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.

When I introduced myself i explained that I lost a lot of things in several moves. well our second project after a coal rake was a coal shovel. I made it from a large horse shoe rasp. Let me know what you guys think. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/klickitat/saws_3688.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/klickitat/saws_3690.jpg

Hey Bill I am down here in Winlock.

Very nice. I have a sweat spot for tomahawks and hand axes. I love the design of the hand ax.

thanks Glenn. The stuff I have been getting from Central Fuel in Chehalis is not what I would call quality blacksmithing coal. Tons of clinkers and rock. I use to get some of the prettiest stuff in the world from an outfit in Idaho but the drive would make it not worth it right now. I will check these other places out though. thanks again.

way cool. I am going to give a try. teh problem with the idea though is that I don't think I could even get a quarter on my finger. I think I will have to start with a half dollar coin.

Does any one know where to pick up some good coal on the west side of Washington or even in the Portland, OR area? All I can get right now is heating coal and there is no way I will ever be able to weld with it.

Thanks for the welcome guys. I have my camera at the saw shop so I will have to remember to bring stuff from home to post pics. Here is a couple of links though to the anvil I just bought. It is sitting here at the shop. The water pump is out of my truck and until I get the time to fix it, the anvil will stay here. Bums me out man. If I get my coal shovel done tonight I will take some pictures of it in the morning. I am making it out of a horse shoe rasp. I finnished the handle and shaft last night and tonight if I get the time I will try and get the scoop finnished. I am also going to have to find some good coal in the area. The heating coal I am using now is crap; clinkers galore.

I just found this forum tonight and I am excited. I started like others; with just a desire. 11 years ago I wanted to make knives. I found a 15" chevy rim, a canister vac from the Good Will, a 10" chunk of rail road track and some home made charcoal. It wasn't even close to being adiquate. I found out though that I loved it. over the years I built a forge from a break drum and found a 75# anvil that is in rough shape. Later I found a better anvil and a buffalo forge. I sold the buffalo forge and kept the home built one. I've taken a couple classes and read a ton of books and am still fumbling through it. 3 years ago I tried to turn my hpbby into a living and burned out right away. I made good money, but it made it so unenjoyable that I jsut completely quit. About 2 months ago a lady came into my shop (I own a High Performance Saw Shop) and asked if I wanted to buy an anvil. What she had for sale was a 120# Peter Wright for $100. I almost broke my thumb off trying to get to the bill in my pocket. Well that got me fired up again. My sons who are 12, 8, and 4 needed to spend more time with dad so I decided to start bending some steel again. Over the years we have moved several times and I have lost most of my tools. So the first 2 projects that we have done together was a coal rake and tonight we got half way done with the coal shovel. i can not believe how much I missed it. The smell of coal, the wirr of the blowier and the warmth of the flame is intoxicating. I hope to learn a lot from those on here that have knowledge and just be able to spend some time talking with others who love this as much as I do.