If you have an angle grinder, use a 1mm cutting disk. Should do the job ok. (I haven't tried a Frederick's Cross yet).

The hacksaw or the cutting disk will work just fine. Hot splitting would probably take two heats and the rag would be forged down when the texturing was done. I need to try hot splitting one sometime just to say I've done it.

I always split them hot. very little rag. If there is I rasp it off before I forge. Use a very thin chisel so you don't get much draw down. I put it in a good vise with 1/2 the stock above the top jaw, use that as a guide to get striaght line and both sides lined up then finish on the anvil

A friend of mine who is also a very accomplished traditional blacksmith had a dozen or more of these to do of 3/4''and didn't want to do em the old fashioned way so he had the cuts done with a waterjet. I'll get a pic of a finished one if I can or maybe I'll finish mine but I'll have to actually read this thread to open it...... :)

New post to an old thread. Macbruce, did you get a pic of a finished one?

One thing I will add is that I like to use the pritchel hole for straightening the cross if it is wonkey.

                                                                                                           Littleblacksmith

Thank you for sharing, I plan on making one this afternoon

Bill, there are a bazillion videos on making the crosses...pick your favorite.

On 3/14/2011 at 1:36 PM, unkle spike said:

There are many people who you show things to and they claim they came up with it, not true in the case of Dave.

You taught him well, and a great demo he created!

Also compliments to you and your techniques on this cross! It's nearly identical to the way Francis Whitaker made them. On one of his trips to Europe he learned this from, I believe, a German blacksmith who's last name was Freidrich(sp). For quite a long time, this was called "Freidrich's cross" by Francis to honor the man who taught this to him, much like your student did for you. He did an article in the anvils ring on this process.  I believe this was around the mid '90's.

Just adding a rather contemporary note to the cross.

What an awesome post. I cut the head off 57 railroad spikes then drilled and tapped the spike heads to make the kitchen cabinet pulls for my wife. I kept all the cutoff spikes. Be been using a portaband to cut them to length and make the slits. Every time I get a few minutes I cut a few. I hope to forge what have ready this weekend.

The texture hammer is awesome. I can’t wait to try that.

good learning in this post.