Cavpilot2k

Picked this 173-ish lb Fisher today. Nice face, very clean edges, nice wide waist. Dated 1938/9. Great condition. Super happy with it!

I was just wondering, since the Mousehole/ Peter Wright style of anvil with the wrought steel body and forged face are so popular and are widely considered the "best" style of construction (at least for old anvils), why doesn't anyone make them that way anymore? Are modern casting techniques better than those old wrought/forged techniques? Is a modern drop forged anvil the equal or better or is it just a matter of economy of manufacturing process? I'm guessing modern techniques are better, otherwise somebody would still be making the Peter Wright style, even if at a price premium.

Very similar, I think. just different applications of the same skills and techniques.

yeah, but I have quite a bit of CLP, and for the non-hammer parts, one coating should last many moons. I like it because it's persistent and non-gunky (that's a technical term).

I'm new to this, but I was going to use CLP (gun oil) on the non-poundy parts of my anvil to prevent rust. Anyone see any reason not to?

Did you take a class at Prospect Hill? I took their Bottle opener and knife classes earlier in the year, and now I have a forge, anvil, and tools at home (It's outside though until I can convince SWMBO that I need another shed for it - first step will be to forge her something pretty like a horse head something (she's a horse girl) - THEN she will see the NEED for another out-building).

Beautiful blade. I have always loved the Kopis/Falcata shape. I hope to make my own one day.

Touche

Printed Books are sooo 15th century...

ON the subject of helmet building though, I did come across an interesting note in one source that said the main reason spangenhelms and their ilk went the way of the dodo (I'm paraphrasing) was that they gave way to the sturdier, superior construction techniques of the one-piece domes, leading me to believe that the domes of period spangenhelms were, in fact, separate pieces connected only by rivets to the framework, and not forge welded or otherwise made into a single piece.

You make some excellent points and provide some outstanding references. Im actually watching the Nova show as we speak. I know I have a great deal to learn, and I am nowhere near ready to start being a stickler for traditional technique, but you have to start somewhere, and education via reading and the experience of those who have been there and done that will inform the experience I gain through practice. Your comments on the simple economics of the construction practices make sense. I would, however, expect to see more people making the more expensive and more authentic pieces for their own collections. Amyway, thanks for the responses. Expect more questions. Armourarchive is using MIRC chat and while I can go back a few centuries in my armor making techniques, I simply can't bring myself to use 15-year old chat technology.

I'm not suggesting that there isn't plenty of anachronism in modern attempts to "replicate" medieval armoring. To suggest otherwise would be like saying we should work in a shop without electricity. If course we work with the materials we have, and modern steel is very different (better, more consistent) than medieval steel. I also understand there a point at which it is significantly more efficient to use modern techniques like welding than traditional techniques. That said, there are a great many smiths who seem to go to great lengths to use historical methods where possible, except where domed helms come into play. I know smiths that use only coal forges and hand tools - no power tools, etc - I'm sure you do too. But I haven't seen a single template or pattern that doesn't use modern welding to put domes together. I'm not knocking anyone for their choice of techniques, I just find it curious that in a field where so many practitioners are sticklers for the APPEARANCE of historical accuracy (armoring), why there isn't more attempt to build helmets using the historical methods. So my curiosity is in how DID they do it historically? Knowing this might answer my question as to why nobody does it maybe welding is just so much simpler that it's not even worth doing it the "old way".

As I prepare to make my first helmet (a spectacled spangenhelm with mail aventail), I have been researching patterns and techniques, and I notice it is exceedingly common, if not virtually universal, for helmet-makers, even those who are sticklers for period accuracy on the design, to use modern welding, particularly to join halves of a dome. Am I missing something? Did medieval armorers have TIG and MIG welders? Clearly they didn't, and while forge welding was a common general smithing technique, it doesn't seem appropriate for helm construction. Therefore, I am left to surmise that period helmet domes probably were either of one-piece construction (a serious exercise in dishing), or simply riveted. If riveted, I wonder if the crest joint was overlapped or were the two halves simply butted and joined by riveting them independently to the strip of steel that would follow the crest of the helm. I'd pose this over at armour archives, but their forums seem to be down, and this has been bugging me long enough that I feel the need to ask the question. What question is that? Well in addition to those raised above, I just have to wonder why welding is so commonly practiced in helmet construction when it is clearly not an accurate historical construction technique?

Very nice piece! I'm a big armor fan, which is what has gotten me into smithing. Sure I'll make some tools and weapons (my interest in weapons lies more along the lines of warhammer, axe, and mace than blades), but my focus will be on armor, so I am also dabbling in leatherworking. I am working up my skills for my first helm, which will be a spectacled spangenhelm with cheeks and aventail. If it turns out looking half as good as your great helm, I'll be thrilled! And I agree that things not matching up perfectly is not only okay, but looks better, as you can tell it's not the result of modern mass production. So my point is...Nice Helm!

They only have anthracite on hand but can order bituminous.

The first thing I forged (from an intro class at Prospect Hill Forge in Waltham, MA).

Awesome, thanks! There's one not ten miles from home.

Yeah, it's going to get some kind of transportation system. Not that i plan on moving it much. Simple deadlifting it on or off of its stump is easy enough, but I carried it from my truck to my shed yesterday (about 40 yards) hugged to my chest, and I don't have any intention of doing that again...ever. Just the weight of the horn and heel resting on my forearms bruised the muscles.

So I finally picked this thing up yesterday. The former owner said he thought it was around 170 lb. the first time I tried to pick it up I knew there was no way - it had to be over 200. I weighed it today and current weight is 231! It's a xxxxxxxx beast! ...and a bastard it move and carry, and I'm in shape and strong and it's still all I can do to move this thing.

Good point. Maybe some dirt or something temporary just to fill a little of that space. My question about value was more to have some kind of idea just how ridiculous was the deal I got for the forge, anvil, leg vise, and hand-crank smiths drill (no need to go into the details, but I got it all from a guy who was retired and moving and didn't want to haul it all, and he hooked me up big time). I have no intention of selling it any time soon. I could build one, but a bird in hand... I intend to use it and hone my craft and make awesome stuff.

Hi all, I'm new here and a new smith as well. I've taken a few classes and just purchased a forge, anvil, and some basic tools. I'm in SE Massachusetts near Plymouth and wondering if there is a good, reasonably priced source for coal around here. Any recommendations?

Anybody have any idea what the rough value of one of these is? Hand crank blower, no hood or anything. 36" across.

Okay, so don't put anything in it? Just coal until it fills with ash and clinkers?

So I just acquired a good sized railroad-style forge (pictured below). The first thing I notice is that the grate is elevated on a "cone" and therefore there is a "trough" of dead space around it where cinders, clinkers, and other junk will build up (not to mention fuel that will probably not burn correctly due to not being in the line of airflow). I drew a cross-section diagram to illustrate perhaps better than the photo. Is this space meant to be filled with refractory or clay or some other substance? Recommendations welcome.

Awesome! Yeah, it never made sense to me that group politics even enters into that stuff.