Daniel is back at Brians (some pics and a video)

[LDW]

Daniel is back taking a class with Brian Brazeal. I spent most of the day making a swage block stand, but got to take a few pics and got my wife to take some of us. It was very unusual for Brian to forge such a large piece of metal but Daniel is an inspiration. I looked in the shop and they were forging a stem on a piece of 2" round 1045. This is massive to forge with a sledge hammer so drastically. Brian then formed a shoulder in the 1 1/2" square hole in the swage block. We all upset the piece to form a flatter. I got to swing that 30 pound hammer Brian has in rotation with him and Daniel. It was great, and you could really see the metal move with each blow. I will get some more pics of the progress tomorrow, The video is Brian and Daniel punching a hole in a large top tool billet that is going to be a large ball fuller.

https://picasaweb.go...feat=directlink

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wN7zzp11t0&context=C4a95303ADvjVQa1PpcFO0_MN4ohiK7OV_Fi986XrcsFFcKQaGlYg=

[metalmangeler]

Lyle it looks like you need as longer handle on that hammer to ballance it out some.

[a62rambler]

MM,
That's his new forging hammer. He said it move a LOT of metal. :D

[Borntoolate]

It looks to me like Daniel could back away an inch or so and slow down. Let the hammer do just a little more work and him do just a little less. As long as an accurate hit can still be maintained. I have split a good bit of wood with a splitting mall. My plan is to make as big of an arc as possible to get the maximum velocity at the contact point on the piece of wood I am trying to split. At the same time trying to be very accurate. Usually there is a natural crack in the wood you want to hit. You can become very accurate with a long arc and a heavy splitting mall with practice. Slow, deliberate... So, with forging you can't be too slow... wasting heat. It's a balance.

Now. I understand splitting wood and hitting a hammer head that Brian is holding is more dangerous. But the concepts are the same. Accuracy, force, body preservation and maximizing the tools effectiveness.

I think the difference with striking is that you have a different accuracy aspect in that you have to hit the tool Brian is holding accurately in 3 dimensions as opposed to ~2 dimensions for the most part when you split wood. So therefore it seems you may need to be a little more conservative on force and more accurate. My suggestion is that Daniel could move a little towards more contact force with a longer arc but don't go over board. Then again I bet Daniel is doing quite well with what he is doing.

On the other hand if striker Lyle says otherwise then nevermind.

Daniel, I guess I just felt that your movements were a little fast and a little forceful, in the video. Easy for youth but harder to sustain over time. Maximize the tools ability by minimizing your effort. Just like hammering. WE've met a couple time tho you may not recall. I think you're cool regardless of above. I just give what advice I think I have in the hope that is useful. You decide for yourself what is best for you. Forge on.

[metalmangeler]

A62rambler I am just impressed that Lyle is using such a hammer. I am confident that he is moving metal in style. He and Brian were up here last summer really a great team, I finely got around to makeing some hammers like they demonstrated I will post a picture soon, if you get a chance be sure to go to one of Brians clinics, the only thing I would recommend more would be to go to 2 of them.

[Chris_Riffe]

Lyle,

Thank you for the post and thank you for fabricating that swage block stand on such short notice so that Daniel could continue his tool building education. I'll have to scrap our wooden stand and have Daniel weld up a steel one like yours now.

For those of you who have not met Lyle and Brian but just follow them on this forum, I can tell you that they absolutely go out of their way to assure that everyone that wishes to learn from them comes away with the knowledge they need to succeed at forging. This is Daniel's fourth time under Brian's tutelage and the third time he has worked with Lyle. On each occasion the lesson's learned, the techniques demonstrated, and the size of the projects attempted have been much more than "advertised" or anticipated. Brian and Lyle will adapt the experience to fit the skills set of the smith and push both themselves and student to the limit (if Lyle and Brian have a limit)! They also understand how to motivate young folk to push themselves. I know that Daniel will be well worn by the time I pick him up on Saturday, and he spends at least 24 hours a week on his anvil at the house!

In any event, I am absolutely pleased with the instruction that Daniel has received from Brian and Lyle and encourage any parent with a child interested in forging to consider figuring out how to have that child spend some time working with these fine men.

Cheers

chris

[LDW]

Kelly, as far as Daniels striking in the video, the most important thing about punching a hole is hitting into the center of the material. As you can see in the video the billet is not moving when Daniel is striking that means his hands are not too high or too low. Power is not the issue in punching a hole. He is also striking with a 12 pound hammer that probably has a 2 lb handle in it. Looks can be deceiving because there is a lot of force going into that punch. I like you comparison to splitting wood, that can only help with striking.
Chris, your too kind, I thought I was going to cry. Like Brian always says "its all about the metal" and being around such enthusiastic young people is indeed an inspiration to us all. Its actually the inspiration of the people that we are around that encourages the motivation you spoke of. Its also parents like yourself that are willing to allow your children to follow their heart that encourages Brian and I. Daniel has a good head on his shoulders and understands what the metal is doing. He will pass us all up soon enough.

Thanks for all the kind words.

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

Thanks Chris! And thank you Lyle for the kind and gentle response. I wouldn't have been so nice in response of someone trying to tell someone else how to strike. I've heard it too many times and usually from someone who will never step up to the plate. I never tell someone how to strike. They will find their way themselves if given enough opportunity to strike and complete a task. Striking takes understanding the task at hand and that takes experience, just like splitting wood, but we are not just busting logs. Kelly you do make several good points, and this is not a personal affront. Daniel was doing exactly what was required at the moment, and we made several tools that day and since. He is gaining more experience with every additional experience, and it shows with each passing day.

[a62rambler]

Just for the record, my comment was regarding picture 13 where that very large sledge does seem to have a short handle. I was simply joking that it was used one handed to forge. Hence the smiley. How much does that one weigh anyway? I thought the joke would be obvious because of the size of the sledge. I guess I should have clarified that I was talking about that and not the video. Being new I don't know which is of Lyle and which is of Daniel. I do know Mr. Brazeal by sight and would love to actually get a chance to take several classes or better yet spend a couple of years learning from him. Hope I did not offend anyone!