CrazyGoatLady

Thanks GFH. And That's on my husband's bucket list is to go bear hunting. Nice organization Judson. My stuff is either in a bucket or leaned up against the wall in the corner. If it's something small I want to keep up with, it usually goes on the forge table. My forge sits on the frame of an old barbecue grill with a piece of sheet metal so I have enough room to store odd pieces of metal also for preheat of said material and my tongs, etc. Your system looks good and tidy

I watched the Francis Whitaker video. And ýou, Jennifer, make it look like no effort at all! Only time I really think about it is when I first start a session. Then after awhile it gets more comfortable and I can't say for sure what I'm doing. I do know heavier forging, I stand up straight and bring the hammer above my head or around the ear. Depends on what I want done. Then on detail work the smaller hammer, I get close to the work and it's shorter, lighter hits. And I do a lot of planishing. Either because I can't leave well enough alone, or I'm just such a stickler for detail. Probably both

I've never eaten bear, but I'd try it.

Thank you for the advice. I will do that

I'll try the technique your describing Charles. All my hammers range around 2lb.s. The one ball peen is 1lb. I have a couple that are over 3lb.s but I don't use those yet. I do think I need to shave the handle down on my main hammer more though. I wondered if I could close my hand further if that would be good. That seems to be the only trouble I have is maybe the handle is still too thick. I didn't realize it's a good thing for your fingers to touch your palm and currently they don't. I have small hands. My brother used to make fun of them because they were so tiny he said. I have to wear a youth size glove so the fingers aren't a mile too long!

Thanks Robert. They aren't perfect for sure, but I like them. Thanks Glenn for another great tip. I cooled off the first part of the twist then grabbed it in the wrong place. Starting turning and realized what I was doing and as I do quite often, freaked out a little...Too late now, just keep turning. Now on to phase 3. The knife. Then start all over again

Wow, just gorgeous. I'd like to make spurs and bits one of these days.

Nice touch. Love the look of them. I may come to you to make me some spurs. I don't get to ride anymore, but I'll sure keep you in mind

Very nice Mark. Are the rowels made from copper? Top notch work as usual. There's a spur and bit maker that lives not far from me. I thought about going and visiting his shop.

Thanks Jasen. I love your new avatar by the way

I was reading the Aspery book on how he holds the hammer. He grips it between his thumb and pointer finger, then the other three fingers, he uses to accelerate with on the down swing. I didn't realize it, but that's pretty much how I've been doing it. I used to do more of the Hofi style as i understood it, but I can't seem to control it as well. I've had to fumble my way through it, but i am leaps and bounds above what i used to do. If I go for more than a week without forging though, it seems like retraining when I do if that makes sense.

Rojo, that looks good. I try to repurpose things when I can also. I hate for something to go to waste. I like the twist pattern on them. Ýou do nice work. Well, here's phase 2: the ( sort of matching fork). My first one. I'm sure there's a bunch wrong with it but my self critique is the tines are too long. I can cut or file those down. A little uneven at the junction where the tines meet the handle. Handle needs more bend to match the spoon. I messed up the twist. I did it in two separate turns because it was losing heat fast. The second heat, I grabbed it in the wrong place resulting in a portion being too tight. And I need to really work on symmetry. Anyway, thanks for letting me post my work good or bad and all the helpful comments.

Charles, I wish I had that full body farriers swing! It's great to watch. SLAG, touche', you are right. I've actually made a couple handles myself. But that hammer sort of got relegated to being handed to someone when they need a hammer for whatever when they can't find theirs. At least it still has a useful life

I have several hammers but my main two are a 2.2 lb. cross peen and a 1lb. ball pein. I do the rough/ heavy forging with the cross peen. Then the detail/ finish forging with the smaller one. I haven't measured them, but they both range in the 12" to 14" lengths. I tend to hold them just below the middle of the handle towards the end. If it's small, fine detail, I may choke up a little, but not much. I had one that had a short handle and at first it felt good. But now, I don't like it and I never use it. My preferences are still changing, but I do like a longer handle now. I'm short, so those handles are actually longer than the distance of the head in my hand to my elbow. Since I've hurt my wrist before, I try and keep it loose and relaxed.

Thanks Glenn that is a great idea. I was thinking about that because when I work a split like that on the anvil, it's a little precarious. I can do it, but the fork tines aren't going to be very big. Kind of afraid of breaking them off. You have given me another avenue. Thanks

Thank you. And I used an old stump. I was using just a block of wood then I read something about using the end grain of the wood to swage and it worked much better. Thank you Das. This was a round piece and I didn't think of tapering the end. Thanks for that tip. I was just stoked ( and surprised)it came out as well as it did. Tonight I'm going to try to make a matching fork. I was working on three different projects at a time, but I think I just need to concentrate on one at a time till I figure out the cutlery.

Late night in the shop. My second spoon. I had to do some file work and still need a little more, but I figured I should go to bed sometime tonight

I can't help you with repair, but wanted to let you know you are not alone in your love for your knife. My EDC is a little Kershaw pocket knife and has been with me for three years. I thought I lost it once and was very disappointed. I hope there's a way it can be fixed

Those tongs look really clean and well made.

I may start putting my tongs together in the next day or two. I'm still going to learn to make my own though. I've been studying the Mark Aspery book and put some of his teaching into practice last night. It's already made a difference

I can tell you not to use a death grip when your swinging. I did that when I first started and I got pain in my wrist that took a little while to go away

Thanks. I didn't know that. I've never ordered anything from them, but Ive heard good things about them.

Nice. Where is Pieh Tool company located?

That's what I was thinking was it'd give you money left over for other goodies. My opinion is to get it. Unless you think you may want a heavier anvil, (And not just an Emerson) then save that money. I don't remember exactly, but the 150 lb. Traditional was around $1100 or $1200 US I believe. What would you be interested in making? Like I was saying earlier, it's probably dependent on what you would like to do. General forging or knife making it would be perfect. But lots of heavy work may need something a little bigger. Anyway, it'd be a good deal no matter how you slice it.

Thanks Irondragon. I'm going to straighten and clean it up good. Now I need to make 100 more and maybe I'll have it down haha. The ring I'm wearing is a substitute for the tungsten ring I lost.... maybe that's what I need to ask for an anniversary gift is a new ring