Rojo Pedro

Nice to see those beauties being used. I can't say which one I like best but that '27 Soderfors is really sweet. Thanks for sharing.

An improper conversion from meters to feet just cost my company 1.4 million. Not blacksmith related just helping others to learn from our mistake. (The simplest double check would have caught it but no, they are understaffed and overworked)

Been a few weeks since I’ve posted so heres a repcap…. yesterday I punched a couple holes using my favorite sucker rod punch. It holds up much better after I hardened it. then made a couple hooks last weekend I heat treated a 1075 kitchen knife (started to polish), a carving knife from an old file (got very hard), a cleaver and sugar knife from a leaf spring. All quenched in oil and tempered in my toaster oven and the weekend before just messing around mostly lots of fun and thanks for looking. edit: wrong thread. Meant to post in the what i did in the shop thread

Looks good Arthur. Ver clean

I love punching holes in stuff especially with tools I made Turned it into another bottle opener (give them away like candy) and started a little cleaver from a Studebaker leaf spring. Good times thanks for looking

Bottle opener I know it goes against all known safety rules but I love to drink beer while forging. Never more than a couple three however

Yes nice stuff all around. The hanger has just the right amount of too much!

Very nice repurpose Chad. I will have to try one

I have not but thanks for asking. I keep wanting to but I find that I would rather use my limited time forging. You have inspired my to go grab my kit and see how long I can get away with in front of the tv How about you? I love your steel sculptures.

Nice one. Is that a date between the S's? Looks like 1941 maybe?

Melting steel is very difficult for the home shop I believe. I would contact local foundry and see if they could help. Good luck and send pictures

Nice. I like your treadle hammer too

Yes congratulations on retirement for sure! My plan is 6 years from today (yesterday I turned 59)

Dont forget, steel can be found for free if you look around. Almost every house, yard, cabinet, road side has some rusty steel laying around. I hike a lot and find all kinds stuff. Even little bits can be forged into pretty things especially when starting out, just make sure to read through this site and learn to identify steel. In rust we trust. Have fun.

Good one Mr. Anvil.

Everything stated above. you can get started for less if you just want to try it. A wash tub or wash or box of dirt forge can work pretty well for next to nothing and you probably have the rest like a hammer and vise grips. an improvised anvil is the way to go until you get bit by bug and want to upgrade. You can get a decent propane forge online for a couple hundred. That and a bundle of Kens tong blanks, an improvised anvil and some scrap steel can turn you into a very good smith in short order.. Good luck, have fun and post pictures

Safety third. cool link George

Maybe look into to didymium glasses used for glass blowing and torch work. Quick search says that they specialize in blocking yellow light from the burning sodium in the glass but work to block a wide spectrum of ir and are pretty clear. The wife has a pair and I will give them a look this weekend

Hooks can be as simple or fancy as you like. And they make good gifts and sale items. Tools same thing. A draw knife from some coil spring is a good intermediate project. Practice heat treatment

Cool video JLP. I find it interesting that your anvils are curved from end to end where my is dead flat. Perpendicular however, my anvil has a slight but noticeable dip. Almost like it shrunk in the middle while cooling. Maybe a machining issue, It had machine marks on it when new and I would guess it was milled after heat treat ??

Really like the roses too. Love that they are stainless. I made a hook from a spike remnant, another center punch from a coil spring and heat treated a couple blades Ive been working on. Good times

Real nice Frazer. Now you need one with the opposite peen direction.

I got my paperback copy of DRM for $8.50 at a used book store in Willcox AZ (boyhood home of Rex Allen and yours truly) I too love the illustrations, everyone looks so cheerful. I do have some trouble trying to figure out whats goin on in them however

Thanks Les. It tested as medium carbon with the water quench showing a little tighter grain and broke like glass. Oil quench test was very hard to break to the point that I thought it was going to bend but was very springy and eventually broke. I went with oil for safety and it is super sharp. Will see how it lasts. Billy the handle is pretty comfortable as the ridges are close together and I sanded it a bit. It fits the hand surprisingly well. It was done for novelty but I might make a sheath for it. Everyone seems to like it.

Dang! Whats the specs on those bad boy? Lift a locomotive to change a tire?