easilyconfused

I can see you're not taking the advice of our more experienced smiths. It isn't hard, if you have the right set up. Any inconsistencies in the temper will lead to stress lines and failure. If it has failed 3 times already, you must have good guards in place. How long before they go? I've seen hammers with holes in the guards from the sping going through. You're life isn't worth it. If you don't take our advice, all I can say is test its flex really well before using it. And use it from behind a solid brick wall. I've seen metal snap under tension on the farm. It isn't pretty when it goes. And wear brown shorts because you won't want the stains to show. I would also suggest doing more reading as it seems you either underestimate the danger or haven't read and seen enough to know that it is a danger. You've survived 3 so far. A cat only has 9 lives, how many do you?

To add to that whole pricing arguement, I started pricing on the $20 an hour minimum. Some stuff I can sell for closer to $100 an hour because there are things being sold retail that are of the similar market but a different product. Now I've started getting orders and backlogged with school taking up my time so I've been pricing higher to try and deter people. Problem is it hasn't worked....

If it's outdoors, you can use a clear metal enamel to let the metal show through.

You just need to use them more! That will keep the rust down. ;)

Ah yes. This was in the bladesmithing forum. Just read the question and not the forum title. It would be hard on the temper.

The easiest way is to get the metal a little hotter than you would for waxing and rub a cotton rag on it so the rag chars and then apply lots of wax so that some of it burns and blackens the piece under the wax coat.

I see that most people say to start the taper at the tip and work back but Hofi shows the method of starting behind the tip to conserve heat by preventing the tip from getting too cold. I've usually only had splits using both methods when I work it too cold or it's actually wrought iron and I can see the split after I look. Could it not be said that the important point here is to start by squaring the round using good heavy blows and adequate heat? To increase your force and penetration, you can use your hammer like a fuller as Hofi and Brian have shown us?

That and the profile of the edges in some respects. Can't have a thin cold chisel but you can thin a hot chisel to make it easier to cut with, unless you want a wide chamfer on the cut edges.

I don't know if you can do cheaper but are you not allowed wood fires but charcoal is okay? Seems to me if one was to be not okay, the other would be too due to embers from both.

Depending on how fast you need them, this would be a good practice for punching/ slitting and drifting. You should be able to get the right amount of metal where you need it if you place your holes right. If you need them fast, drill the holes so you have the right amount of material between and then rough cut with a torch or chisels and clean up with a hammer after grinding out the sharp points that would cause cold shuts

This is why I got into blacksmithing. It was easier to fix things on the farm. I don't know it all fixes are less time consuming though. I spent an hour and a half getting a handle rivetted back onto a caulander. Most of it was spent looking for a good rivet that would work so I could do it cold easier than with mild steel. Would have taken half an hour to go to the shopping market and buy it for $5. But it was fun and my fiance lauged at how proud I was that I fixed it because I was giggling. She was happy I had fixed it. Less waste and my hobby saved us some money.

One other trick is to use a lighter hammer and light strokes so you can go faster and there isn't as much deformity with each hit.

Great video and idea! One thing I would suggest to save money for a production smith would be to look into a gas saver for the torch if you're going to use it like that. Ryan

To work something that thick down with hand hammers, you need to reduce the surface area you're hitting it with to increase the PSI of force. Fullers are handy, the horn of the anvil, cross or straight peens, or a tilted straight sided hammer face all move metal faster and easier than flat faced hits on the anvil face. I've done upto 2" round hydraulic shafts for handled tools but it does take a while. Also, the heaviest hammer you can handle comfortably helps move the metal easier but don't blow your shoulder out with it.

Acid etching will sharpen them up slightly. As well, making sure they're fully cleaned out and not loaded is sometimes all that's needed depending on the person you got them from. If they won't work on cold metal or wood, you can use them for cleaning up hot metal before you turn them into something else. I haven't heard of any cost efficient method of sharpening files to full sharpness though.

While I have read the book from the library, I haven't bought it simply because I have too many how-to books that cover the same thing already. However, the pictures are very clear and explainations are well written. There are some good descriptions of projects in the back of the book as well. If I was able to, I would buy this book over some of the other "how-to blacksmith" ones I purchased before this one came out. One day there will be more funds in the bank and I can purchase this book to round out the collection.

I agree that these books have been a long time coming. They are perfect for the beginner and more advaced smiths as well. Most books on blacksmithing rehash the same thing with different pictures but these have tips that can help overcome common problems and make you really think about how you are doing things and the physics behind forging to better yourself, rather than just assuming it will take more practice. I urge everyone to purchase these books, both volumes, and read the whole book, not just skim the pictures. The humour is great as well.

As long as it is real charcoal not briquettes, it should work fine. Cost may come into play though as you go through lots of charcoal compared to coal but it may work out cheaper if you don't have an easy supply of coal.

They're good steel so they've been used for knives and hoof nipper repairs too.

Everywhere I read it says around 1045 or so. Many people make hammers from axles anyways. I sure hope so, that's why I've been collecting the spindles from the tractor wheels when they break.

I haven't tried throwing hot coffee in the air to test that myth. Usually keeping a swallow in my mouth so my cheeks don't freeze.

we've been -40 C with the wind chill. It was colder than the north pole the other morning here.

Any rasp will work for hot rasping as the metal is softer than the rasp. The coarser, the faster it works but you have to watch you don't get too coarse as it can be hard to start the file.

I can attest, this method is so easy once you get the proportions down. After 10 you will be able to do them in 1 heat too. I've been making key rings and bottle openers out of them to sell and for the local museum for a bit now since they were posted. People love them. Since the gallery is screwy, here's a link to my etsy shop with them . I have the original horse head I made and the latest one up for sale there under animal bottle openers. www.ridgwayforge.etsy.com

I've heard of some japanese smiths using charred rice straw. Anyone able to confirm that it works?