Irondragon Forge ClayWorks

For me the secret to forge welding is in the flux. I know some smiths weld without flux but I never could. Ike Doss taught me to weld 30 years ago using a flux he used from The Cortland Welding Compound Co. He gave me about 5 lbs of it which I have used up and had to go to Borax, which works but not as well (for me). I found an original 1 lb box on eBay a couple of years ago but now I'm running low again. While researching Cortland's compound, I think I've found one similar so when I run out I will be ordering Climax Welding Compound from Centuar Forge. Anyone have experience with it? http://www.centaurforge.com/Climax-Welding-Compound-5-lb-can/productinfo/5CLIMAX/

I wanted to chop the bark & moss off but my wife liked it. It's her anvil soooo it stayed. Fits right in with the messy shop.

A photo after we mounted it on a stump.

Here is our latest find. The stump came from a tree we had to cut that was leaning over the house.

When I was working as a police officer a trooper and I were trying to round up a wayward cow that escaped the pasture. The trooper pulled his unit up to the fence by an open gate. I was herding the cow along the fence thinking she would go in the gate. To both our surprise the cow vaulted over the troopers hood without touching it. Didn't know we had an Olympic high jump cow on our hands.

My wife Debi refers to all flea markets, yard sales, garage sales etc. as junk shopping. We have found some real jewels while visiting them. I once found a bucket full of tongs with some brand names and a few that needed repairs. There were 15 in all and cost me $10 so ya I love to go "junk shopping".

Your wife says lets go junk shopping for blacksmith stuff and you come home with another anvil for her.

In the school of Blacksmithing, there is no graduation day.~Me Randy

Last Friday a very nice MP Farriers 90lb anvil followed me home. My wife is in love with it (knew she would be). Now she has her own anvil. The bonus is that's how I found this site by googling MP anvil.

While working as a police officer (before retiring) and had a stressful day, heating iron red hot and hitting it hard definitely helped me relax. Absolutely the best therapy for me and kept me out of the tavern.

Not actually in my shop but on my weather hood over the stack to my forge. I was working on some s hooks for a kettle tripod for my wife's large cast iron kettle. I would hammer a few times then hear a lighter metallic hammering. This went along for a while I would go bang, bang, bang on the anvil then ding ding ding mimicking me. I walked outside and there was a large Palliated woodpecker hammering on the hood. Thought for a minute I was loosing it.

In my home made 22 inch coal forge with a hand crank blower, I can get by with less than 5 lbs of coal for an all day session, depending on the thickness of the stock or if I'm forge welding. It's rare if I use more than is my red coal bucket which can be seen on the floor. The picture was lost so I put it in with a quote. .

My thought exactly would need an antler handle.

Never thought of using bar lube, but it makes sense. The 80wt gear lube in my Star really doesn't make too big of a mess but I have to occasionally clean it off the clutch with brake cleaner. I'll try it because I buy bar oil a lot and always have it on hand.

Like Jeremy K said the speed of the hammer is controlled by the foot feed (treadle). My 25# Star runs fine with a 850rpm 1 horse motor and the smallest pulley I could find. Make sure you oil the hammer well with 80wt gear lube. Check the bearings, when I got mine the bearings were worn badly, I had to pour new Babbitt bearings. As seen in the picture my frame has been reinforced with steel plates. Some say the Star is weak in that area.

Just realized I misspelled Ike's first name (actually my wife pointed it out). After Ike passed away in '91, the family held a huge auction and most of his equipment went then. I don't know who bought the anvils but I too was poor and couldn't afford anything which went high. I first met Ike in '84. Broke my heart when he passed due to complications he suffered when a vehicle hit him while walking to his forge. My wife would like to know who the sword maker is. That's her thing knives & swords. Also, if you let us know when you will be here she thought you might be interested in going to a BOA meeting.

Just found this site. I have been beating red hot metal for over 40 years. My mentor in the art was Isiac (Ike) Doss who first taught me to make a coal fire in his forge in Berryville. I seem to learn something new every time I fire up the forge. My wife and I are members of the Blacksmith's of Arkansas (BOA). My other passion is black powder firearms and shooting flintlocks.