Chad J.

Yesterday my gf finally got me out to Villa Terrace in Milwaukee to see the pieces there from Cyril Colnik.  I wanted to get there, it was just a time issue.   The pieces there were amazing.  I have probably 60 pictures of different angles if his stuff.

Today was back to the shop.   Made a new hot cut for the hf anvil and it's the best I've made yet. 

Successfully forge welded 4 more basket twist ornaments.   I think I've got the basic down.   I am going to have to start trying some of the other welds.

Made a nice towel holder.   I made it for paper towels but end user gets to decide.   Working on another style of towel holder that's going to have a wooden dowel run through it.   I'll get pictures up when I finish that. 

Well,  my welding helmet was acting up tonight and I had planned on making basket twisted ornaments so I did what I had only done once before, by accident.    I attempted to forge weld in my little rivet forge.  Got my 4 bars twisted up and didn't get the wire right enough,  it fell apart.  Second attempt went better, third attempt was quicker yet and then my final set.  Really I did 2 welds per ornament so 6 successful forge welds tonight and 0 puddles of melted steel.  Brass brushed it and put a little glass piece in the middle for fun. 

Made some drive hooks, a large hanger, and a laddle a I have the little doyle anvil it's first workout.   I have a couple of demos coming up and need to restock.   The shape of the horn really worked well when I was drawing out some stock and in spite of the fact that I may have been trying to ding the face it was spotless when i finished. 

Needed a light demo anvil instead of my daily driver.   Here's the new cast steel anvil from harbor frieght.  Nicely  machined top, really good rebound,  but very loud and rings like a bell.   I figured out you can quiet it by 75% with a magnet under the heel.  Hardy hole is only 3/4 inch so I'll be making a couple tools for it.

I think when I was researching this on here sometime had said old tire irons worked well.   I have a couple made, however the lack of flint in my area makes it hard to test and my ADHD makes it hard to remember to buy a piece when I see it. 

I got my hands on several small light gauge rail spikes to play with.  Make this bottle opener last night.   Going to make a few more and play with twists I haven't really tried yet.   For some reason I haven't done a cube twist,  or pineapple.   Perhaps it's because that takes a bit more planning than I'm used to. 

Jim love that piece.   I'm in,  I'll just have to go get some 1/2 inch square stock.   I usually only buy round then square it up. 

Goods, I was really admiring that basket twist.   It looks great.  I can't really see if it's all flat pieces or if you squared it up after forge welding.   Jennifer,  do you have a video for the flat twist?  I'm going to be in a shop all weekend and I want to try this. 

Vinegar works for that right?   I'll etch the outside a bit and the handle.  Not going to such the inside.  If hate to create holes for stuff to get stuck in. 

It is, and it is.  I don't have a power hammer so I was having to really push myself on the section I was working, but it'd been a while so I was smiling ear too ear. 

1Had several items follow me home this week, I was helping clear out the shop at the Rock River' Thresher Park and found myself getting a post drill, a welding table, some old wagon parts, and a huge chunk of weight iron that came out of Milwaukee Harbor. Then a nice little rolling cart followed me home from work. 

I was very happy to get back out into the forge tonight after a long absence due to weather.   I made a small knife from cool spring,  worked on a latch for a barn door for a local historical society,  they had modern sheet metal hasps on it and when I was out there for a live demo thought it needed a Blacksmith's touch,  and then I was working on reducing a section of a really big chunk of wrought iron.   About three quarters of the way to reducing it to stock for bottle openers I realized I would make a ladle out of it and so I did.   

I never got to meet Glenn but this forum has had an impact on me,  the collection of smithing knowledge here is beyond anything seen in previous generations.   Rest easy Glenn, your legacy is above and beyond what you may have thought it could ever be.   Foo I hope you and your family find peace and will forever cherish the time you had with Glenn.  

That's where i got mine.   They have multiple sizes so I recommend thinking about what you want. 

I've been busy everywhere but my shop lately,   but I did get time to build a quick stand for my swage block last week and then last night started making spoons on it.   I also made up a couple simple bracelets.

Thanks Larry, I reviewed the Christ Centered Ironworks video on the prep for it,  I'll check out the Black Bear Forge video later tonight when it's too hot to fire up the forge.   

This just arrived today!  I've done better this month on sales than I have yet so Ib reinvested in the shop and got a Holland anvil 50 pounds swage block.  Now to spend a bunch of time trying to make use of it. 

I can precisely melt the project while I'm explaining what's going on and answering questions for the person on the other side of the anvil. 

Unless it's too big for my propane forge I only use my coal forge for demonstrations or to forge weld something.   

I've been a bit busy, this last weekend I was helping at an OSTA here.  I had a lot if fun helping kids of all ages make a hook or bottle opener.  One youngv girl sticks out in that she got up early,  walked to the park and did a great job almost completely in her own.   She said she really wanted to learn smithing.  When I got done helping her I gave her a pair of you tube channels that had great tutorials to start,  Blackbear Forge and JLP Services.  

Anyway I did help one kid make a bracelet, with a nice quick twist.   We had a couple hundred people through the tent over 2 days. 

Very well done for your sword Rouge.  What were your inspirations for the design?

Totally expected it.  

It was just a flesh wound. 

I got better.

Absentmindedly slapped a mosquito on my shoulder with the knife I was grinding last night,  the flat side.  I had been grinding on it and didn't think to dunk it in the water first... 

Steak flippers are hooks too.  Don't be afraid of trying them as well.  It's a great skill builder for learning to draw a piece out evenly and how to use your anvil to your advantage in doing it.  

Nicely done.