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I Forge Iron

Cavpilot2k

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Everything posted by Cavpilot2k

  1. Isn't it technically a proximal taper if it is on the tang? (not sharp-shooting you, genuinely asking to make sure I am not misunderstanding terminology). Nice knife, OP. I really like the handle shape. I am putting the finishing touches on my first integral bolster knife - it presents a whole new set of challenges.
  2. Thomas: Mainly for normalization before cold work, but I have started dabbling with raising, which seems to work better with some heat. So far it's just practice exercises with raising, not actually making anything. I've used everything from MAP torches to a large burner for boiling homebrew kettles (80k-130k BTU) for heating a larger area.
  3. True, but similar could be said of steel (maybe 1300 years?). I'm okay with only going back 1000 years ;-) In all reality I would almost prefer charcoal for cleanliness, but coal is easier and cheaper to source, IMHO. That said, I have never worked with charcoal, so my opinion is speculative. For that matter, I have never worked with a gas forge either (only gas burners to heat armor pieces, no actual forging done on gas).
  4. Heck, at that price, I'd go pick up another piece and bed it in another stump on its side right next to the other one. No flipping needed!
  5. I love my coal forge - there is just a primal connection to the craft I feel with it, but sometimes I do long for the ease and simplicity and cleanness and predictable even heat of a gas forge. I know one day I will get one, but it will not replace my coal forge, only augment it.
  6. I'll echo what Mr. Powers has said. Most "real" swords were under 3 lb, with 3 lb being an unusually large specimen. Even things like falchions, which are considered chopping blades were still in the 2-2.5 lb range. You can't go by modern replicas because most were built with the assumtion of their having been heavy. Anybody who ever made a heavy sword obviously never had to wield one for any length of time in battle. Remember, other than those made for ceremonial purposes, swords were battlefield weapons meant to be used for extended periods. They had to be practical and usable. Same with armor. Aside from parade armor and some heavier examples of tournament armor (which was never meant to be used on the actual battlefield), a full suit of 15th-16th century battlefield plate armor was usually only 40-50 lb, with some outliers up to 55 or 60. Remember too that swords were not made to cut through armor. They don't do that - never could, so they don't need to be heavy enough for that. Accuracy and speed with a sword is infinitely more useful than impact force. And battle axes were also far thinner and lighter than most people, movies, and fantasy portray too. Think along the lines of hatchet head weight on a longer handle, NOT chopping axe weight. But I digress... (Sorry, you just happened to touch on a topic on which I could speak for days...)
  7. Wow. That seems like a nightmare to keep track of all those scroll parts and organize the whole thing. Well done, sir!
  8. That's not exactly true. It should be: "Rebar might make a good knife...or it might not...or it might make a knife that's good in spots and bad in others..."
  9. That's perhaps the ugliest anvil I've ever seen! Congrats on your anti-theft device!!
  10. Also, not to pile on, but you said you were thinking about using cable. Forging cable is, by definition and necessity, pattern welding, a.k.a damascus, since cable is made up of a ton of strands that must be forge-welded together into a billet. So it sounded like you didn't really know what you were asking about, which makes it easy to assume you are a beginner. Even that aside, your question makes it sound like you are still a beginner, which is totally fine, but most beginner questions can be answered by some google searches (include the search term iforgeiron.com to bring up more responses on this forum).
  11. Also, acid bath for zinc can cause other problems, like releasing a large amount of highly flammable (explosive, really) hydrogen gas if you use hydrochloric acid. It sounds like you have not yet put hammer to steel at all. Perhaps start out with some basic smithing projects (bottle openers, S-hooks, etc.) to learn basic techniques like drawing, tapering, scrolling, twisting, punching, drifting... Unless all you are out for is to make knives. In which case, I suggest starting with some old coil spring to learn how to forge a knife. You won't know exactly what you have, but your first few knives will be rough anyway - not something you're going to sell or anything. Write them off as learning opportunities.
  12. Thanks. I've been working on making better, cleaner, and more pronounced transitions from tang to ricasso via forging only (not cutting or grinding it out), and I am getting better at it. The dip on the spine side where it transitions if from me being indecisive initially, trying to make a shoulder on both sides of the tang, but later deciding to move it up and run the tang continuous from the spine. It will file out.
  13. Banged out two new knife-shaped objects and got them in the anneal for hand filing - I don't have a belt grinder yet. Nothing fancy, but forged from 1084. Both will be hidden tang, but I may leave the tang exposed on the spine side, so the tangs do need some cleaning up, and maybe straightening on the chef knife to bring it in line with the spine. Is there a term for that - Partial-hidden-tang? These are my 6th and 7th forged blades, respectively.
  14. Nice job! You've inspired me to consider my first sword build for the summer: A falcata. It's my favorite classic sword shape, is relatively short, curvy, and single-edged, so I am reducing the number of challenges I am imposing on myself first time out. I will be forging it though.
  15. The 80's were nearly 40 years ago? xxxx...
  16. I'll second Frosty's advice - a wire wheel on a drill dosn't have the scrubbing power you need. Go with a twisted wire cup on the angle grinder. Also to protective gear (PPE) I would add a respirator or some kind of mask if you are doing heavy rust removal. A normal respirator will fit under the face shield (a must when using a wire wheel on a grinder). You will get a significant amount of airborne rust dust once that wheel gets going. I am still trying to transport to my location an heirloom anvil for de-rusting and use. There is something special about an heirloom anvil.
  17. Question on cleaning this by electrolysis: SHould I at least wire brush the loose rust stuff off first?
  18. Not gonna get any work done this weekend for being glued to this book! Signed by the author.
  19. Ironically my last name is...Cannon. And my Great, great grandfather fought in the Civil War, and was wounded twice, at Gettysburg and Fredericksburg - and survived it all.
  20. Old, used, 12 lb shot put. Gonna make one heck of a ball stake.
  21. Very nice work! I love the handle color and the file work!
  22. I've been looking into one of those for my basement armoring shop, which is all cold but light work in sheet metal, i.e.no heavy forging (did I mention I am in love with my 173 lb 1938 Fisher?). You can't beat the price if it suits the work you're doing.
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