pigpen60

Pretty!

Not a scout axe.

Looks good!

What was the hawks traded to the indians made of? Wrought iron? How long would the edge stay sharp?

Sorry Will! I was tired sore and aggravated when I wrote the original message. I dont have an anvil I have 2 RR rails standing on end and welded. I think I bit off too much for the first try.

Ok today I took a piece of leaf spring put it in the forge(gas) and tried to make it into a tomahawk, TRIED being the key word! I need a book on how to move metal where I want it not where it wants it. Am I making sense? And another try came when I set the spring down and put a piece of 1" square hot rolled and put it in the press and upset it, it worked great but how do you heat a "spot" not the whole thing? I thought if I could put the square in a pipe to shield it from the heat but I didnt have any pipe that size to try that idea.

Ancient machinist secret!

Well I did a test board with the torch and wouldnt you know it the wife liked and I had to use it! I throwed 4 spikesin the forge and bent them, then I soaked them in vinegar to clean them up a bit. I then warmed the spike up again and put some wax on them to seal em. I then drilled them for 1/4"-20 threads and mounted the spikes to the board. Now the photos have a yellow look I think its the room lighting. The shaking is all me and I had to use the ceiling to steady.

I used to work with a fella that worked for a defense contractor and he would go on and on about the ties at the sandblast area, he like the way the grain looked after years of blasting. My thing is I dont want to build a coat rack with used spikes and have new looking wood. I have my forge finished for right now so I'm going to work on the rack. Oh and a knob fell off my dresser drawer so Im going to make another pair of spike knobs using the heads of the spikes. Wife is trying to understand the knobs "disappearing". I thing the cat is involved.

Wow! Lots of info, will do the pics. Thank you!

Will do thank you.

Wall mount.

Was wanting to make/build a coat rack using RR spikes and figured it wouldnt look right to have a used spike and fresh looking wood. I hadnt give it much thought on wood species, what would you recommend?

May not be the place but... How do you distress wood? Will be stained not painted. I have a few things I want to make and I have now idea how to make the wood look appropriate for the project. Thank you for your time.

Cool!

I joined a bit ago but I'm just getting around to this, sorry. My name is Tom and I am a retired maintenance mechanic, I like to machine(lathe, mill, drill) and weld(mig,tig and stick) and drive military vehicles(M35A2, M1008 CUCV). I have built 2 propane burners and when I can I wish to make a tomahawk and a set of spurs. No rhyme or reason I just like em!