nashdude

I'll do my best. Just remember, I'm still a smithing newb, so don't expect super-expert documentation That, my friend, is EXACTLY what I was looking for. If I remember my notes, charcoal is consumed faster than coal, right? Which would mean that although corn behaves like coal, and is similar to coal in regards to heat, you go through more of it faster. Also, if it produces such a high flame, it seems as if it's more volatile than either coal or charcoal. Excellent details. Any others?

LOL never tell a cheapskate "just buy it and see" ;)

Someone mentioned this yesterday, and it sounded like a really interesting alternative to coal or charcoal. I know a few of you have tried this, so if you wouldn't mind, I'd like some comparison (especially since I can get yellow feed corn for $6.75 per 50lb hehe) 1) How hot will a corn fire get compared to a charcoal or coal fire? 2) Will a corn fire get welding hot, or just forging hot? 3) How FAST will a corn fire get forging hot? 4) How fast will a corn forge go through fuel compared to a coal forge? How fast will a corn forge destroy its fuel compared to other forges? What I'm looking for is as indepth an analysis---effectiveness of fuel, durability, cost comparison---as I can possibly find. It won't matter much to the overall design of my forge. I just want to be fully informed on what my options are, pros and cons.

Wow! I never knew that corn could be used as a fuel source beyond its ethanol applications. Thanks!

What? For forge fuel? I can actually get that relatively cheap---50lb for about $10. Wonder how it burns? How you get it started? Good suggestions. I also wonder if Sam's might offer something similar, as their whole gimmick is selling in bulk.

LOL no doubt. You see the video where he sharpens a blade on a concrete block and a piece of cardboard? :o

That's actually the END of a single, longer knife-sharpening segment. Murray Carter is a master bladesmith, and he was showing how to take a knife from completely dull and sharpening it to shaving sharp. Search YouTube for more videos by Murray Carter. That should take care of your doubt ;)

Seems that convex blades are much easier to get this sharp than beveled blades. Also, they seem to hold that edge better with constant use. What say yall? Beveled or convex?

Of course. Thing is though, I'm just getting started, so I want to learn the most minimalist way possible. I want to be as independent of electricity and other manufactured goods as possible, so that when I DO use electricity or manufactured goods, it will be because I WANT to---not because that's how I learned it. Coal may be cheaper than charcoal, I will eventually be making my OWN charcoal, so I kinda want charcoal to be my "first language" so to speak, with all other methods being my "second languages". I'll look around, but I don't think there are very many steel foundries in my area. Here in the deep South, we deal mostly in aluminum. But hey... never hurts to look :p

You know, I've seen some fancy stuff done with knives. I've even seen knives sharpened to shaving sharp. But this really takes the cake for me... YouTube - Shaving with a camping knife!

I love the idea of using charcoal in a forge fire (and no, not just for my forge/grill combo concept ). But I live practically dead center of my city, so I have no way of making my own charcoal in quantities necessary for forging. That leaves me with two options---buy charcoal, or buy coal. I know a place where coal is available for $12 per 100lb, but I don't know where I'd find real charcoal. EDIT: The Google Master strikes again http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1755124 Any cheaper suggestions?

I'd love to do it that way. Problem is, I've got no clue where to get hardwood charcoal already made. I'd make it myself, but I live practically in the heart of Dothan, so any charcoal maker would be... noticable :rolleyes:

Ummm... Vulcans Grill 000-100 Cooking and smithing kinda go hand in hand. Both artforms are "creation by fire". Primary concern when cooking MUST be the taste of the food. No matter WHAT you cook over, if the food tastes bad, the cooking was bad---whether over a forge or on a traditional grill. And there's a lot of taste comes from the fire---or at least, its fuel---so I'd agree that there are certain precautions that must be taken. Those precautions, however, don't necessarily preclude the use of a forge as a grill. Just my opinion. Even if the combo concept DON'T turn out, at least I'll have one or the other, and made on the cheap.

Yeah... it's that important. YouTube - A1 Steak Sauce Commercial

My thoughts exactly. The charcoal wouldn't actually go IN the firepot---rather, it would go on a pan (set on the lowest height pegs) OVER the firepot, with holes punched through it to act as a barbe-tuyere What? Seriously? Then where would my charcoal get its air from? /sarcasm off ;)

Since deciding to build a coal forge, I've been thinking mobile. I wanted something on wheels, easy to disassemble, so that I can take it with me wherever I go. But I got to thinkin'... I ain't gonna be going nowhere! This past weekend, I went out to the flea market---netting a sweet deal on an old drill press, I might add :cool: As I was headed home, I noticed a pile of brick being salvaged from a demolished building. I started thinking about this grill my step-dad made out of some spare brick that he had left over from a job. Then I got to thinking---brick grill... coal forge... brick grill... coal forge. Ever the cheapskate, I started considering how I could COMBINE the two, so I don't have to shell out money for two fixtures when one might be built as a "multipurpose" fixture So... is there any reason I couldn't build one of these things? If they CAN be compatable, I would design it with a blower pipe in the side for the tuyere, a catchspace underneath for clinkers, and a firepot deep enough to allow for a grill above the charcoal. Thoughts?

Unfortunately, I'm still lining my shop up---setting up my forge and whatnot---so I can't really say one way or the other, but I think this is the route that I'm gonna go.

If nothing else, you could build one yourself... Blower Plans

Was about to say the same thing. Good tip on the wood ashes, though :)

That is some gorgeous work, bro.

LOL what's ironic to me is that, in these stories, the uber-sword generally uses stones to sharpen it :rolleyes:

Agreed. Also, to make things easier, you can draw out the gem settings as you're making the cup. For example... Note how the diamond is being held to the ring in this image. See how those "arms" are folded over the outermost lip of the diamond? These "arms are first created straight. Then when the diamond is placed in the setting, the "arms" are folded over. It would actually be easier to set gemstones in a sword pommel, as you have a lot more metal to work with. My two cents... Copyrighted photo removed and a link put into the text.

Hehe pretty cool. Was the 4140 salvaged from something else, or brand new?

Very nice, dude. I bet the thickness of the cable sits better in the hand than some of those loop handles that you see on other blades. Good job :)

I love the pattern in the blade! I'm not usually a Damascus guy---it can be kinda gaudy if the pattern is too pronounced or regular---but I really like the random, NATURAL feel of your pattern. Thumbs up ;)