DSW Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 As far as stock, what do you have available? You'd seen ones made above out of 1/2" round rebar. I've used 1/2" or 5/8" round or square regularly. 1" or 3/4" x 1/4" flat works well ( I think the example above with my punch/drifts were 1" x 1/4") I've even made them of 1/2" x 3/ 16". I've seen twisted loop ones done with 1/4" or 3/16" round. I've made one from 1" thick rebar, but it took a lot of forging to get the top down to a usable size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDarkNebulah Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Im planning on making one out of a railroad spike, using the pointed end. Anyone done this before and have tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 I kind of just upset the point back into the main body some so I had a nice even thickness of material to start with. Then I punched and drifted it the same way I do all the rest of them and added the twist at the request of the buyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDarkNebulah Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 Do you flatten the end at all before you start to open it up for the opener? Or do you just go straight into it after upsetting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 In that one I think I upset it back to roughly main stock thickness, then did the step by flattening it half off the anvil, but it's been a bit since I made that one, so I might be wrong. At that point it's not really any different than working with 5/8" square stock. Those I usually just knock in the corners, fuller to define the head area of the opener and spread the area before punching and drifting. I'm sure I could make on by flattening the end 1st. From what I remember I simply wanted to start out with stock of similar size so I upset all the way back. I guess since I was going to twist it anyways, I could have pushed the point back some and left the edges knocked off, then fullered to define where I was going to flatten it down, then flattened the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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