Seth Lancaster

Thanks guys! It was a lot of fun to make, though it really wasn't too hard. I took apart an old folding razor knife to get the idea for the lock, and then I modified it for this knife. I also took gun blueing and blued it, now I use it as my normal carry around knife. I am pretty impressed with the steel actually, it holds an edge well! 

I realised that I signed in under my old account... Anchored Ironworks and Seth Lancaster are the same person =)

Good day, 

I have been making knives as a hobby to make a little bit of money, but I have always used materials like saw blades and things like that for my knives. I am wanting to get into making some out of stainless steel, as there have been a few who have asked for that. Now that leads me to the question of what steel would be best, I am wanting a not too expensive, but fairly good quality steel which is not too hard to machine. I work with very few tools, and my belt sander is only a hand belt sander mounted upside-down. For my customers it is a selling point, as they want to support the small guy.

Thanks for your input!

Seth Lancaster

I have done a bit of this myself. A few years back I lost my job, so I opened up an Etsy shop and started selling my items. I had very low running costs, as I only had a small coal forge, I had an abundant supply of cheap coal, mild steel was not very expensive. But I find that many times people have a hard time finding YOUR item in the whole bunch of other similar items. What I have done then is I use social media and post photos of my work, and links to my store. I also for a time paid for my ads to be placed at the top. It brought in some cash flow, but it was not enough to make a living. I then expanded to doing some old time shows, where I was able to sell more too. One friend of mine gave me some good advice though. When you are blacksmithing for a business, do it more like an assembly line. For example, I made dinner triangles of three different sizes. One was made from 3/8" stock and was 10" each side, one was 1/2" stock and 12" each side, and the other one was 5/8" stock and 14" each side. I would get my material pre-cut from my supplier to 30", 36", and 42" respectively, and then I would have pieces that were 10", 12", and 14" long for the ringers. I then would make 10 triangles of the 10" all at once, then I would make the ringers. It really helped me a lot when it was a popular item. 

Of course I also tried to get creative about things too. such as I made sunflowers with saw-blades, but it also was the same where I dished 5 blades, then made the centres, and then the stems, and then welded them. 

I hope this helps for you!

Seth

I have now finished with the modifications. It changed the handle material to be Umbila wood (Also called Kiaat) and I changed the spring for the lock. I still need to do some perfecting, but it is definitely a start.

Yes, It is not finished yet, still needs the scales,. but  I made a different spring for the ball-bearing that holds it closed. 

On 11/28/2015 at 8:52 PM, T.J.watts said:

Nice first. I wouldn't redo it, instead keep it as is to compare with the next one. Just curious why 1040?

I have actually already re-done it. The problem is that the lock did not work very well, and it did not open smoothly. Now it works like a charm! Also the bamboo handle did not work very well. It was in a way too soft, and did not finish well. 

I used 1040, as that is the only metal I could get here in Mozambique. It is actually made from a grass cutter, which is 1040. If I had better steel I would use it, but I don't. 

Then you may wish to edit your location to where you really are located, we cant help you resource if your posted location in fantasy

14 hours ago, BIGGUNDOCTOR said:

Save the anvil! 

 

Well I cannot bring it back to the US with me, I do have my anvil over state-side too, so I will continue in my smithing. Of course I do not know, if I am able to come back to Moz, I will still have it here, as it will stay with friends, but if I am not able, I will have them sell it for me. 

12 hours ago, ianinsa said:

Is oom Afrikaans? With a name like Ian?

BG , I'm fully aware of the difference you can get from town to town, never mind state to state, I've possibility seen more of the USA than most Americans but then I can say the same about China .

So, is your answer no regarding the Afrikaans? I know guys who are Afrikaans with that name, as well as English. I ask as I am with an Afrikaans family here in Mozambique. 

5 hours ago, ianinsa said:

Welcome Seth!  hi biggun,  well I suppose "local" is relative about 500 miles apart!, Different country, different language, currency etc. Almost like Mexico city (and more hassle at the border)is "local" to you 

Thanks! Yeah, I have been in JHB, and we do go to South Africa every few months. Is oom Afrikaans? 

I did get may anvil in South Africa, from Durban. A friend in Pretoria brought it for us. For me though, I would much rather be here in Mozambique than in South Africa. I feel safe here, and I have no problem walking alone even in the neighbourhoods, where as in South Africa... If I have a death wish I would, but not for any other reason. 

But, we just found out that our residence permits were denied and so we will be going back to the USA for at least the time being. It was a shock to us for sure, but it is like that when you are are a foreigner in another country. 

On 25/11/2015, 18:50:50, Gold Country Forger said:

THey might be a little bit out in the country. they produce tools like this:

With the blade (usually an axe or hoe around there) on a shank sunk through a branch. This is not an indiginous example but it will give you the idea. If you see someone with one maybe they know the smith who made it! 

Okay, the hoes they use here are not like that, maybe because the cheap Chinese hoe heads are available here for a cheap price... I have not seen that type here. All the axes and hoes I have seen are Chinese or South African axe heads with either a branch handle, or a piece of metal pipe welded to the end. 

15 hours ago, Gold Country Forger said:

Hi there, new guy here too! I used to work on a water/sustainable ag project up in Bilibiza outside Pemba to north of you. Where I was there were a lot of smiths turning out tools. Have you had a chance to work with any local guys? Stay safe out there!

Oh, someone else who has been in Moz! It is interesting that there were smiths up there, there are none here, I mean there are the guys who have their welders and gas torches who make railings and things like that, but I have not seen any other blacksmiths here in our area!

Thanks guys! It is a kind of hobby that I do in my spare time. It is a lot of fun, as well as helping support the work we do here. 

16 hours ago, Daswulf said:

That is beautiful wood. Heck of a nice job cutting out the anvil. Nice touch. 

Thanks! I am blessed with a very big supply of very nice wood! Metal not so much, but I can make do :)

Thanks guys for the welcome! That is interesting about the "crayoning" technique! I just hope I get to get some forging in soon with the weather... It is summer time now, which is the rainy season, as well as being very hot. 

I got a bag of charcoal the other day, and should be firing up one of these days. That is one thing nice, I can get high quality natural charcoal for about $10 for a 100lb bag! It works GREAT!

11 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

Welcome!   Please add your general location to your profile so it shows up each time you post under your name; saves a lot of "where are you at" posts if you have a question  or post a resource.

Have you read the 3 part series on Blacksmithing for Africa published by the UN?

Thank you! I have now added my location! I have not read that article! Sounds interesting!

I am new to the forum, so thought I would post a few photos of my recent knives. I am blessed to have an abundant supply of BEAUTIFUL woods to use for scales. My favourite is called "Umbila" or "Kiaat" though I also really like some of the other ones. I make all of my knives with only a few tools, a hand held belt sander (turned up-side-down) an angle grinder, a small bench grinder, a hand drill and a vise. I have been doing stock reduction on 1040 steel recently, but just got a blower (hair dryer) for my forge, so I will do some forged blades soon too. I polish them by hand with fine sand paper, though I did just buy a cloth wheel for the drill to polish. 

The first two photos are with the Umbila or Kiaat wood, I love how it looks! The second is coconut palm wood with a brass hilt. I cut the anvil out by hand. The next one is Chacate and some piece of drift-wood, and then the last one is bamboo I picked up off of the beach. 

Well, I made recently my first folding knife. I used 1040 steel and bamboo scales. It is not perfect. and I am actually thinking to re-do it soon. Any pointers would be nice! 

My name is Seth Lancaster, I am 21 and live in Mozambique. I am an American living as a missionary here and I do blacksmithing on the side. I have been a member of BAM (Blacksmiths association of Missouri) for several years, though I am not anymore due to having moved here to Mozambique. I have a 37.5 KG old English anvil (A birthday gift from a friend) and I made my own forge from scrap iron. I have been mainly making knives recently, which I then send back to the US with friends and family and then I put them on Etsy to sell to support the ministry here. 

I hope you all have a GREAT day and happy smithing!