Chris C

COOL!!!!!

Marc, I have not idea. It's not even handled yet. Don, I used that axle you gave me. Guess we don't really know what steel it is. Thomas, I've a friend who is a professional tree cutter. I'll have to ask him to save me some if he comes across any.

I got to thinking about Habitat for Humanity a little while ago. Thanks for the tip, though.

Put it to work? Well, maybe, but I'll be able to get it finished and behind me.

I know that but was thinking of buying in sawn planks that are kiln dried. I'm just now home with my 5/4 x 6 x 86 plank of straight grained Hickory. Getting ready to go out and run it through the planer to see what I "really" have. Looked mighty good to me in the pile.

Yep, Thomas, those are what I'm looking for. But don't know anyone with abandoned farm houses around here to ask.

I know Bois D'arc would do a good job, but don't know where I can get any. Think that was used a lot for bows................and even Atlatls.

Thanks, Jennifer. Headed out to find some material. Maybe you can answer this question: https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/65968-hammer-handle-material/?tab=comments#comment-696539

I'm headed out to pick up some wood for my little 1 1/2 pound Dog's Head hammer handle. I know Hickory is the preferred wood for hammer handles. But never having made a handle before I'm wondering if "just any" Hickory would do. Or should I specify "straight grained", "quarter sawn" or anything else that would make for a nice handle? My supplier has 12' lengths of 5/4 Hickory in stock at $3.85/bd ft. But I don't want to spend that kind of money on something that won't be good. On another note, are there other good hammer handle materials? I've got some nice straight grained, old growth Oklahoma Black Walnut that would make a nice handle, I think. Also some good Ash. But I just don't know if these materials would do a good job as hammer handles. If I end up with the 12' piece from my supplier, I'm going to have a lifetime supply of hammer handle material and will need to go into the business of selling billets.

I just realized I'd not participated in this thread. So here goes: My journey into blacksmithing started as a result of my best friend Chuck's death in the Fall of 2017. I had known him since the early 90's. Chuck was not only my best friend but mentor in all things wood and my carving instructor. He died of Pancreatic Cancer.......the same disease that took my late wife in 2001. About 2 months before his death he asked me to take over his wood carving class at the local Vo-Tech. The week after his funeral, I proceeded to finish out the Fall session of his class. Then I started the Spring class. As "my" new class was progressing, the students kept asking when I was going to start making copies of my late Uncle Bob's wood carvings knives..................as if the skill were inherited! My late Uncle Bob was well known for his wonderful wood carving knives all over Oklahoma and surrounding States. If you ever come across and RWG knife, be extra stingy with it. They are "keepers". The students hounded and hounded until I started trying to duplicate some of his knives by the "removal" method. Time went by and I started looking into the "strange new world" of fire, hammer and anvil. I joined IFI in April of 2019 and have been going down one rabbit hole after another ever since. I feel as if I've moved very slowly in this new venture, but have actually covered a lot of ground in the last 14 months. Found a good anvil, thanks to Thomas Powers TPAAAT process. Same with a Leg Vise. Built a propane forge. Located a 100# Propane Tank for it. Got a 2x72 grinder. Got an ARC welder and am trying to learn how to use it. Oh, heck, you know how it all goes. Eventually made a couple of sheath knives on the anvil and some smaller wood carving blades there also. Have expanded my blacksmithing equipment along the way just like any new smith, but have also been putting bladesmithing equipment in my shop at the same time. It seems as if it takes forever to get everything put together, but I'm getting there thanks to the help from all the good folks here on the forum. I participate in a similar Bladesmithing forum and the guys there are as helpful as those here.

Yes, it was punched and drifted. Started with two 1/4" drilled holes to make sure it went straight through. Nothing to hold it down with other than the punch and drift.

Finished up my Dog's Head hammer last night. Now to start looking for some Hickory for the handle. Well, it's been an interesting journey. but this is my first hammer head. Not real purdy, but kinda cute. Here's my Dog's Head Hammer Head in all its shining glory. 3 1/4" long. Butt end measures 1"x1 1/4", head upset to 1 3/4". Weighs 1 1/2 pounds.

Arby, welcome to the "sickness" of blade work. Yep, a 2x72 will speed up your work a lot. It will also eat blades way faster than a file, so there's a definite learning curve. I could be wrong, but I think most bladesmiths grind their bevels with the cutting edge up. I know I do. If you've experience with industrial equipment, you are ahead of the curve in your awareness that "if it cuts steel, wood or paper, it can cut you quicker"!!!!! (and equipment can't tell the difference between flesh and any other medium!) A 2x72 grinder will eat your knuckles to the bone faster than you can say !$@&*# . (That's "ouch" in bladesmiths language!) All that said, it's like any other piece of equipment. You HAVE to treat it with a lot of respect. If you get one, you'll love it. It's a great tool. I just got mine about a month ago after having to work with a 1x30 for the past year. (what a drag!)

Camphor is a great rust inhibitor. I have a cube of Camphor in every drawer of my wood carving tool cabinet. An old machinist taught me that trick. He used it in his tool box to keep his expensive tools pristine. I always tell my wood carving students about it.

Finished forging (I hope) my Dogs Head Hammer today. I'll pull it out of the vermiculite tonight and soak it in pH reducer and get all the scale off of it. Also finished my flatter................well, not completely finished as I'm going to take it to someone to weld the handle on. I can "make stuff stick" with my stick welder, but it shore ain't purdy! I want this makeshift flatter to be "plumb purdy". I'm repurposing a 3 pound engineer's hammer head to make it a double ended diagonal cross peen. Wearing out all my 36 grit belts and am going to have to wait for an order to arrive. I'll post pictures when I get everything finished. Soaked my motorcycle chains in gasoline to clean all the gunk out of them. They are both practically brand new, but were still dirty. One is nice and loose. The other is "tight as 'ol Dick's hatband". Not sure if that's going to work out or not. Disappointing part is the one that's tight is the heaviest and the one I was hoping to cut in half and use. We'll see. I'm leaving it in the gasoline to see if it just has gunk in it..........but I don't think that's the problem.

I know, Arkie.

NICE!!!!!

Thanks for the tips, Frosty. Biggest problem around here, BillBones, is that all of these shops have someone who contracts to come and pick up their scrap steel. I've been trying to make points with some of them, but not having much luck. I need to start dropping off a dozen donuts when I go begging!

Thanks IFC. I've been considering a lot of options. Thanks, SLAG. I've never seen a timing chain, but I'll check around at some shops.

Well, that's why I'm asking. Why can't I have cable that goes from the end of the chain down to weights? (or as you suggest, a foot pedal) I don't see why the chain has to go all the way to the floor.

Don't really need to do that. I can see it will go from my stump stand, over the top of my anvil and back down to the stump. I just need to know if that's enough length. I've never seen one in operation and have never used a chain hold down, so I don't have anything to reference to.

I brought home a couple of motorcycle chains yesterday. One of them is 6 feet long and weighs 5 1/4 pounds. (the other is smaller, shorter and as a result, lighter) If I pop a pin out and make myself two 3 foot sections would that be long enough to work as hold downs or do I need it to be 6 foot long?

Nope................but I did go through a period in school where I used quill pens. I thought it was cool...............my teachers, not so!

Guess I'm truly gettin' old, Jennifer. Some of the stuff that's happening today just blows my mind. I (and a whole lot of others on the forum) grew up when Dick Tracy could talk through his watch like a phone.....................and there wasn't even a portable phone in the back of anyone's mind at the time. The other day I actually saw a young man talking on his wrist watch and I couldn't believe it. When I commented, he looked at me like I was a Dinosaur! (which, to him, I guess I am!) Yup, gettin' too old for all this new fanged stuff. I'm still sharpening wooden pencils in an old crank style wall sharpener. GEESH!!!!! Looking forward to seeing the product of your new toy. When I mentioned your new acquisition to my little wife, she commented "Well someone is making money in these hard times!"