Hans Richter

My dear smith fellows and sisters, thank you very much for the kind and positive feedback regarding the new and modern logo. Indeed very simple and basic, but containing all the items important to me. What’s all about it -‘banging on an anvil’ -what is the ancient/alchemic element we work with (the cross arrowed symbol of iron) and –‘how the hack’ do it (HR –Hans Richter). Be allowed to mention Al (‘the’ Steamboat) as the creator and finisher of the design, and very +++++ proud of it. After many ‘sparring’ conversations by PM's we finally end up by the published and now used result. We also brainstormed about an integration of my casting activities in the logo but ended up with the conclusion that it will be too crowded to add the alchemic symbols of copper and tin to the logo as well. So, to mark my castings, I will do a vocation of one of his other logo suggestions. So thanks for your encouraging feedback and Al’s support. Cheers, Hans

Hi Mr. 450, this looks like a very nice and durable forge to me. With a heavy cast hearth sole wide and deep enough to forge all kind of items. With the contain of the sole and a rim of approx. 2in and the left space you also have the space to store a reasonable amount of de-sulphated coal and green coal in spare for the ongoing and future work. Be gentle to the great sole and spare her (temperature shock) with gentle quenching by a water soaked rag ball while fire management. Regarding the extensions and positioning of the clinker breaker and air supply it’s a wise move to do up some experience while forging. In my case I use the air escape of the blower to be in charge of intensity of the fire and fuel consumption, about the clinker I use my ‘clinker poker’ on regular base. Only constructive feedback from my side and as an work safety adviser, will be the replacement of one pair of moving wheels by wheels with breaks. No ‘clou’ how heavy/top loaded the forge will be with fuel and work piece, but you know ‘safety first’. Wish you many pleasant hours on the new forge. Kind regards, Hans P.S. Please find attached the ‘fire management set’ I use for decades to keep control of my stationary and mobile forges I share already on IFI, and witch is ‘borrowed’ by several of my smith brothers & sisters (extinguisher rag, coal positioner-shuffle, air/clinker poker).

Diana just finished the cut-out of the spray pattern of the new logo. The favourite ones of the many offered designs where mine and Lisa’s choice is fallen on. This logo will be suitable for all purposes. Start with marking all the equipment as I planned. Got also the digital file extensions to offer to a friendly machine shop to mill out or cast a fire stamp (burn mark on wood) and made a small makers mark by Spark erosion. Al(l) this thanks to a great fellow smith brother on IFI how help me with the design and worked it out for me. Have to ask him to mention his name otherwise he got maybe another/extra occupation trough his daily business. Also have to think about a decent payoff for his effort which is difficult because of the huge distance between Brussels and the State of Maine. Till then, I will offer him my deep respect and humble appreciation regarding his work if seen passing bye, his wisdom and fatherly support. Let me know what you think, I will keep you updated about the progress and tools follow. Have a nice day. Cheers, your sincerely Hans

Frosty -thanks, very nice that you like the castings. Know the phenomenon of 'Ohrwurm' that a word or melody does not go out of your mind all day long. On the other hand, however, there is also a certain disorder of amnesia, and sometimes I cannot remember words like 'Autist' or 'Cellulose' coated welding electrodes when I need them, -well it will be the age. A friendly chemistry teacher came by yesterday and brought me copper sulphate and copper nitrate. High time to develop my patina application knowledge. This happens again as an autodidact and based on readings that I have done extensively before. Go here to do tests on some polished ingots before application on the real stuff. Another friend provided me with the right mix recipes for several hot patinas. I do this of course in the open air and armed with the necessary PPE. The target will mainly be a blue-green or antique turquois-green sustainable patina. Soon I will also age bronze with Ammonia for this I will use NH3 solution from the hardware store, -and no I will not buried them in a cesspool of soil and urine for a long time as it was done in the Middle Ages. I am also not sure yet if I seal it with beeswax or double boiled linseed oil. Like your advice. For the ‘Klompen’ supporters follow the link below. Cheers, Hans

Finished the ‘Klompen’ as key ring hanger for Diana’s locker. Also cast the smaller farrier anvil again (do you remember the first attempt shown on the picture in the link). Lisa is just busy to make an owl collection to fire as ceramic but also suitable to cast as bronze. What a difference ttps://www.iforgeiron.com/uploads/monthly_2017_10/IMG_20171029_180946.jpg.f3dc4aa2f93863a3f26ec196a5ab35b9.jpg

Having a drink with Gucci after a successfully casting day in a clean shop

Yesterday’s bounty After melting a 50lbs brass bull eye (scrap from a shipyard) into ingots and preparing several sand moulds, I made another nice brass cast. This time a replica of a roman Bacchus statue and leaf fibula, two of the well-known 4lbs English pattern anvils and some ‘Klompen’ (wooden/brass clock shoes) keyring hangers. Today I like to forge some copy cats of Aussie’s fantastic forks/steak turners I’ f seen passing by in this treat. Have a nice day my dear smith brothers & sisters

Not so lucky with my first attempt to cast a hollow item like a 5in deep skillet and handle from Bronze. Cast of the handle came out nice not the body. Will try again with a more shallow pan pattern. To have at least some casting success I made two bronze replicas of cast iron vintage scale weights. Original 1 and 3 German ‘Zoll Pfund’ (pound) which is 1,6 ounces more than an American pound. However because of the higher material dense of the Bronze the paper weights are also 13% heavier than the originals. Create some new Brass stock from scrap brass I collected, and finished the first sterling silver cast of some small knuckle hangers. Not so easy to cast because the liquid silver cools down very rapidly ones leaving the furnace. Next silver cast I will use a separate handheld burner to keep the crucible on temperature outside the furnace and while pouring. Little blacksmith – very nice both btw, I envy you for them

Hi Gents, no correction just an addition. ‘Krug’ means jar or tankard. Depending on which German region we have also several names for them, like ‘Bembel’ in Hessia or ‘Mass’ (Oktoberfest) in Bavaria. Same for ‘Kartoffel(n)/Erdäpfel (Al- nice 'french' explanation btw ). Regarding ‘Steinzeug’ witch mean no more no less than Stoneware. In this case the ‘Zeug’ (stuff) stands for pejorative and low grade ceramic because the shard is made from a simple clay and not from high end Kaolin (porcelain) also the reason that the costume tax for stoneware is so much lower than for porcelain. Cheers, Hans

Looks like a nice old wire twister to me

Gents, thank you very much for the feedback. That’s just the reason to ask for your opinion and the call for help to improve and simplify the design. Fortunately I got some replay and offer for help to work on it, make it suitable for all purposes (business card, spray template and touch mark). Will keep you updated.

JHCC – feel sorry for you too -because the metal stuff didn’t turn out in wrought iron, I’m still looking to for some stock to. Al – very curious to see the vice after you take hand on them. According to what I already have seen from your work it will turn out to perfect brand new looking vice, to pity to use or touch

Design myself a simple new and modern logo. Let me know what you think. Below also the old one. I’m not a graphic designer so sorry for the simple approach. Next step is a translation of the logo into a maker mark stamp and an spray template to identify all the self-made equipment. Get inspired by the iron atom with an anvil as the core . I don’t know if their some graphic designers slash blacksmith is out there to help me work out a DWG-file to feed a laser cutter/etcher or a 3D stitching/sawing machine in exchange for documentation regarding my self designed/build equipment (foundry’s, power hammer, kiln etc.) If please contact me by PM. The rest of the community, feel free to borough if you want. Cheers, Hans

Think Mr. Pearson is right you got this ‘stalagmites’ when you cut / grind / flatten rail road tracks. A mixture of glowing iron/steel & corundum sparks/dust. Like I got ‘baby stalagmites’ on the inside of my 9in angle grinder disk protection cap after cutting a big piece of bar.

Made three different Raku tongs to unload the kiln after glassing, to put the ceramic stuff in the oxygen reduction chambers (smokers). Next, a crucible lifter and an pouring handler. Today I will cast some heal axes and Roman spear points. Das, wish you luck and a good business at the FF Ted, seems like you found your own and very nice and reckonable style with the ECT (‘Ewert Cube Twist’) Have a nice weekend all, Cheers Hans

Got some (4) massive elevator counter weights (2 1/3 in x 2 1/3 in x 31 1/2 in -45lbs) to use as counter weights for the kiln top-loader/bell configuration. It works fine now. Used also the new big melting furnace and 28lbs preheated crucible to cast another two bronze anvils as give away to the sponsors, and made some knuckle neckless hangers to increase Lisa’s pocket money. Almost every casting turns out nice now after degassing (charcoal powder) fluxing & dross remove (medical borax) and adding tin to replace the burn out content (Thanks Thomas). Also (together with Lisa) busy with some ceramic stuff (Raku) to fill the kiln after the neighbourly mediation turns out to NOTHING. Even after affirmation from both sides (before the meeting to the mediator) to come to a constructive appointment, the mediation turns out to event for the neighbour to ventilate his frustration and ends up with his opinion that I have to leave with the shop to an industrial area. However promised to take still more effort to insulate the shop, keep it silent at Sunday, and will see what’s happened after the next visit (7x) of the local sheriff.

Hi DCF, take a look in attached catalogue. I know, some of the parts of your bounty looks very familiar to me. Even many of the parts are drop forged I was surprised how many hand craft and skills the South German manufacturer still needs to make the parts. Visited his factory several times. BTW for the drop forging of one part he use different forging dies, zo not every pattern of ‘strikes’ looks the same. Regarding the other brothers -maybe some inspiration. My favourite, the grains bouquet on page 44 Kapfer_Katalog_Einzelteile.pdf

Absolutely agree with Mike, Al and Horse. Steamboat you made a fantastic vice stand. Starts with answering to all blacksmith needs, a clear design and an finishing in best practice craftsmanship. Ben this hammers are almost too perfect to hit something with. Also like the classy attachment of the handle to the hammerhead -this kind of mounting are very unusual to European hammers and I see them on IFI for the first time (cone shape and smaller hammerhead eye then the diameter of the handle) Gents, keep on the good work. Cheers Hans

Running kiln and melting furnace last night at the same time. Some testing biscuit in the kiln and bronze in the furnace. Going so ‘easy peasy’ now with the bronze casting after 1 year practising. Made the ‘Astralogoi’ again and smaller as jewellery neckless hangers. Lisa and here ‘girl gang’ wanted to go in style to the next ‘Gothic’ event/exposition. Next project will be a set of tongs on the forge again. Cheers, Hans Zero, very nice and modern candle holder, like him

Lots of inspiration, I borough, borough an borough with my eyes. Every single picture nice work. Making a fire poker is usually my first work piece assignment the students make in beginners class.

No Firebrick they will insolate too much and suck to much energy. Will use the already mentioned Cordieriet pizza stones (temperature resistant up to 2600°F). They also made a good and exchangeable bottom to your gas forge (I’m using the ceramic bead blankets for now). So by example the aggressive flux will not affect the genuine bottom of your forge but destroy the PS in a while. Stone is to cut with angle grinder and diamante disk (wear a mask because of cancer causing Quartz dust) in the shape you want. Regarding the treats – maybe they make me some day a candidate Comurgedeon like I follow the treats and comments of Frosty, Steve, Glenn, Thomas many times. But maybe I’m not old, wise and grumpy enough yet . Thanks, Das in this case the flower pot dishes work (for now). Look at web shops from Aldi and Lidl. I worked for the quality department of one of their kitchenware suppliers and know there products are much heavier tested (because of image- and warranty reasons = 3 years) then products of many other well-known brands.

˭ error Just fired with the kiln (and try-out of the biscuit firing time/temperature cascade), 2 dry clay moulds to get my first stoneware. Even the ceramic pieces are very simple (and thick) no cracks no bubbles, no glazing no deformation. The bottom plate (13in flowerpot dish) on the other hand didn’t survive the first firing. As direct flame face sealing of the burner camber and bottom for the stoneware it was to much. Ordered already 3 Cordieriet pizza stones at Lidl web shop with a diameter of 15 inch (10 bucks each -Webber dealers asking 3x this price). But no further damage on the kiln after several hours on 1850°F. Jennifer, Mike –thanks for the very nice and flattering comments I’m not smart at all, if, I lived in a huge villa and drive a Porsche. Only using my healthy ‘peasant’ mind and some materials laying around. Made the gallows from the legs (pipe) of Lisa’s old childhood bed. And yes Mike the ‘buttons’ to attach the wool to the midsection are little biscuit ceramic flower pot dishes for 50 cent each instead the buttons of the art supply shop at 1 dollar. Psssst ………………. use some of them too to attach the wool (in case the dishes melt or collapse) Jennifer –the lost wax mould need, beside of melting out the wax, a firing of 1400 °F too, to eliminate all the bounded water and stabilise the plaster of paris mixture of the bronze moulds. If someone needs more details, please let me know. From next week on, I got hopefully a decent agreement with my ‘difficult’ neighbour and will focusing on blacksmithing again (with or without using the power hammer)

‘Kiln the kiln’ to be ready for the first ceramic biscuit firing. Let’s see what’s coming out tomorrow morning (clay mould for bronze casting of a Bacchus busts). Reach a temperature of 1000°C and obey the quarter jump and stay at ‘sinter’ point. Also happy to be quit in control with the firing curve of temperature and time with the ordinary weed burner I used by turning the gas control and manipulate the air out/intake. But will change the worn able burner mouth with a piece of 2in Inconel tube, and will extend the distance to the regulator/valve (crawling up heat). The counter weights works well on the lid but are not heavy enough to till up the ‘bell’ yet. So I have to increase the counter weights. However, after 6 weeks of try and arrow, I have a device to kiln my bronze lost wax moulds, heat treat/anneal forging stuff and be able to firing Lisa’s ceramic parts.

JLP, JHCC thanks for the kind feedback. Sfeile, what a blade, -and Aric is watching to much James Bond (Octopussy) Have a nice day.

Still busy with the bronze wax kiln aka Raku firing furnace. Finished bottom section and lid. Use the elevator technic to handle weight of lid and ‘bell’ section to till up. The contra weights are not heavy enough to deal with the finished insulated parts yet, so I will increase the weights. For the rest I think the setup will works well. Darned quit a lot work and configuration to adjust the whole thing to answer our needs. Will inform you of course about the progress of the kiln wax moulds and Lisa’s attempt of firing ceramic pieces. Cheers, Hans