Bob JS

I am very interested in this opportunity, Dean. Is there any more information at this stage? Thanks Bob

'let the tool do the work' is what my teacher always used to say.

Well you could say my work was definitly in the top eight - or in the bottom 4. It is pretty rough and was not suprisingly the least impressive thing on the table. I didn't ask if it got any votes, but I'd like to think it didn't look too out of place from a distance. I leaned not to underestimate how significant a difference using someone elses tools makes. It was like having to learn how to hold a hammer again. - which I am still doing with the ones Im familiar with. Thanks to Gary in particular, who was there keeping an eye on me, offering advice - and catching various tools as they fell off the anvil!

Thanks John, The best stand at the show and some very impressive work on display. They even let me have a go, and entered my attempt in the competition. Next time I will go prepared.

If it is for an art project, and is going to be judged by art examiners as a piece of art, rather than bladesmiths as a working knife... I wonder if you could simply shape a piece of mild steel to look like a knife. Then you could focus more on making something creative, and visually attractive. Ask your teachers what the project will be graded on. If the examiners can only award you points on your creative and design process, and visual presentation - its pretty irellivant whether it holds an edge, or how impressed they are that you forged it if it they cant award you points for it. Its good to be ambitious, and I wish you the best of luck, but its also good to be practical. Look at what other people did to get their grades - if you do something more achievable now and do it well, you can then go on to be the best artist bladesmith in the future.

Just noticed that the Guild are doing demos at the middlesex show this weekend. Its only a 3min walk up the road from my house. Just wondering if anyone else is going?

they look great. Did you use fire to shape the handles - or just char them a little for effect? I like the finish. Thanks for showing. Bob

This might have been what your friend told you... The nail should be hammered in so that the long/wide face of the cutting edge cuts across the grain of the wood. The idea is to cut the grain rather than split it - makes a really secure grip too. Bob

Nice one. I really like the rivets, especially being in copper - nice contrast. Personally, I would say there is no need to refine the rivets for this particular piece - the hammered look works well with the texture and edge on the bowl. Bob

I forged a knackered old hammer head down into a little kindling splitter/axe/chopper thingy yesterday. I have not yet got a tub of oil - so remembering Frosty's reworked hammer thread, I brought a cauldron of water up to a rolling boil, and did the quench in that. Tempered to purple and all seems well and good. I was just wondering how does boiling water compare to oils on the quenchant scale? Does it make the water a significantly more 'gentle' quenchant - anywhere near oil or still a world apart? Im wondering whether I was just lucky with the steel, as the advice in all the other thread seems to be try oild first and water if necessary. I dont think this has been asked before, but I appologise for starting yet another heat treat thread. Thanks. Bob

Thanks for all the info and advice. I am comming around to the idea of using 'new' copper, probably works out more 'green' anyway, with less joints etc. Plus it would make my life so much easier if I could just order the stuff and get stuck in. Its going to be a challenge, but Im looking forward to it. The project should be well documented - I hoping to find someone else to make a project out of documenting it, budding photographer etc. I will read up on cold casting, not suitable for this case, but does sound interesting. Cheers. Bob

Thanks for the ideas. Fe-wood? 'The good stuff doesn't last very long...' Do you mean it doesnt hang around at the yard long before it is snatched up, or that it corrodes quickly? Because of the eco aspect, I had designed the piece with a patchwork, any old textured scrap affixed to a framework approach...but I presented the client with a maquette made from split plumbing pipe and photoshopped it into photos of the site, and I get the impression that they liked the idea relatively clean lines. So the bigger the peices the fewer seams to make. Although I do have a plan on how to make a feature of the seams. I don't want to spoil the supprise, but if you imagine two 18ft long blades of grass, ideally clad in copper on both sides that should give you an idea of the surface area. (why did China have to hoard all the copper and make it so expensive!) Thanks again for the ideas. Bob

Well I have dived into the deep end and have taken on a commission for a large scale sculpture. The design includes the use of fairly large pieces of sheet copper. The client would prefer the use of relclaimed materials, as eco awareness is one of the specifications. Any ideas on something big made from sheet copper?? - as a suggestions for what I could be looking for at scrap yards. eg, if i were looking for old timber i would search for, 'beams' 'sleapers' 'joists' etc. So far the biggest things I can think of are central heating cylinders, or going for a dive under HMS Victory (except she is in dry dock...) Thanks.

Is it possible that you are burning the bits of unburnt coke that have stuck to the clinker? I suppose this means you will eventually burn 100% of the fuel you put in, but I would think the increased mess, blockage and heat absorbtion out weighs this. it must take up extra fuel to heat all that clinker up.

When I do threads on things I support the tap, or the die in the jaws of either my lathe or drill press. Not tightened and not using the power, but simply to maintain good alignment. A trick my tech teacher taught me when I was a school. If tapping into an uneven or rough surface I would drill a countersink first, so there is clean even material for the tap to start on. Just a trick I discovered myself - maybe there is a better way but it has worked for me. Uisng machinists tables is easy. Using a cutting lube really helps, and remeber two turns forward, one turn back to keep the cutter free from swarf.

she must be, to put up with you hammering at 4:00 in the morning! looking forward to seeing photos of the finished procuct.

Drill and punch works - just look out for all that fine fibreglass dust - a mask is highly reccomended. Although ideally you want to avoid contact with the stuff, if you rub talcum power into the skin on your hands and arms, it will fill the pores and help prevent irritation. It think switching to wood is a good move - I find the shock transfer of the fibreglass gives me wrist pain, I have had no trouble with wooden handles, touch wood! (sorry couldnt resist that)

now I didn't know that! Although I would never use WD40, and certainly not acetone directly as a skin cleanser, I can think of several occasions where I may have been been in contact with toxic things then got WD40 on my hands as part and parcel of what I am doing. Cleaning engines for example. I will remember this. Anyway, I would rather have a few stains on my hands, than pour chemicals all over them. You could try some sand in whatever soap your normally use - buts its going to take off you hard earned callouses.

Very nice! Is the dragonfly a trademark? I agree, a copper bowl would look good in that.

Norris, Having the tarp over the fire could be very dangerous. If it does melt, or a line breaks etc its is going to go up in flames very quickly, and you will have hot sticky burning plastic wraping itself over you - Too nasty to risk in my opinion. I was going to say something witty about meeting a New Guy, and jumping on the Banned wagon... but its not my place. Play safe. (info added by edit) Btw, I have worked under a tarp in the rain. But the tarp is there to keep me and the anvil out of the rain - the fire is safely enclosed in a masonary hearth with a chimney. You still have to remember that the tarp is there, so as not to stick longer pieces of stock up into it - if they were hot it would catch fire. Im on the look out for a canvas tarp and i'm planning on usings Frosty's borax fireproofing technique.

The only place I can think to put this one is on the outside of the back garden gate, If they wern't my first leaves I would risk it but people will steal anything for scrap round here. It is only temporarily hung on the brickwork to give a different background in the photo, but I might do a version of the Hop Hook for this wall. Cheers, Bob

here are a few of my ideas, Side blast is simpler to construct - no ash dump, clinker breaker etc. The air supply can be more 'in line' which I imagine is ideal if you have a hand cranked blower. I made mine side a side blast, largely because I wanted to sit mine on top of an existing structure and there was no room for a bottom blast and clinker breaker. Bob

I like the design of the bracket very much - and the idea in general. I will propose it to the head gardener, and might just have to copy it. What would you reccomend for a non welded version? Tennons into the backplate and a collar?

Made my first leaves today. I used the 'cut the bar at an angle, then fuller down the stem' technique. I applied the wax when the metal was hot this time. It went compeltely black and looked like it had been painted, so I rubbed it over with some sand paper to bring out some of the detail, then another coat of wax while still warm. I think I probably went a bit over the top with the texturing, but as my first attempt at leaves I am really pleased with it them.

They seem to be dirt cheap here in the UK. I picked up a Peter Wright at a car boot sale for