Hello Yall, my name is Mark , Im from Athens Georgia. I have finally took the dip into forging steel for arts and knives. I was looking to buy a hand crank . I am currently looking at the 2 blowers below. 1 is a canedy otto , and the smaller one is a Champion blower. Can any one assist me in making my decision on which one to buy. The smaller champion is approx $175 and the larger canedy royal is $320. Both are in " fine working order. Any benefits from one over the other. Thank you Mark .

Does it have to be a hand crank? a $2 blowdrier at the fleamarket puts out more air than you need even forge welding!

And a simple chinese box bellows can be made cheaply and easily too.

Thank you Thomas, i am currently stuck on- forging with out the use of electricity or gas. The name slips me ( brain fart) but i was also considering the hand pump air blower- double handled thing you squeeze like an accordian. Thank you-Mark

Canedy is the cream of the crop "high end" the champion is the ford / chevy. What size of forge are you using the bigger canedy might be alittle much for a smaller forge but might be worth it if you move into a bigger forge later. If you don t know get both. Or get what the budget will get.

I have a small Champion blower just like that one and it works really well on my smaller brake drum forge. The thing about it is that it will definitely tire you out a lot faster than my Champion #40 attached to my main forge while producing a good bit less air.

Go with the chinese box blower then and save a couple of hundred in the bank for when a good tool turns up cheap!

I built a large double lunged bellows that I ended up liking better than my great hand crank blower which I liked better than the electric blower I stated with. Unfortunately it takes up most of the pickup bed of my small pickup making it hard to travel with so my hand crank is what's generally used now.

I have a small Champion blower just like that one and it works really well on my smaller brake drum forge. The thing about it is that it will definitely tire you out a lot faster than my Champion #40 attached to my main forge while producing a good bit less air.

Thank you Arcc, do you mean the champion works best on the small break drum versus using it on the main forge. I dont know the number on the champion forge pictured above but im guessing its a #40.Whats the difference between a 40 and a 400. Ive been searching around and had alot of hits on the champion ( repairing/use of etc...) but there isnt that many hits on the canedy royal western chief. My ultimate goal is to build a semi large stationary forge. I dont plan on ever moving it. I would use my gas forge for that. Are those prices reasonable if there in " fine" working order. BTW- both these come from a blacksmith whos been forging for over 30 years. He had them in storage until i inquired about them. I trust him. As was mentioned by Matto, the canedy is the cream of the crop- im just worried about repairing it ( when it need be) because of the limited info out there. Please remmember , i am very very new to all this, so if my logic is off, i apologize . Thank yall- much--Marekz

Thank you Arcc, do you mean the champion works best on the small break drum versus using it on the main forge. I dont know the number on the champion forge pictured above but im guessing its a #40.Whats the difference between a 40 and a 400. Ive been searching around and had alot of hits on the champion ( repairing/use of etc...) but there isnt that many hits on the canedy royal western chief. My ultimate goal is to build a semi large stationary forge. I dont plan on ever moving it. I would use my gas forge for that. Are those prices reasonable if there in " fine" working order. BTW- both these come from a blacksmith whos been forging for over 30 years. He had them in storage until i inquired about them. I trust him. As was mentioned by Matto, the canedy is the cream of the crop- im just worried about repairing it ( when it need be) because of the limited info out there. Please remmember , i am very very new to all this, so if my logic is off, i apologize . Thank yall- much--Marekz

No, that Canedy looks about the same size as a Champion #40, the other Champion blower is a good bit smaller than both. I have my smaller champion blower attached to a brake drum forge and I can definitely see how the lighter weight would be much more mobile, but it will wear you out for larger stock. In my secondary brake drum forge, it provides enough air to easily heat 1/4-1/2 stock, however I don't know about anything bigger. At least in my personal opinion a bigger blower is better all around.I cannot be much of help price wise because I bought my Champion #40 with a stand in perfect shape for $100. I would tend to think you could find a better deal that what he is wanting.

Hello, anyone have any opinions or words of wisdom about this forge set up. Notice the missing crankcase top. Thank you-Marekz

Needs slots on the sides of the firepan if you will be working long pieces. The missing top doesn't concern me as you can fab a cover for it *iff* the blower works well. If the blower doesn't work well then I don't care how pretty or complete it may be! A blower that's hard to turn and won't freewheel any makes using it a constant chore. Far better to have too big a blower than too small too!

What kind of words are you looking for?

That looks like the no. 40. Sometimes you can locate parts on e-bay, but not very often. I have seen them for sale at 80.00 (complete blower) but never any parts like what you'd need. Them little Champion blowers like that move a ton of air and turn real easily compared to the bigger 400 which are loaded with ball bearings and very complicated. I use a model 140 almost exactly like the 40.

As stated above, make something for the cover. Use a tin/thin sheet steel, something like that.

Welcome aboard Mark, glad to have ya.

Do you think it may be a good idea to learn the craft before you start trying to use period techniques and tooling? It's really REALLY easy to spend way more than necessary on a new skill when you're not up to speed. A hair drier works very well for the draft and you can spend the saved money on lessons, club membership, fuel, steel, etc.

Forging without modern tools like electricity can be done even if you have a modern shop, just don't flip a light switch or turn anything else on. Box bellows, single acting bellows goat skins, etc. are all "primitive" ways to draft a forge and are easy enough to make. Heck, just aim the draft into the wind and use a funnel to concentrate the breeze. Can't get much more period appropriate than the wind.

Frosty The Lucky.

Welcome aboard Mark, glad to have ya.

Do you think it may be a good idea to learn the craft before you start trying to use period techniques and tooling? It's really REALLY easy to spend way more than necessary on a new skill when you're not up to speed. A hair drier works very well for the draft and you can spend the saved money on lessons, club membership, fuel, steel, etc.

Forging without modern tools like electricity can be done even if you have a modern shop, just don't flip a light switch or turn anything else on. Box bellows, single acting bellows goat skins, etc. are all "primitive" ways to draft a forge and are easy enough to make. Heck, just aim the draft into the wind and use a funnel to concentrate the breeze. Can't get much more period appropriate than the wind.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thank you Frosty, I wanted to have an electric free set up. I am jumping the gun a bit. Bellows sounds like a good idea. Ill move in that direction for now. In the last couple days Ive been forging RR spike in my gas forge- much fun. I am going over a " blacksmith's " house next weekend. Thanks for the wake up. _ Mark

I'm happy to help when I can Mark. It's easy to lose sight of the fact you don't have to use something just because you have it. AND I'm a firm believer in the old adage, "it's better to have IT and not need it than need IT and not have it." Don't get me wrong, knowing how to go it "primitive" is a good trick to have in your toolkit. Being able to do smithing work with nothing more than a camp fire, a couple rocks and split willow tongs means you'll never be: #1 bored on a camping trip, #2 shy tools and or weapons after an apocalypes.

I'm not usually a fan of RR spikes, especially for knives but as to the "primitive" forging angle, I recently made a friend a stake tool from a RR spike for making nails by the camp fire.

Frosty The Lucky.

Sorry about the obnoxiously huge, poor quality pics.

Frosty The Lucky.

Very nice Frosty, Im using RR spikes to learn about moving steel in general. Forging is amazing. I love it. Now to practice,practice,practice.lol-Thank you-Marekz

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