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I Forge Iron

3 Hammer eye Drafts, One Punch, One Hot Cut, One Twist


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While it is true you have banged some metal, a drift you have not made. Punches, yes. A drift is a piece that tapers on both ends and the middle is a specific size to true up a hole. It is meant to be driven from one side all the way through and drop out the other side.

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Hi m brothers. Very cool :cool: ! Thanks for showing what you have.

To clarify a little on what Mills said, yes, he is right. That is not a drift. But a lot of people call it a drift. Even I call it a drift, and, that is technically wrong. A drift is shot all the way through the hole, and out the other side. Therefore, it requires a taper on both ends.

Here is why I call what you have "a drift". To me, a drift is the tool used to shape the hole to the final size. For example, I would use a torpedo drift to make the hole in a pair of tongs. But for a hammer, I prefer to "drift" the hole from both ends without hammering the tool all the way through. This produces an hourglass cross-section to the hole, and helps the head stay on the handle a lot better. So, I punch, then drift, then heat treat.

This is not the only way to make a hammer, though. The Dream Team has a different approach that uses a real drift. When the drift is in the hole, you spread the cheeks with a cross pein hammer. This gives the hammer a "cheeky" look, not a "clubby" look. In my opinion, it looks a lot better, and the Team points out that the cheeks make the hammer grip then handle better, especially when starting with smaller stock. The third step is my second step. Go in with the tapered tool (not "drift") and make that hourglass shape.

Although this three step method produces a beautiful and shapely hammer, smiths have warned me not to do this on top tools, since it makes them liable to buckle at the eye. One fellow I know has an 8 pound one hand sledge that he will use to hit a top tool made from 7/8" stock. If you spread the cheeks, you might buckle around the eye :o.

I still call it a "drift" by habit. And I still get corrected. And I still admit they're rignt :)

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Matt try it with carbonated water first---less clean-up---and report back...please!

Better to learn proper etiquette before you can make use of it than to learn the barbarisms taught by the barely legal who have no consideration for you and your health whatsoever!

Now to make a loggerhead for my woodstove so I can properly mull over my quaffing compounds!

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only if you don't drink it afterwards! Lots of "hot ale" receipes around for wassail involving taking a hot poker from the fire and warming up the drink!


Brings new meaning to the flaming shot thing hehe. Maybe a new tradition at the local hammer ins, flaming shots lit by a hot steel bar!
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Actually urine *is* a documented quenchant! Theophilus wrote in "Divers Arts" around 1120 AD, (CE for you PC folks), that the proper quenchant for steel was the urine of a small red headed boy or a goat that had been fed only ferns for 3 days.

It works sort of like a brine, a bit better than plain water and is has such an amusing smell when the hot steel hits it---especially when it's a bit stale...

I use it for quenching medieval eating knives for folks who want high levels of authenticity

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  • 1 year later...

Hi guys. I'm based in the UK and am desperately trying to get hold of a loggerhead, or at least find a picture of one so that I can recreate it.

I'm trying to refashion the classic flip cocktail as previously mentioned. But not any old fire poker will do. As I understand it, a loggerhead is a bit like a poker with a ball on the end. Can anyone confirm this? A picture of one would be great as well.

Thanks.

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