iamzeus Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I've had a passion for knives ever since i was a child and i recently started a collection. I had thought about blacksmithing my own for a while but always thought you needed expensive hardware to even begin. Apparently i was wrong :D. Made a forge a few weeks ago with an old wok i had in my garage and also made an anvil with a railroad track. After a couple of days of trial and error, i realised two things. 1: Its really hard when you dont really know what your doing. 2: Its alot of fun :) I am trying to make a bowie knife from a lawnmower blade but i had some little trouble with my forge since i burnt through the steel twice leaving a nice gaping hole in my work. But i kept trying and i finally finished the handle after about 6 hours. It is really satisfying to see some progress after so much work, even though my battered hands mights disagree with me. Hard work but it feels xxxx gooooood! Cant wait to try to make my own micarta and kydex sheaths for my future homemade knives :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Welcome to the forum Look around maybe there is someone close who can help you out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I like how simple your forge is!!!! Very cool! Welcome to IFI- lots of good work and knowledge here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Fill the woc with charcoal, Air controls the heat of the fire, not the depth of the fuel. You need more depth to the fire. Put the forge on something so you do not have to stoop over, you body will thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loneforge Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Welcome to IFI! Great start you got there. I'm a Canadian too! I'm into blades and I tell ya my work has improved incredibly do to support from this site and all the members in it. You all know who you are! Welcome aboard and dig in to all the info on this site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamzeus Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Fill the woc with charcoal, Air controls the heat of the fire, not the depth of the fuel. You need more depth to the fire. Put the forge on something so you do not have to stoop over, you body will thank you. The picture of my forge is from the first time i used it. I figured out i needed more charcoal in it since i burnt my steel twice because the steel was to close to the air supply. Just another situation where "more is less" :D And for making some support for the forge so i dont bend over... well lets say i have no clue how to weld or even have the equipment to do so. Pretty sure a wooden table would'nt last long either, especially mine... i'm a really bad carpenter lol My back is nice and strong because of the boxing i did so bending over isnt really a problem, and i smith maybe once a week . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 I've seen quite a few wooden forges with an ash or clay filled firebox, some over 100 years old by now. I've also built a number of forges with no welding used at all. Many things can be drilled and bolted rather than welded. Take an empty 55 gallon drum, stand on end and layer up about 4" of dirt mixed with wood ashes and a bit of water. Push wok down into the muck, DONE, no welding needed. Find old metal lab stool or bar stool frame. Remove seat, drop wok in hole: Done no welding needed. Take 3 1/2" steel pieces, round or square. Forge flats on the ends and bend slightly. drill and bolt one end to wok, the other ends are feet. DONE, no welding needed. ETC, USW, ... Seems what you need is to free up your thinking as you seem to only "see" methods involving a welder. I have a welder but it takes a major effort to get it to electricity and so I find other ways to accomplish my goals and use the welder only when necessary. (It plugs into the stove plug in our kitchen and my wife is not amused! I tend to build up projects for it until she is off on a trip and then I have a veritable orgy of welding, cleaning up before she gets back. She did notice that I moved a welding table outside the kitchen window though...) May I commend to your attention "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" Weygers as the author commonly designs for what he has or can find rather than goes out and buys everything---he once built a forge from a paint can and a piece of irrigation pipe---the pipe acting as the blower through the chimney effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamzeus Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Take an empty 55 gallon drum, stand on end and layer up about 4" of dirt mixed with wood ashes and a bit of water. Push wok down into the muck, DONE, no welding needed. I actually have a couple of drums laying around my house, kindoff forgot about em. I'l try and work something out with em and improve my forge. Thanks for the idea! :D I'l post a picture if it works out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamzeus Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Upgrade complete!!! Wanted a forge to make bigger knives and my wok just wasnt big enough. I could only heat a small part of the knife.Found some fire bricks and made a pipe tuyere to make 10+ inch blades :D Working great so far and it seems to heat the steel better and faster since there isnt as many gaps in the air supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 And that's a common look in charcoal forges---sort of a slanted trough to allow piling it high and funneling it down to the fire as it burns. Now you can really burn some fuel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgreerberube Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Hey I'm from Canada too! I'm also new too, my introduction post is here... :D Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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