Forging Carver Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Hi, So I know that I don't need a swage block yet, but I'm one of those guys who likes to have everything planned ahead of time. So I see a wide variety of swage blocks of different designs. Theres the old ones, sawgeblock.com, salt lake city, some from centuar forge, and some form ken and son's. My question is what is the best most functional swage block for the price. I plan on making knives, carving tools, tools like hammers, and some decor I suppose. I guess a bit of everything. Which would be best, or am I better off asking a fab shop to make my own design? ThanksSorry if this has been answered already, but from my research it hasn't Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 (edited) Make individual swages as it is needed. Attach it to a hardie post and be happy.Need a half round, cut a piece of pipe in half. Need a V swage, use angle iron. Need a square hole, use tubing or angle iron. In building and using your individual swages you will learn what is needed and how it works. At some point you will want to look into a portable hole.Milk crates or wooden boxes are good for storage of the individual swages until you get 2, 3, or more crates or boxes full, and have to spill them all out onto the floor to look for that one special swage. Still much easier than trying to move a factory swage that weighs more than a heavy anvil. Many swages are in the 150 to 175 pound range, some lighter, some heavier. Edited November 1, 2015 by Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 No one swage block fits all cases. They are better for production shops where the same shape is repeated often. Rather than think of spending money on a swage block that is heavy, only used on occasion, in a location that allows you to stumble over, or too far from the forge, you should invest in a "Smithin' Magician". Plans and parts are available from the good folks at "Blacksmith's Journal" which has an online site. The portability and variety of shapes you can create are more to you needs. As Glenn says: individual swages that you create for particular jobs are more useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 If you're making knives, carving chisels/knives and hammers you don't need a swage block at all. Oh sure a round bottom swage for gouges and something to bolster when drifting hammer eyes but that's about it.Unless you're crazy lucky you'll be spending a couple hundred bucks on a tool you don't need or has a limited utility that can be performed by a $20.00 tool. Of course it's up to you.Thinking about it though if I could afford THE perfect tool I don't need an A-10 Thunderbolt (I never liked Warthog as a name for such a splendid air craft) on anfib floats would be on my must have list. I'm not a pilot but I'd learn. Talk about a bush plane!Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I can see Frosty hunting moose with an A-10 Thunderbolt (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I can see Frosty hunting moose with an A-10 Thunderbolt (grin)Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Might be enough for the big bears up there. But to open up a coal seam... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Only Frosty could transform a swage block thread into hunting with an A10! I wonder how much a 30mm depleated Uranium round costs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Mr. Carver,I have half a dozen (or so) different Swage Blocks. I very rarely use one. When you have one, you will figure out another way to do your Job. Sometimes they are a God-send, sometimes another ledge to hold Tools (or Junk). The ultimate Swage Block is a Platen, 5'x5', It is still not perfect for everything but it sure holds a lot of "Tools".Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Ill go against the flow here and say we would not be without ours..We have three and use at least one every day..As swages of course, then one for making spoons and shovels and another industrial type for drifting and we do a whole lot of drifting..Also has a mismatched hardie holder..Know how you never hardly see hardies for sale that fit your anvil, chances are they will fit one of our blocks(no need to make collars) They just make life easier in our shop...I know we could do everything we do with ours in a different way but the blocks are big sturdy and I just like them..LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 If you set up your block just like you would an anvil i.e. proper hight, stable stand, non-cluttered workspace around it, you will find that you use it like an anvil with shapes (which is what it is). If it lives on the ground in the corner with stuff stacked on it guess what, it's not going to be a useful tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 So have you read "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" Weygers where he makes special tooling to forge carving gouges using a power hammer? (He was an amazing sculptor and his information on making carving tools is a must read if you are doing such things!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seldom (dick renker) Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 always thought i needed to have a swage block. finally got one with our group from the salt fork folks. nice block, even made a bracket to hold it on my anvil. have had it nearly a year and have used it one time. im sure i will use again and more but so far has not been the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 NO I didn't hijack the thread into hunting with an A-10 I want one to get into fishing holes. I mentioned it as an example of super fancy with little real utility.I have an excellent Lancaster pattern swage block 220lbs. at least. I saved it from the scrap bin at the Heavy Duty shop. New foreman gave me a call "want it it's yours, get it out of the shop" or it's in the next scrap run." It'd been taking up room in the heavy duty shop for 50 years and he wanted it gone. It was some kind of blacksmith tool but they NEVER use them, not since pre statehood early Federal Road Commission territorial days.I've had it for a good 30 years and almost never use it. On rare occasion I'll sink a dipper over a through hole and have used the 120* V swage to make an anvil devil once. I keep it relatively close to the forge but well out of the way. Oh yeah, I use one of the hex swages to shape Brian Brazeal style slit punch tips. I have a hex bottom swages I could clean up if I wanted to dig one out of the bucket but the swage block is RIGHT THERE.I guess I DO use it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I don't use mine at all---except for when it's a *MUST*. Even then if it's a task I plan to do more of I will try to make or modify a bottom swage to do it on my anvil. (Of course I have a couple of good sized anvils to hold such swages---1.5" hardy holes.) Some people do things where they would use it all day every day; depends on what you do and what methods you use to do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 On 11/1/2015 5:31:38, Judson Yaggy said: If you set up your block just like you would an anvil i.e. proper hight, stable stand, non-cluttered workspace around it, you will find that you use it like an anvil with shapes (which is what it is). If it lives on the ground in the corner with stuff stacked on it guess what, it's not going to be a useful tool. Ive found this to be very true..I was in an industrial smiths shop a few years ago and he had several nice swage blocks. He said he never used them but would not sell them(don't blame him) and I remember saying "well if you got them out from behind that 12' long lathe you might On a side not he had a 5' solid floor cone that he turned on that big lathe. It was a thing of beauty if it did weigh 500 pounds.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Cheers KY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I realise this thread is few days old now, but thought I'd chuck in my 2 cents as well. I was in a very similar situation maybe two years ago now. I had a hankering for a swage block, I think I even posted a very similar thread and the response then was the same as it is now. - Most smiths simply don't use the one they had and it was most often used as a shelf for other equipment. Shortly after that I found one located near a buddy of mine and I made an offer on it which was accepted to my surprise. It's a small block at 12" square by 4" thick. I built a rubbish stand for it then spent the time building something much more substantial. Do I use it? No not really. Like everyone said it has become a handy shelf to store other things on in my tiny little shop. I use it from time to time for a few different things but on the whole it sits unused. My advice would be not to bother and to make hardy tools as you need them. UNLESS you find one in good condition and at a stupidly low price then invest your money elsewhere. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 On 14 November 2015 02:28:32, Everything Mac said: I realise this thread is few days old now, but thought I'd chuck in my 2 cents as well. I was in a very similar situation maybe two years ago now. I had a hankering for a swage block, I think I even posted a very similar thread and the response then was the same as it is now. - Most smiths simply don't use the one they had and it was most often used as a shelf for other equipment. Shortly after that I found one located near a buddy of mine and I made an offer on it which was accepted to my surprise. It's a small block at 12" square by 4" thick. I built a rubbish stand for it then spent the time building something much more substantial. Do I use it? No not really. Like everyone said it has become a handy shelf to store other things on in my tiny little shop. I use it from time to time for a few different things but on the whole it sits unused. My advice would be not to bother and to make hardy tools as you need them. UNLESS you find one in good condition and at a stupidly low price then invest your money elsewhere. Andy Wanna sell it to me Andy?! could do with a new shelf! Atb, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 11 hours ago, Curly said: Wanna sell it to me Andy?! could do with a new shelf! Atb, Tim Lol not after all the effort I went to, to make a decent stand for it. It's one of those thing I don't "need" but it is awfully handy when you do need it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lix0PS8cAiM All the best Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 On 22 November 2015 07:40:41, Everything Mac said: Lol not after all the effort I went to, to make a decent stand for it. It's one of those thing I don't "need" but it is awfully handy when you do need it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lix0PS8cAiM All the best Andy Haha was worth a punt! Will keep searching ebay, most seem to be up north for large chunks of money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 How many years do you think it'll be before you'll have used the swage block for more time than making the stand? I made my swage stand from guard rail posts with a chain saw and long bolts. I think I'll hit break even on the time before I die but no guarantees. I'm REALLY glad I didn't weld up the one I'd designed on paper before judging how much I'd use the thing. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 I dread to think. I must have several hours in the stand. And I've got a good few minutes use out of the swage block. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 I like everyone else have felt the want for a swage block, every time I've visited an old shop I admire theirs, taken pictures of them. Seen a couple for sale for Big $$. A couple yrs. ago I won a small swage that the New England Blacksmiths have made and sell. I was over joyed, lugged it home, have moved it between shops a couple times, held down part of the wood pile with it and most recently have used it to hold one end of conduit when I was cutting it to size. BUT when I get the shop set up I'll make a nice stand for it and I will get a lot of use out of it, well at least that is the master plan. Always felt the need for a cone as well, why? got me! If we only had what we really need our shops would be some empty to say nothing of out homes. Want is what makes the world go round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 12 hours ago, Everything Mac said: I dread to think. I must have several hours in the stand. And I've got a good few minutes use out of the swage block. Andy You're ahead of me and mine is just 5"x8" guardrail posts chainsawed and screwed together maybe a couple hours total. The stand lets me use it flat as it sits in the pic or tip it up onto edge on the step using a pinch bar. I'd install a retainer to keep it from tipping when on edge but I just don't use it much and it's safely out of traffic patterns Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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