Mark Ling

6 hours ago, Lou L said:

 

I must have that shirt!  I would wear it on dress down Fridays.  Because I'm an 11th grade English teacher it would be a lesson in irony...or some other literary sounding term.

Oh that would maybe be interesting some kids reactions "our teacher shoes horses??". 

9 hours ago, Gergely said:

Hi Mark,

First: Happy birthday to you! Nice to hear about the birthday-scrapping

I'm really sorry for the hammer and feel your pain, but nevermind - these sorts of things happen. You are able to make even better hammers and then those are gonna be the best looking hammers you ever made. (BTW I consider "bigger" stock as >4" dia, but that's just my personal taste.)

Bests:

Gergely

Thank you! Yeah, these things happen, oh well. My thought exactly, they can only get better.

Bigger stock to ME is any thing above what I would wik with a hand hammer, so 2" Daimeter. Though someone with a power hammer or press may have different standards.

Thank you Frosty!

Thank you John! Yeah I have another hammer I made about a year ago that has a cracked face, I still use it every now and then.

                                                                                             Littleblacksmith

Thank you for that information Mr. Stevens. All very interesting. I had wondered if it was a mule shoe, so thank you for confirming it. I just liked it 'cause it was so small, and it was only .50 cents, so thought why not. it looked like it was wrought, on the back you could almost see some grain pattern.

                                                                                                                                        Littleblacksmith

little trip to the scrap yard for my birthday. got a little metal barrel for a oil quench tub,  quite a few traps, a couple files, a scythe blade, a HUGE wrench, a small ford wrench, a neat cobbler shoe repair stand thingy, I thought it was very fitting as the brand on the side is "eclipse", then a pattent date of something like 1894.also a little pully, and just some other things.

                                                                                                                                                 Littleblacksmith 

Thank you! he didnt want anything for the swage block, I had to try a bit to let me give it to him.

                                                                                                                            littleblacksmith 

finished a knife for a guy who gave me a swage block. blade is forged from 5160, ebony handles, with mosaic pins. Then made a sheath for another knife, and got some shoe hearts and snakes all finished up. Then for my birthday we took a trip to the scrap yard, did ok there. more about that can be seen in the "it followed me home" thread. speaking of my Birthday, thought some of yall would get a kick out of the shirt I got (that picture of me aint in our house but in my grandmothers. some of yall who have seen our house might wonder and be comfused, so thought I would mention). Also my dad gave me a need saw vice, and we went to some antique stores and I bought a 7/8" drill bit, a little bitty shoe, and block brush.

Then we got real sad news. that hammer I was working on had a sorta catosrophic faiure! hahaha! so, I got all ready for heat treating, and I done some research that told me that for 4140 most quench in oil, but for larger peices quench in water. well, I couldnt find anyone tellin what a "larger" piece size was, and I had always seen people quenching hammers in water, Ive even seen some quench 4140 in water. So, me being the stubborn fool I am, I heated it up to critical, and quenched in oil, and part way through the quench I went to the water. i know, bad idea!! so, anyways, we have a hammer that has a massive crack in the face! this was one of my favorite hammers, and I had spent alot of time on it making sure it was perfect, and this was for somebody else! oh well, stupid hurts right? I know though now what not to do, so that's good. I went ahead and just put in a fake pine handle and will put it up on my shop wall.

                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith 

5 hours ago, Tommie Hockett said:

Mr. Hockett!!! Hahaha hold up there buddy Im only 28. Good stuff though I needed a laugh. But in all seriousness you have very good manners and seem very knowledgeable so I commend you!. 

Sorry Theo, not trying to hijacl your thread. Again those are nice blades your students should be very proud!

Thank y'all. Anybody who I respect or who is 20+ I try to use yes 'mam, yes sir, Mr., Mrs., Miss. I slip every now and then and don't use proper manners, or I'll say something like yes 'mam to like a 7 year old.... problem is then they want you to call them mam, sir, all the time! You have more years on this earth than I do, and you deserve some respect. Even people who I very (very) much dislike I still try to use manners.

Thank you very much Frosty! I'm glad I can be a bit different than how most veiw my generation. Right. That's one thing when people come to my shop is some are very safety concerned and nervous, I'm just like live a little. Safety is important but there is no reason to walk around in a bubble afraid of everything. 

Thank you again Frosty. You heard the saying "you are who you hang around"? Yes? Well I'm truly fortunate to be hanging with some darn good People.

      Yes Theo, I too apologize for taking this thread down a different road, but there is a reason for everything, though I'm not the one who knows.

                                                                                    Littleblacksmith 

Thank you Mr. Hockett. Now, in highschool we do have wood shop though it is very limited.

                                                                                      Littleblacksmith 

Great blades, I'm sure you are a great teacher by the way they look. I really like the first one.

As someone currently in public school, y'all are all correct with what you are saying. They have nothing that encourages students to do physical work, it almost seems as though they are against it, saying that you have to have Some desk job as a lawyer, or doctor, and if your not your a "lower class". And with today's standards maybe you are a lower class, but If your happy why does it matter? The schools don't teach you to follow happiness, but to follow money. Personally, I dont give a rip if I don't have as much money as the next guy, but I do care about doing things that please me. If you gave kids the chance to forge, or do something else with there hands they would, it's just that most don't get that chance, as nobody seems to think it's important. Everybody has the urge to create things in them, that's why some of the most popular video games are centered around building  things. Sure most are stuck up rich brats, but thats because they were raised that way. It's not just the schools that have an influence, but the parents. If the childs parent is a manual laborar, chances are the child will be too, they dont know anything different than that. If the child's parent is some slime ball who cares nothing more than what others think of him, and his money, than chances are, they will be the same. So, point is, is that if parents aren't teaching there children good values, and skills and trades, than who do you expect will??

Everyone has potential, though not everybody has a chance.

    Ok, done with rant.

                                                                                              Littleblacksmith 

You see, I wondered if I was wrong, I thought to my self " it feels a lot tougher than just four times of half inch!". Thank you for the correction.

                                                                                   Littleblacksmith 

I'm with Mr. Stevens. I think you would maybe get frustrated and possibly even ruin the Leicester of steel, which seems to be hard to come by. First get a feel of like how 1/2" square feels under the hammer and multiply that by 4! 

.                                                                                                Littleblacksmith 

ahh, I see. yes, you will get quicker over time, and so you have. good to hear, I understand about wanting the practice.

                                                                                                                                 Littleblacksmith

Looks good. Only thing I would have done different is instead of cutting it to form the bevel I would have just forged it, that way it takes only one heat. I really liked the jig you used in the hardy hole to help roll the barrel for the hinge.

                                                                                                                             Littleblacksmith

2 hours ago, Melw45 said:

Littleblacksmith

Tell me more about you grinder?

Oh do be careful with your back.

Mel

Hello, yes, Dylan is right, it is a multi too grinder, though mine is a 2x48", they do sell the 2x36" ones though. I like it a lot, I do reckomend a 1hp grinder to have it attached to, the 3/4 hp one works, but isn't ideal.

46 minutes ago, John in Oly, WA said:

 

LBS - nice knives and dinner bells (do those hang directly on the hooks or have a cord between?) and herb choppers. Be careful with the back - you don't want to end up a bent over young curmudgeon having to walk with a cane.

Thank you! Yes, they hang on a leather cord, looks better and sounds much better in my opinion. 

Will do. Today I sorta took the day off and did leather stuff and wood, just small stuff, my back feels much better, at least better than it has like the last 4 days.

                                                                                                   Littleblacksmith 

Whoops, I hadn't reread the post, and I thought I handnt, sorry.

also half on half off hammer blows, that matters a lot, it makes a big difference between making a Tennon and a set down

                                                                                          Littleblacksmith 

9 minutes ago, CHUCK M said:

thanks, going to try the 3/8 next time and see how it goes...will certainly post the pics.  Seen one of your recent posts, stuff looked amazing.

Oh, and I mean 3/8" square, 3/8" round will give you a much smaller leaf than what you are probably wanting.

Thank you!

                                                                                         Littleblacksmith 

Also made a little knife stand for my shows. Just a scrap of mesquite and some antler. Also a pic of my new grinder and some herb choppers I'm working on.

 Got a handle made for Gergelys hammer, just hickory with some real straight grain. Also got the hammer ground. The handle is just set inside the eye, I still have to heat treat it. 

Also made a wedge for the handle, just out of a scrap knife handle piece. Thought it would add a little. I was wanting a dark wood, but I didn't have any scraps big enough, so I picked the next most interesting wood. 

Also got a sheath made. 

Ive been trying to do less physical activitys as my back is screwed up at the moment. Problem is is that I got an order for 10 herb choppers, and got to do other stuff too.

                                                                                Littleblacksmith 

if you have your radio held in place in a vice while your in the shop.....

On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 7:15 PM, Judson Yaggy said:

???  $20 an hour?  Crazy low.  Most pro blacksmith shops 'round here are in the $100/hour range.  Why should a blacksmith charge less than an auto mechanic?  Buy him out for a month or two, sell and produce the big job or a year's production of craft fair sales, and pocket the $80/hr difference.  I won't even turn on my lights for $20/ hour.  

That's what my dad and I were saying, he could get away with charging ALOT more!! I wish he were here in this town, I would be all up in his shop, using he Power hammers for some of the bigger stuff. 

Kaleb, you should have mentioned you needed a drop. I got some, they are like 2" thick, 5" tall, and about 3 wide. something like that, just mild steel. I reckon i could ship it, it may even fit in a small flat rate box. Though it shouldn't be hard to find something in your area, not hard at all. If you have trouble let me know. or if you need some wrought iron for a hammer, I MAY have some wrought iron suitable, as I will be acquiring a wagon axle, and hopefully it is wrought, if so it would be perfect for a hammer, that's my plans at least, though no way would I use all of it.

                                                                                                                                       Littleblacksmith

very nice hook. yeah, leafs took me a while to get down. It is sometimes difficult to get clean shoulders/set downs. about 100 leaves later and I'm pleased with the overall shape of my leaves, you just keep at it and you will get it. it took about 10 tries before I got something that looked sorta like a leaf. my first leaf took me about 1-1/2 hours, and now its about 7-10 minutes. try 3/8 square.

   you are doing very well, I am enjoying seeing your progress. I have high hopes for you, I cant wait to see stuff your making a year from now.

                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith

On 8/15/2017 at 5:58 AM, ausfire said:

That seems a bit drastic. A chain would have done to quieten them down.

However, a hornless anvil is still useful in the shop. Here's one I found in the scrap a while ago. It would do 95% of what I make.

was that one cut off or busted off? it looks in good shape other than the horn missing, just interesting because typically when the horn breaks off, it's from someone doing heavy blows with a large hammer or a sledge, and so is edge chipping, but there don't seem to be much if any chipping.

                                                                                                                                            Littleblacksmith

7 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Make some tent stakes or snakes from the rebar and sell them and buy good steel; life's too short to waste time on forging rebar!

speaking of snails.....here is one I made, they sell really stinkin easy to the right people. What about if you forged some snails and snakes, sold them, (you could even sell them online), and use that money to pay for your expenses, then buy some usable steel and make tongs. Or just have your brother ask around and see if anybody would like to buy them from you. Also, you don't have to make money from blacksmithing to use the money on blacksmithing.... anybody in about a 8 mile radiuse (walking distance, though depending on how determine you are could be further) that needs something done? trees trimmed, wood split, yard mowed, weeds pulled, maybe someone is going out of town and needs some one to watch there dogs? just think outside the box. money is everywhere. I have even once walked down roads picking up tire weights to scrap for money. I DO NOT recommend this, as all it takes is one drunk driver and your dead, but am just saying that small things add up, and that there is money out there!

                                                                                                                                 Littleblacksmith

6 hours ago, Gergely said:

 I really don't know what to say, Mark. Can't say I'll do the same for you  Although I do appreciate you giving blood to my hammer-to-be... 

I hope you're okay.

Naw, your fine, I was just sorta messin with you. What? your not going to do the same? its part of the deal man.

I'm fine, you should have heard they guy who was striking for me, I cant remember how many times he said sorry. Feel bad for they guy, It wasn't that big of a deal.

                                                                                                                           Littleblacksmith

Oh, thank you for that! I was forgetting something, and now your brought it to mind. Yes, that big red thing on my hand was a burn from that 2lb hammer you seen in an earlier post....the striker (wont name names....though I already have in earlier post)  had a missed blow and sent the orange hot hammer a little ways, hitting my hand. I am quite proud of it though. yes, so Gergely, your hammer has cost me some skin!

                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith

Got my new grinder today. It isn't anything special, it is just a 2x48 attachment that goes on a bench grinder, but boy do I love that thing! it grinds real nice, so much better than what I had been using.

The other day I forged some steak turners, and a few more dinner bells, and helped with a memorial for an officer who was killed 5 years ago who was the father of a friend in my 3rd-4th grade class.. Believe it or not, in the close to 3 years Ive been doing this, I have never made a steak turner! seems like every body is making them.

anyways, 1 left handed, and 3 right handed. They're are on the smaller size, 1/4" square, hand is there for size reference.

                                                                                                                          Littleblacksmith