Hardy cutter, sort of a different design(i think)

[Sam Salvati]

Here is a hardy hot cutter, sort of a different design. Fits diagonally into the hardy hole, and can be turned 360. It has a chisel edge, so you can cut and have one flat side and one pointy side as needed, I remember seeing a demo by Mr Hofi on a hot cutter like this i think. Made from a section of leaf spring 3/8"ths by 2 inches wide. I have yet to HT it. I have about 150 pounds of leaf spring bits and peices, some are 3/8ths by 2 by 20 or so inches. I am going to make up some heat treated guillotine tools and maybe a smithing magician.

[Archie Zietman]

Gosh, you have been productive these past few weeks! I like it!

[Ted T]

Sam, AKA --- > Apprentice Man
You are man! I think we could safely call you a "Metal Activist"
You are paving a path to success as a blacksmith. Keep on hammering!
But, “BE Safe”, we need you. Like Glenn says: “Protect everything you want to keep”.
Old Rusty Ted

[rthibeau]

I like looking in to the background of shop photos and the objects that are NOT the focus of the photo...for instance, that hammer....have you dressed it to round off the factory edges and have you considered sanding that handle down to fit your hand better??

[Ian]

Have you made your own yet? :D

[Ferrous Beuler]

Nice work Sam.:)Dan.

[Glenn]

The thinner and sharper the hardie cutter, the better it cuts through hot metal. AND the better it works on cutting flesh, meat, and bone. Remove it from the anvil immediately after you finish using it. DO NOT use the face of the anvil while any tool is in the hardie hole.

[pete46]

Yea :what Glen Said!
Also,don't Drink And Forge;it's Not Called Three Fingers Tequila For Nothing!:(

[Ted T]

Anvil Hardie Tool Safety
About 4 years ago, I trained under a seasoned blacksmith named Naham Hersom from Boise Idaho. He made it a point at the very first part of the training to remind me about not leaving a hardie tool in place after I was done using it.
In fact he suggested that I face the anvil so the striking hand was opposite the hardie hole. I could see his logic, because sometime we forget to remove the hardie tool (especially the hot cut) when we are trying to squeeze out the last bit malleability out of a heat.
Most people I have passed this information onto just shrug their shoulders to the concept and say they will just remember to remove the tool. I am included in this group.
By giving it some thought, I believe the reason is due to how I was first taught to blacksmith. In fact, I wind up standing all around my anvil at times. Although I have never cut or hurt myself on a hardie tool, I try to remain respectful of the potential danger that exists.
Over the years I have had several other old time, full time blacksmiths warn me of the hazard of leaving a hardie tool in place while using another part of the anvil.
One of them told me that he knew of men that had cut their arms and had bleed to death.
Your reminder stuck with me.
Glenn... Like you say;

[KevinD]

I like looking in to the background of shop photos and the objects that are NOT the focus of the photo...for instance, that hammer....have you dressed it to round off the factory edges and have you considered sanding that handle down to fit your hand better??

And whats up with that broom? :confused: :D

[mcraigl]

Sam,
Looks an awful lot like BP0312 Making a Cut-Off Hardy to me. I use mine all the time, I think you'll like it. It's quite nice to be able to flip it around whether you want the square shoulder on the near side or the offside.
ML

[Sam Salvati]

Thanks guys! Thank you for the safety info, I really appreciate it. I rarely forget, but my horn is to the right and i usually work from that side, but always take extra care not to work with the hardy in after i am done using it. Glenn, Pete and Ted, EXCELLENT ADVICE, "protect the things you want to keep", that seems mor elogical than my last mantra of "scars make for good small talk":D.

Richard, Ian, DO YOU NOT SEE THE HAMMER HEADS!?!? I have 10 inches of 1 3/4 inch 4130 round i am gonna use for MY personal hammer.


Kevin, AND WHAT ABOUT MY BROOM!??! That broom has served me well for 2 years, and i stole it fair and square:D.

Mcraigl, NEAT! Looks much sturdier, wish i had a power hammer to step down the post like that and draw out the face. I cannot wait to try it, before my hardy was just a big fat section of axle, very steep sided with a wedged edge not a chisel. Like you say it should work very well. I cannot wait to see how the leaf spring material holds up, i sure do have alot of it.

[jayco]

Sam.....I made a hot-cut hardy from leaf spring years ago. I did mine pretty much as you did, except I didn't think of making it fit diagonally like you did.

I hammered the post section down to 1 inch wide. As there was not enough metal in the post to fill the hardy hole,......mine was a little wobbly.

I had to use the arc welder to build up the post enough to stop the wobble, but it worked.

I didn't hard-quench mine, as I was afraid it might shatter.

Mine has been surprisingly tough and well used.

I just re-dress it a little from time to time.

[Sam Salvati]

Thanks James. I had forged mine so that it fit nicely when hot, but then remembered of course after it cooled, that things are a bit bigger when hot, and a bit smaller when cooled down. SO it had fit perfectly when hot, but wobbled when cool. I heated it back up and forge the shank a bit too big whiel i was hot, and when it was cool it fit perfectly. I partly made mine to fit diagonally because there wasn't enough material to make it fit the whole square. That leaf spring is tough stuff even just as forged, But i have a pretty good way of heat treating tools modified from techniques used on swords and knives and stuff that makes for very tough tools.

[Glenn]

My hot cut hardie is a 3 inch square of leaf spring with another piece welded at 45* (corner to corner). A hardie post is welded on the bottom to bit the anvil. So there would be no questions, I used a grinder to sharpen the cutting edge.

The 45* hot cut was suggested by Irnsrgn one night so I made one just so I could try it. The 45* hot cut does have many advantages.

[Finnr]

I pounded mine from an old crowbar. and had to weld on a collar to make it fit well, Works great with the odd redressing.
Finnr

[Sam Salvati]

Finnr, that was what i was thinking of doing first. Oh ok Glenn, I think I remember when JR mentioned it, on a BP night maybe, they are VERY useful another THANK YOU to JR:D.

[Mende]

COOL! ..I wanted to make a quick hardie to keep me going till i find the time to make or buy an old fashion one. .

great idea!.

[habu68]

My first hot cut hardie was an unmodified 4inch mason's chisel, it fit nicely on the diagonal in my 7/8 inch hardie hole. A small piece of scrap bent 90 deg. along side the shaft took the wobble out. I used it until I started to do "historical" demos, something about the made in china.....

[Sam Salvati]

i should be able to HT this one this week.

[ThomasPowers]

The first one I made was from the broken off end of a jackhammer chisel bit; all I had to do was to square up and draw down the shaft for the hardy hole

An important consideration if you will be using it in a number of anvils where the fit might be tight on one or a couple of them; is to make sure the shaft will stick out under the anvil and be smaller than the hardy hole so it you tap it to get it out it won't mushroom and rivit in place.

[Ted T]

An important consideration if you will be using it in a number of anvils where the fit might be tight on one or a couple of them; is to make sure the shaft will stick out under the anvil and be smaller than the hardy hole so it you tap it to get it out it won't mushroom and rivit in place.

Thomas Powers,
Thank you for pointing out that very useful concept which is new to my thinking.
I consider my self as an “experienced beginner blacksmith” with well over 50 years of practice.
I know it sounds redundant and clich