K. Bryan Morgan

Actually those lumps of coal erode from the cliff and wash down to the beach.  And we are only about 800 miles from there.  So that won't work. 

I can get coal.  Its just not ideal coal.  Sub bituminous, Moisture 29%, ash 9%, 36% Volatile Matter, 26.5% Fixed Carbon, 0.20% Sulfer, Heat Value (But/b) 7560 (4,200 kcal/kg),  Initial Deformation Temp (red) 2,150 F (1,175 C),  T250 Temp 2320F (1275C), Grindability (HGI) 42.  So its not ideal.  You can weld with it.  It will not coke.  But you have to strip out the fire and clean the fire pot after each weld.  Very time consuming.  On the plus side its cheap.  $120 per ton.

Buying a car load of blacksmithing coal and then getting it here to the state would be ridiculously expensive.  Not even worth looking into.

Not to mention there is no track link up to the lower 48.  Everything that large has to come by barge.

And the search goes on. 

I just got off the phone with David, one of the owners of Alaska Feed.  He can get blacksmiths coal from Mountain Brook Forge in Oregon.  But the cost is rather prohibitive at $56.50 per 50# bag.  Another detail is. he needs payment in Advance.  So that works out to: $ 2260.  I just can't afford to pay that much in advance for coal.  We would need to collect the money from the various people in the interior who want it and then make payment.  Wait until the coal arrives then divide it up.  I don't know that sounds like a lot of work for little gain. 

As I was talking to David he went over his coal sails and was telling me how little he sold.  It worked out to about a bag a month.  Which for him doesn't make it worth it.  I can certainly understand.  That's why he wants all the money in advance.  I wouldn't want a ton of coal sitting around in inventory just taking up space either. 

I have a call into the Usibelli coal mine office here in Fairbanks and left a message with their purchasing person and am waiting for a  call back on that. 

I'll keep plugging away.

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Man your skills are off the charts.

Super nice and super clean.  I really like it.  Bet that baby brings in top dollar.  That's as nice a knife as I've ever seen.

Hope you heal well and recover quickly.  All my thoughts and prayers are with you, from the home of Santa.

Oh, you want one of these. 

Find a large piece of square or round steel.  About 4" across will do, about 2' long.  Then get a five gallon bucket and place the piece of steel upright in the bucket.  Fill with concrete.  Done.  No muss no fuss and you will have a post anvil that many a blacksmith has used for hundreds if not thousands of years.  Minus the concrete part of course.  You could also inlet it into a large stump.  There are much easier ways to get an anvil made than pouring 400 lbs of molten steel into a mold by yourself.

Hey Rodfather, Welcome to the madness.  I'm looking but no luck as yet.  The guys at Ak Feed have my phone and I know there are several of us that would buy coal if we could get it.  Hopefully we can work something out.  I'll make further inquiries and see what I can find. 

One angle I had thought to do was call the Fairbanks office of Usibeli coal and see what they have to say, I haven't had a chance to do that yet.  I will do it soon and report my findings on this thread.  

Absolutely I would say.  Get the steel hot and hit it hard and take pics as you go.  Show us and talk about your experience.  I've seen people use hunks of concrete and while it may not be ideal it will work.

Its just basic structural steel.  Nothing fancy.  And no, granite will work.  Large anvil stones were used for hundreds of years.  There are quite a few in Iceland and Greenland, Norway, Sweden, and I'm sure on the European continent. 

A 24 inch piece of 4 inch square A36 weighs in at 108.72 pounds.  Secure that into a five gallon bucket of concrete and you will have an anvil that any Viking blacksmith would envy.

If your in Washington you should look at Incandescent Ironworks anvils.  Rhino.  They are in Spokane.   

http://www.incandescent-iron.com/rhan.html

I don't have any advice to give.  I'm just going to sit here and drool on my shirt and look with envy at that magnificent piece of iron.

I had heard he was able to get all his tools to higher ground.  Lost his cabin though.  I would imagine the dock as well.  Or was it just a landing?  I don't remember from the photo's I've seen.  Hopefully with the warmer temperatures we've had this winter it won't be a bad breakup like last year.

Yes that's him, everyone I know here calls him Jake the Russian.  Jake Pograbinski.  I believe is the spelling of his name.  Very talented smith and really knows the science of it.  He's been very helpful to me with process and we made an axe together in Ester.  We used to have great talks about stuff.  I miss that.  He hasn't ben on IFI much lately.

I've seen people weld with the sub-bituminous from Healy.  So it can be done.  Just keep the fire free of clinker and adjust the blast to make it a good reducing fire.  I know Jake P. welded an axe bit with it a few years ago and there's a thread here on the forum somewhere with that information.  I tried to find it and failed miserably.  I don't have anything further to report yet.  I did hear, however that Usiblelli is supposed to open a bituminous seam.  I just don't have any other information than that.  So, hearsay and I don't have exact data yet, just what I was told.  I will keep everyone appraised of what I find out.  Fingers crossed for good news.

Ok, I just got back from Alaska Feed a little bit ago and right now they do not have any coal.  And may not be able to get any more.  I left my name and number for further updates.  I was told they may have to get coal by the ton and might not if they can't get enough commitment to move that amount.  So right now there is no good blacksmithing coal source that I am aware of in Central Alaska.  I'm going to get hold of the Usibelli Coal MIne office here in Fairbanks to see what is available.  If I can get a very good price I may just buy a couple of tons from Usibelli and then offer it at cost to any smiths in the area.  .  I will update when I find out more information

A friend of mine made a very simple side blast forge from an old metal desk drawer.  He lined it with kitty litter and we used one of the desk legs for the tuyere and a shop vac with a dimmer switch for the blast.  We made an axe and welded in a spring steel bit.  It worked very well.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  Sometimes less is more.

That looks like a decent anvil in ok shape.  I would buy it if the price were right.

Your making great knives.  Your an inspiration to aspiring makers.  Keep em coming.

I searched for several hours and found nothing but modern representations.  Nothing in the archeological record at all.  Every reference to Viking knives were two types.  The Seax and the Puko.   

This is what I did.

I did some research on those anvils in your picture and I believe its a cast steel anvil from India.  I found several sites that show that exact shape and that's where they say they come from.  Found on Amazon.com.  That was a couple of years ago and I didn't see them there now.

You should send your results to Master Lock and see what they say.  I would be interesting to see what they think about it.  Just my thoughts. 

As usual your product is durable and strong.  Well done.  Looking forward to seeing the video.