JHCC

Like the one Jeremy K made?

Hmm...I should plan something for my ca. 1830-1835 Mousehole's bicentennial.

That's really pretty, Lutz. The little filework detail is very nice, although I'd worry about it getting caught on something and snapping off. One question: I think this may be an issue with the photo rather than with the knife, but the bottom image seems to show a bit of gentle swelling in the middle of the spine rather than tapering evenly from bolster to tip. Is that just the photo?

If you buy from Harbor Freight, spend a couple of extra bucks on the extended warranty.

Scrapyard, eh? What did you pay? Do we all need to be a lot more jealous?

Dangerous question... If your grinder doesn’t have enough power to push the grit through the metal, it doesn’t matter how much control you’ve got over the speed.

New Samuel L. Jackson film: Snakes in a Forge.

Good info; thanks. My grinder actually is one of those HF cheapies. Funny how it keeps suffering catastrophic failure right before the extended warranty runs out....

I’ve thought about adding a deadman switch, so the blower would automatically shut off if I stepped away.

For example:

You want trailer? @jlpservicesinc got trailer! Check out this thread.

Also known as 1½"?

I'm a long ways off from being able to afford a 2x72 grinder, so my dabbling forays into knifemaking have relied heavily on my 4½" angle grinder. It just occurred to me that since that grinder has a universal motor, I should be able to plug it into my variable transformer (currently controlling the speed on my forge blower) and run it at a lower speed. Grinding would take longer, but would be cooler with less risk of ruining the temper. Anyone have any thoughts? Is there any reason (electronic or otherwise) that this would be a really bad idea?

Okay, then: keeps flying scale from burning the scalp!

Squirrel-cage blowers tend to be a lot quieter, too.

UPDATE: Erika posted this morning at great length. The TL:DR version is that Neil is doing a lot better, is passing all his neurological tests, and they are talking about planning for his discharge. At one point, she went to get some coffee, and by the time she returned, she couldn't get back into his room, it was so full of doctors marveling over his recovery. I am so happy about this. They only got married a couple of years ago (in their late forties), having spent their separate lives very much feeling like they were waiting for THE ONE. I was gutted at the thought that she would lose him after such a short time together, but it's not looking that way right now.

I didn’t know they even made ball peen hammers from cast iron.

Same here; good luck.

So, your only means of controlling the blast is opening the ash dump? Yeah, that’s not going to do the trick. Either follow @Glenn‘s recommendation above or install a gate valve between the blower and the tuyere. Both methods will work just fine. Oh, and get some ear protection.

In whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed.

Well, someone's spent a wee bit too much time downwind from White Sands!

Regarding the propane question, a number of folks have recommended getting a couple of carbon monoxide detectors if you're using a gas forge.

Hi, Todd, and welcome to IFI. This is a really basic question that's been discussed here a number of times. The simple answer is, "Best" for what? What steel are you using? What are you making? What are the intended uses of this item? Etc. As one of our members likes to say, I need a car: should I get a Ferrari or a dump truck? Check out the earlier discussions of quenching oils, and see if they either answer your question or help you understand better what you're actually looking for. Good luck.

What @Charcold said. Yes, it does. I'm no farrier, but nowadays most shoes are mass-produced and adjusted to fit by the farrier who actually shoes the horse. Anything that isn't a standard shoe (that is, that has to be custom made) is made by the farrier who puts it on, not by some third-party custom shop. If being a farrier is something that interests you, there are a number of threads on IFI that can point you in the right direction. We also have a number of members who are or have been professional farriers and have a LOT of information about the training, the work, etc.

It would require a number of identical hammers. Harbor Freight would be your friend, here.