K. Bryan Morgan

That is really nicely done.  And thank you for showing the unassembled parts.  Helps me understand the processes better.

I own a Diamondback 2 burner Blacksmiths model and am very happy with it.  I can hit welding temps at 10 psi, its easy on fuel and warms up quickly.  I run it at 5 to 7 psi for normal operations.  I have never regretted my purchase. 

Stainless steel bowl of the appropriate size would be my first thought.  They are cheap and easy to find.  Any of the big box stores would have them or your local restaurant supply. 

I've seen Saign Charlestein's work on another site and have been following him for quite a while. 

Your work is nothing short of inspirational.  Besides the fact you made armor for one of my all time favorite movies, The Chronicles of Ridick.  I'll never get that good.  But I'll sure enjoy watching yours.

I use a cheap dimmer switch on my shop vac to power my forge and it works great.  It most definitely will get to forge welding temps.  No problem.  I burn up steel in mine on a regular basis when my attention wonders for a moment.  If someone can get welding temps with a hand cranked forge blower, using a shop vac will definitely get it there.

Ya the more I think about it the more I think its a Kohlswa.  He's gonna love it.  He is a professional machinist and makes knifes for a living.  Quite a nice person.

Try draw filing.  Clamp your knife blank to a board, so the tip don't poke you in the belly, it does happen, then put the tang of the file in your left hand.  Pull the file towards you.  If you put the tang in your right hand you have to push, not pull.  But then that's not draw filing.  You can really hog some material in a short period of time this way.  With some practice, practice, practice, I've seen some very nice bevels made this way.  There just aren't any short cuts when it comes to hand filing.  Its all about technique and consistency.

That is one great strikers anvil.

Really nicely done.  They look great.

Thanks, It will be nice to have both anvils.  My large 242 lb Rhino and this 60 lb PW.  Sometimes I need a smaller face and the beginners RR track anvil I have, just wasn't big enough to do much on without just wearing out my arm hitting so hard.

Yes it is lots of fun.  And Rich is so right.  Gotta do It and keep doing it and then do it some more.

I made an axe with a  mild steel body and a leaf spring bit a couple of years ago and welding it up was pretty easy going.  I didn't have any issues and it went rather smoothly.  I did use lots of flux to keep the evil oxygen out.  Jake P and I did it in a very crude and simple forge made from a steel desk drawer lined with kitty litter.  Worked great.

Sometimes you just get lucky.  I was in the right place at the right time and had the money in close order.  I'm very happy with the purchase.

Well it wasn't 75 lbs, it was 60,  but its a Peter Wright.  So I didn't care.

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Its really hard steel and I don't want to mess it up.  Besides it gives me a chance to buy/make something else for that purpose.

That sounds about right then...it weighs  in at 55-57 lbs on my bathroom scale...and that could easily be off that much.

I am so sorry to hear this Steve.  Prayers sent.

Well I found me a Peter Wright.  55-57 lbs by the bathroom scale.  No idea what year it was made.  Paid $200 and figured it was a deal.  Anvils are rare as hens teeth up here.  It will make a dandy light use, small item anvil and I plan to use it well.  Some one did some grinding on it, but I think the plate is intact.  I bounced a ball peen hammer around on the face and it bounced really nicely for a small anvil.  The edges are also in pretty good shape.  I'm pleased as punch.

I was one of the respondents on that other thread.  I like pretty much everything about my Rhino but one thing.  The horn doesn't come to a smaller diameter point.  It stops about the one inch range.  Which is fine if your only making one inch or larger rings, loops ect.  I wish it came down to a finer point.  Not necessarily a pointy point, if you get what I mean, but smaller would be nice for small rings, loops ect.

I don't know what's going on, but for some reason the quote function doesn't work for me anymore. 

Ok so anyway, Yes its very fun when we find blacksmithing tools anywhere for a decent price.  I'm going to pick the little anvil up today.  I figure 75# is perfect for smaller items.  I'll post picks of course as soon as I get it close to my camera. 

There are a few smiths up here and I know of a new gentleman in Fox.  I was talking to him here on the forum.  I can't find the thread at this second though.  Ain't that always the way it goes?  Haven't met him yet but I sure plan to. 

Hope yer keeping yourselves warm.  Its a bitter cold day today here, but for us -18 is almost shirt sleeve weather.  :P

Woke up this morning to -40 and right now its about -30.  So fires on full in the woodstove.  :D  Went out to a friends for a local knife makers meeting I've been going to for a couple of years.  We sit around and swap tales.  And do demo's sometimes.  Tonight was how to attach a handle night.  We did have a good time.  One of the members got a couple of anvils up here from the lower 48 and I am going to buy the 75ish lb one.  I have wanted a smaller anvil and people just want stupid money up here for them.  Anyway as soon as I get him $200 its mine.  I thought it was a good price for an anvil that size here in the hinterlands of the Great Land.  I'll post pics as soon as I get it.  He also got a "Made In Sweden" anvil "cast steel 101 lbs".  That's what was written on it.  I think its a Kohlswa.  He's keeping it for a traveling anvil.

Most likely Etsy.

Hey there, those are excellent.  I'm sure your wife will love them. 

Happy hammering,

Great to hear your working that hammer and getting into the shop.  Just to cold here in the interior to get to work yet.  I did get part of a car spring hammered into a kinda knife shaped lookin thingy when the temps got up to 25 a couple of weeks ago.  But that's pretty much all I've been able to do since before my surgery.  Really looking forward to break up and getting hammering for real.

Frosty is so right.  I got buried under one of those car port shelters a few years ago.  My stepson and I were working on knocking the snow off it and I had just turn to him and said, "Be careful or we're gonna knock it down."  Half a second later I was buried.  Had such a big snow load on it, it drove me to the ground like a tent peg.  Didn't do my knee, which was already super messed up, any good.  Took a neighbor and him about 30 minutes to get me out.  Ours ended up in the dump come spring.