Cavpilot2k

What is a "mill ball"? I mean I understand what a mill is, but my frame of reference is generally oriented toward grain milling (big stone wheel or roller mill). WHat sort of milling would the balls you reference be used for?

Yeah, I'm finding that 16 ga is the thickest I would be willing to work cold. 18 ga - no problem. 14 ga will definitely be hot work. I'd love to work carbon steel, but I shudder to think what a 4' x 8' sheet of, say, 1050/1060 would cost compared to around $85 for mild. Also, One would need a huge forge and quench tank for a piece the size of a breastplate. I like the drilling the ball idea - at least I wouldn't have to worry about a weld breaking from hammering on it and dropping a large metal ball on a foot.

Thomas: At this moment, the best I have for a spherical planishing stake is a 12 lb sledge head rounded on one end. Currently working on sourcing something else. I had considered a shot put, but I don't know that I am good enough a welder to get a cast iron (as I understand most of them are) shot put to stick to a medium carbon stake (pavement breaker bit). If I go that route, I'll probably take it to a pro welder.

Finally finished my dishing stump for some armoring work I've wanted to do for a long time and got started on dishing a helmet half (no pics yet - it's a stump with a depression and an incomplete helmet half - nothing much to look at...). Turns out that being used to hot work, cold-dishing 16 ga. cold rolled sheet is WORK!

One more thing I hadn't considered - thanks again, Frosty! I have some old redundant tongs I can reshape. You just saved me headache of a mid-project pause to make a new tool.

Thanks for the tip, Frosty, I'll keep an eye out for stress strands. Not something I had even considered.

I have, several times (been to Salem). I'm sure it was no picnic, but prison, a trial, and hanging (or pressing in one guy's case) would be my choice over prison, torture, more torture and confession or not (eventually everyone will to end the torture), followed by burning at the stake. At least the Mass. Puritans didn't burn their witches.

Yeah, I made that mistake on my first rail spike hawk that I tried to steel. I kept chasing it and chasing it, even cutting it back to where I finally decided to give it an overlay instead of an insert. That might be a good option for those you've already forged thin. Better smiths than I can probably weld the bit inside of thin lips all day long, but I try to make things easy for myself.

Do you really have need of a 300 lb anvil? Some folks do, but most don't, especially hobbyists. For that money or just a little more, you could get a very nice new German anvil in the 200+lb range. For that money or less, you could get a LOT of slightly smaller new anvils. All that said, I LOVE my 173 lb 1939 Fisher. Nice and quiet. I like it a good deal better than the 230 lb Mousehole I started with. And I paid $500. I guess my point is...that's a lot of money for an anvil unless you are a pro or have need of one so big. But I'm also a relative novice, having been at this on a hobbyist level for 2 years.

Resurrecting this thread. Nice work, especially for all hand tools. I especially like the long leaf-bladed one. I am gearing up to do my first spear (also by hand) as soon as I make a hardy bick for the socket.

It could definitely be done, but reasons not to include: 1: Not generally historically accurate to use high carbon for the whole head. 2: You'd need to temper the rest of the head pretty high to give it the toughness and shock resistance it should have. Not necessarily a reason not to do it, but it's just more work. Mild steel gives you that without doing anything to it. 3: 5160 is more challenging to weld to itself. Definitely doable, but not as easy to get good, solid welds as mild steel or mild to HC.

I just did my first welded axe head a few weeks ago with a chunk of leaf spring (unknown, but sparked consistent with 5160 or similar) as the bit and it welded super easy. It was a sandwiched wrap as opposed to drifted with a split insert though. I went with the thick weld option (1/4" on each side of a full thickness leaf spring bit) to allow for plenty of compression and post-weld shaping. Anyway, it welded so easy it will definitely be my go-to (I have enough of that particular leaf spring for dozens of bits).

Great Museum! I sure would not want to have been accused of witchcraft in medieval Germany!

Does it help at all to soak the cable (assuming it is used) in solvent of some kind to get grease/oil/junk out of the nooks and crannies, since you can't just grind/sand it clean like normal damascus layers? Or does all that stuff just burn off?

I just got a shipment of 1084 and 15N20 from Aldo, and some Ferric Chloride. Let the Damascus-making begin! I think I may first try a billet out of some other scrap steel (an old saw blade and maybe lawnmower blade) just to practice the technique and identify problems before I do it with the "good stuff". I've also been thinking about attempting a cable damascus. Does anybody on here do that by hand? I saw a nice technique of hammering it into a V-swage to keep it compressed and prevent pancaking in the early stages.

I did as well, with my last hot cut, but it wasn't a straight cut. In fact I make most of my hardy tools out of jackhammer/pavement breaker bits because of the collar.

Brilliantly simple idea that I wish I had thought of a long time ago - thanks!

Very nice. I've been wanting to make a straight cut hardy recently. You may have inspired me!

I'm a novice, but I made a similar rounded slit chisel out of 3/4" round. I nearly ruined it when I oil quenched it before finding out that S7 was air hardening (ever since I check first lol- rookie mistake). Fortunately I didn't use it because it would have almost certainly broken, possibly spectacularly. So I re-heated it and air cooled it then tempered to straw and the thing has been like a rock. Used many times now for all sorts of hot work and not the slightest sign of edge deformation or dulling. I LOVE this chisel, and so will you most likely if you get the HT right. I plan to make another just like it with a straight edge. Here are some pics, because folks here like pics.

MOST of these edges are pretty clean in person. The discoloration and large scale flaking off gives the impression of roughness. That said, some of the smaller ones on the right side in the picture are less-than-perfect, but nothing a little file work couldn't fix. They are close enough for my needs. The maker did mention some sort of CNC process, but I don't recall what it was and didn't ask details. But that said, if you can find a swage block in better condition (most of the antique ones I see are in far inferior condition to this one) for anywhere close to the price, you should definitely jump on it. Swages are worse than anvils these days for price. I don't have any skin in the debate - just pointing out that I see what you are saying, and not all of the edges are perfect, but they are better than they look in the pic and better than most antique cast swages you will find. At a fraction of the cost. I'm super happy with the purchase. YMMV.

A Guy on Etsy makes them. Not sure of his process, but it surely involves high heat (scale and discoloration on the surface). $100 It is. Cut from a solid chunk of A36. The maker also does them in 4140 for $50 more. After much deliberation, I went with A36, as it might deform a bit on a misplaced edge blow, but the 4140 could possibly chip if it work hardened (they maker said he does not heat treat them, but some hardening could occur due to the heat from the cutting process). Anyway, at $100, it's a no-brainer for someone who doesn't already own a swage block. I can send you a link if you PM me. I think he is currently out of the A36 ones but has some 4140 in stock.

Brand new small Swage Block! 11" x 11" x 2"

Cube twist!

Jennifer, I just watched your flatter video last night - awesome stuff! I just so happen to have some 1" square stock lying around for hardy shanks...

It wasn't cut. It's still intact, just with that one end straightened out from the normal curvature. I picked it up in a scrap yard for scrap price, because it had the dimensions I was looking for in a drift. No. No quench at any point on my end. I just straightened it with one heat and when those delams happened I pretty much stopped work on it. Dunno - got it from the scrap yard in Hanson.