TimeToWaste

No worries. Head scratching is kinda my thing. I expect a fair bit of failure in most anything I attempt. Lol.

I appreciate the insight, not the type of thing im likely to figure out on my own(without your level of experiance).     Your videos were one of the things that got me thinking about doing this in the first place, seemed like a good time.

Found some magnetic material in a creek today, hoping I'm on the right track.

Thanks again.

Hi Daniel C, I started this post because I couldn't find magnetite ore online in small batches(under a ton). Magnetite seemed a good starting point due to the logic, good ore equals a better bloom. Doing more research now based on your questions. Thanks for the perspective.

I've been trying to post all day and can't.

I think its the remnants of an old dock, long bars were driven through timbers and 6x6 beams, spikes were holding decking, long gone now. There are no other structures but who knows what was there.

I think I have to head back out there to make sure I didn't miss posted signs in my haste, it'd be a shame to make this a huge problem, could be as easy as asking some neighbors about ownership. As far as I can tell from my limited ability to read legalese, property rights extend to the high water mark on navigable rivers(in NY), navigable rivers are a public right of way, the submerged land is owned but no one can impede progress on its surface. The pile is not submerged so I think I'm in the clear with the state.

I assume they were never asked?

I tried a free download and had to antivirus my phone, going to keep looking but probably just buy a copy, have to fill the blacksmithing section on the bookshelf with something, Thanks Nobody.

I've never heard of the act being used in NY, although it seems it certainly could. While on the job in certain historical areas around here if your crew is digging and uncover Indian artifacts OR colonial artifacts the site can be closed until archeological research can be done. Thanks for the heads up, I had no idea about the act and it could be pertinent in this situation.

Ithica is a great place, surrounded by absolutely beautiful country.  I'll find my way out there for any little reason, despite being a 2 hour drive. 

Thanks for the heads up on the profile.DSW, I will keep your warnings in mind, especially with some of the excursions I've been contemplating. New York really is the Empire state and will probably take offense to me not cutting them in. Best tread lightly, maybe just a bit at a time.

Thomas, hadn't thought along those lines, never would have, great idea. Everyone loves free labor, "garbage" removal.

 Thanks again.

Thomas, yes, after a bit more reading I came across that information. I found some pics and think I've seen this before while hiking here in NY(hopefully). We have come across the sheen and always wondered what/where/how oil would appear on the surface of mountain swamps. Never considered microbial activity a possibility. I am located about 50 miles south of the Adirondack mountains and spend a lot of time hiking there and am always keeping eyes open for forest resources, ginseng, medicinal mushrooms, and now I'll be searching for iron producing bacteria in mountain bogs. De Re Metallica, may have to buy a copy just examine the artwork in better detail, amazing. Thanks for the info.

Jammer, thanks for the link, I was searching for that very thing, as Thomas suggested, with no real luck. Saved me some real frustration.

No hassle at all. Thanks for the advice, now to search out an appropriate bog....

Thanks to All for the responses. After a quick crash course on bog iron i was left with a few questions(wiki only knows so much). Would burning iron containing peat for fuel in a bloomery while still using ore "stack" iron production? I was also wondering if all bogs precipitate iron(unlikely, I thought) and if not how could I ascertain if it did. Thanks to all for your information, insights and encouragment. Interesting community here. 

Thanks for the idea arkie, I'm going to run with. I already know of at least one mine kind of near me but am not at all sure about taking material from the area much less the actual property(closed for years). I'm sure all the private land is posted and I was under the impression taking Anything off of state land is illegal. That doesn't leave me too much stomping ground. I might have to go door to door and ask permission of private landowners to check their waterways. Id prefer to do the work myself but I wouldn't be against just paying for it if I could find small batches for sale. Thanks again to All for the feedback.

 I was missing something, kind of felt that way, saved me a lot of head scratching, thanks. Hacksaw? What's a hacksaw? That's an obvious miss on my part, thanks again. Frosty suggested I post my general location but I couldn't find a place on profile page, does he mean post in title or am I missing something again..? I live in the Cooperstown area of Central New York. The iron is a few counties away.

Thank you for the information, I am going to follow that lead right away. Maybe it's time for me to do some geological research into this part of NY...kind of remember something about glaciation around here. Thanks again.

 Thank you for a speedy reply, thought I got lucky on this one, hard to be sure without someone who knows though. 

 Now an ethical/moral question....there is about 200' of the heavy bar, maybe that much in varying dimensions of smaller bar(most bars in lengths between 2-4', hunderss of the 6" and 12" spikes and a pile of the unknown steel spikes. 

 The problem, all of this apparently abandoned iron is wasting away in a river, with nobody to ask permission to salvage... let this resource rot or pick and hope no harm has been done?

 Thanks again.

 Hello to all, thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I have recently come across what I think is a healthy pile of wrought iron. I believe all pieces are wrought except for the spike on the right in the second pic(3 in last pic). I would try to cut and bend or spark test if my angle grinder was not on vacation...(funny how tools go on then never return from vacation)All show grain where rust was knocked off. Looking for a more practiced eye to confirm my guesses.

 Just a thought, if wrought doesn't harden, could I bring it up to temp, quench and try to bend in vice? Should still bend,? Or have I missed something,  still new to all this. Thanks again.

Sorry so many pics...lots of different pieces to identify.

Thank you for the quick response, I feel like it is a bit over my head for now and have alot of research to do...but maybe will start a pile of ore for future use. Will check the pages you mentioned, try to find a few like minded souls with a bit more experience. Thank you again for your experience and time. Have already learned a lot from reading your posts.

Hi to All, I am new to this forum and relativley new to blacksmithing. I have been reading here for a few days and am impressed with the amount of information available as well as the helpfulness and cooperation of its members. I would like to thank everyone in advance for any help they could provide for me with a hang up I've  encountered in a project I'm contemplating . I  would like to attempt to build a small bloom furnace but can't find small batches of ore for sale or information on how to locate some in central New York. I know of a few iron mines in the Adirondack region but am concerned with the legality of scavenging in, on or near these places even though some have been closed for decades. I read a few posts about "panning" in sandy creekbeds for iron ore with a powerful magnet to get a very rough idea of quality of ore and was wondering on the practicality of that in the creekbeds near some of these mines(have read posts describing something like this...?). I think this probably seems a bit over my head as a beginner but won't be attempting (if at all possible/practical) it until I've done a bit more general smithing and a mountain of research into bloom furnaces. I feel strongly compelled to make something truely from scratch, earth and fire into...who knows. I can't find ore there is no reason to pursue this idea and fill an aldeady sluggish mind with more gunk. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.