Arean Ellis Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I was trying yesterday to forge an oak leaf...without much luck. Any ideas how I could do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arean Ellis Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 The different attempts here are with 5/16 rod and 3/8. I was fullering and using a hot cut as a fuller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Depending on what size you want, I would start with a flat bar if using those methods. otherwise I would recommend cutting them out of sheet and veining them Here are some we did on a course at Westpoint Leaf cut out, Veins put in and leaf shape formed Stems are rolled up and then firewelded to acorns or whatever Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Depends if you got allot of em to do or not, and I wouldn't try even one out of barstock because they're not at all bisemetrical which has advantages when forging leaves.........I like to get several oak leaves for patterns, trace and water jet cut em..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 "I wouldn't try even one out of barstock because they're not at all bisemetrical which has advantages when forging leaves" MacBruce Good morning all -What means bisemetrical and how does it apply to forging leaves? -grant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Actuazlly Grant I think you have a realy good start. No ture how much time you have spent at an anvil but For me the very easist way to forge anything new is to think a bit different about the process. Learn all of the things you need to be real good at and work on just those things before you do your first one start to finish,,Let me translate that a bit. If you are going to use bar stock, you will need to be real good at drawing out the stock to the width and thickness you will need. For the leaves I would start out with at least half inch thick stock. draw it out as wide as you can. But remember you need to leave it thick enough to Be able to create the veins and hold its shape. I would not cut veins in I would use fullers to leave a raised vein instead of a cut. For the cuts in from the sides I would likely do those with hot cut and then clean up the edges with files grinders etc. The stem will have to be drawn down at some point. Remember that if you are using mild steel and put the stem in to forge it down you may want to quench the leaf itself each time so it does not weeken. This will be a great test of working rd stock down to small rd. remember to sq first and then 8 side then rd. Or in a leaf stem...somewhat rd. If you spend a lot of time working on each of the above steps, then moving onto a leaf with stem will just be a continuance of those steps. Me,,I would cut from sheet stock, forge weld a stem on and stare t another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arean Ellis Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hey all, Thanks for the replies. I'd like to forge an oak leaf (for now) just to do it, and for practice. I figured it would be a fun challenge. So, for me, water jetting is out. And yes, it is a challenge. Five tries, and I wasn't close enough. I do want to try starting with flat bar next time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 These forms start as 3/4x3/16 flat. They are butchered and fullered then drawn to final shape, cut off and the stems pulled out. Takes 3 heats to complete one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 "I wouldn't try even one out of barstock because they're not at all bisemetrical which has advantages when forging leaves" MacBruce Good morning all -What means bisemetrical and how does it apply to forging leaves? -grant Well, there is no ''bisemetrical'' in the English language what I meant was bi symmetrical. Oak leaves have a center stem but on either side they don't follow any rules, they're all over the place...Asymmetrical. The ginko leaf shown is simple compared to an oak leaf, just forge a blank and spread....I reckon the old boys chiseled oak leaves from sheet and then veined and prettied them up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Roy Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Arean, I admire your tenacity. I've forged many a simple leaf but an oak leaf only once and I won't do that again. Lately I've been making a lot of leaves but from sheet stock which I cut with snips or a chisel depending on the material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Keep in mind that, as a blacksmith, when you have round or square bar and need flat bar... you are only one heat away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjenki Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 I had some time in the shop to take a swing at the oak leaf idea... I based it on some Bavarian style iron work that I have seen. Punched lobes then add an acorn and Bob's your uncle... of course its a "stylized" oak leaf... but most folk when asked came up with "oak leaf" on their own... I took a pic after every heat or two, so I just let the pics mostly speak for themselves. 1-stem 2-tip 3-fuller 4-shape lobes 5-punch right side 6-punch left side and trim tip 7-punch tip 8-chisel center vien 9-hot file / twist / curve Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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