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Posts
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Website URL
http://www.morlockblacksmith.com
Profile Information
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Gender
Male
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Location
Campbellford, Ontario
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Interests
Blacksmithing
Converted
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Location
Ontario, Canada
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Interests
Metal art, literature, music, outdoor pursuits
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Occupation
Blacksmith
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Show me your Bottle Openers!
Morlock replied to Arbalist's topic in Blacksmithing, General Discussion
Thank you for this photo. For years a tiny part of my brain has wondered how they go about making those nifty suckers, just not hard enough to ever bother investigating. This makes it all clear. -
Ah, I just got lucky. I really do prefer straight-up blacksmithing - although knives and similar things let me use some of my jeweler-training. But still, hot iron is where it's at.
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Where to get Firebrick?
Morlock replied to RassilonMonk's topic in Ontario Artisan Blacksmiths Association (OABA)
Most largish Home Hardwares have a semi-decent refractory section. Mainly geared toward fireplaces, but you can often find assorted firebricks, glass insulation and even castable refractory cement. -
Thanks everybody. It's 5160, my favorite steel and one that I just happen to have 150# of sitting around my shop. I personally think this knife is too big for almost anything, the client was actually asking about a smaller, matching one for skinning critters and general camp use. (Which is what he wanted this one for in the first place) But I stand not in judgement of Paying Customers.
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And so another perfectly normal life is utterly derailed... Congratulations, welcome to the party! :D
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I'm a blacksmith, not a bladesmith. Still, I try to fill my knife orders with professionalism - here's a big (15" LOA) Bowie I did this past month. I think it came out OK, and it was fun to do, but doesn't anybody out there want a nice gate or a fire-screen or something?
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Heya, Anyone in the Durham Region of Ontario?
Morlock replied to RassilonMonk's topic in Blacksmithing, General Discussion
Halton, rather than Durham. There are a ton of blacksmiths here in Ontario, I can think of a dozen professionals just off the top of my head, and there has to be almost a thousand hobbyists. Have you joined OABA, yet? Usually a good way to find other smiths and learning opportunities... -
I have a soft-spot for anhydrous borax - You can convert 20-Mule Team into it by melting it down, then grinding it up into a powder again. I used to do that when I was a student with lots of time on my hands... Watch the Borax glass, it's sharp, and use a proper crucible for the melt - even if it looks tough, an enameled steel coffee-cup will last about 10 minutes with that molten acid in it...:(
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Yeah, I would hope that I have the cutting direction of the teeth down by now. Although, that would explain the added difficulty... Thought you might like to see what gave me all the trouble, now that it's done. Incidentally, I wound up with a Coote 6" 2x72 grinder. Love it to death.
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locations to buy steel
Morlock replied to coldcashandcolderhearts's topic in Ontario Artisan Blacksmiths Association (OABA)
Aw, shucks. I guess it photographs well... -
First Crack at a Pipe-axe
Morlock replied to Morlock's topic in Axes, Hatchets, Hawks, Choppers, etc
Thanks. I drilled a little pilot hole, then cut them out with a jewelers saw. Broke 1/2 dozen blades, but got there eventually. As for the barrel, I'm not sure what it was on before it was shot out, but it was a Thompson-Center barrel and sparked like 4140 or so. -
First Crack at a Pipe-axe
Morlock replied to Morlock's topic in Axes, Hatchets, Hawks, Choppers, etc
It's all one piece. I necked down the barrel at each end of what became the "eye", then flattened and forge-welded together the cutting edge. If it was an old-timey rifle-barrel, I would have then split the end and welded in a tool steel bit, but this barrel was 4140. -
Viking era riveted sheet iron pot/kettle
Morlock replied to Mike Ameling's topic in Blacksmithing, General Discussion
Hey, that's alright. Very nice indeed... -
Er, that is "Chromium." I'm always mistaking the two - probably because that's what it says on all my screwdrivers. Although, if there was any vanadium in there, then it really would be difficult, wouldn't it? Anyway, I took it to critical along with an equal-sized piece of mild-steel, then stuck both in powdered lime overnight. Trust me, it's annealed. It's not impossible to work, I just notice a marked difference as compared to simple carbon-steels.
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I did a couple Samuel Bell knives under Dr. Batson, a few years back. He's an excellent smith. I've done a bit of draw-filing (See the attached photos - no power tools of any kind), but even starting with a new horshoe-rasp, the extra bit of Chrome in 5160 makes it so much more stubborn than even 1090. Like a pick and shovel on hard-pan... It's fully annealed, by the way. As to the Horn etc on my site, the mounts are formed and fabricated, then deeply etched. Getting the etchant the proper strength is the key to realizing your resist, properly.