Mark Ling

shhhh...5-1/2lbs....Then there is a forged sledge that weights 8lbs...

2 hours ago, Daswulf said:

Geesh LBS, I can only imagine the warehouses of tools you'll have when your 80 years old. 

wow, 80 years old, your setting the bar high! I cant imagine what it will be like, if im still gathering tools, by then there may be no more to gather...

On 12/29/2017 at 1:47 PM, MotoMike said:

This thread would be infinitely superior with hammer pics. 

and here are a few of mine. Had to recently put together another hammer rack as I was running out of room. The first couple pictures are mostly of ones I made, on the left side of the tool table are where they are kept. Then on the right side of the tool table is some tongs and top tools. oh, and my sledges. 

                                                                                                                                         Littleblacksmith

Just now, Ranchmanben said:

Mark, great work and I’m always impressed with how much good work you churn out. 

That's just because I don't show the bad work! 

                                                                                                                                              littleblacksmith 

here is a recent thread that was about 10 topics below, covers some stuff that hasn't been mentioned yet.

I forgot to show ya'll a smaller rounding hammer Me and BountyForge made a few weeks ago from 1045. Then today I forged a twisting wrench for 1/4" square, 1/8" flat, and really thin flat. Also made a large pair of flat jaw tongs to hold 1 3/4" square. These were just a practice pair of doing them this style, were forged from 5/8" square. Forged a pineapple twist square center punch, I enjoy making these. Then just for fun made a little piece showing the progression of punching and drifting a whole. I said it would make a nice Christmas ornament, my mom thought otherwise haha. Oh, almost forgot, then also forged a small rounding hammer with a friend of mine yesterday, it turned out alright. 

                                                                                                                                       Littleblacksmith 

This knife is from a while back, it was a fun one to make. has Two different handle woods, the black one is ebony, the other one I don't know what it is, between it is a copper spacer. copper mosaic pins, cable Damascus with copper, and filing on the spine.

                                                                                                                                       littleblacksmith 

there is a couple peices of track on CL for $200...I have passed up alot of Railroad Track at the scrap yard that I could have picked up for .30 a lb. Then also a (beat up, sway back) 280lb anvil for $1500....

                                                                                                                                                 Littleblacksmith 

I reckon so!

                                                                                                                           Littleblacksmith 

or how about this...Your room has more scrap than your scrap pile.

                                                                                                                               Littleblacksmith 

if your scrap pile is more organized than your bed room..

                                                                                                                               Littleblacksmith 

12 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Shouldn't the belt buckle open bottles too?

My dad said the same thing haha.

Thank you Chris! I liked the hatchet alot too. I wanted the handle to be a D guard, but the customer insisted for it to be like this, was his choice not mine unfortunately.

Wow, Thank you Gergely! I see what you are saying on the knife, will be sure to thin it down a little more next time.

SFC Snuffy- Thank you! The customer had seen the one on forged in fire and said they wanted something similar. The balance is quite good, I think that if the horse head wasn't there that the blade would be way too front heavy.

Thank you Elijah!

                                                                                                                                                      Littleblacksmith 

Done alot since the last time I posted, but here is a couple things. 

forged a hatchet with my cousin along with a 3-D horse head. Also a small quick knife, and then I forged a larger chopper. Has a horse head forged on the back of the handle that I like because it acts as a bit of a counterweight. handle wood is black walnut, blade forged from 5160, blued finish. Oh, and also a horse head belt buckle.

                                                                                                                                              Littleblacksmith 

It will be in the auction on february 17, I do plan on giving the results, Ya'll may have to remind me I will probably forget.

                                                                                                                                                 Littleblacksmith 

On 12/22/2017 at 7:45 PM, 51 Papy said:

Got to try out the draw knife I made a couple of weekends ago on the horse.  

Animal cruelty! everybody knows you should never test a drawknife on a horse, only goats! I'm just messing with you. I made a shave horse a few years ago, really handy when using a draw knife, and surprising how well it grips most wood.

                                                                                                                                               Littleblacksmith 

57 minutes ago, TimberBull said:

It has a strange oval shaped hardy/pritchel hole.

It's the hole the handle went in..

Like you profile picture.

                                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith 

From an other Texan, that is a cool knife! and cool that it is going to the Governor!

                                                                                                                                         Littleblacksmith 

On December 17, 2017 at 12:27 AM, Ranchmanben said:

Thanks Mark, there were a couple rejects before I got this one right. I need to make a handle template.  

I still can bring myself to join Facebook but I do follow him on Instagram. Why do you ask?

I was making a handle last night, and when I charged it it split, I didn't even over char it. So, then the next one while I was cutting the slot for the wedge part of the handle split of haha. Oh well, it takes probably like 30 minutes from start to finish to make a handle, it just stinks that I have wasted 2 handle blanks. 

I was just asking because you did a half charred handle, something he does on almost every handle of his, almost now his signature thing . I do it a lot on mine, after I took a class a couple years ago with him I really liked the look of it and the contrast between the charred and un charred. 

Speaking of Matt, on Saturday, spent part of a day with him on Saturday and forged a couple hammers, pictures will come later! His power hammer is a beast! Speeds things up a lot.

                                                                                                         Littleblacksmith 

23 hours ago, Ranchmanben said:

I guess we can count that. 

 

Got hammer #3 heat treated and handled with hickory salvaged from a broken axe handle  

 

Cool, nice handle! Do you by any chance follow Matt Marti on Facebook?

                                                                                                            Littleblacksmith 

39 minutes ago, Ranchmanben said:

Finally got another round of hammer making in. There’s are hammers number 3&4. I’m really happy with how the cross pein is turning out. I’m not near as happy with the rounding hammer, way unbalanced. Ah well, live and learn. 

you could always just take an angle grinder to the un even face, and cut off the extra, That's what I would do. I like the cross pein! will be making one this weekend most likely, but not that style. As you know, If you'r ever over my way, Id be glad to make some hammers with you!

                                                                                                                                                    Littleblacksmith 

Ok. Then looks like I may not passivate it as it sounds almost pointless, as I would prefer it to still look forged and not machined, so I wont be doing any serious grinding and polishing to it.

Das-Nice stake anvil!! so, did yo forge weld that stake in there? I know you riveted it on (if I remember correctly), but also remember you saying that you did some welding. Or did you electrically weld it in? you had said that you had thought about making one out of RR track, I have forged one out of the flange before. Really simple to do, a much smaller one though. the one I did, I quenched in water, will never do that again! left some 2" or so long cracks in it! I still use it, lasted about a year, and then a couple months ago the tip of the horn fell off. It was a laughing crying moment, I couldn't get over how funny it was, but also it really stank that I just broke the horn off an anvil (sounds pretty bad when I put it that way....). I need to make a new one, I mostly just used it for the horn for shaping key rings on.

                                                                                                                                                                   Littleblacksmith 

1 minute ago, jlpservicesinc said:

You are correct.. any carbon steels will transfer.. chemical passivation i's the easy way to do it but you can also grind then use buffing wheels with fine abrasives..

I've done stainless steel weldaments and as long as you get all the big cracks off and give it a full polish it will take a long time for it to rust..

so, are you saying that I should passivate it? I will only be grinding the faces, though will be using a scotch brite on the rest of the hammer. Don't have any cracks in it....

                                                                                                                                            Littleblacksmith 

well, if you are welding wrought iron you dont need flux. I would recommend wrought iron if you want something easy to forge weld, though if you are wanting to practice forge welding to work your way up to pattern welded steel, than I recommend practicing on scrap high carbon steel, practicing on wrought iron or even mild steel is a completely different animal than welding high carbon. 

                                                                                                                                                     Littleblacksmith 

I was thinking about the stainless hammers. I'm not sure there is a point in passivizing them really. Ya'll have been saying, you got to be sure not to use abrasives that have been used on steel because it will transfer onto the stainless steel and will cause it to rust, but, that also I would think would mean that when you have it laying on your anvil that it would be "contaminated" and would make the passivizing pointless. Now, I may passivate it just because, but, I was just thinking about that. What do ya'll think??

                                                                                                                                                      Littleblacksmith 

On 12/4/2017 at 5:10 PM, arkie said:

Coons show up in the darndest places!!

amen to that! had one a few months ago jump down from the top of my shop door when I walked in and scared me half to death.

                                                                                                                                                                    littleblacksmith 

you may also be looking at leather punches, they are commonly hollow.

                                                                                                                                          Littleblacksmith

On 12/5/2017 at 6:34 AM, jlpservicesinc said:

Very nice..    Did you punch the legs and ring with square holes or round?

 

Also  be sure  to keep in mind the handle position and handle weight need to be taken into consideration when mounted on the web between feet as this can make the trivet side heavy and slightly unstable,   this can be offset with putting the handle in line with a leg/foot or make the opposite leg/foot a little heavier for proper balance..  Heart trivets usually plenty of weight at the offset side.. 

Otherwise you nailed it..   Excellent work on all your projects.. Really making me want to be a better smith myself.. One of the highest compliments I know how to give.. 

 

  The level of work you are producing is awesome.. Congrats to you Sir..  I know there is a love for blacksmithing as your dedication to learning and practice says it all..  

Wow,  thank you very much!!!

I punched the legs, though with round holes. I thought about doing square, but I have already made a few trivets and used them a lot, and haven't ever had any problems with the legs coming loose. This on is for me, so if they ever do get lose a little tap and no big deal.

I was worried about it being to heavy and even possibly tipping over on it's own, was glad to see that it was able to stand on its own, and rather stable too. Will keep that in mind for the next one though.

Thank you very much, that means a lot coming from you!!!

Nice job Chris on your tongs!

                                                                                                                                                 littleblacksmith