Once an anchor, now a chisel!

[VaughnT]

Catchy title, huh?  :)  Seriously.... it started life as a guy anchor for a utility pole.  I found it off in the wilds, how it got there is a mystery, and wasn't about to pass up 6' of 5/8" round stock even it was mangled and corroded.  Still had the eye and the original nut.  No sign of galvanizing, but full of potential. 

 

Of course, that was before I started forging it!  Hands down the most difficult steel I've ever hammered on even when yellow hot.

 

Real basic design and just about all I could do even with a yellow heat.  Very tough stuff.  I cut it about 10" long so my hand would be plenty far away from the heat.  The bevel is rather sharp and I might change that after I see how it works.  I basically wanted something for veining and marking.

 

 

Here's my "artsy" shot.  Gotta try to keep up with some of the shutterbug smiths around here!

 

[Ridgewayforge]

Very nice! What is the best angle to place the bevel at for different applications?

[vapremac]

Nice job, I wouldn't have passed that up either if I ran across it !

The farmers around here keep me supplied with things like that so I'll have stock on hand
when they call me to repair something at 11 p.m. on Saturday night. It happens way more
than one would expect, I allways remind them that "weekend and after hours rates apply".

The "artsy" pic looks good as well!

[VaughnT]

Ridge, think about it more like a punch in that what bevel angle you choose will leave a specifically-shaped depression in the metal.  If you go with something almost knife-like, you'll get a thin valley that looks "right" on small leaves, but your edge will wear down faster.  Go with something more blunt and you get a wide valley cut in the stock, but that might not look good on the piece you're making.  A thinner edge certainly cuts hot metal faster and with less deformation of the surrounding material.

[Mudman]

HA! I see your on here too. lol