Jonathan Snell

Hi Tony, thanks for the advice. We used it in the hardy hole while we were doing the hinges which were made out of light 1mm mild steel. The anvil is from the 1870's and as it was one of the island's only blacksmith shops and in use for many many years I guess you can imagine there's not a straight edge or sharp corner on the top so hence the used of the additional stake. We wouldn't get carried away pounding on it but thank you for the thought, advice is always appreciated.

Yes, the knives were on a wooden pole about 4 or 5 feet....

HI all, thanks for the comments. I don't really know what to say except we didn't end up using car spring for the head as it wasn't thick enough so we got some steel from the local engineers and went to work. We cut the basic shape at the forge and tidied up on bench grinder at home. I would have liked it to be a bit 'smoother' but was pretty happy. With the socket the first thing we did was shape the handle and then measured it and got the pattern off the net, that was the easy part. We tried and tried but for the life of us couldn't get enough steel to form the socket, so sorry once again, as it's a replica for the wall we improvised by building them separate. Looks great but would have liked to achieved it from one piece. The shaft is 12mm rod and the handle width is 30mm, length of the cone 100mm, so if anyone has some guidance I'd be happy to try again. The rest was pretty straight forward. We're archers so the serving was easy to do, as was the splicing as we go fishing. Looks great where I have it. We've nearly completed the killing lance to accompany it, that one was a bit simpler. Have decided to make a flensing knife from car spring. These were used to cut the blubber from the animal, think that one could be harder and a bit beyond me but if you don't give it a go, who knows. If anyone can give me a basic 'order' that would be good. Thinking shape the tang to fit the handle, do the major bend, then form the edge and thickness, make holes for bolts, harden? And how's this for an ugly first attempt at a set of hinges for a tool chest....

Here tis'.... finally. Sorry if it offends any purists... but we're new to this...

Thanks everyone, really enjoying the suggestions and advice. I think everyone has us on the right track. This weekend we're hoping to get a scrap of Norfolk Island Pine and start a rough stock shape we can try and forge the plates to, all an exciting learning curve.

Hi George, sorry for the delay. No historical accuracy isn't an issue. We weren't even considering a full trigger mechanism. The main aim this is to give my 13 year old a project to do with his dad, to show him its important to put thought into a process, follow it through and how cool it is to do stuff with his hands. He is loving blacksmithing and has nearly completed his first knife kit with a huge smile. Got to admit shaping a handle is not as easy as I thought it would be. Got given two leaf springs yesterday, on an island where some things are hard to come by, thats pretty cool. Our friend is a butcher and he's on the look out for some horn to make a powder horn, so hopefully one day his 'kit' that we build together will have a tomahawk/viking axe; powder horn, non-working musket and whaling harpoon and his knife. ....better the a high score on the play station!!

Hi Wayne, thanks for that. We're new to this so say no more, but we tried a dummy run a few days ago and while didn't struggle to forma shape to cone, had issues getting enough 'cone' out of the steel shaft we were using. From a traditional harp we got our measurements from, the wooden harpoon handle is 30mm wide and the harpoon shaft is 10mm steel. Works well as both are size of steel and broom handle we were able to get our hands on. Jonno.

Yes, when u want to learn and move forward it's easier if u can be humble and get over yourself lol. Plus 5 days ago was in a coma with my family told I was going to pass. 98% recovery, look at things but different now too

No there not. We are actually archers with compound and traditional. Hunt, commonwealth games etc. tried cross bow but didn't like them. Know what u mean tho. Beer bottle openers... now there's a tool lol

You're all correct, never thought of boat pieces. I'm in oz at the mo so will seek some advice here too, first go nay just be some thin mild steel. no intention of the rifle ever firing, not even putting a trigger mechanism in for the very safety reason. This is more about teaching my boy to think outside the square, use his hands with confidence, learn and explore together and seeing things thru.

Thanks everyone, will let u know how our project turns out. We're both excited to start and he will also be drafting plans with measurements from the original and photos of our projects, and failures.. We know our family name was a whaler, deserter, bigamist and sportsban (lol) from little Compton Connecticut who jumped ship on Norfolk.

Here is a pic of the forge, I'll get some of the whole forge for u, if u would like to message me an address on my return home I can flick u a newspaper article with the forges history. Couple of our first projects too. The bounty story is interesting and yes the ship was run aground, stripped of what they could and burned to avoid detection. The community was discovered by American whalers.

Hi jhcc. I'm guessing a toggle. It's the bottom one in the image. These are actual temple irons used in whaling here. When it went into the whale it and was drawn back it opened to form a 't' inside the animal. So we're clear we don't agree with whaling of any kind but these are part of our history. Thanks again

Hi all, thanks for ur thoughts. Just so we are clear we had no intention of rushing into the project hence the questions and appreciated guidance. It was to a replica, not even close to a working musket, and there is no intention at all to put a trigger mechanism in it. We appreciate the guidance and safety always first in our minds, hence the questions. Thanks to all, love the forum!!

Morning everyone. My son and I want to start another project, a replica musket. We're intending to make the butt, side plate and trigger guard (and stock, ram rod etc from timber) but not sure what is the best metal to use. We'd like if possible to get that goldy brassy colour but make and shape in the forge. Anyone got any guidance for us? We're intending to bring a flintlock in from the u.s (that part has to look right) as well as the ram rod guides / holders. Not sure how we're going to go but have have nice piece silky oak for the stock. Does anyone have a good contact for the flintlock? Thanks in advance...

Hi everyone, before we go on I'm new to black smithing and working with steel also but really love it. It's something I do with my 13 year old son so we hang together. Whaling is part of our history from the 1900s when the American whalers passed thru Norfolk Island. We are the only country outside the u.s who celebrate thanksgiving day as a national holiday. So, my question on the thread is we were going to reproduce a temple iron and make the barb from an old vehicle leaf spring. Am I on the right track if should u be looking for a different piece to use? Do we 'heat and bang' as we've been doing with mild steel? Thanks in advance Mod Note: Thread retitled

Hi everyone. That's really interesting you have linked us to Pitcairn and what u say is true. I am fletcher Christians 8 great great grandson and also go back to Matthew quintal who flicked the match to burn the bounty. We outgrew Pitcairn and moved to Norfolk arriving 8th June 1856. It is believed the hardy cutter in the forge we use is from the bounty and brought to Norfolk with the Pitcairn era. Thomas u have raised my interest with 'bang iron valley', do u have any info on that? I have some friends born on Pitcairn so must ask. The forge we use is part of a museum called 'Pitcairn settlers village' and is made from convict stone from our 2nd convict settlement, fire bricks from England as with the double pig skin hand bellows. The second oldest forge in the Southern Hemisphere still in use in its original condition. Sorry for slow reply, was medi evac'd the Sydney on weekend with asthma.

Morning all, well we've made a few things such as fire pokers, BBQ which goes over a drum, bottle openers, BBQ scraper and 'pirates dice' but can't seem to stop the surface rusting. Particularly on the dice and bottle openers, a week or so after we've wire brushed them to make them shine, the shine is gone and becomes pitted. Can anyone give us a bot of guidance? We use mild steel from the engineers shop in town. Thanks in advance.

HI everyone, thanks for the guidance. We're on our way home to Norfolk Island from Melbourne... with many new blacksmithing tools. Can't wait to give it a go. Thanks again. Jonno and Croyden

HI all, thank you so much for the prompt replies, very much appreciated. We're fly to Melbourne today to the Australian Open Tennis, back in a week, so we will give it a crack. Bringing back another bag of tools too.... Thanks again.

Hi, my son and I are new to blacksmithing and knife making, and its absolutely grabbed us. We're lucky to be able to use a 200 year old original double bellow pig skin forge made of convict blocks on Norfolk Island, we make our own charcoal in drum and everything - very cool. Like others we've tinkered with knives, pokers, bottle openers but would like to make a replica whaling temple iron and even though we don't agree with whaling, whaling is a major part of Norfolk Island history from the 1950s, but even after lots of attempts and frustration (we don't have a teacher) can't make the cone which connects the iron lance to the wooden handle. Can anybody give us some guidance? It would be very much appreciated.... thanks in advance.