Here is a video of a horseshoe heart. This is a good item to forge that can be done in three heats. I used to do them all the time when I first started out, and I show them to others who are just starting out. It is a great forging exercise, and it can help support your habit. It can be made into a picture frame, trivet, or just sold as a heart.

Edited December 25, 201114 yr by Moderator52
Modified by Mod52 with correct lin.k to video

Thanks Brian.
I have a never ending supply of used horseshoes and will put this to work tomorrow!

Mark<><

The link goes to flash mob vids but I will find it

Great video.

Found it!

Thanks Brian! Great easy to follow video. I'll watch it a few times and then go out and try it.

Mark <><

Thanks, Mark! How did you do that, and did my link not work?

The way I did it yesterday with the hearts was to search youtube for your vid, brought it up and then copied the address bar for that vid and pasted it here on IFI. I was pleasantly surprised it showed up!! :)

Thats what I did too Thomas. You can find just about anything on the web. When I typed it in there were a whole bunch of Brians videos that popped up. I just copied the address like Thomas said and pasted it in the reply text.

Mark <><

Always a pleasure to watch Brian work. Such a relaxed style as well as economy of motion and effort.

I agree Bob. Easy to follow with no distractions.

I totally agree also, thanks Brian for sharing your knowledge.
Your generosity has helped me more than once.
It's always a pleasure when you put up a new "how to" and I learn something every time.

Please keep'em comming !

Naz

That's grand!! I make hearts out of small offcuts and they are great sellers, I do them a bit different to the style you have shown before, though, I"ve been thinking about heart horseshoes lately, as I"ve just met a local farrier and he's promised me some old shoes. Nice to see it done. Thanks for sharing.

Brian, Thanks for another great exercise to try ! Your demos are always to the point and clear.
Got to try and get some horseshoes.
Thanks again,

Dick Lempicki

Brian,

How big is that hammer? It appears to be a small sledge - like 4-5 lbs.

Thanks, everyone! I try and show what is happening to the metal by having the video taken from the side and slowing down a bit. We really do need a better camera. I'd like to show these techniques with high speed photography so you could see what every hammer blow does.
HWooldridge, the head-weight on that hammer is 4 pounds 9 ounces, with the handle it is an even 5 pounds.

Hey Brian, thanks for the demo.
You've just added another item to my inventory list. B)

Perfect timing Brian, after I showed my wife the Valentine heart she said she would like to have one made out of a horseshoe. We found some on sale on the 24th and got the last4 for 50c each. I will be trying this the next time I fire the forge.
Thanks

Thanks, everyone! I try and show what is happening to the metal by having the video taken from the side and slowing down a bit. We really do need a better camera. I'd like to show these techniques with high speed photography so you could see what every hammer blow does.
HWooldridge, the head-weight on that hammer is 4 pounds 9 ounces, with the handle it is an even 5 pounds.

That's hefty - I can't effectively handle anything over 3 lbs with one hand (at least not for more than one or two licks). This video is also a good example of why a fairly sharp edge is nice to have on your anvil.

That's hefty - I can't effectively handle anything over 3 lbs with one hand (at least not for more than one or two licks). This video is also a good example of why a fairly sharp edge is nice to have on your anvil.

I used to use a 1 3/4 pound rounding hammer to do all my work back when I started as a horseshoer and then as a blacksmith, but when I started trying to move larger stock I moved to a larger hammer. A larger hammer is what taught me how to use a hammer. I've been hammering for more than 30 years now with a hand hammer, mostly 7 days a week and 12 to 18 hours a day. I don't have any joint problems because I don't grip, and I don't bear down. I let the hammer do the work. I have felt the elbow and the pump up in the past but no more because of the larger hammer. If you notice, I am not throwing that hammer from very high. If I used a lighter hammer, I would throw it higher, no problem, but if it were larger stock, I'd be better off with a large hammer and high throw, or I would have to hit it more times.

I would normally use a 3 1/2 pound hammer to do most of my work, but people end up buying every one that I've made so far, but
nobody has asked to buy my big hammer. I've made myself four 3 1/2 pounders, and I don't normally make myself tools unless I have
to, and I only make hammers when someone asks. Most of my work is done with 1" and under by myself, but when I forge larger stock five pounds is a must, and I'd rather have a larger hammer sometimes.

Well, I fired up the coal this afternoon and made my first horseshoe heart. It was easy after watching the video 6 times in a row. Easy and it closely resembled a heart when I finished. Anyway, Patty loved it as she gets the first born of all my trials. Nowhere to go but up with a lot of practice. Good thing I have a nearly unending source of used shoes.
Thanks Brian, I already have people that want one. Lots of horse lovers around here and they like anything that remotely deals with horses.

Mark <><

Fantastic video. I have a friend who recently lost her beloved pony, I think i'll try and make one of these from one of his old shoes for her.

Had a go today doing one in between my other work- took considerably more than 3 heats, and not quite as polished as Brian's, but here's mine. Tried first on my big anvil, but the corners on that are all well rounded... so had to do it on my small one so next time I think I can make the v bit more crisp. Also the toe clips split when I was bending it into the heart shape, maybe next time I'll choose a shoe that doesn't have them.

Nice job Colleen,
I didn't take any pictures of my first one. I drew out parts longer than I needed too and it is a bit lopsided. It still looks pretty good though. I used a piece of rr track anvil on mine for the bottom of the heart because my anvil edges are also a bit rounded. With practice I'm sure that we will get them right.

Mark <><

Brian, I have been having increasing problems with my elbows and forearms. I do not put a death grip on my hammer. I am wondering if stepping up to a larger hammer will help. I use a 2000 Gram Peddinghaus Swedish style hammer now for most of my work. Thanks!

HWII, the Swedish pattern hammer in particular has been identified as the most likely to result in injury for starters. Moving up to a bigger hammer may help you but getting away from a Swedish pattern will probably help even more. Try a rounding hammer, especially a large one, you'll probably like it.

HWll, alot of people find that a hammer with the face as close as possible to the center line of the handle is easier on forearms and elbows.
You can't get too carried away with this or your fingers will be whacking the face of the anvil. The Jappanese must not find this so
because there hammers are the other extreme.

HWII, the Swedish pattern hammer in particular has been identified as the most likely to result in injury for starters. Moving up to a bigger hammer may help you but getting away from a Swedish pattern will probably help even more. Try a rounding hammer, especially a large one, you'll probably like it.

Jason, I have a couple of rounding hammers of different sizes and do use them. I tend to use the cross pein alot. I seem to always be switching hammers with certain jobs. I always go back to my pet hammer. I do like a Hofi hammer and have tried one for a few hours. It did leave me with a smile on my face, but not totally sold. I have a friend who has one. He bought it because everyone else had one and it just sets in the hammer rack in postion of authority.