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The single inverted twist is easy..  Just run the bars along the finial and weld them.. Then pull them back gracefully back over and reweld.  Then twist..   It's good for people to use their forging brain power to help establish complex thought processes..   I highly recommend taking a drawing class or just doodling..  

There is a great tablet app called Concepts.. Has lessons and everything. 

The double inverted twist I did as a joke or complex puzzle for other smiths to oogle over and speculate on how it was done.  NO one has figured it out. 

So, that one will go to my grave unless someone does figure it out..  That and the hard way flat basket twist..  

Of course, if the demand is high enough once the school is open I'll show it.  But that's a ways off. 


All the videos I've produced have been designed to be watched 3-5 times..    Watch it Once or twice then go and try it a time or 2 or until one gets stuck..  Then watch it again. 

By the 3rd watching more or less the skills should be on the way to being understood and the little nuances should be seen.  Then the videos will make more sense as does the process. 

All the footage from those early examples are missing.  I believe it was on my NAS that crashed. 

Put the finial on first. 

Still looks like coral though vs hive.. 
The depth is lacking in between..  

I'd suggest drawing it before trying to apply it to the metal.  It's the same eye/hand thing.. 

Frosty, Handle blanks or staves are the reason for the froe..   The wood we have here is so knotty that is does not take kindly to a froe.  

But with that being said, I drive a froe in and then using the second one insert it into the gap created and leverage them away from each other.  Works a treat.. 

Since dislocating my elbow i cannot push on anything.   I can pull but can't really push.. 

So using 2 froes will suit me well.   I can swing a hammer like a mad dog but any kind of pushing on an object including a rasp is painful. 

Frosty, it works by holding the handle up and driving the edge of the froe into the....

Just kidding. 

worked well when I split out the handle stave for my old forging hammer. 

Have not tried it with the new handle. 

I like to use froes in pairs on knotty wood.   Have a second one in the works. 

Les, thanks for the feedback on the video. Glad it's getting used. very Nice hawk. 

Very nice. 

I finished the froe. 

Handled and linseed. 

Billy the smithing community though worldwide is still a fairly small environment.   

Often times meeting and seeing the same people over and over again though from miles away via social media and events. 

Also what I consider to be top-tier smiths are highly accessible so always make a point to introduce myself and let them know I appreciate what they made or shared.  So many talented people out there willing to share. 

Smithing unites us all.    

 

Savlaka I love it.  The design is retro..  very nice. 

Ghost town, looks good. That will work wonderfully. 

Jhcc, holding out for the climatic build. I love it. 

Looks like a great time..   Who was the smith demonstrating? 

Those are the days we learn the most from. 

David, it's the reason why flat basket twist handles are not done..  The flat stock turns to bend the easy way vs the hardway.  

Your results would be the norm..  So a very good trial..  

Does it feel good in your hand?  I often find the upright sides to be not so comfortable. 

By the way.. I love your pokey part.. Great design. 

So, yesterday I wanted to put a new handle on my 45yr old 2.5lbs Truevalue cross peen hammer. 

I noticed that every tool I used were ones I have made for processing the wood into staves and then into handles. 

This hammer was my go to hammer for nearly all my career and then some.. Well until I made my hammers too. 

So, I make a hammer, to make an axe, to make a froe, to make a draw knife to make a handle.. 

 

Ah, see the flat bars are not flat..   

Great first try. 

Those days happen for sure..  Great first try for sure. 

Billybones.. 

I think what you have done is good.. 

With this said I often wonder why people pick modern hardware to copy..   For 15-20.00 one can go and buy that very hardware all painted and ready to install. 

Since blacksmithing and forging are what blacksmithing is about..  More traditional design would seem to warrant making. 

The reasons are this..  The traditional designs were perfected over a very long time to their best useable form. 

The modern items are not designed to last nor really offer any durability. 

Coming from a hardware background myself jades me some as seeing the real performance from old hardware is amazing. 

If you can forge a leaf then one can forge a cusp..   There are videos on my YT channel showing the whole process. 

If I can do it, anybody can do it.  I learned how on my own..  Now with education and videos no one has to go it alone. 

For just a few more minutes of time that flat bar could be a contour and figured thumblatch or handle. 

Nice job.  I'm a farrier so hold my tools in accordance which is backwards to how regular people hold them. 

I like to have a scoop on the hoof end like a long spoon.  Ideally the bend of the shoe should rest in your palm and the scoop part is facing away or pointing away from you..  

A wrist flick away or down in the commissures of the frog will clean out one side and same on the other. 

This one is pointed toward the person..  You can see the scoop in the blade.  it makes a world of difference. 

Started doing the spoon blade many years ago and works better then any other design. 

I don't have any photos handy of the blade facing the way I like.. But it's opposite of this one. 

 

26 minutes ago, Chad J. said:

Jennifer,  do you have a video for the flat twist?  I'm going to be in a shop all weekend and I want to try this. 

I do not have any videos on the channel. 

After showing one of the videos to my buddy, he said youtube would be a waste of time and a DVD or bluray would be the way.. 

So, I shelved the videos on forging most of these. 

here are some sample flat twists, the legit one is photo 3, I scrapped the first 2, and then an assortment. 

If you do try a flat twist hardway handle be sure and show the photos.. 

You are in for a glorious ride.. 

Billybones.. Nice job..  Wow. Congrats.. Commendable work.. 

Frosty finding a commercially made loop knife here in the 90's was tough..  You could order them, but no one carried them as stock items. 

They made loop knives which were much smaller for doing abscess removal..  Different items though. 

This loop knife is standard sized for trimming feet so it's loop would be oversized compared to convention.. 

I'm not sure what was used in other parts of the world but from everything I have seen or read in my early career the loop knife was a special item for abscess removal.. 

Of interest they also had special drills used based on spoon bits..   I call them cherry pitters as they resemble that type of spoon bit. 

Anyhow, be nice if you could find an old photo or draw a picture with the scale of size to see the difference. 

I'm not saying shoeing is not required..  But I am saying shoeing is required because of..  

The because of was even pointed out in your comment about Imbalance..   "needed a special shoe because it was crooked by the farrier"..   LOL.. 

Yes..    

It's all semantics and after 35 years I see the same things all the time..   Barefoot hoof care is a totally different science applied totally differently.  I use some of the same tools but understanding the hoof and growth takes on a whole other worldliness. 

I've given up explaining the differences..  It's got to be seen in action to see the differences..  

Like anything there is unlimited possibilities to forging an S hook..  Yet some are better than others.. It's a matter of the person seeing the difference for themselves before they even try to understand why it works or is better. 

David nice work. 

Flat twist handles are super tough going at them hardway bend .

You are the only other person I know that's done it. Kudos. 

Coming from the welding trades.  I hope he's a huge guy or the photos are not showing a true scale of size. 

While called chipping hammers, they are really more used like scratching hammers. 

I prefer light and small. 

Beautiful work just the same. 

IFCW, Truth!!!!!!!   

Twistedwillow, You have some pretty nice stuff..  I've seen your stash of items and if you were closer I'd be over every other week to pilfer and  riffle thru your goodness.. 

You have some pretty amazing items.. 

I have no money in the pot either..  

Just feel sorry for the old equipment..  The stories they could tell..   

IFCW  me too..  

Now though I get plum tired and sit down..  LOL.. 

 

If you ever want to..  Just come for a visit.. I can get you under as many horses as you'd like.. 

After the first foot.. You'd be overjoyed never to do it again..  

it takes a certain type of person and mindset.. 

 

Your welcome..  Very neat work.. 

That is a great point.. I stay away from horse shoeing videos..  Makes sense now though I forget we live in the information age.. Or at least the easy information age. 

On 8/30/2023 at 12:45 PM, Frosty said:

I haven't tried to lift a roast with a carving fork since I discovered salad claws an bought a pair of plastic ones for handling meat. The aesthetics of your fork are worthy of display anywhere.

Yes, I've used hook  and loop hoof knives even my pocket knife to trim hooves. I talked to our farrier about what and how to trim a hoof after a badly thrown shoe. I've talked about Banjo's badly thrown shoe here before as the reason I started carrying a nipper, clincher/puller, shoes and nails when I rode more than a mile or two from the barn. When I  saw a sheet rock rasp I bought and started carrying one of those too. I walked that poor injured horse about 4 miles to the nearest phone so I could get a trailer and farrier out to him. I treated his leg twice daily for a couple months and then lunge lined him to start building his condition before riding him again. 

I was never a farrier but I learned to "cowboy" tend hooves, pull a bent shoe without damaging the hoof further, trim out any splits or delamination and rasp it smooth and even enough to nail a shoe. 

I just noticed I didn't mention carrying a hoof pick but we never rode anywhere without a hoof pick

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty most have never seen a loop knife..  Never mind used one.  Your in a select few then. 

Cowboying up is needed if you ride off country.  Having the basic ability to pull and nail on a shoe when needed is a basic skill..   It's old school but also should be learned today by those that work the horses. 

A horse owner will do far less damage then most professional farriers..  The owner is much more conservative. 

No need for a hoof pick with these hoof knives..  That's what the bill off the back side is for. 

22 hours ago, Chimaera said:

Jennifer, love the spoon and fork. I've been trying to make a copper coffee scoop for months, but just can't get a good bowl. Did you use a swage block?

I used a wood stump the first go..   I did not like the size of the spoon so flattened it out more.  then used a swage I have in the trailer. 

Scoops can be tough to do..   I've made several types..  The oldest time was from a flat piece of plate and the edge seem is welded in the forge.  This can be tricky for newer smiths until they figure it out. 

for scoops it's always easist to make a form to go over or into..  Depending on the depth of the scoop plays in the most me thinks. 

18 hours ago, bluerooster said:

I've never used a loop hoof knife, I've used the hook knife. As to picks, I've used many, and also used what ever was handy, a stick, nail, pocket knife, etc.  We quit using shoes on horses about 20 or more years ago.  They stayed barefoot  all the time. Then we found the horse boots, Those things are the cat daddy. (made working their feet much easier)

Jennifer I like the fork and spoon, they are works of art, and the hoof knife with the thumb part is cool too.

 

I specialize in barefooted horses..  Have for over 25 years now.. I'm with you for barefoot..  But shoeing today is still big business. 

Most people have not even seen a loop knife..  Or a flat knife..  I don't use a flat knife because I use a straight knife and loop..  

I do have an extra pocket on the apron and the flat knife can be handy though. 

Thanks on the utensils..   

12 hours ago, gewoon ik said:

Nice spoon, perfect for eating out the soup bowl from the person in front of you.

Nice set jennifer.

What ya coocking jhcc?

Thanks and yes, the handle are plenty long enough to sneak across the table..    

5 hours ago, Rojo Pedro said:

Really nice Jennifer and love the pitch bowl John along with all of your repousse tools.

Very inspirational both.

Thanks..  

JHCC love the hardware on your pitch bowl..  Very spiffy.. 

Frosty thanks. 

The tines are long enough / tall enough for a traditional knife when it comes to carving.

No go on modern chef knife just to tall. 

It's a carving fork vs utility fork for sure.  Aka not used for heavy work. Could lift/move a 20lb hunk of meat. 

Hoof knives. 

As with all things I'm always looking for better ways.  Never happy with status quo.

The blade shape I developed 20 years ago.

Now I'm messing with handles.  I'm trimming between 30 and 70 horses a week. At my age I have to find everything I can to make every action more effective. 

Comfort and ease of applying useable power is getting more important.

The basic handle shape was copied from Brett Miles. A farrier in PA I gave lessons to on hoof knife forging. 

I've changed it's overall dimensions some to fit my hand better and added the thumb swell. 

Have you ever seen or used a loop knife? 

finished assembly of new loop hoof knife. 

I've been experimenting with handle designs. 

Also have the spoon nearly finished.  Burnished the bowl but still not as clean as I like. 

 

Looks like you are well on your way.  Looking forwards to what you make with them..