pnut

Do you mean the edge by the horn on the pritchel hole side? I thought that was a factory feature. The hardy definitely has some wear. You've seen more anvils than I have so I defer to your experience and I'm looking at it on a small phone. I definitely would take a ball bearing and test rebound. Oh yeah the weird coating I think is years of dust,rust, and cobwebs. It does look saggy. Pnut

Those edges look sharp even. If you do go to the auction make sure you take a ball bearing to test the rebound. I'd be suspicious until I had reason not to be but that's just how I am. Good luck, and I hope it's a good deal. Pnut

I've seen a length of chain wrapped around the waist used to make an anvil quieter but It's been on anvils with thinner waists. Gorgeous anvil by the way. One of my favorite patterns. I'd love to have one like it. Pnut

I meant new punches. Once again I was trying to see it in the best possible light. Always looking for the silver lining. At three bucks a piece for the other tools he got the shear for six dollars, sounds like a steal to me. I always look for deals like that unfortunately I rarely find them. I did get a blower shipped to me from a very generous member here yesterday by the name of Laynne. I'll post some pics as soon as I get around to it. Strangely enough I haven't seen a single used punch or really any blacksmithing tools for sale around here. I don't know where they're hiding or who is hoarding them all but decent hammers and such are in short supply at the flea markets and second hand stores in my area. I had to buy a new hammer and three other ones made by a smith I found on Craigslist that lives near me. When it comes to punches I'll just have to make em as I need em I guess. Pnut

I'll have to find a copy or take a look for a digital file. It sounds interesting. Thanks Pnut

Good deal indeed. The handled punches are worth that. Pnut

I moved from Maryland thirty years ago when I was a young teenager. I don't know how far away it is from you but have you checked into the Mid-Atlantic Blacksmith Association? You can also check for an ABANA affiliate closer to you. I'm sure there's something going on not too far from you. You just have to have the time to do it which I know can be a problem. I made my jabod out of a night stand from the hotel I work at. I use a jumpstarter/power station to power an electric air mattress pump and a thirty inch piece of RR rail standing on end in a five gallon bucket filled with fine gravel as an anvil. Now that I've listed everything I did spend $11 on the matress pump at Walmart. I put off getting started for a long time because I thought I needed certain things to blacksmith. IFORGEIRON showed me how easy it is to get up and running and it doesn't have to cost much. I wish I would have used all the time I wasted thinking I needed this or that actually learning to forge instead of hesitating and thinking everything needed to be perfect. There's no perfect forge, anvil, or whatever. I would be much farther along than I am currently if I would have figured that out sooner. Oh well hindsight is 20/20 I guess. Don't get caught thinking you have to have something that looks like Wile E Coyote ordered it to drop on a roadrunner or a "real" forge. A solid fuel forge is just a hole In the ground and a jabod just raises the hole up to a convenient height. You can only work the steel under your hammer so that's about three inches at most so an anvil only need be as big as your hammer. A piece of 3 or 4 inch round or square bar or plate will work to get started. Good luck and remember it's supposed to be fun. Pnut

Amazing work Doctor. Your pattern welding always amazes me. Pnut

No I think I have a pretty good grasp on lining the shell and a T burner seems straight forward enough. I may be in for a surprise though. When I said plunge I really meant time and $$$ for materials. I have a solid fuel forge that's done everything I've needed so far. I started out with the intention of going with a gas forge until I figured out how simple a solid fuel forge really is to build. So it's more a matter of justifying the expense and finding time. It's been hard enough finding time to use the forge I have and whether I want to use that time to actually forge something or building a forge. I'll get around to it eventually but until then I will keep following along here and there's a ribbon burner thread I've been keeping an eye on. Keep it up and best of luck to all. Pnut

With your face shield on you look much younger in the pics you posted. I never would have guessed your age. Pnut

Beautiful work. Where is the wood from? Is it reclaimed from something significant to your father? Pnut

Are you planning on splitting the tubing into sheeting or using the tubes as is? Three inche OD 1 mm tubing doesn't leave much internal volume. You'd have to use a small burner I think. Pnut

Once again, thanks for the further details. I haven't made a lot of tools with tangs but when I do I will put this info to good use. I've only seen it done by literally burning the tang into the material. The hidden tang awl I made I drilled out and filed to fit. I left it at someone's house and it disappeared. I need to make another one so I can finish my apron. I may try to handle it in the way you described Bfn. Thanks again. Pnut

Pictures please. Pnut I went to your other post to see the pics but I doubt many others will.

I hadn't seen it before and thought it might be of interest. Yes a pressure cooker does seem unnecessary. It worked pretty quick in just a pot on a hot plate. Pnut

That's what I was thinking with roughing up the tang surface. I thought it would have a slightly irregular surface to bind to. I didn't consider a hammer finish doing the same thing. Thanks. Pnut

Nothing like a cudgel to emphasize your point every once in a while. Pnut A stout cudgel in one hand and a stout beer in the other shows you mean business

I just watched a guy make a bracket for a chest on a woodworking show. He submerged it in simmering hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore for about ten minutes to rust it then cleaned it with denatured alcohol. He proceeded to submerge the piece in simmering distilled water for a few minutes which turned the rust a bluish black color then added a coat of wax while warm from the distilled water bath. Has anyone seen or used this method for coloring cold worked steel? It seems like an easy way to age or color steel in certain situations. Pnut

Blacksmith tested, Mouse approved. Pnut

Those little guys frown on gold theft. He didn't want him showing up at his door interrupting dinner. Pnut

Very true. I was going on the assumption it was just dry and hard. Cracks will grow and usually let go at the least opportune time. Replacement would be the safest option. I would still recommend conditioning the new belt when you get it and periodically depending on climate etc. Pnut

By the way I used to live in Edgewood MD. Pnut

I don't know if it would work for a belt but mink oil will work wonders on old dried out leather. It's what I used on my baseball gloves when I was a kid and on boots and anything else leather later on. It's good for reconditioning dry leather but I don't know if it will have a negative effect on the performance of a drive belt. It might make it slip until it absorbs it. Pnut

To get the epoxy to bond better to a burned in tang,would roughing up the tang a bit with a file and gently sanding away the char in the handle material taking care not to remove too much material help? I don't trust epoxy on its own either. I feel much better using epoxy and a mechanical fastener. I haven't tried making pins from the same material as the handle in a hidden tang to disguise the pins. I might have to give it a try. Example making little pins from walnut for a walnut handle. Hmmmm. Pnut

I was going to mention African painted dogs. They are amazing long distance runners. They are built for long distance chases. I love them, too bad they're about gone. Pnut