Long timer reader, first time poster....

Hi. Im a new blacksmith, I came to the craft by way of Roy Underhill's wonderful book "The Woodwrights Shop."

Took some lessons under the head blacksmith at Conner Prairie here in Indiana and have set up my own very small home forge.

Tonight I was trying to forge some counterweighted stocking hooks something like this.

Well. I just couldn't get a nice crisp bend on the angles. All I have is an anvil, a hammer, a forge, and tongs/pliers. I am using 1/8" by 3/4" flat stock.

I know there has to be a way to do this with the tools I have, I'm just drawing a blank on how to do it. I searched the blueprints and tried to search the forum (does that actually work?) Can anyone point in the right direction?

Thanks in advance,
Pat Rock

Hi Pat,

You should be able to get a nice bend over the edge of your anvil - unless the edges have been chipped off over time or ground down a tad to far. If this is the case you might try laying a piece of angle iron over the edge of your anvil and making the bend over it.

Have fun and keep hammering - it will get easier.

Well. I got a nice curved bend. Just not a really tight bend.

It occured to me this morning though that what I should do since its just a piece of thin flat stock is heat it and bend it with pliers.

If you have a vise, use a piece of angle iron and bend the flat stock over the angle of the iron while being held in the vise. Judicious use of the hammer will get you a real nice 90 degree bend as crisp as you want. If no vise, use a bigger piece of angle iron over the side of the anvil to make up for any rounded edges of the anvil. Or, a 3rd way, use a piece of channel just big enough to fit over the face of the anvil snugly and bend on the edge of the channel. You can also use that channel as a cover for the anvil face to do chisel work to protect the anvil when the chisel cuts through.

The anvil's sides are crisp. No problem there. I think its just my technique.

You are almost certainly NOT getting it hot enough. At the duller orange and red heats, you cannot really forge... all you can do is bend. To forge, heat the steel to at least a very bright orange, and much preferably yellow. At yellow heat, you will have no trouble forging a square corner over the anvil.

If you lack a vise, use two short pieces of angle iron and two sets of vise grips will do the trick.

It would appear that you metal is not nearly hot enough before you start your bend.

Hi Pat,
One way to make a square corner is to upset the area where the corner is to be. Place it in a vice with the top of the jaws in the middle of the upset area. Fold it over at near welding heat and continue to hammer until you have nearly square at the corner. Remove from the vice and work the other side of the corner over a square side of the anvil.
The reason to upset the stock is that, as the corner is made, the hammering will cause the stock to thin. The sides will also need to be dressed up as you go. This should leave the stock the same size throughout.

Oljoe Foster

Well, pat, this is the method my father taught me during my apprenticeship.

Mark the bend and then bend the bar not quite 180° and hammer the bend down being careful not to hammer so much you thin the sides as shown in Fig. A.

Open the bend carefully and place across the face of the anvil and hammer down and sideways alternating as shown in Fig. B, being careful not to thin the flat iron.

Its quick and easy, but will not give a sharp corner on the outside.

When I first read this I was thinking of doing the same thing that Irnsrgn suggested. Seems like a good place to start for easy sharp bends.

There are a lot of good ideas to try, but have you looked at a local blacksmithing group to show them what you're trying to do and get hands on advice? You had said you took classes at Connor Prairie in Indiana. There is a state group there with satellite groups. Iba I'll be at the meeting this Sat near Lafayette (I'm the demonstrator) and would like to see what your doing.

Thanks all for the suggestions, got my bend as I wanted. Most of my problem was not having it hot enough. Although for expediencies sake I made my bend with 2 pairs of pliers, and then cleaned up on the anvil.

My stocking holder works great! Even made a not to shabby hay penny scroll on the end. Hard to get it perfectly round without a swage. But patience, many heats, and a soft touch with the hammer prevailed.

Thanks again, all, for the suggestions.

Look at Blueprint BP0184

There are swages available for use, but that are being called something else at the present time.

Excellent idea. Thanks for the link to that blueprint.

Does anyone know any scrap yards around Indianapolis. I know there's one in Noblesville, but I can't remember its name.

You may want to try BP0244

There are many things that "can" work, you just need to find what works for you. :)

Is it just me or does this look like an inside radius that could be used for a swage ?

Is it just me or does this look like an inside radius that could be used for a swage ?

Hey, I've got one of those! Good eye!

I was about to say the same thing junior did(ohh and with pictures too!). Just fold over and then open it up slowly on the edge of the anvil, even with rounded edges it will give a nice sharp corner. Neat thing to make though, me thinks I should make some for the holidays.

yeah. they're the cat's pajamas. pretty neat.