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I Forge Iron

I am the vine


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I haven't posted on this forum before, so feel free to move this if it's in the wrong place.

The branches are not forge welded, my forge was too small too fit everything in. Vine was 25mm round bar drawn out by hand.

Opinions and criticism welcome.

post-14922-0-75139100-1316003676_thumb.j

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Very good job.

Looks like the real thing... very natural.

It would be great to see a step-by-step demo.

Don, abiding in the Vine


Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

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It looks very good, is it your first? Don't sweat the forge welding, after they get to a certain size it becomes......difficult. Removing small stock from the fire and and quickly bending it is hard enough. Itty bitty tendrils off the main vines and near the leaves is a nice touch as well.....

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Looks nice; but you might think about heating up and dressing the welds a bit afterwards---a long skinny horn or bickern helps and hides the "modern" welding. Tig or O-A welds can often get the fillet look of a forge weld without forge welding too.

Now find someone with $$$$ that wants a gate for their wine cellar!

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Thanks guys. This is not my first. Been forging for some time now, but have been focusing on knives. Decided it was time to get back to blacksmith work, my second love after my wife (playing safe). This was forged in my knife forge. Had to leave my coal forge behind when we moved and although I live near one of the largest coal terminals in the world now, I can't get coal, so everything is gas now. Main vine started as a 400mm x 25mm round bar, after drawing out = 980+mm, so I was a bit tired to dress my welds and when I tried to pencil grind them later it didn't look so good. Thankfully I started at the back so it didn't mess everything up.

Got four Damascus knives to finish so should do another in about 3-4 weeks. Will take pics of the process.

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2Tim215, I would be especially interesting in how you form the grapes. To me, that looks like the hardest part of the project. Great work, thanks for sharing it!


Actually the grapes were the easiest. I have a 25 ton H frame press that I made a ball die for, heat 25 or 20mm round bar to white heat and press. When cool cut ends off and reheat to red and place in shallow oval and smack it all around to get the hammered look. When I'm too lazy or the costing of a job affects the project, then I use bought mild steel balls and do the smack trick to give the hammered look.
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  • 3 weeks later...

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