Sparky_Wolf

It's an old one peice. I think it's from the eighties. I have done normal hatchets and axes before, and that's why I am asking what I should do. I like the rivet Idea, I will try that. Yeh I just like the finish of wooden handles, it's a lot more traditional and beautiful.

My mom loves to go to estate sales and thrift stores and get thigns for me, recently she found a carpenters hatchet, and a rubber handled Estwing hatchet for $6 total. I don't like the rubber handle for blistery reasons, and would like to replace it with wooden scales. has anybody done this? I have seen people do it with the leather handles that tend to crack with age, but I don't know if it is the same inside. Is it even worth it, should I just develop the callouses and call it a day? I have restored many tools in the past and am by no means inexperienced, although I have only used epoxy once or twice, and when I have tried to peen pins on full tang knives the handle material has always cracked. I prefer to stay away from epoxy as it could be unreliable, and would much rather go with a mechanical attachment method. Ps: I'm only going here because I haven't found any videos of people doing this, other than Diresta's, and even than it was on a different model, though I bet it is the same. I don't have a router or a particularly advanced set of chisels, but I would like to use the hatchet to help me make axe handles. Thanks, Sparky

First of all, how xxxxxxxxx were you able to get such a large anvil on a whim, and anvil that weight here in the U.S. would cost like 5000 antique, and around 2000 new. you may want to build an anvil stand in the future, but your best bet for now will probably be mounting it on a stump. I have never seen your anvil's design, I have always liked the German design peddinghaus type anvils except that they don't have a soft step, but it looks like your anvil's company has taken care of this! like many have said, a JABOD would be your best bet. starting out you could use wood or lump charcoal if you can find any, but later try and find a german blacksmith's/farriers supply, or check out xxxxxxxxxxxx u wot m8. You really expect a language translator or even Adults to understand your gibberish? and watch the profanity, I also removed your advertizing

I have figured this out now, and I usually see multiple ways of doing things before I do it myself. I have since Unsubscribed from that channel and quite honestly don't care what clickbait bs he puts out now. I now like to watch Black Bear Forge on ways to do things, along with Rune Malten Bertram-Neilson, Old Hickory Forge, and sometimes but very rarely Alec Steel.

Ok, I didn't read and it took to long to edit so.... EDIT: I really need to read things before I start typing... first anvil was a 75 lbs dumbell, first forge was a bread tin, first hammer was a ballpeen which I still use 2 years later, although I have put 4 different handles on it, the latest being my favorite (white oak) I started blacksmithing to be able to make my own tools, such as axes, knives, stakes, and other things as I was really into bush craft and self reliance. It's a lot harder than I thought. I also saw a couple TAOW videos (look him up on YT) and thought "Wow, if he can do it so can I!" and also got turned on to hot metal by The King Of Random who made an aluminum foundry out of a bucket. From there it was just the desire to have the skills to fabricate anything I wanted, and I learned I not only am doing it, but I love it as well. My name is Carson, but on the internet I go by Sparky, I live in SD, California The main people who encouraged me are my mom and dad, who not only helped me get all the things I need, but were genuinely interested in the things I made. Before this my parents didn't know why the off brand swiss army knife wasn't as good as the real SAK. That is hardly their fault though, as they both grew up dirt poor, and were happy to help me in this hobby. most of my hobbies revolve around self reliance and self fabrication, such as woodworking, leather working, baking (yes I know) and of course blacksmithing My attitude about this definitely changed when I made my first few hammer blows. The steel was a dull red, so that may have had something to do with it, but it took 5 hours to make a butter knife out of a nail. the hammer was sort of light, I was sort of weak, and the anvil was cast iron I think, but it got me excited for some reason. Now it is one of my favorite feelings when that blade gets sharpened, or that tool gets used. I made this all by myself, It is mine, and It is useful. I sometimes use my butter knife to spread toast, and it gives me goosebumps just remembering hitting that thing for hours, it was even more of a challenge to get the stupid thing up on a hay bale so I could use it. But that knife is one of my favorites simply because of all the sweat and blood that went into it. The tool that has made my life easiest is my fisher 50 or 70lbs (I can't remember and I don't know how to tell) anvil that took me so long to mount onto a stump (harder than you think to find a level stump in southern California, trust me.) But my tongs are definitely close contenders. I tried to make My own but I was just not set up properly or skilled enough to really pull it off. I also didn't have the right stock, though I did try. My hammer will always be my favorite tool though, definitely the most beautiful, not to mention I made the handle myself, so that will always be the reason for my leniency. For the starting smith I would tell them to find a comfy place on the floor dig a hole for a fire, make it deep enough, get a hacksaw blade, and a pair of pliers or vise grip, light a fire in the pit, and soften the hacksaw blade. Then file a bevel on it, doesn't quite matter which side, it is your first knife anyway. You could file the bevel with concrete if you wanted, Doesn't really matter. Then take the tail end of the hacksaw blade and heat it up to orange, and burn it into a branch or a piece of scrap wood. then glue it in with any glue you have, preferably epoxy, but elmers will do fine. now get a small can, fill it with olive oil or motor oil or anything else, get the steel to redish-orange, and heat treat it. now put it in the oven at like 400 for 30-45 minutes until it is gold. That was my first hard enable knife, except I tempered it over the fire, which caused the tip to turn blue. If you want to forge, dig a hole for a sledgehammer head, and put one in. then tightly pack the ground around it, and find yourself a piece of quarter inch stock and make a butter knife. easiest thing to ever make. For those already involved in blacksmithihng, give me tips pls. For actual advice: keep track of your fuel. I just had a kinda crap day because I ran out of fuel among other things. Also smart and final sells 50lbs bags of charcoal for like 15 bucks so...It's also not too terrible, kinda garbage, but kinda not. An interesting thing that happened to me and what I was very surprised about is that steel can burn. Yes, you heard me. I didn't know it could get that hot. Other than that I was surprised how nice and willing to help and teach people are to beginners, or even people who have been doing this for a couple of years. Ps: I haven't been continuously forging for the past two years, my first attempt was two years ago but I have just really gotten into it when I finally got everything I needed to do it efficiently (vise, anvil, oil, other hand tools, etc) My parents didn't even have a good hand file despite living on what is basically a ranch. My dad for some reason did have a belt sander, grinder, and a drill press, which is pretty XXXX lucky. Now I am constantly trying to do things as simple as possible (earlier today I failed at making a pukko knife, which involves burning the tang through a piece of wood and peening..pining? the end) I also don't have any epoxy and am saving up for a sleeping bag and hammock so I can go camp somewhere, so that's part of it as well. I also hate epoxy because it takes o long to cure, like I just finished putting the handle on my tool, why can't I use it now? Hope ya'll liked my essay, but as the admin said, be as descriptive as possible.

I found IForgeIron when looking for good ways to get steel near me, but have found TONS of information by just clicking a couple things. I only found this...thread? a day or two after making my account and my two previous posts probably massively disrespect the rules the admin put out....anyways I'm a 14 year old smith from Southern California and am interested in the old way of doing things, and the engineering and ideologues going along with it. I specifically like things that do not require electricity due to their general robustness and reliability. I am also interested in Anglo-Saxon ironworking and find it very interesting what people can accomplish with minimal tools, such as an anvil only the size of a fist probably making a sword worth a castle.

So my first ever forge was a plaster of paris sand mix in a bread pan with a 6" black iron pipe leading to a crappy forge blower. cost like $20 and i made a breadknife with a 75lbs dumbell as an anvil. now then when that forge broke I used a korean bbq clay pot thing along with a copper tube as a blower in the fire place. Then a hole in the ground with a hairdryer using a sledge hammer head as an anvil. I then got a 50lbs or a 70lbs anvil (I can't remember and don't know how to tell) and mounted it to a cinder block (which broke in a week) and made a new JABOD bbq that has the air intake on the side. I have since moved to a better location (old one was a plastic garage tent thing) and am having problems with ash and the hair dryer is becoming obsolete and annoying to keep in place ( I didn't have enough extra piping to effectively connect the hair dryer, and it gets quite hot along with the funnel i made out of a water bottle) and the funnel keeps warping and falling off, along with not being very efficient for getting air through the pipe to the coals. With the whole backstory done, I was wondering what other forge options there were other than a bbq with 65lbs of dirt in it and a crappy forced air system. I was thinking of getting a little metal tool cart and trying to make a bottom air fed JABOD forge out of that like ThoffmanApis. Basically is there a better but also relatively inexpensive and easy forge other than a modified charcoal bbq? I would like to put it on a stand as well, I'm already past that caveman era. I apologise if it is hard to read I just had a rough time with my forge and other things today, and thus why I am making this post. Thanks, Sparky Edit: just realized it's called side blast.

San Diego mainly, although LA is achievable

I live in Southern California, and struggle to find junkyards. Seems simple, I know, but there are only recycling stations (the 5 cents per bottle/can thing) car wrecking stations, and the rare part supplier (which is technically a junkyard) But I am looking for a place that might have old anvils, vises, tongs, files, coil springs, leaf springs, jackhammer bits, rebar, etc. I know I could probably get leaf springs and coil springs from an auto wrecking facility, but I would rather be able to walk around and pick up things that look useful, such as a big hunk of mild steel, or a bucket of old tools, etc..