astevens

Okay. I won't mess with it. I see a little info online on serial #'s on these things but if anyone has approximate year of when it was made I think that'd be neat to know. So far I have seen a 39,000 that was dated to 1897. This one is 13818 which I'm assuming is even older. thanks Adam

Here is a pic of the face up close

Thanks. Will do. It looks as though someone has fixed a couple areas both successfully and unsuccessfully. Serial number looks to be 13818. I can’t read the lbs

Took pics. All I can make out is the word hay so I’m assuming it is hay budden. Two ‘2’ s stamped under horn. approximate cost to get something like that repaired?

Ok. Will do. I’m in California. Has some pitting on the surface that may need filled. Sounds and bounces good compared to the railroad track I was banging on before.

I got this anvil for free from an elderly gentleman that has recently become ill. Any way to ID the thing? Needs a little work. Thanks

I tried to find some info on rust bluing and found a couple sources elsewhere but if you can point me to one on here that'd be great... the search filter is a little picky it seems. The sources I found suggested quickly forming a layer of rust with a variety of different products(household acids or products meant for rusting) and humid conditions. Then steaming it in distilled water. Is there anything more to this method? it sounds too easy/simple but I doubt it is. From what I've read so far, it sounds like hot blue/cold blue form a thin, not very protective, layer on the surface of the steel. Is a rust bluing method more protective/thicker. thanks for your patience--- I'm new to all of this

Steve, mixed? or do you treat with one and then the other? also... I was reading on here (I think) about multiple steamings of the piece followed by baking soda. I'm not sure if that is something anyone else has tried and if so how well did it work?

No I haven’t. Any recommended hot blue products. Does it smell at all?

I have used gun blue on a chisel to blacken it. It works okay but the smell never seems to go away. It sticks on my hands days later after using a chisel that I used it on so I am giving up on that method of blackening. I have 75% food grade phosphoric acid that doesn't seem to blacken it enough. Any ideas on how Japanese chisels are blackened? thanks

ok thanks for the information. As far as tempering goes. I have seen videos and read information saying that tempering must be done over an hour or so. I have also seen videos of guys holding their work close to a orange hot piece of metal until a straw color appears and quickly pulling it away from the heat source once the desired tempering color is achieved. do you see any issues with the second method even though it is much quicker?

I have made several chisels out of mild steel with an O1 tool steel bit forge welded to it. I was wondering about tempering of the bit: Do you see any problems with hardening the blade and not tempering it as the body of the chisel is made out of tough mild steel. reason I was thinking is that any hardness that is in the O1 after quenching will not be reduced in the tempering process. Is this a bad idea? thanks