Good idea Tom.
Repetition of a process is the accepted scientific method for provenance.
I'm more likely to do a multitude of blades in one go than to make time and motivation for another day.
Not sure about using water ,as in my limited experience of long ago, it tended to be a bit quick to quench. I did watch a video of someone quenching samurai swords in water though.
Re the tools, it's interesting how many old blackies tools I'm starting to see around. Picked and old cold set chisel from my fathers shed at the weekend.
Used to make various tools and dies/templates etc when I was a boily, and the research has rekindled this drive. Used to get a lot of satisfaction from this.
The prior post mentioned making tongs and I am certainly interested in this, having watched a video of this in the last few days. the key to many of these jobs is simplicity rather than complex, and it's too easy to try to make complex interpretations in this day and age. Haven't seen anything too hard yet. Just need to get out and do it. Hopefully I'll annoy the crap out of my psychopathic neighbour.
Been watching many videos lately due having an arthroscopy last week. Busting a gut to get ou there. I don't do cabin fever very well.
Re gettin stuck on tools. I certainly am obsessive enough to like having the tools, but I take your point re using what's availble, and a vertical rail should have plenty of mass. Shouldn't be too hard to attach a larger plate or simialr to the top.
After spending some effort and (a little) money setting up for a small coal fired forge, It occurred to me that a couple of barbeque burners in an enclosed and fire bricked box would probably do the job. I happen to have several unused ones as well. Any thoughts on this?
Was talking to a similar bloke to me, ie old boily who has nursed for over 30 years. He relayed watching a blackie who had made a forge from a plow disc and lined it with reconstituted termites nest. Simply crumbled it and wet it before forming the fire pit. The old bushies used to make fireplaces and bush ovens out of termites nests. I'd forgotten that. I forget a lot these days:rolleyes:
One thing that I am not clear on is forge welding. I've never seen it done and my research has not yet explained how it works. I did see one gentleman us borax as a flux, but that's as much as I know. Is it simply heated and hammered adhesion of two parts or layers, or is there it more to it?
C U later.
BO.