I need some ideas for a beginner to make a heart out of a horseshoe.  My daughter is upset about her horse dying so I told her I would try and make her a heart out of one of his shoes so she can hang it in her room.  I don't know where to begin.  I would appreciate some ideas and maybe some photos if possible. Thanks

Here's a video from Dave Custer that goes thru the process of making a heart out of a horseshoe.

 

Not sure how many shoes from that horse you have, but you may want to try to shape a piece of metal not from a horse shoe until you get some moves working for you.
Couple of ways to do them: you can forge weld the heals together and use that for the bottom,,and dip in the top to shape that..or you can point the toe of the shoe for the bottom and leave the heals unwelded and turn them in at the top for that shape,,just make them kind of close together.
If you do the latter keep in mind that and old blacksmiths thought is to hang a shoe with the heels pointed up so the lluck will not run out.
And of course many smiths including me say that a shoe hung in a smiths shop has the heels down so the luck will spill onto the anvil and leave the shop in everything made there.


Or,,,watch that video of how it is done really well.,,,,that posted as I was writing.

Thanks fellas.  It seems a whole lot easier seeing it being done.

I just recently made some of these, in just the opposite fashion, ... by forming the cleft in the toe of the shoe, and them bringing the heels together into a point.

 

Brian's way is better.  :P

 

 

 

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I bought some horse shoes last night.  I am going to give it a try in the morning and see what happens.  Hopefully I will be able to post a picture or two.

Depending on how it goes you might like to add some additional details like this one.  Great video!

when I am done I use a red metal stain to make them red

 

The videos make it look a lot easier than it is (for me at least!)
I have yet to make one i feel is good enough to show. (I have a touch of OCD and if the ends aren't even-steven I end up working them to death!)
I second (or third) the idea of using a few practice ones.
 

I have yet to make one i feel is good enough to show. (I have a touch of OCD and if the ends aren't even-steven I end up working them to death!)

 

 

Since I tend to try to do everything by eye.. And because my eye isn't so good, I found a fix for slightly uneven ends. And of course, I don't have a pic, but... I bend the longer side in farther, and place the tip of the shorter end against the longer section. And since I usually do horse heads on the ends, they look like they're nuzzling. And the ladies in the gift shop coo and fawn all over 'em.

 

 

 

 

Hello,

 

Very sorry indeed to hear your daughter lost her horse.

 

Having lost 2 horse's this week. One of my customer's paso rescue, and a friend of my wife's quarter horse barrel horse, both thru colic. I made this heart from the fire to give to the owner, 'R'.

 

I'd like to do another for the little fella (paso) too - his life was much harder, although, he enjoyed a great period of free life with lot's of healthy buddies, sadly his past neglect caught up with him (not his feet).

 

Rose from Fire.

 

Regards,

 

Paddy Falvey AFA CF