Things I learned this week about blacksmithing

[K. Bryan Morgan]

The weather doesn't care that your a blacksmith and want to light a forge. Snowing -2f and no one in town will purge a new propane tank. Talk about frustrated.

[Andrew Smith]

I learned how to hot cut and drift a piece of steel for a tomahawk. I have only made ball peen hammer hawks but I have never made one from a rr spike or from anything without a hole already in it and all that I have to do is drift it. The first time I tried to make a hawk from a rr spike I failed because I had absolutely not idea how to do it and I had only been blacksmithing for a few months . since then I have been sort of intimidated by hot cutting and drifting. I finally decided to "face my fears" and take on hot cutting ....and ....well, it was a good success.


Hey K. Bryan Morgan, you should move to east Texas. we Texans can't stand anything colder than 30F. and that's because it only gets that cold (and occasionally a little colder than that) only about three weeks of the winter. We had the worst snow in ten years here(about 4-5in) and every school that I know of but one was out. All that to say, your propane most likely won't freeze up down here, and if it does then there is only three weeks out of the year that it MIGHT happen.


And O, I learned how NOT to forge weld and eventually figured out HOW to do it RIGHT.

-Andrew

[mmthomas]

Steel splinters can be painful.

Don't go pick up scrap steel in your nice clothes. (corollary: always have gloves and other gear in pickup for seizing targets of opportunity)

[Frosty]

I learned how to hot cut and drift a piece of steel for a tomahawk. I have only made ball peen hammer hawks but I have never made one from a rr spike or from anything without a hole already in it and all that I have to do is drift it. The first time I tried to make a hawk from a rr spike I failed because I had absolutely not idea how to do it and I had only been blacksmithing for a few months . since then I have been sort of intimidated by hot cutting and drifting. I finally decided to "face my fears" and take on hot cutting ....and ....well, it was a good success.


Hey K. Bryan Morgan, you should move to east Texas. we Texans can't stand anything colder than 30F. and that's because it only gets that cold (and occasionally a little colder than that) only about three weeks of the winter. We had the worst snow in ten years here(about 4-5in) and every school that I know of but one was out. All that to say, your propane most likely won't freeze up down here, and if it does then there is only three weeks out of the year that it MIGHT happen.


And O, I learned how NOT to forge weld and eventually figured out HOW to do it RIGHT.

-Andrew

Andrew: Bryan will probably tell on me because this is a closely guarded secret in Alaska. Most of us here like it below 30f BECAUSE it keeps the Texans out of our hair. It's not like we don't have more than enough room for any and all Texans who might want to visit, heck, cut AK in half and Texas would be the third largest state in the Union, it's just that they talk kind of funny.

Frosty the Lucky. (I'm NOT in reach of one of my Texan friends! )

[Mainely,Bob]

When I lived in Texas the best Texan joke I heard was;"You know what a Texan is?A Mexican on his way to Oklahoma."

Mainely,Bob-Who will surely hear about this if any of his Texan friends read it. :unsure:

[Andrew Smith]

Well, I won't take any of that personal. I'll get over it. We Texans have our own little joke that kinda goes like this:

Whats two things a Texan hates to see coming toward him?

a Mexican with a knife and a Yankee with a U-haul

And O, anything north of Dallas is a Yankee. However I do ave a good friend who is from Chicago ,and I don't talk as funny as most Texans.

Last but not least, I hate to bust your bubble Frosty but, I would love to come to Alaska some time, however, only in the HOTTEST time of the SUMMER. I am sort of an outdoors man and Alaska seems to have some nice landscape.

-Andrew

[Andrew Smith]

Frosty, I will try not to tell on you about exposing your Alaskan secret. ;)

[Mainely,Bob]

Heard all the Yankee jokes.Learned to talk Texan and the jokes stopped.
Lived in Tejas for 13 years then came back up north and had to put up with all the southern/redneck jokes till I learned to talk Yankee again.

Funny how when you talk fast folks think you`re a naturally obnoxious know-it-all.
When you talk slow people seem to think you think slow.
Far as I can tell nothing about me changed but the accent. :D

[K. Bryan Morgan]

FROSTY, dag nabbit now you went an let the cat outta the bag. What are we gonna do with you. Oh, I know. Send you great white.......... birch hunting, only this time with a feller buncher. That way you can sit in air conditioned comfort and slay them to your hearts content.


Oh and I got the propane. The forge is up and running and I broke in the anvil. Made a nice drive hook to hang my coat on. :D

[Frosty]

Heard all the Yankee jokes.Learned to talk Texan and the jokes stopped.
Lived in Tejas for 13 years then came back up north and had to put up with all the southern/redneck jokes till I learned to talk Yankee again.

Funny how when you talk fast folks think you`re a naturally obnoxious know-it-all.
When you talk slow people seem to think you think slow.
Far as I can tell nothing about me changed but the accent.

Hmmmmm. Have you tried sleeping in the freezer Bob? I'm thinking that'd take care of any remaining Texican accent.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Frosty]

Frosty, I will try not to tell on you about exposing your Alaskan secret.

Well, okay Andrew! I'll make room for you to bunk if you ever make it up this way. We're pretty close to decent fishing and mosquito bashing here in Meadow Lakes.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Frosty]

FROSTY, dag nabbit now you went an let the cat outta the bag. What are we gonna do with you. Oh, I know. Send you great white.......... birch hunting, only this time with a feller buncher. That way you can sit in air conditioned comfort and slay them to your hearts content.


Oh and I got the propane. The forge is up and running and I broke in the anvil. Made a nice drive hook to hang my coat on.

A feller buncher?! I can have a feller buncher?! You are a pal! Heck just the thought is sending tingling feelings up my leg!

How do you like the forge? I've heard nothing but good about them but nobody else has probably tried one in sub zero temps. It's a good time to pre-heat the anvil or it'll suck the heat right out of the work. Even at +10f my anvils will take the color off 1/2" sq during just a few blows. Just don't do any sledge work over the hardy, the anvil'll be fine.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Andrew Smith]

Well, okay Andrew! I'll make room for you to bunk if you ever make it up this way. We're pretty close to decent fishing and mosquito bashing here in Meadow Lakes.

Frosty the Lucky.

Fishing! I love to fish. I am from south Louisiana and my Dad's entire family still live down there and they are all Cajun to the bone soaked through to the marrow. I grew up in Texas though so I like it better here.

This past summer we went fishing in a town called Grand Isle on the coast of Louisiana. We pretty much would fish all night and sleep half of the day and eat seafood the other half of the day. One night 4 of us caught 400 white trout and I caught 4 Red Fish longer than 39" and snapped 2- 25lb test lines and 3-65lb test lines and broke one fishing rod all in one night! needless to say that was the funnest night of the week. And I ain't jokin either. I can post some pics if you want me to prove it.

I heard the Salmon fishing is good when they are coming in to spawn, I really like good cooked salmon.

now what does any of this have to do with blacksmithing????? Not really sure.

-Andrew

[Frosty]

What does fishing have to do with blacksmithing and you're cajun stock? So we'll forge some fish cooking gear and I'll happily absorb some cajun recipes but for the record how's blackened salmon sound?

Actually I'm not big on salmon but that's just me, I'm more for halibut, so how's "mongolian halibut or halibut fajitas sound?

Salmon season usually starts sometime in July around here. Trout fishing's good too though I'll have to ask around for the hot streams and lakes, I haven't wetted a line in a while myself.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Andrew Smith]

Well I'm not too picky of a person. I will eat just about anything as long as I have a glass of fresh sweet tea to swallow it down with . I am of Cajun stock and whooooo boy can we cook some good food.

The only place that you can get REAL and I mean REAL Cajun food is either from deep deep south Louisiana or unless the person cooking has a deep Cajun accent and has lived at least fifteen years in south Louisiana. Every where else is just a bunch of scammers lying to you. I don't have an accent but my Mom can cook some real good food, So good that you don't get up from the table until you know that if you eat any more you will have to have surgery. . She's not true Cajun, she is from north Louisiana therefore she is a yankee, but my grandma (my Dad's Mom) taught her how to cook.

I actually never heard of halibut, however, I am up for trying anything. I know that I like any kind of oriental food, I enjoy fajitas, and I really like fish, so I guess that that will work.

[Mainely,Bob]

CAJUN!! Now we`re talkin`!Why didn`t you say you were really a member of Whodat Nation.
I used to know 2 brothers from Gretna that would come to visit every time they were within an hour or so of town,which meant if their truck was headed to Amarillo then we`d see them for at least 2 days.
MAN,they could cook!Every meal made you feel like Thanksgiving.I still have some Ziedeco(sp)tapes they gave us around here somewhere.I think I`ll dig them out and give `em a spin.

Many people don`t know that Mexican food can also use fish to good effect.Paco`s Tacos in Damariscotta makes some of the best fish tacos I ever had.

Frosty,
For the past 6 months I`ve been sleeping in the freezer at least part of the night.We heat with a wood stove and I`m the one that has to stoke it.
SWMBO starts to get cold,despite the 3 quilts,and I get the elbow.It`s got so if she nudges me in her sleep I roll out and head to the wood stove.
Hasn`t helped my "down east" accent any though.
I can only speak limited Main-ah chummy.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

How do you like the forge? I've heard nothing but good about them but nobody else has probably tried one in sub zero temps. It's a good time to pre-heat the anvil or it'll suck the heat right out of the work. Even at +10f my anvils will take the color off 1/2" sq during just a few blows. Just don't do any sledge work over the hardy, the anvil'll be fine.

The forge worked quite well. I did have a problem with over heating under it. But I'm going to make a metal table for it eventually. In the mean time I will put a piece of hardy board under the brick then put the forge on top of that. The thermal break should take care of the heat. I don't want my wooden bench melting or anything. I was running it at 7 psi and was getting a good heat to forge with in just moments. I took a pieceo of plate that I have thats about 3/4" x 1" x 5" and put it in the forge then after it got to black heat I put it on the face of the anvil. I did that several times and got the face warm and it worked like a champ. This is the first time I've used a gas forge. Its a treat to work indoors and not be exposed to the wind. Of course there is nothing like the smell of a good coal fire. And I'll move my coal forge indoors in the spring. In the mean time I can always move outside to use it when its warm enough. And absolutly no sledge hammers are allowed near my anvil until I at least put a ding in it first. That will probibly be a while. :D

[Andrew Smith]

Hey Bryan, what kind of wood table do you have? I never heard of wood that will actually melt!

I don't want my wooden bench melting or anything.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

Andrew, I don't think it would. But it would really burn if I let the forge go much longer yesterday. When the wood is smoking your forge is not probably where it should be. :P

[Sam Thompson]

Well, I won't take any of that personal. I'll get over it. We Texans have our own little joke that kinda goes like this:

Whats two things a Texan hates to see coming toward him?

a Mexican with a knife and a Yankee with a U-haul

And O, anything north of Dallas is a Yankee. However I do ave a good friend who is from Chicago ,and I don't talk as funny as most Texans.

Last but not least, I hate to bust your bubble Frosty but, I would love to come to Alaska some time, however, only in the HOTTEST time of the SUMMER. I am sort of an outdoors man and Alaska seems to have some nice landscape.

-Andrew

You'll have to excuse me, I'm English, but does an Alaskan accent sound a bit like Russian?

Sorry, but I'm using the wonderful innovation of the broad-band enabled pub to write this!

[Andrew Smith]

I have no idea if an Alaskan accent sounds like Russian. I can see your point though, only 5 miles away in one spot. I never been to Alaska to hear their accent.

[Frosty]

CAJUN!! Now we`re talkin`!Why didn`t you say you were really a member of Whodat Nation.
I used to know 2 brothers from Gretna that would come to visit every time they were within an hour or so of town,which meant if their truck was headed to Amarillo then we`d see them for at least 2 days.
MAN,they could cook!Every meal made you feel like Thanksgiving.I still have some Ziedeco(sp)tapes they gave us around here somewhere.I think I`ll dig them out and give `em a spin.

Many people don`t know that Mexican food can also use fish to good effect.Paco`s Tacos in Damariscotta makes some of the best fish tacos I ever had.

Frosty,
For the past 6 months I`ve been sleeping in the freezer at least part of the night.We heat with a wood stove and I`m the one that has to stoke it.
SWMBO starts to get cold,despite the 3 quilts,and I get the elbow.It`s got so if she nudges me in her sleep I roll out and head to the wood stove.
Hasn`t helped my "down east" accent any though.
I can only speak limited Main-ah chummy.

There used to be a good cajun place in Anchorage though I don't know if there is one anymore. Heck, used to be one here in the Valley but . . .

If you like mexican styled seafood you really should give my halibut fajitas a try. Just give us a couple days warning so we can clean a room and lay in some supplies.

I'm thinking it sounds like your missus is getting you trained better than Otis or will he get firewood on demand too?

I had a great firewood fetching dog once, he was a joy on a camping trip.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Frosty]

The forge worked quite well. I did have a problem with over heating under it. But I'm going to make a metal table for it eventually. In the mean time I will put a piece of hardy board under the brick then put the forge on top of that. The thermal break should take care of the heat. I don't want my wooden bench melting or anything. I was running it at 7 psi and was getting a good heat to forge with in just moments. I took a pieceo of plate that I have thats about 3/4" x 1" x 5" and put it in the forge then after it got to black heat I put it on the face of the anvil. I did that several times and got the face warm and it worked like a champ. This is the first time I've used a gas forge. Its a treat to work indoors and not be exposed to the wind. Of course there is nothing like the smell of a good coal fire. And I'll move my coal forge indoors in the spring. In the mean time I can always move outside to use it when its warm enough. And absolutly no sledge hammers are allowed near my anvil until I at least put a ding in it first. That will probibly be a while.

By "hardy" board are you talking about cement backer board like used behind a stove or such? That's what I use n heat sensitive places.

Frosty the Lucky.

[Frosty]

You'll have to excuse me, I'm English, but does an Alaskan accent sound a bit like Russian?

Sorry, but I'm using the wonderful innovation of the broad-band enabled pub to write this!

Ah, naw, no need for an excuse Sam, having access to a broad band enabled pub sounds like a little slice of heaven to me.

I guess it depends on who you're talking to. Alaskan natives not only share common heritage with the native people of northern siberia a lot of them are directly related so if we're talking about inupiat then yes, they not only sound similar they're the same language.

On the other hand if you're talking to a transplanted Californian like me, then NO, I don't sound like a russian. Heck, I barely speak American so you might want to bring a translator if you visit.


Frosty the Lucky.

[Frosty]

Hey Bryan, what kind of wood table do you have? I never heard of wood that will actually melt!

Melting wooden tables isn't just an Alaskan thing you know. You really should get out more Andrew.

Frosty the Lucky.