Chris C

Well, in the shop today................................. Frosty, yesterday I was telling you I still had a little propane left in one of my tanks that I wasn't aware of. (sure wish they had a fuel gauge on the danged things!) Anyway, I forged a little more on my Bolt Jaw Tongs before actually running out of propane today. Also started stabilizing the grips from my next knife. I'm going to use the removal method and am using CPM154 stainless steel for this one. It's going to be a rather simple EDC............little or no frills or flash like the last two. (not everyone likes all that "look at me" stuff) Just going to be a good every day carry knife. So I cut the knife profile out and will start work on the sander to bring it to shape. Sure wish my shop included a 2x72 sander like so many of the knife makers use. My little 1x30 sander is pretty puny! Also took some time to make some under floor joists for a little place to roll my forge out of the shop onto. They are tapered because the area in front of the garage door slopes down to the rock driveway. I want to keep the forge level. I'll be sure and post a pic when I get that "porch" finished.

I was thinkin' the same thing, Frosty. Change the shape of the blade to compensate. Years before I started custom furniture building for a living, an old furniture maker told me that the way to tell a good wood worker wasn't to count the mistakes he made.................it was how well he covered them up.

I know. Pretty much what I found................but way out of my league just to mark shop tools and such, though it would be fun. On my blades, I electro-etch.

That was almost the first thing I started researching when I got into blacksmithing and bladesmithing, GD2. Good ones a pricey, to say the least. I don't feel like I could make the design I want (and do it flawlessly) and the quotes I was getting to have professionals make one put me off, so I'm still without. Good luck with yours.

Were you wearing a mask and brandishing a gun when you approached the seller? Great find! Practically a gift. In that condition, they are selling for $100 each in my area.

Welcome Rick. Glad to have you here. Great bunch of guys'n gals. "Centuries" worth of knowledge contained within the membership of this forum. Some of these folks have been pounding hot steel for longer than many on the forum have been alive. Some of us are as old as those knowledgeable folks and as new to the venture as you. So dive in and ask questions. Keep it clean. Keep it non-political. Do that and the moderator-gods will treat you kindly.

Yup, you must have missed it, but several of us were sharing such stories a couple of days ago. Fun way to fish, for sure.

I like that handle, Frosty. During this forced sequestration I've been thinking about things I want to do but can't do..............and one of them has been to locate some straight-grained Hickory and re-handle all my hammers. I've not been able to forge much, but right off I was acutely aware of how uncomfortable all my handles are. And looking at them, I don't think I could just shave them down to be flatter on the sides because then they'd be too thin/narrow. What is the length of that handle? What is the thickness? I'd like to scale it out and draw a pattern.

Yup......................those were the days.

"jug fishing"=subsistence fishing. No sittin'n waitin'...........just eatin'.

Not fair, Thomas. It's 33 degrees here right now and the high is supposed to make it all the way up to 37 today......................and I'm not all that far away from you! Crazy "roller-coaster" weather these past couple of weeks.

I've gotten to where I don't even mention little injuries to my wife. She says my immune system can never catch up because my body is ALWAYS trying to heal something! She's all the time screaming at me over cuts, burns, bangs, bruises and scrapes. I've got a 4" burn down the inside of my arm from when I was trying to change the shape of the jaws on my only pair of tongs. The heat was traveling up the reigns and I was having to work around that. If I took the time to wrap a wet rag around the reigns to cool them off, then the jaws cooled too quickly to work on. One time one of the hot reigns hit my arm and gave me a blacksmith's tattoo. She was none too happy about it. She keeps asking why all of my hobbies are so dangerous.

I just don't understand what people don't seem to get about social distancing. I think one needs to stay far enough from another that if one of you sneezes or coughs, the other isn't in the line of fire. I couldn't believe it. Yesterday, my phone rang and it was the Neurologist's receptionist calling to remind me of an appointment. Told her I was just on my way to call her when the phone rang. I was cancelling my appointment. "CANCELLING?" I told her I'm not leaving the house for anything. She quickly goes into this tirade about how clean and safe their office is and how everyone in the office is wearing masks, etc., etc., etc. and that everything would be fine..........and I'd be safe. I asked if she could guarantee my safety in the foyer of the building..............or in the elevator..........or the tiny little restrooms they have on each floor. (Crickets!) I just told her to have the Doctor call me at my appointment time and we could do our business over the phone. For God's sake, was she kidding?????

No "blacksmith road kill" around my area. I find stuff to bring home all the time, but it's never that kind of treasure.

Good idea.

Okay. Those crazy Brits are nuts. (is that redundant?)

Who is "they", IFC? I've not read or heard that anywhere.

Actually, I prefer the Black gaffer's (or photographer's) tape. It his almost impossible to tear across and sticks like bubble gum does to your sneakers on a hot day. It just doesn't let go.

Can't live without those two items, Frosty.

Duh!! That's why I wasn't trying to pawn myself off as experienced, Thomas. I didn't even think of that because the only 3/4" rod I have came from a heavy coiled truck spring.

Square it up and go from there. Squaring it up will be good practice and a square bar is easier to start with. The more experienced can easily start with square or round, but I'm told square is easier.

Perfect size for tong making.

Since losing my ring finger in 2013, I have a lot of fun when a nurse wants to do a finger prick. The always seem to ask "Ring or middle finger?". I just answer "either". You see, my wedding ring is on my middle finger now. Always gets a laugh after they get over the initial shock.