C-1ToolSteel

Thanks y’all!!

Nchammer, Great looking knife for your first! Personally, I think the proportions would look a tad better with a smaller choil and maybe a little bit bigger of a guard. Just me though... One more thing... I’m not sure why 1095 is recommended so often as a great steel for beginners, because a soak time in hardening is recommended. 1084 is easier for beginners who don’t have a controlled heat treating oven at their disposal. Overall, a very nice job.

Beautiful work!!

You can order a ductile iron teardrop-shaped tomahawk drift from a number of the major online blacksmith supplies for about $30 USD.

If you have some pictures to show us, that would help. I’m a bit of a Hay Budden nerd, and I can usually identify them by their distinct shape (though the earlier ones can be harder to tell). As far as logos go, pretty much all Hay Buddens should have the same logo with the small exception of the ones that were branded under other stores’ names. Also keep in mind that logos on the side (like on my Hay Budden) are in many cases illegible from years of use/rust. Sometimes the serial number (located on front of foot, under the horn) survives longer than the logo and can also be used for identification. As Mr. Powers said, the depression under the base is a good way to tell. One more thought... Hay Buddens became famous for their excellent quality when they started (around 1908) making them with solid steel from the waist up, so the earlier ones, though great anvils, don’t actually have anything more special about them than any other good anvil brand. You can tell the older ones apart by the line (roughly 1/2” below the face) where the steel faceplate ends. Hope this helps, and good luck with this most excellent endeavor!

Getting off topic is strictly forbidden on this forum. Lol, just kidding

Nice English made coach maker’s style anvil. I’ve seen more William Fosters in this pattern than any other brand. The condition is quite decent, especially considering it’s age. It would make a great anvil for knife-making/general smithing, and the side-shelf only adds to its usefulness. Wether it’s worth buying, of course, depends upon the price and how much you want it.

Oh, good observation. The ones I’m use to have a stationary head and cross feed on the table...

Do you have experience forge welding (or even heat-treating) items over 100 lbs? Even the most experienced smiths on here would struggle to accomplish such a task. I see a very usable anvil that could easily be ruined by a failed attempt at re-faceplating!

Looks like quite the score for 300 bucks! Now, are my eyes lying to me, or does your grinder not have a cross feed?

Thanks for those kind words, gents! Yes, the palm swell makes for a very comfortable handle! I’m a little surprised I don’t see all that many knives being made with that general handle shape.

Howdy folks! Been a while since I’ve posted anything, but thought I’d share my most recent knife. I don’t really consider myself a knife-maker... I would need a lot more experience and equipment to crank them out and make money, but I met a new friend who was so sold on the idea of me making him a custom blade, I gave in. He came over to talk about what he wanted, and I sketched out a design that he liked. He chose a forged (1080) blade, ironwood (good choice!) for the handle, vine-like filework on the handle spine, and a leather cross-draw sheath (a first for me). I’m pleased with how everything came out and I hope is will be too. Positive or negative input is always appreciated!

Nice score, JHCC. No rust!

Before I switched to using actual coal, I experimented with several different methods of making charcoal. Your “plan B” method is what I found works the best. The idea is really to more or less “smoke” the wood rather than to partially burn it - just like you would smoke a brisket in a smoker. Same idea. You have a small fire (that you feed as it burns down) on one end that becomes the heat source, a large chamber in the middle filled with the wood that is being “smoked”, and a pipe on the other end to draw the heat through. Once most of the smoke is gone, you need to make sure that everything is completely sealed, so your charcoal doesn’t burn up into a pile of ash. I’d also recommend that you wait at least say, 12 hours before you open it up again. Charcoal making is a fun experiment and good learning experience. You will probably find, though, that after several batches of the stuff, you’ll be hooked on making ironwork and a little less jazzed about making charcoal... Look around and if your lucky, you might just find someone with a big supply of coal that they want to get rid of. If not, depending on where you live, there are still companies around that will fill your trailor with coal for a very small fraction of the cost of ordering it online!

Now THAT is pure inspiration.

JHCC, have you thought about welding several hardy shanks on to improve stability?

I believe it says: Vulcan Works Sheffield Not to get confused with the cast iron American Vulcans.

Interesting. Not a name brand, but it might still be decent quality. Face is a little rough and unfinished. I'd at least take an angle grinder to the casting line over the horn. Does it ring when struck, or just a dead thud. This is where we separate the anvils from the ASOs! The look of it kinda reminds me of some anvils I recall Thomas Powers talking about that were hit-or-miss, depending on whatever type of steel they had left over to melt. Have you tried a rebound test?

Gorgeous work! Thanks for sharing.

The only thing better than a Hay Budden is two Hay Buddens!

Sweet! Interesting markings. I would have assumed that "LEWIS" was stamped in at a later date, except for the fact that the letters are so bold (instead of thin and shallow). Appears to say: Warranted, Best, Tredin below. I thought I recognized those markings from a recent thread...

It's an old English anvil. Looks like it has some significant chipping on one side, but If it passes the ring and rebound tests, I'd say it's probably in good enough shape for $1/lb to still be a good deal. Doesn't really look like a 350lber to me, but my eyes could be playing tricks... Snatch in up good and quick, if it is for sale on a public site and you have done the research to know you want it.

Don't try to weld on the face!!

Nice anvil! Sad, though, that it appears that someone welded on the edges to make them nice and sharp... Probably the same guy that Cut the clip off.

Leave it be. Trying to add a thin plate will actually make it worse. Usually, we talk about anvils in terms of mass and weight, but I'd say 10 or more inches of solid mass under the hammer would be ideal. The more, the better.