Mark Ling

Thank goodness I've gotten better at making leaves. My first one looked like a willow leaf- about 2in long and half an inch wide. I'm sure that there will be more problems that need solving in the near future.

                                                                                        Thanks again everybody,

                                                                                                                                   Littleblacksith 

Thanks for the suggestion DSW.

                                                     Littleblacksith 

Hello everybody 

                           As you found out Im knew to the forum and knew to the amazing craft of blacksmithing. I started out only about a year ago on   A sledge hammer nailed to a stump, a sink as a forge, used charcoal as my fuel, and a hair dryer as my blower. The first project I made was a railroad spike "knife"- probably wasn't the best first project. Took me about 8 hours to make (thank goodness it doesn't take me that long anymore) but after that one came another and another and another, well I think you get the point.anyways now a year later, I still will ocasionally make a railroad spike knife, but normally I'm making more decorative "stuff". I still use a the hair dryer as my blower, but with a proper forge. I'm no longer using the sledge hammerhead as my anvil,but instead, a hundred pound Trenton anvil.oh, yeah I forgot to mention that I'm 13 years old. That pretty much is a brief over view of me. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

                                                                                                                      Littleblacksith 

How do you know if it is a low nickel alloy. A sark test? And if so what kind of sparks does it throw. A picture would be great!

                                                                            thanks Thomaspowers 

                                                                                                                   Littleblacksith 

Hello everybody,

                            I have a question about Damascus. I was wondering if it is possible to make a knife out of circular saw blades and what I would layer it with. I've heard of people using bandsaw blades. If it is possible to use circular saw blades to make Damascus, could anyone tell me how well it worked ( how was the pattern, did it weld good,etc.) 

                                                                                                           Thanks in advance,

                                                                                                                                           Littleblacksith 

Thanks everybody, I think the problem was that I was shouldering it down on a sharp corner and working it in a black heat.

                                                                                                                 Thanks again,

                                                                                                                                         Littleblacksmith

On February 17, 2015 at 4:14 PM, arkie said:

I just find an old dowel rod, clothes closet rod, stick I carve out, etc.   Drill a hole for the tang, put in a little epoxy, shove the handle in...good to go!

We both think very similar, just the other day I cut of part of a sledge hammer handle that was to long and then cut it into two pieces, drilled a hole in each of them, and used apoxy to secure the file into the place.

                                                                                           From,

                                                                                                      Littleblacksmith

Ever since I started blacksmithing (a little over a year ago) occasionally when I would shoulder down a piece of 1/2 in. Mild steel round stock, and then taper it down to a little over 1/8 of an inch to make a stem for a leaf it would break of where the leaf meets the stem.Also it has happened when I was attempting to make a nail header, and also when trying to make tenons on the edge of my anvil. Does this happen to anyone else? And/or does anyone know how to prevent this?

                                                                                      Thanks,

                                                                                                    Littleblacksmith

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and to blacksmithing. Maybe their for sheet metal?

I tried making my first leaf of rebar. I don't recommend straitening out the stem at a black heat. It broke. That was the last time I messed with rebar at a black heat. 

Or you could use some linseed oil.