Les L

Billy, your doing some great work Rojo, I like the knife, did it harden and take a good edge Goods, very nice rose, I’m sure she will be happy

Thanks, I finally found some stain to get the results I was looking for, after trying most of the ideas that members here had suggested after my first try. I used ted mahogany, it doesn’t have the same “pop” as aqua fortis, but is much more user friendly.

Thanks Goods

TW, you’re insulated lamp looks great and has my imagination working trying to do something with several I have access to. Thomas, you’re dragons look great

Nice projects everyone. I've been working on several different oprojects this week, trying to get ready for our club's conference next month. I'll be busy on other things and won't have much time in the forge between now and the conference. Made forge stands for the club's two gas forges, I'll paint them after using them a few times in case I have to make changes. The supports fold against the sides when not in use and will also work for the side door on the three burner forge. Made a rake, with my first twisted handle, to pull material to the front of the gas forges Made a set of knee tongs and made a full size tomahawk to go with the mousehawk I made earlier Currently taking a break while waiting on my order of leather to arrive so I can make the sheaths for the tomahawks

Twisted, Great job on you first try. I agree with Frazer to use the hardie to cut the pedals and to start with smaller petals and increase the width as you go. This is a picture of my first try. I think I got lucky because the blacksmith gods knew I was making them for a gift to my mother. I watched a video from Christ Centered Ironworks and followed his directions. I used 3/16 X 1. I also break them sometimes and just weld them back together.

Didn’t exactly follow me home, but I’m currently sitting in a deer stand hoping to fill a request from my daughter, that’s living in S Carolina, for some fresh meat when my wife and I go up up in a couple of weeks when she has her first baby. I just got a picture of my new grandson, so it looks like I’ll be heading north sooner than expected. Everyone is doing great!

Billy, I was about 10 then and can remember sitting in his lap driving one down a trail, through trees, and him telling me not to hit one. Fast forward a few years later, after he came back from his first tour in Nam, after a “Fire Power Demonstration” as it was called in those days they were one person short to bring all of the pieces of self propelled artillery back, guess who the 15 yr old was placed in the second one and told to follow every one of my hand signals

Thomas, I’ve been retired 2yrs now and the only advice I can give you is to get ready to change your name to “I need” because almost every time my phone rings that’s the first thing I hear. All joking aside, every day in your future will be a Saturday, one of the hardest things you’re going to have to do is remember what day of the week it is. I walked out after 37 yrs with the same company and laughed at them when they wanted me to come back as an contractor. But when asked by another company to work 5 days a month as a consultant, performing the same work, I couldn’t pass up their offer, especially when this job doesn’t even feel like working. My advice: get ready to enjoy the ride of your life and do what and when you want.

It’s only about 40 yrs old, took me longer to cut a piece off and put the rest in the pile than finding it. I baited the hook good on that one!

Chimaera, thanks for the feedback, I started with 6” of 1/4 x1 flat bar and inserted the hc bit, a piece of spring steel. I followed JLP services video for the wrapped eye tomahawk (thank you Jennifer) and was able to complete it. I’ll do some work with flame coloring the handles, along with all of the other great tips I’ve received. I asked my wife to buy some tea the next time she went grocery shopping, she said “what” very loudly while looking at me very funny. I told her, don’t ask I’m trying experiments that very knowledgeable people have advised for staining the handles. I currently have some rusty metal soaking in vinegar, thanks John, I was barely able to find some rusty metal, but I persevered while I dug through my scrap pile. I’ll report my findings on the different processes as try them.

Billy, we went up to the top of the leaning tower when we were there, the bottom two floors had fences around the low side, at that time, the upper floors were open where you could walk to the edges, if you were dumb enough. I can’t remember the unit my dad was in when he was there, he was artillery, we have pictures with the big guns set up at Grafenfier. (?)

Beautiful, but now my toes are cold.

Baumberg the first tour and Kitzagen (misspelled) the second. The second was where we had the most snow, 1964-1966

Alexandr, my dad was in the service and we were stationed in Germany when I was young, I can remember walking to school through a path/trench of snow over my head that the soldiers would walk down every morning from our quarters to school. Beautiful country that I miss, other than the snow. I would love to be able to visit your country, but at this time I will have to wait for the pictures you send of your spectacular work and the wonderful architecture that is in your country. Hopefully things will change before I’m too old to travel and I will be able to visit you

Frosty, I don’t have any tea, I’ve never been able to get my pinky to stick out right to be able to drink it. I’ve got plenty of good dark roast coffee that I make in one of the old drip pots every morning, nothing added to it, couple of cups in the morning is enough for the day. I’ll try some of that. John, I like the looks of your handle, but I wanted to highlight the grain in mine. The stain didn’t quite bring it out like I wanted, but after a couple coats of BLO it’s close enough for a first try. Alexandr, that’s about 75 yrs of accumulation for the area I live in

John, thanks for that idea, I’ll definitely try it.I don’t know how I said the bit was 1056, that should be 5160. Either no coffee yet or the awfullmatic correct got me again.

Thanks for the ideas, but we don’t have any black walnuts in our area and I stopped using tobacco products about 35 years ago. My neighbor had some red mahogany stain that worked well on it

I made a mouse hawk yesterday, my first wrapped eye and one of a few forge welds I have made. 1/4 X 1 flat bar with a 1056 bit, sharp enough to shave. I still have to finish the handle, when I went to get my stain out of the cabinet I learned the "someone" had decided to throw all my cans of stain away to make room for her to store some of her things

John, looks like you’ll be forging a lot more of your yarn bowls. I’m sure both of you will do great in your new adventure

Cooking is like blacksmithing, it ain’t what you start with, it’s what you do with it after you start

He put them in fresh water to flush them out, I usually do mine for a week, changing the water daily. I'll have to work on the recipe for Vulcan's Grill, problem is I don't measure anything and when I make one it's usually in a 20 qt, or bigger, pot. It's a great recipe for any wild game and chicken.

Snapping turtles are delicious, when cooked properly. Sauce piquant is my favorite way

Dwight, Welcome to the group and thank you for your service. My dad was a proud member of the service for 25 yrs, 18 months in Korea and 2 deployments to Nam. Unfortunately he was exposed to chemicals during those years that lead to cancer and ended his life at 88, as a man that was 100% self sufficient and on no medication, he passed away 6 months after signs showed up. I’m not posting this asking for condolences, but as a warning for all of our veterans, that have been overseas, to be checked before it’s too late He also taught me to keep my 45 within reach of my hand and don’t shoot BB guns, if it doesn’t start with a 4 every one else is trying to get to where your starting

Good looking rose PB