elkdoc

Have really enjoyed this thread... :lol:

Welcome! I really like that top one... 8)

Congrats! Oh, by the way, this week my wife asked why I don't wear cologne all the time. I paraphrased your warning before you posted it here. :lol:

"strike while the iron is hot" edited: Oops... Missed this one already, Strine. Somebody get me some coffee.

Congrats! Glad you're able to get hammerin' again! 8)

Thanks for the advice, Chuck. Actually, I've made a few of these now and they're being used as letter openers. They work great as such, and I've lengthened and narrowed the blade to better accomodate the new task. One is actually being used as a 'bodice dagger' by a fellow smith's wife! :oops: I'll be 'discipling' a little bit under a bladesmith a few times a month soon. He's big into good steel and correctly heat treating, so it will definately be an education. Can't wait!

Strine, I'm guilty of hammering wood into splinters for coal kindling too. Great way to warm up the arms.

Don't forget modelling clay. I'll have to give Bruce's cast lead bar idea a shot. I regularly hammer refrigerated clay (a la Strine, I think. Thanks buddy.). Especially when I've only got a spare half hour or so in the evenings. It really lets you know where your hammer blows are off.

Sorry to hear about your lost friend, Marc. Ring your anvil for him. :(

Definately no expert here, but I highly stress the importance of seeking out some other smiths near you and interacting with them. It'll make all the difference in the world. Books and internett bulletin boards are fine, even important, but secondary to forge time and guild meetings or hammer-ins. 8)

I can atest to Poor Boy Blacksmith Tools. I've bought a couple of tools from Ken's ebay store and have been nothing but pleased. Good stuff for the hobbyist or even cheapskate. :lol:

Hollis, I've recently made my side draft hood similar to yours. I turned a 25 gallon drum over and cut a "mousehole" out of the side. I'll do the roof penetration as soon as I get a spare afternoon and post pics for all...

I'm not even close to being ready to messing with D2 yet. I was just curious. I figure if I ever get there I'll be sending blades off for professional heat treatment. Thanks folks!

Hey folks, Is D2 forgeable or is it better suited to stock removal methods of bladesmithing? Thanks! 8)

OK... It's going to veer off topic but I have to ask. What're we retrieving that's so priceless? A tool? Gold bars? My curiosity is getting the better of me. :oops:

Mr. Strasil... My hat's off to you for keeping the family legacy alive and sharing your insights on this forum. By doing so, your legacy will reach farther than you know. The Yellin's of this world are inspirational, but it's smiths like you that kept history rolling.

I just informed the neighbors ahead of time of my intentions. I asked what time they usually put the kids to bed so that the potential noise wouldn't interfere with their lives. Next door neighbor is a police officer and the whole neighborhood has been cool with it so far. They actually have expressed interest when I've run into them on the street. A thin layer of silicone under the anvil helps kill the sound, too.

Obviously everyones opinion will be different, but I prefer something along the lines of the Loveless style drop point knives. I don't own a loveless, but I've used several "clones" or knives with that shape. Very effective for removing some poor creature's peel. My quarry these days is soda cans and 2 liter bottles filled with water. Don't have to skin them, cause you can't eat them anyway. Example: http://www.agrussell.com/knives/handmade/dozier_knives/dozier_loveless_design_drop_point_hunter.html

P.M. sent... :)

Ralph, Just know that this cancer survivor's prayers are with you.

You never forget the smell of a coal forge, do you? It's one of the first things that pops into my mind when I think of watching the theme park blacksmiths as a kid. 8)

Very nice. I like the design!

Welcome, PJ! Glenn has really put together a good place to hang out and talk the craft. Glad you could join us! I look forward to hearing about your work (and possibly seeing in the galleries).

Ed! You apparently run in more, uh, visually appealing smithing circles than I do. :wink: The smiths I hang with are generally out to avoid the wife on a Sunday afternoon and as a group there's maybe 2 full heads of hair among us! :mrgreen:

Last fall, when a friend found our I had taken up blacksmithing, he said the same thing. "You look like a blacksmith. I'm not suprised." I wondered exactly what in tarnation a blacksmith "looks" like. At the time, I hadn't trimmed my beard in over 13 months and it was down to my mid chest. I think he meant the big burly look. But you don't have to look far to see that that's not a real accurate stereotype. I had this exact topic under discussion at a recent guild meeting. A fellow member mentioned that the demonstrator wouldn't look like a smith if you met him on the street. Then he came to the conclusion on his own that the statement didn't make sense, because who knows what a blacksmith looks like? Glance around at a guild meeting and you'll see all types: short, squatty, burly (like me), tall and thin, big, little, brawny, puny. All it takes is the ability to use your brain to figure out how to apply heat and pressure to metal, not physical strength, most of the time.