lakeside forge Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 How to make tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 What kind of tools? So far you have asked for THOUSANDS of pages of information. May I suggest you pick up a copy of Alexander Weygers "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" which contains the contents of his earlier book "The making of tools" "Practical Blacksmithing" Richardson has a lot of tools in it too especially ones for forging plow points and other late 19th century items. Both of these can be easily ILL'd at a local public library if you live in the United States of America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Do a search under the tool section of the forums and you will find a wealth of info on everything from hammers to punches to chisels and tongs. That would be a good place to start. You haven't told us anything about your smithing experience, so it's kind of hard to give a better starting point. Welcome to IFI. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Make fire. Heat metal. Pound it on an anvil until it looks like the tool you want. That cover it? I second the Weygers and tools forum recommendations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 An old book has been invaluable to me, "The 20th Century Toolsmith and Steelworker" by H. Holford. It tells how to forge tools of high carbon steel for the various trades. Just now, I found 8 copies for sale at dealoz.com, the most reasonable being $35 plus shipping. If I were starting out, that would be cheap at twice the price. Buying a good book is like buying a good tool. http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgemaster Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I can help here. Get a piece of steel the right grade, get it hot and take it to the hammer and hit it until its the right size and shape, then stop. Stopping is the most important part otherwise you will make it the wrong size and shape. you can thank me later. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I can help here. Get a piece of steel the right grade, get it hot and take it to the hammer and hit it until its the right size and shape, then stop. Stopping is the most important part otherwise you will make it the wrong size and shape. you can thank me later. Phil Yes beginners never know when to stop :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 If you stop early, grind/file to intent. some reading http://www.hct.ac.uk/Downloads/craftpublications.html http://www.metalwebnews.com/ed.html http://www.beautifuliron.com/links_bks_smith_beginner.htm Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Dang, thanks for backing me up, Forgemaster! I can't believe I left out the all important final step: "stop." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 It took me a while to learn to "Stop". There was always just one more tweek that I need to ...., Dang it! Start over. In striving for perfection I most often went beyond where I should have stopped, right to scrap. I have since tempered my quest for excellence. But, even failure is a learning experience, so...... I'm learning a lot. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 Yep, "stop" is a hard one to master. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 The enemy of good is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 Mark, that's when your project changes names. It's now called an "Aw SH--"!!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick L. Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I'm still a beginner as well. That said I couldn't agree more about realizing when it's time to stop. However I seldom toss it in the scrap if gone to far unless I burn it up. It seems you can always see a forging exercise left in that material whether it's a hook , a twist or a nail. When I say it's scrap it's scrap. Dick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 make a center punch, drawn down from a heavier section taper sq with the corners knocked off spend some time getting it to a set size ,not what it lands up at ,as a early lesson you will learn a lot from it, and that tool will be with you for life ,learn to walk first,we all had to ,some times we break into a run only to fall, jobs done at a early stage if rushed dont look too good the following day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pip Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 do you have an anvil, a pair of tongs, a hammer, and a set of chisels. that's all you need to do basic metal working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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