John B

Clydesdale shoes, big ones, an old farrier friend of mine used to shoe them and regularly forged the shoes using a piece of steel 24" long for each shoe, and that particular horse was only a "young 'un"

Draw filing is just an initial operation in polishing, start rough and work to smooth, files should be "Run In" on some soft materials to remove their initital sharpness when new, and drawn back towards you, the effect is similar to a spokeshave on timber, small curls of metal will be removed, If you find the files are 'pinning' (clogging with pieces of metal) using some blackboard chalk on the files cutting face will help to prevent this. Just fill the teeth by filing the chalk down, this can easily be removed by using a file card (a short stiff wire brush like, matrix mounted on a wooden block) and brushing across the teeth. the same file card can be used to remove any 'pins' in the files' teeth, if you must remove them by some other method, use a soft probe, not an hardenend one like a scriber as this would damge the teeth and produce an uneven finish. I have sometimes burnished metal using a hardened polished steel.

Sorry about that, got carried away with the 's' on the end, have corrected it and it is now OK (I think) There will be the Oxfordshire Craft Show on May 24th, 25th, 26th, at Blenheim Palace where the Guild is attending which should be near to you, There will be an open to all live blacksmithing competition, with

North Somerset Show at Wraxall near Bristol on bank Holiday Monday May 5th live blacksmithing competition and static ironwork competition and display throught the day, come along and introduce yourself This is the first qualifying show on the NBCC circuit in the search for the British Champion Blacksmiths 2008 For details of other shows on the circuit National Blacksmiths Competition

North Somerset Show at Wraxall on Monday May 5th (Bank holiday) The live competition is to make a shepherds crook to a sample from material supplied, for entry details see www.blacksmithscompetitions.co.uk and click on North Somerset Also a great display of forged work to be judged, and for sale.

One problem I find when people discuss using sand as a flux is there are many types of sand, problems also with inclusions, where it was stored etc One very well experienced blacksmith I know swears by rock, crushed up obtained from a range of local hills near to his smithy Borax has been used for many many years, and is relatively easily available and works well. So try different compounds, and ff it works for you, then go with it.

I appreciate that we have to make a living, and mortgages, utilities employees, taxman all have a call on any earnings before we get a share, but so long as i survive, I am happy, shrouds don't have pockets, and I can't take it with me, so I'll let my bank manager worry about what to do about the overdraft when I'm gone, (That way I know someone will miss me when I'm gone) you can find details of the Guild on Blacksmiths Guild Home, and look on the blacksmiths group forum on this site to see what may be of interest.

Not everyone can afford a new one, and I certainly don't deal in them, It may be altruistic in this day and age, but many of us believe in helping struggling potential smiths by either giving tools or selling them at reasonable prices not the inflated auction site prices. The Blacksmiths Guild based in Devon, but with members throughout the UK and abroad, collect tools from various sources and then give people the opportunity to buy them at reasonable prices. There will be a tool sale later this year. Ther are also a number of old Blacksmithing books that will be coming up for sale, but as these have to be sold as part of an estate probate, then they will be going to public auction. However a viewing day will be held so interested parties can see what will be going to auction where they will be able to photo any interesting bits. Many of the books are late 19th, early 20th Century books, ex Victoria and Albert Museum Library, British, French and German. Look on the Blacksmiths Guild Forum page on the site for further details nearer the time.

April 26th and 27th, at Gatcombe Park, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire GL6 9AJ. Competition open to all blacksmiths, free entry

There is an excellent line drawing with details necessary to make a treadle hammer on page 99 in Otto Schmirler's book Werk und Werkeug des Kunstschmieds (The Smithy's Craft and Tools) published by Wasmuth This is an excellent reference book on toolmaking advice and how to use them, mainly line sketches with text in German, English and French well worth investing in.

Thanks Glenn and to all out there. Anyone who can attend our events are welcome to do so. The next Craft Show we are at is at Gatcombe Park, Minchinhampton,GL6 9AJ, on 26th and 27th April there is an open blacksmiths competition with

Why not just get a welder and start. you can get a stick welder brand new for less than

what about drawing the head into a socket to fit the shaft (Like a spade blade to handle) and rivet it in position or make it into a tang, and ferrule and pin into shaft (Like the old coffin srewdrivers but with a pin through to secure it if you are going to have it as a functional spear. or save a few and make poachers gaffs

If you have already got two, I think I'll give someone else a chance, price is negotiable but normally they can be had for around

If you can't get to grips with the back blast, go for the bottom blast, they use less space, and can be made very cheaply, less technology involved than with the back blast, no water needed, so less parts to make, and all the heating capabilities you will need, easier to make long fires with for blademaking or long twists. Potentially the most expense will be the blower unit but again these can be sourced from various junked items If you want to seriously get some heat resistant material for a tue why not try titanium if we are talking theoretical. (May be hard to find and a tad expensive) but cheap to think about.

Do you want a Blacker? Make me an offer

Matt, for a dry tue iron, cast iron was used (use an old cannon ball when you find one on your archeological excursions) but usually with coal or charcoal, coke burns much more fiercely and will burn away unless well insulated, look at some old brick built forges as to how they were constructed, including how the smoke was extracted. If you are making a side blast water cooled job, I can't see the problem with sealing it, the problem with buying a proprietery one is that they are assemblies and need gaskets, if you make one you don't need gaskets. You have used the blacksmith made ones at Westpoint, so you should be able to make an assesment on them and how they work, bear in mind they are going full ahead for up to 8 hours solid when the Devon County Show is on, and they only have a 1/2inch thick mild steel plate as front pieces to the water jacket, and they have been regularly worked with the courses and shows held there since 2000 and are still going strong with little sign of erosion.

I seem to remeber that there were a range of hammers from this source the Hercules, Goliath and Atlas I think the Hercules the largest/heaviest and the Atlas the Smallest Great little hammers

Just make sure you are not forming part of the circuit between the rod and the earth clamp, I found this out when welding fairground rides on site when kneeling on the metal flooring and putting the rod in the holder without wearing gloves. I prefer to get a buzz in other ways

What material are you using? Normally I have used copper

A blast from the past, maybe a couple of hundred years old, the portable one with handles came from an old English Castles garrison smithy