Blacksmith village

It's been a while since I posted. I have a lack of time. I did some cleaning, but left the jaws as they are. I still have to make a stand, but I don't know how to make it stable enough. It turns out that the thread is also quite worn. As for its repair, I have the option of making a new spindle with slightly lower costs, but I don't know it will cost more than whole vise.

anvil thank you for suggestion, I will check these method. But I can see that it is far from being as simple as welding two mild steels. It will also be very difficult to recognize steel. With the spark test, so far I can only distinguish between mild steel and high carbon. These crack will probably have to wait. That it won't be as JHCC said, worse solutin than the problem.

Yes, I am not heavy user and these vise is oversize for me. So I think it will survive my work as it is. I can really do more damage at this point by trying to fix it. But that unpleasant feeling is present. Brazing could really be the solution, as it does not interfere with the base material. And if the carrying capacity is 30% higher, it is better than nothing. But the crack is impossible to clean.

There is this line symmetrically on both jaws (even with the identical vise that someone on YT restored, these lines are visible), from this I conclude that the jaw is factory welded, probably from a better hi carbon material. I can only hope that the frame is mild steel. Hardened steel is also impossible to weld.

Yes, the first plan is cleaning with a brush, then BLO. There are no other things to notice except for the slightly worn spindle, which should still survive me. This crack worries me. Of course yes, steels have carbon, I meant high carbon steel. High carbon steels are difficult to weld. But there may be some other steel that causes even greater problems or is impossible at all. Does anyone know what kind of steel vises were usually made of? (mainly in Europe). Do you think it is machine welding? I need to clean up around this place. So far, only one joint line is visible. Maybe it's true. This peeling part looks like a weld has peeled off.

Hello, this is my latest find. I got it for pretty good money ($120), it's a European (French) vise that's over 100 years old as far as I've seen. If anyone recognizes from the picture, I would appreciate any further information. There is a yt video of someone restoring the exact same but slightly smaller one. This one weighs 52kg (115lb) and the jaw width is 165mm (6.5"). The problem is with the jaw. It looks like the jaws are forge welded on it. One is cracked in that spot. I have no idea what the material is, but jaws must be some carbon steel. How to fix it? If fix it at all. You know the saying: if it works, don't fix it. This thing can be quite critical for welding. Thanks for any sugestion.

Yes I know what a filing steel feels like. And I know what it's like to put oil on someone's file haha. A common practice at school. Next time I will try with lower temperature. This was my first attempt and I have to learn from my mistakes. That's it. I have exactly the same problem: reds/oranges and blues/purples. Arkie how do you handle this? I think you already have some experience.

Maybe I can try that too. I tried it right after hardening but the file didn’t "stick" like that. This color I got is shown on the charts at about 300 degrees Celsius my oven was set to 260. Thankfully I don’t have complete color blindness, but hard to know the difference between some shades. I also have a hard time distinguishing when cherry red is here I help myself with a magnet. Off topic: What about 4140 steel? It is better for punches? I know it’s also medium carbon, but these two steels are steels that I can buy relatively easy. Everything else is rocket science. It would be easier to build a rocket than to buy another high carbon steel. I have some coil spring but it is only 12mm diameter. For example I want to make flint striker where I need 0,7 or better 1%C. Also rocket science. Only old files are an alternative. Frosty, these make sense yes. I try to help myself in different ways as much as possible. So maybe I’m complicating things with the oven and trying to set the right temperature instead of doing it in one heat and watching the colors. A colour chart in hand and a comparison would make these easier.

I have watched quite a few videos about hardening and temoering in one heating but right now I thing is to much for my current skils (I am also colourblind slightly). It was definitely written in Celsius, but it could be really meant tempering to soft state. #Frosty, now I have seen that the C45 is basically a 1045 but a European name. I really need to do test pieces. Here is an example of what school is and what practices are. # Swedefiddle, what you said make sene to me. On hot steel hardening wil be lost. These tool I made for hot steel so can I leave it as it is now? #Goods, I was make normalisation. I put red hot steel in to ash to cool it slowly. Sorry for my english. Google translate is my friend

Hello. As a beginner, I have now made some tools for the first time. Of course, that’s how I encountered tempering, and here is a problem. I used C45 steel which is basically 1045. I heated it to cherry red so the magnet didn’t stick anymore and quench in water. So far, I think everything was fine. Then I wanted to temper my slot punch. In the literature it is written that this is done at a temperature of 400-600 degrees Celsius. Which already seemed strange to me. I turned the oven to 260 degrees and left it for 1 hour. Now is colour of slot punch is bluish with some bronze spots. When I tested it with a file it cut almost like butter What did I do wrong? still too high temperature? I know it should become bronze in color. Why then in the datashet it says 400-600 degrees Celsius?

Really these are the first tongs I made. They are made of mild steel (I know it's not the best but for start is ok). One was made of 8x8mm square and the other 10x10mm square rod. I dont even heat the metal. Welding, grinding, cold bending that is all. I have some experience with metalworking but nothing with forging. I can't imagine how much forging is needed for tongs made of 30mm spring steel and 2 lb hammer.

Thanx for the link! And here is my first two pairs of thongs they are not forged but hey, they are useful. I need to round off the edges on the handles a bit to make them more comfortable.

I was forging 2 at the same time and it take me a hour an a half for 3 hooks and straightening one 30cm piece of coil spring. I saw that I must learn a lot on how maintain fire because heaving lot of trouble with that. I think I have too little coal, as the flame is quite high. It seems to me that coal burns very quickly. Someone on YT said you can burn a lot of coal and not do a lot of work. In which case is these? Too little coal in the pile?

Thanks for the compliments By the way for information, how long would an experienced blacksmith need for one such hook? Now I will try to make some tools. I would like to make an opener where I will need a slot punch and drift. I have one car spring and some 1045 steel. Frosty you can say BV or Bosko (which is my nickname). The name of my village is Kovača vas (Kovač = blacksmith, vas = village) In our country we have two villages with this name. BillyBones these is Austrian pattern anvil also called church window anvil. This one is quite small (65lb), but you can work on it quite well for a start. I made one from a railroad track, but I will never work on it. It seems to me that every massive piece of steel is better than it, except the look . Otherwise, I personally prefer Peter Wright shape but I don't see any near my country.

This weekend I forged for the second time in my life. I am quite happy with the final product. Last time someone said that no one has become a blacksmith by watching. I think a lot can be done just by observing. What I did, I did just based on watching youtube videos. I see a lot more to improve which I think, and I hope it will come with practice. At this point I would be happy to have a teacher who would show some more tricks and techniques on a concrete case.

Pnut - The idea of making own charcoal is good. But I think it's more for experimenting and learning something not so much for long-term production. It is quite time consuming and a lot of wood needs to be burned. But maybe I'll try George N. M. - in our country, I think there is no longer a place to learn this. I don't think the whole country has more than 5 real hand working traditional blacksmiths. The rest are hobby blacksmiths and self learning ones or companies that make forged fences but have nothing to do with traditional blacksmithing. So yeah. It's hard to get blacksmithing knowlage. Youtube and people like you are very helpful.

Thanks for the answers. That made things pretty clear to me. And thanks George N. M. for the detailed description of what this is all about. Here is the easiest to get brown coal which, as we found out, is not the best. That I have already assumed. For now I can find only one supplier for black coal. Hope this one will be as good as possible and I will definitely look elsewhere for comparison. I am aware that the main part of learning and knowledge lies in the forging itself. But anyway, it all starts with a fire otherwise you can't do anything. At this point I have to commend the forum, and you who are ready to help. For the most other forums (not for blacksmithing) are mostly not patient with newcomers. Thanks!

Thanks for the explanation. These saves a lot of experimenting and mistakes. It is really interesting how it works. How do you adjust the size of a fireball? With amount of air intake? What is the right (best) size of coal granulation? I can only get 20-40mm. I know these is to big.

Oh I don't know if it is soft bitumnous. Hope it is. Ok now I see why everyone has a whole bunch of coal by the fire. I never understood how not to burn all the coal. Cheapest charcoal is also twice the price of black coal. Since this is for a hobby rather than making money, it will be necessary to choose a cheaper option. Why is better charcoal for knifes? It is hotter? I have so many questions, but you guys have a lot of experience :)

Thanks for the welcome! ThomasPowers. It really was like this here in previous centuries. I need to somehow better explore the history of the place. Last year I found an axe under ground. The name of the blacksmith was stamped on it. Unfortunately, I have not yet found a clue about this man. Irondragon Forge & Clay. realy? nice and interesting to hear that you have roots in my country In these years many people moved from Slovenia to America. It is sad to hear that your records have been lost. I can't wait to start learning blacksmithing. In the previous picture it was just a test of a forge with anvil on the ground. Now I really need some anvil base. Stump or something. In the meantime, now it's a little harder to get . Although I'm home on the edge of the woods haha. And one question for you with experience. It is ok to use black coal? it is impossible to get coke in our country. We have only one store, but these is store for blacksmithing and coke is soooo expensive. Because blacksmithing here is something exsotic. Ordinary shops with firewood sell only brown and black coal (mostly brown). With the price of coke here, it is much better to use a propane forge.

I add a countrey. I am from Slovenia, Europe I wrote poorly .. I already bought the anvil. But thanks anyway for the tip. And I'm lucky to work in a company, where I can get a mild steel plate up to 6 "thick. For example, for striking anvil.

I live in a village, which is in translate named blacksmith village. My dad live here from the beginning and he does not know any blacksmith last 60 years. So these must be an very old name. My father is metal worker and his wish is always to forge somethng at home. 10 years ago he get more than 100 year old coal forge in very bad shape and he never fix it. Also I was being in mechanical high school where in practical class we have some forging. Also with pneumatic 75kg power hammer (that I fell in love with. haha ) I have probably never had the opportunity to do this again So, long story short. Now was I decide to restaurate old forge and buy an anvil. Here is some pic of my forge and my first piece of art hahahah. Dad got sparkles in his eyes as a kid Dad was happy as a kid getting a toy So the blacksmith village now has a blacksmith (Otherwise, I don't know when that time will be, when I can tell myself I'm a blacksmith.) Sorry for my english More pic (and better pic) of foge come in new topic in coming days.