the repair and be sure to get some pictures to put up here as you go.