Irondragon Forge ClayWorks

Paul, good to hear you are recovering and doing better. If you go to the sub forum https://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/186-farriers-and-horse-stuff/ There some posts about hoof picks. If I recall Jennifer (jlpservicesinc) has posted some she has made. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Flintlocks rule... I've forged many flash hole picks for friends. I saw your knife when it was in the sub forum Gunsmithing, Muskets, Flintlocks etc but didn't tie in the pick. The knife looks good and should be an excellent Skinner. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Good job on the stock. I have an original Wilt Krueger Wriezer 58 cal Jaeger percussion rifle that I had to do the same for. It was a WWII GI bring back that he had cut the forearm off to fit it in his duffel bag and the forearm was lost. Everyone said I would never match the original stock but with my wife helping with matching the color (she's the artist in the family) and me forging some missing parts it is shooting once again. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Outstanding job on the customization of an old classic. I love both original and customized old one's. I have a Springfield Krag Jorgenson 30-40 Krag that is customized, best deer rifle ever. My old Lt. (may he rest in peace) used to say that 30-40 Krag could be laid on a bench or tree stump and if a deer walked by within a hundred yards it would shoot it without Randy's help. My Springfield 1884 Trapdoor is in original configuration and I load both black powder and Trail Boss powder for it. I can consistently hit clay birds on a berm at 125 yards with it. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

The edit time window on the forum is very short, limited to 2-3 min. in my experience. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

I love Haggis, especially with a dram of single malt scotch to wash it down. For a long time it was banned here in the U. S. until recently (2021) when the ban was lifted. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Welcome from the Ozark Mountains. If you put your general location in your profile, you may be surprised how many members may be near you to lend a helping hand. I can't really help as fly & screw presses are not in my area of expertise. I'm reasonably sure some of our current members have some experience with them. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Welcome from the Ozark Mountains. That looks like a very good Farriers anvil and knowing the history of it is a plus. The minor edge chips are of no consequence, and I hope you have read about not doing any grinding, milling or welding on the hardened steel face, which will do more harm than good. We won't remember your location once leaving this post, hence the suggestion to add location in your profile. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus PS I agree with George N.M. on the value of the anvil $400 U.S. would be a fair price in my area.

Yes, it will rotate to any angle wanted by loosening the big wing nut. It is a companion jig to the first one posted made out of square tubing with wood inserts as jaws. The only drawback we found is it's limited to blade length it will accept. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Looks very good to me. Most of the time minor adjustments are the norm. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

That's a good looking nose cap, not quite authentic, or at least I've never seen one on a Trapdoor. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Archie Have you ever tried the 50/50 mix of Dexron II ATF and Acetone, it works just as well as Kroil and is a lot less expensive, even if you can find Kroil locally. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

If I remember that was long before resistor plugs or shielded wires. I once saw him shut down a single cylinder motorcycle by grabbing the frame and plug wire connection at the spark plug, grounding it out. I never had the nerve to try that. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Yes, anvil height does matter, too low and it puts a strain on the back/spine. Check in the anvil section on how to set the correct height. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

I could have sworn I added pictures of the bench mount jig so file work can be done, so here they are. Maybe it is in another thread. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

My wife made a knife grinding jig (with a little help from me) It woks very well at the 2x72 belt grinder and when attached to the bench it works for filing as well. Might take a look at it in the thread a couple below yours. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Welcome from the Ozark Mountains. Your background sounds a lot like mine, only mine is earlier in the '50s with my grandfather, not much he hadn't done or couldn't do. He introduced me to mechanics and blackpowder muzzleloading, flintlocks rule. Third class Engineman in the USCG etc, etc. I did notice the XXXX,s in your narrative, as language is strictly moderated on the forum, it took me a while to get away from my sailors/mechanics jargon and a couple of warnings from admin & moderators helped. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

A great resource Scott, I've bookmarked it for future use, thanks. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Looks like you have everything in hand, good job. Making the forge portable is easy. Pick up 4 of the locking swivel casters from just about any big box store like HF or Lowe's and mount them to the legs. When I was trying to decide how to make our 2X72 belt grinder portable, I was thinking about doing that but wasn't sure it would work. I said something like it would be temporary and to quote Thomas Powers answer " There is nothing more permanent than a temporary solution" and he was right 5-6 years on and it is working just fine. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. The numbers are the weight in the English Hundred Weight system. They will add up to 270 pounds as when the anvil was forged. "English Hundreds Weight (hundredweight) System: Typically the hundreds weight markings are separated by dots but not always. These figures were stamped into the finished anvil and are often not very deep. The first figure to the left is hundred weights which equal 112 pounds. The next figure is quarter hundred weights which equal 28 pounds and the last number is whole pounds. The three are added together for the total weight. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

My grandfather always said "90% of fuel problems are in the ignition." He was a master mechanic on the old cars & trucks and taught me a lot.

Being down in central AR, you are in the Blacksmith Organization of Arkansas, central chapter's area. We are on Facebook, might have a look as there a lot of members around Little Rock. If I were in the market for another anvil, for that one, I would make the 5-6 hour one way trip to buy it. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

We really like the Saturday Evening Post cover 1931 New Years. First time seeing it. Thanks. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus

When I was a patrolman on the PD working the swing shift 4 to midnight out on patrol and when Johnny Paycheck's Take this job and shove it, I ain't working here no more would come on I would key the mic at that line. My Chief asked me about that a couple of times and I would say ya I heard that and thought it was one of the County Deputies, never did admit to it.

To go along with the Aladdin lamps, I picked up an Aladdin Blue Flame kerosene heater. It works very well and has been used several times to add heat downstairs when the propane wall furnace was out of order waiting on a tech to get here to fix it. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus