March 16, 201412 yr did this to get some time working with a striker, a buddy of mine who happens to be enthusiastic about smithing from time to time, and besides, when it's finished, i'm giving it to him. the steel moved nicely with alternating blows from a 4lb and an 8lb.
March 16, 201412 yr Looks good. Those hammer can be some tough steel to pound out all by your lonesome!
March 16, 201412 yr Is that a crack, fold, or burn that shows in the lower corner? Or maybe it's just the photo?
March 16, 201412 yr Author doc, that mark in the lower corner is just an extra enthusiastic blow from a novice striker. i'll be able to hammer it back out as i work the steel.
March 17, 201412 yr Oddly enough my final project of last year was just the same thing you have right there, including the rebar handle. I never got around to finishing it due to work and weather. Ah well, just one more thing on the list for when the weather gets nice enough to get outside. ~The Mad Rabbit
March 18, 201412 yr Author i shoved the rebar in there because the biggest tongs i've got wouldn't keep a-holt of it. i just got the go-ahead from my pap to start building an extension to my shop so my forge will be out of the weather. now just to keep my dog from eating the electrical cord going to my air supply (for the fourth time). it seems he only wants to chew on things that i use. i threw out a radio and he didnt even touch the power cord on that. makes me wonder what's going on in his head.
March 21, 201412 yr it seems he only wants to chew on things that i use. i threw out a radio and he didnt even touch the power cord on that. makes me wonder what's going on in his head. He's attacking the electrical current. He can hear it's hum.
March 22, 201412 yr Author Gromgor, the stuff he chewed on wasnt plugged in at the time. Had it been it may have deterred the chewing...
May 12, 201412 yr Get a bottle of bitter apple and paint the cords liberally. OR if you want to really make an impression hook a cord to an electric fence charger, one little contact and he'll leave cords alone. Ask a horse owner to borrow one of their spares, it will only take once. Frosty The Lucky.
June 4, 201412 yr That's a cool idea with the rebar. Did you weld it in or just jam it in there? We started doing something like this but couldn't keep ahold of it to save our lives!
June 4, 201412 yr That's a cool idea with the rebar. Did you weld it in or just jam it in there? We started doing something like this but couldn't keep ahold of it to save our lives! Rebar is adequate for an expedient "handle" for forging. Rebar makes a TERRIBLE handle for a working tool except maybe tongs. Any welded steel handle on a striking tool is a good way to give yourself joint injuries. the only exceptions I can think of are Eastwing hammers, hatchets, etc. but they have rubber handles so that may cancel the shock. Frosty The Lucky.
June 6, 201411 yr Author Benton, I just crammed it in there and then upset the end to keep it still. Thomas, your idea is far too sensible and efficient for me to do that. I must go about it the most difficult way possible. :D
June 17, 201411 yr Personally estwings trash my tendons faster than a wooden handle. And a fiberglass handle is only marginally better than a steel one. YMMV:-)
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