Here are a couple new ones I made for a recent beer festival I had a booth at.  The first one is supposed to be a hops flowerhead.

 

 

Speaking of bottle openers. I'll have a few pics soon. Deb's boss's nieces are visiting from Germany and after watching Mark (Metalmangler) demo at the AK State Fair asked their uncle Frank if he could fix it so Mark would let them give it a try. Well . . . Frank knows me and I like teaching better than Mark can afford to so I had to spend last Monday in the shop with three young ladies. Two wanted to make bottle openers so I demoed one. I'm not sure what the younger one is making but she's having a good time so I'm good with it. She wants to do a pineapple twist and a loop so she can hang it and . . .(uh ?)

 

They pointed out that in Germany they don't use the loop and tab openers that seem so popular with this crowd, they use the hook and pry kind. So, I demoed turning the end of the demo opener into a cap hook thingy opener and they were off. They haven't been back to finish yet, they're too sore. I'll put up some pics when they finish.

 

It'll be a perfect time to post a pic of the IforgeIron T shirt I got a couple weeks ago. I've been meaning to post a pic but just keep spacing it. Deb got a few shots but I look like . . . bad words deleted <sigh> I really gotta lose more weight, my head is ROUND!

 

However, with the girls in the pic I don't suppose anyone is going to be looking at my pudgy cheeks.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Here are a few I made. I got a request for an aredale once a friend saw the bulldog.

My bulldog following Lyle 's pattern. Not so good as his but reminds me of my dear departed bulldog Bernice.

I was given some 303 stainless rems from a local machine shop. And I know I saw this style of opener, made out of a horseshoe somewhere, but I can't find it in this thread, so I guess I saw the design somewhere else. Anyway, I've shamelessly stolen the idea and modified it to work with this stock. Don't like the shape of the punch I used for the tab, so I'll have to make a new one before making the next opener. Ain't that always the way? :D

I like those Matt! Simple design, yet easily clipped onto a belt!

Nice job on the colors too, I need to practice mine. :(

I second that, clean and simple.  Like 'em

Here's a few of the style I like to make. The opener in the first pic, in the center, is wrought iron and so are the 2 in the second pic. These have been lightly etched to bring the grain out.

I prefer working with wrought as it moves in so many directions when not expected or intended....... :)

Piece off a weed wacker turned into a schnauzer opener

 

I prefer working with wrought as it moves in so many directions when not expected or intended....... :)

It certainly does! My attempts at wrought bottle openers end in disaster. Even heating them to near sparking.
Your horse heads are magnificent! It looks like you are using stock about 1/4 x 3/4, right?

Momatt- that's an awesome opener. I liked the bulldog design, but being an owner of many schnauzers over the years I love the way yours looks.

The way you cut into the sides of the nose is a great idea, consider it stolen! :ph34r:

 

It certainly does! My attempts at wrought bottle openers end in disaster. Even heating them to near sparking.
Your horse heads are magnificent! It looks like you are using stock about 1/4 x 3/4, right?

 

ausfire -Thanks.

About 1/4 x 3/4 yes, I normally start with 1/2" to 1" round and just work it to a size I want to start with. I like to just grab a piece of iron and see where I can take it. As far as what heat wrought works best for me, almost white hot to rough in the shape using as few heats and hits as possible (usually 2 to 3 hits per heat) , then I do a lot of my work at a med. red heat, I'm not moving much metal but it rarely delaminates. I was forming a horse head yesterday and was about 90% done when the entire snout decided to split wide open. Wrought can be frustrating but the results are worth it, it's worth the nightmares.

My first attempt.  Not very fancy or technical, but it does its job well.

 

Inspired from another design I saw on here (Secor's) that I really liked for its simplicity.

 

 

Ohhh, I might have to steal your stolen/inspired idea!  I like that, simple but effective. 

Just finished up my first wall-mounted bottle opener.

 

 

Of course, extensive further testing is in order, but it seems to perform quite well thus far :D.

 

 

Very nice, Tundra.  I thought that first one of yours would make a dandy wall-mounted opener if you just finish the curl a bit more to wrap around a screw.

 

That leaf is very well done.  I still struggle with making a leaf-like leaf.

Very nice, Tundra. I have made many leaf wall hooks like that, but never thought of a wall-mounted bottle opener. Another thing to add to the list.
I like the curl on the tendril. I'm assuming you split the stock to make the two parts - or is the leaf forged separately and welded on behind?

Yeah it's 1/2" round stock. I split about 3" of the end at about 1/3 / 2/3, leaving the smaller portion for the vine.

Very nice / cool! I also fight my leaves, but worth trying again with your idea! Nice job!

Tundra, nice job of product placement. Does Sam Adams sponsor you....... ;)

That's a really nice opener Tundra. I like the placement next to the light switch. Just a little modification and a guy could hang their hat while opening a bear and turning off the lights after a days work.

 

Sweet opener.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Got a chance to play in the forge a while back, just getting around to posting:-)

Ah, the ever-useful railway spike. SJS, are they the really old wrought iron type or MS? I have done quite a few with the later ones, but those old wrought spikes have me beat. (For the moment.)

Ms or hc I have a few odd sized smaller older spikes but don't know if I have seen any wrought ones. Might be temped to cut off the head and the point and do a split cross then forge out the head for a base... Humm that sounds pretty cool then etch the whole thing in ferric chloride:-)

Yeah it's 1/2" round stock. I split about 3" of the end at about 1/3 / 2/3, leaving the smaller portion for the vine.

 

 

Nice opener, and thanks for this tidbit. Another little piece of info to store away.