klickitat

I am talking about springs. I am trying to build some hardies and swedges using a spring to hold them while mounted in the hardy hole. this allows me to hold the piece with tongs and use the tool with out having to have a second person to rely on. The problem is every time I try to make one (using recycled coil springs) I have to use trial and error and this is very time consuming and some times frustrating.

I almost feel embarassed for throwing this in here after the big dogs. I am going venture off the porch just a little though. I like to boil the bone in Lipton tea bags for "antiquing" and I have found that tongue oil is one of the best things in the world for coating bone with. The tongue oil soaks in real well and after several coats it polishes out absolutely wonderful.

Hey guys, I am having a problem with puting the proper treatment back into springs. Most of the time I am either getting them too soft or too hard. What is the proper procedure when heat treating springs? this trial and error thing is bugging me.

I personally have never used the clay method. I have always just heated my blades from the spine only and let teh heat travel toward the edge. this is tricky though and you have to be quick as you watch the color moving to the edge. There have been times when I had to do a blade 2 or 3 times because I wasn't quick enough to the slack tub or I was to agressive with the heat.

I like it too.

I second the close up and detailed shots of the knives. the handles are very interesting. I like 'em.

I am new here too, but thought I would say hi to you as well and to say I like the blade. Very nice. what did you use for the guard?

I have got to say Glenn that this was one of the coolest ideas I have seen. I showed up to this sight late for July and so have been eagerly awaiting August. Please keep it going.

Thanks guys for your replies. Just a little more information. The anvil is quite old and is steel, not cast iron. The edges have been severely chipped away. The top does not show that much sway to it as the edges took most of the abuse. As for the welding on of a plate; well guys before my injuries I was a Millwright fabricator. I mostly built saw mill equipment and installed it. The idea I had was to have the AR plate cut with a lazer and welding the perimeter, but then I got to thinking about what you guys were saying about dead spaces. So then I got to thinking I would plug weld the pizz out of it. Now after reading everything I think that it will be best just to leave it and let the boys use it until they get better and then maybe find another anvil in better shape. I might even reshape the top for doing tin work with it. I do appriciate all the help though and some day I might even try to build a floor fire and redo it. that actualloy sounds like a fun challenge.

My brother just found this under his building. He was under it laying a vapor barrier. He thought it was a big rock at first. We think it came out of the hill side behind the building. There is a lot of coal in this area but it is very high in sulfer.

that would make a great steak knife set.

I had never even herd of this before; so i did a search and WOW!!! Now that is cool. I used to fool around with the Adrian society for a bit and the Viking thing was what I started to get into, mostly because we have traced our family name back to it. In the search for this box I discovered a lot of cool sights on vikings. Thanks

good looking pattern on the blade.

I picked up a 55# anvil that was abused badly. I was thinking about resurfacing so that my younger sons could use it. The thought was to have a piece of AR500 3/8" thick lazer cut with the appropriate holes and then either weld it to the top or sweat in on or even braze it on. What is your guys opinion? For those that do not know what AR steel is; it is an abrasion resistant plate that stands up to impact extremely well. I use it on targets. It will take a .308 round at 100 yrds with out even so much as putting a dent into it.

Thanks, The oldest boy 12 helps keep the coal hot and I explained as I hammered. I showed him how to stretch using the cross pean, how to upset and pack the flat into a bar and then the how to curel the handle and the knob for a lack of a better word. The younger two 8 and 4 helped keep coal in the forge and learned the differant parts of the tools and anvil. Next week we are setting up the other two anvils so that they can start practicing on light (cold metal). My oldest son has made round to square and square to round and a screw driver. I promised him that next he could make a "blacksmith knife" we call them patch knife/ flint strikers.