StrayJeepDog

Thanks. Think I found the key in another post. Guess I didn't look enough. 1500 or 2k. Etch, light sand, etch. Rinse and repeat a few times. Did that with a last etch, followed with light 1500 grit sand and the patterns really jump out. 10xs better than before. Well at least that's my opinion.

Finished a letter-opener with some scrap Damascus steel. Well mostly finished still have to attach the purple heart wood handle. I have taken it to a 1200 Grit finish and etched in a 5 to 1 mix of ferric chloride and water. Just wondering how much different it will come out if I take it higher to say 2000 grit sand.

made a stand for it out of some scrap 2x6 boards i had. cut them down to size and used some 6 inch bolts to hold it together. a couple of metal strips screwed to two sides to strap the steel in. set the stand in a 5 gallon bucket and filled with sand to hold it in place. surprisingly its actually stable. wasn't sure what i'll do for a hardy hole but i'll figure that out sooner or later.

Thanks to all of the replies. been using a lot of the old parts that were replaced off my jeep to get practice on the forge. As far as the name, my dogs a stray cattle dog, and I can't keep him out of the jeep. Runs like crazzy and then jumps in waiting to go for a ride. Now I'm using a chunk of PH 4140 about 6 inches round and 5 inches tall. Holding up real well. Better than expected. Still looking for an anvil but this will work for the meantime. The ren faire was supposed to be that weekend. Ended up in NC helping out family after their flooding. Will probably still go this year. Just waiting for a long weekend.

Just wanted to say hi. I stumbled on this site a few weeks back when I was looking to make my new forge more efficient. I became interested in smithing from, don't laugh, a trip to the Houston ren faire. Been there a few times. The wife enjoys the acts and hand crafted works. I really enjoy the camping and getting away from everything. Oh and the food too. Enjoyed watching the smiths and glass blowers. But smithing combines some of my favorite things; crafting something with metal, swinging a hammer and fire. Currently doing the trial and error process. Just enjoying the heating scrap metal and seeing what I can shape it into. I don't have a shop, started with a mapp gas coffee can forge I made, upgraded to a small single burner propane forge. I don't really have an anvil yet. Unless a freebie cast iron anvil counts. Think it came from HF. Haven't been able to find a real anvil for sale in the south Louisiana area so working on making one. This site has been helpful. A lot of good reading. From trial and error I've learned what not to do, but a few searches on this site has been helpful in learning why it was incorrect and the proper way.

Thanks for the feed back. the logistics of heating and quenching something that big I was trying to work out, but was more concerned about damaging it. I know I don't have enough experience quenching in general. I just wasn't sure how well it will hold up as is. But I do like the idea of use it and see. I'm sure it will be better than the free cast iron anvil I was given. Reading what I wrote originally, realized I was a little vague on the anvil post. I have a 4 foot 6x6 wood post I was planning on digging and concreting about a foot of it in the ground. I don't have a shop so to speak of. Unless the backyard is considered a shop. Full disclosure: I've been learning as I go for the past few months. Trial and error. Just found this site a few weeks ago. Have picked a good bit so far by reading.

looking to make a little anvil. 6 inch diameter by 5 inch thick 4140 or 1045 steel. planning on concreting a 6x6 post to mount the "anvil" on. my question is should I try and harden and temper the steel, or just use as is?