Les L

Great job on the projects everyone has been posting. I haven't had much time to be on the computer lately and haven't been able to fire up the forge in the last month. By the time I finish what I have to do in the mornings it is too hot to work at the forge. So much for thinking I would have more time to do what I wanted when I retired. One of the members of our blacksmith club does copper work and got behind on some orders so I have been working with him a couple of days a week to catch up and made my wife something for the water garden she is starting

HondoWalker, good work, I applaud you for proving that people experiencing difficulties can do what they want instead of sitting on the sofa complaining.

Great job, I like how the pattern stands out.

JF&F, Great job on the carving, your grandfather will be proud to hang it in the cabin. Thanks all for the compliments.

I haven't had much time available to work at the forge in the last few weeks, but I was able to make the time to make my Mother some flowers for Mother's Day. This was my first try at them.

Great job on the pelican. Your imagination is amazing, I never would have seen a pelican's head in that before you put it together.

Great work everyone! I've been busy and haven't been on in a few days so I had a lot to look at today and too many items to comment on individually. I had a chance to fire up the forge yesterday and decided to try my hand at making flowers to surprise my wife.

Great job on the hammer. The amount of work you are putting out is amazing as well as your confidence in being able to forge different items and the improvement you are showing on each project.

Great job!

I was taught that top tools are tapered on the bottom and not wedged

Less fuel and air =less heat. The air will prevent the fuel from backing up in the burner, unless you turn the air down too much.

Thanks Hans. My wife asked me last weekend if I had enough coal to last until we can get around people again. Luckily I have enough on hand.

Unfortunately I am classified as an essential employee and have to go to work until next Tuesday when I retire

One of my coworkers brought me 7 band saw blades today, 1 inch wide on the flats. I haven't stretched one out yet, but their at least 10 ft. long.

Great looking pattern and fish. Now you have to write a “fish damascus” tutorial

Jennifer & Frosty, Thanks for the advice on making a shorter bic and for “another use” for the flipper, if I was 20 years younger I’d have another way to get in trouble.

One of my friends at work asked for a meat flipper and toasting fork for his dad. My 2nd.try at each, the tongs on the fork were longer until I decided I needed to heat them up again to make a little adjustment and left it in the coals a couple seconds too long. Also made a bick , from 7/8 sucker rod, to work smaller circles because the end of the horn on my anvil is too large and blunt to make things like bottle openers. I made the opener on the end of the meat flipper using JHCC's design before I made the bick, thanks for the idea.

Mine is like this also, I have seen several Mouse Holes with the horn looking the same and was wondering if it was a factory feature or just caused by work.

I have a 136# mousehole also, not as good shape as yours looks, but it works great. If the rebound is good you have an excellent anvil. Remember not to grind the face, just take a wire brush to it and give it a coat of BLO (boiled linseed oil) Check the rebound with a ball bearing dropped in front of a ruler from 10" to get % of rebound.

It's an extension for a receiver hitch

Frazer, I really like the pattern on your knife and was planning on trying one....until I read your how to article. I'm pretty sure my neighbors would call the cops when I started muttering my incantations. Great work everyone! I'll have more time to be in the shop in the near future and hopefully I'll be able to start posting pictures of items I have learned to forge from the pictures and advise on this forum.

Nice find, I'm surprised you don't have some parts in your recent purchase to complete it.

Great work LBS CGL, your spoon and bottle opener are looking good, I like the way you made the H into a handle

Another great example of your imagination

Thanks DSW, I can't take credit for the idea another member on IFI posted one where the cowboy is panning for gold. I liked it and modified it to fit my needs. Virusds, good start on the knife.