tyro

Very beautyfull. I love the good sized handle.  I find most knife handles too skimpy for good control.

hoof pick,napkin holder,bridle rack ,table, chairs,clothes hook, gate latch, magazine rack, rope hook, railing.....................................................

Doesn't ups have hundred weight rate any more? You would get a big break on shipping 100# or over. It was cheaper to ship 100# than 50#.

Tyro, a lot of guys are doing thsi activity as a hobby. If it turns them a shekel or two then that is extra. I am one of those I suppose although I do get paid to teach blacksmithing and general metalwork. If you look at how little lots of guys charge for e.g. a custom knife then I doubt if they are making minimum wage let alone any return on their investment in equipment.

The thing is that if it is a hobby then a lot of the fun is in scratching round and visiting sales etc. From a purely commercial point of view I am sure the best thing to do is buy tool steel of known quality, buy tongs and an anvil and a hardy! The amount of time spent on making most tongs would actually make them far more expensive than shop bought. If, however, you enjoy the hobby and are not fully booked with paying jobs then make stuff. I do a combination of both.

Think of it like 4WD. The amateur enthusiasts are always looking for new callenges- muddier trails, steeper hills etc. etc. A soldier or farmer driving a 4WD as a job always looks for the easiest route.

Main thing is do what works for you.

If a person is thinking about making money with his tools can he afford a used anvil? It costs time and gas to travel to auctions and sales. what does that used anvil cost after a year or years of running around looking for it. The time could be used refining skills and the gas money put to the price of the anvil. If searching is recreation for you that's another story, but if I wanted to make money, I'd buy new and get to work.

Just an interesting side note on linseed oil.Those of us who are older may remember a floor covering called linoleum.It was made of some kind of fiber soaked in linseed oil. It was used in hospitals a lot because of its natural antibacterial qualities. It was also used as counter top covering before plastics were common.There is a product called linoleum today but it's plastic.

Thank you for these great projects. Good practice and very useful tools.More more, more. Just an observation .........The bending tool looks like a good project to practice forge welding. When I screw it up ,no real harm done .

I emailed and asked the seller for more pics without the pepsi can. No response. Can't help but think that can is hiding something on the far side of the anvil.

It's pretty well described here:

BP0060 Rebuilding a Vise | Blueprints 000-100

I'm thinking of making the vise repair as described in the blueprints section.Can someone please describe how to braze the thread to the nut? Thanks.

Just a quick hello. I'm recovering from back surgery and can't sit too long. In no way am I a blacksmith. I have a sway back anvil and home made gas forge and bend metal to make stuff for my tractor and implements.