Fire and Iron.

[JHCC]

6 minutes ago, Frosty said:

You're not saying his forge isn't the only thing on the program blowing smoke are you?!

Hard to say which blows more....

[Bud in PA]

Does everybody realize that magnetic north wanders over time. Just make sure that if you believe this make sure your quench tank is able to swivel. 

[Frosty]

15 minutes ago, Bud in PA said:

Does everybody realize that magnetic north wanders over time. Just make sure that if you believe this make sure your quench tank is able to swivel. 

Good grief Bud, you recall the last correction to the standard compass deviation for magnetic N.! YIKES you're really R-E-A-L-L-Y old!!

So much for hardening blades vertically in a pipe quench tank eh? Myth BUSTED!

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

Let's not forget flipping as well as wandering too!  We're overdue for a good flip; all those folks using blades quenched with the current orientation will have to turn them in for blades properly quenched when the flip happens!

[KYBOY]

18 hours ago, Frosty said:

Well, it could, just COULD be an old skool curmudgeon messin with TV producers too. Hmmm?

What little actual smithing I saw looked competent even if there was a lot of oogga boogga Bull . . . spit being talked. Last night's new episode had virtually zero smithin in it maybe we just don't know what the show's about.

Frosty The Lucky.

It could be, Hershel is no stranger to TV..Hes the real deal, a rock star in the gun making world..Him and his brothers have made guns,hawks and knives for movies like the Patriot,Master and commander(also a planet of the apes film). That beautiful possibles bag worn by Mel Gibson in the patriot was made by Lally House. Hershel made his rifle and I think it was his brother Frank(may have been Hershel) that made the axe for Abaham Lincoln: vampire Hunter...That axe actually worked and fires as well..Its real..

[natenaaron]

39 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

Let's not forget flipping as well as wandering too!  We're overdue for a good flip; all those folks using blades quenched with the current orientation will have to turn them in for blades properly quenched when the flip happens!

Some one will have invented metallurgical Viagra by then. 

[JHCC]

Well, the History Channel deigned to reply to my email, thus:

"Thank you for your recent comments concerning the program Iron and Fire on History.

It is important to us to receive feedback from our viewers, and we appreciate you taking the time to contact us.

Kind Regards,
HISTORY Support"

Isn't that special?

[SLAG]

Special  nah!,  succinct, pithy, & to the point.   Definitely!   SLAG.

[Frosty]

I didn't even get a form letter response! Oh, I am REALLY put out! Now I'll have to learn to hate them. Curse you mid level management pukes!

Ah, I feel MUCH better now.

I must've missed "Hershel" on the show or in the credits.  I'm not familiar with the name, is he associated with the Casey clan, a member, TV guy,  ?

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

Just now, Frosty said:

I must've missed "Hershel" on the show or in the credits.  I'm not familiar with the name, is he associated with the Casey clan, a member, TV guy,  ?

Frosty The Lucky.

Hershel House is actually a pretty well respected gunsmith. I first heard about him when "Foxfire V" came out -- he was featured in the gunsmithing section.

[ThomasPowers]

I remember him demonstrating knifemaking at Quad State 15+ years ago.  I thought he was very good way back then.

[JHCC]

8 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

I remember him demonstrating knifemaking at Quad State 15+ years ago.  I thought he was very good way back then.

There's a good article about House from "Field and Stream" from a few years ago, and another one from "Muzzleloader Magazine" from a few years before that with some nice pictures of his work.

[notownkid]

16 hours ago, JHCC said:

"Thank you for your recent comments concerning the program Iron and Fire on History.

That is what is known as the "Bug Letter" made famous in the Pullman RR Car days.  Too long of a story to write here but I used it many times in Customer Care (or Careless) Conferences.  It's blowing more smoke as someone said here.

Now who can remember Pullman sleeper cars? 

[KYBOY]

Heres another article.It has some nice pics of them forging the barrel and other parts. His stuff commands huge prices but since hes been in the business so long and does such fantastic work its warrented. He isn't in the shows credits Lucky the dude Daniel mentioned him as his mentor and his blacksmith videos as inspiring him to make guns. Thats how he came about in the show..he isn't in it..

http://www.housebrothersproject.com/gallery/index.php?action=view&gll=2

Here is a youtube vid of him on our local outdoor show(longest running outdoor show in the nation)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGpa_SkxmvI

I want to add that pay attention when he shoots his flintlock at the end of this video. You will see that a properly tuned flintlock shoots as fast as a percussion gun.  Lots of folks think that there is a big lag in ignition with flintlock guns. There isn't if its tuned right..

 

 

2 hours ago, KYBOY said:

 

 

[Frosty]

A yahoo search hit pages and pages of videos, articles, interviews, etc. about Hershel house, then there are all the other vids and such about muzzle loaders and flint locks. I've fired ball and cap but never flint locks.

While I've never ridden a Pullman I not only remember them I spent maybe 20 minutes snooping around in one last June at Travel Town, Griffith Park in the San Fernando Valley, S. California.

Frosty The Lucky.

[CAE]

 

I've been generally disappointed with the program "Iron and Fire" Last nights episode pretty much sealed the deal. I was originally hoping the programming would include in depth history and techniques of Blacksmithing  I do find some parts interesting but the fluff, these producers add to this reality program is just plan ridiculous. How stupid do they really think we are.  Anyone with even a minimal knowledge of outdoors and wildlife had to question the blowing up of the "massive Beaver Dam" in last night episode. No Beaver Dam at all. At best a pretty good size Beaver Hut in the middle of a swamp. Backwater that could have very well been created by a dam. What they blew up with some concocted home brew explosive was certainly not a Dam. Not even going to comment on shooting propane tanks with high powered rifles. Just plan ignorant. 

[root]

Was a log jam and he used tannerite. BUT he used more the the BATFE allows by law. YOu are only allowed to detonate 2 lbs at a time NOT 5 as that is in federal violation of explosives set by the BATFE.  I like how he acts how everything is so secret when it comes to making things. LOL to funny.  And with the money he's making ya figure he'd BUY SOME SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

I find the show a joke and just another reason to watch tools go through the roof price wise. Thanks again history channel.   I do respect him for being a very smart man yet living a simple life. not easy to do both today.

 

Rich

[Frosty]

Uh, yeah. Never heard of dynamite and a fuse. Oh and let's test your guns by shooting food, not a deer or boar, can's of chicken soup, eggs and melons. 

I've stopped expecting to see much of value as to blacksmithing, it's more of a glimpse at gunsmithing program. I can watch a fine craftsman of any kind, it's the contrived "hillbilly" production BS I loathe.

I missed them shooting at propane tanks. The charge in the Beaver "dam" were in PVC pipe like last time they saved the river valley from flooding by blowing up a beaver "dam". Oh it was a beaver dam, just so old trees were starting to grow from it and the beaver lodge looked long abandoned.

History Channel producers are following the "more drama is better" formula. The ridiculously childish contrived drama in the program "Ink Master" got me to change channels. I was watching to watch high end tattoo art being made, Not a bunch of coached children sitting around a table in the back room whining, crying, threatening, making stupid predictions, etc. etc.

It's  not the people on the programs it's the program's production values that suck so badly.

Frosty The Lucky.

[CAE]

No Root......last night was a supposed Beaver Dam, which in reality was in the middle of a flooded bottom and about 12' to 15' in diameter. Puniest beaver dam I ever seen. I have no faith that the Blacksmith in the program even lives where the program is produced nor living a simple life. Just my 2 cents. I would love to see a producer take part in this forum and get  some real ideas for future episodes. Last one I will waste my time watching Frosty. By the way I too think "Ink Masters" is a decent program. At 61 only have one Tat but am considering a second commemorating my Irish Heritage.

 

[Bud in PA]

The House brothers are genuine gunsmiths. They can forge their own barrels and locks. From what I can see this guy, Casey, buys commercial barrels and locks. I haven't noticed any boring or rifling machines. I have assembled a couple of flintlocks, but by no stretch of the imagination do I consider myself a gunsmith.  I'll bet a flintlock firearm made in the traditional way would probably cost over $20,000 today. 

[Medy]

I wonder how the police and fire depts are taking to the name of the show? Surprised no one has complained about it yet!

 

[Kozzy]

17 minutes ago, Bud in PA said:

The House brothers are genuine gunsmiths. They can forge their own barrels and locks. From what I can see this guy, Casey, buys commercial barrels and locks. I haven't noticed any boring or rifling machines. I have assembled a couple of flintlocks, but by no stretch of the imagination do I consider myself a gunsmith.  I'll bet a flintlock firearm made in the traditional way would probably cost over $20,000 today. 

I did see about 1/10 of a second where  you could view what looked like an old rifling jig sitting among the tools.  It appeared to be in pretty sorry and questionable shape.  Of course I've also seen some beat up junk that was still able to produce decent work so it's impossible to say if it was an ornament or still a tool.

Good on Casey for being able to leverage his skills into what appears to be a lucrative enterprise.  Bad on History for turning it into the Honey Boo Boo of smithing shows.  

If I seen another milk crate full of faked "surplus" product to be shot at I think I'll end up pulling what's left of my hair out. 

 

[Nobody Special]

It's not the magnetic variances you have to watch in SoCal, it's the zoning variances that are the devil to put up with.

[arkie]

Well, folks have been asking me, knowing that I do a little blacksmithing, "Wow, have you been watching Fire and Iron?  What do you think about it?"

I finally dragged myself to the TV and watched a bit of it for the first time last night.  When they got so engrossed in blowing up a so-called beaver dam instead of seeing any blacksmithing, that was the beginning and end of another History Channel "Honey Boo Boo" for me, as Kozzy so aptly called it.  That, along with more commercial time than showtime,...adios History Channel...again.

 

[Frosty]

8 hours ago, CAE said:

No Root......last night was a supposed Beaver Dam, which in reality was in the middle of a flooded bottom and about 12' to 15' in diameter. Puniest beaver dam I ever seen. I have no faith that the Blacksmith in the program even lives where the program is produced nor living a simple life. Just my 2 cents. I would love to see a producer take part in this forum and get  some real ideas for future episodes. Last one I will waste my time watching Frosty. By the way I too think "Ink Masters" is a decent program. At 61 only have one Tat but am considering a second commemorating my Irish Heritage.

 

I USED to watch "Ink Masters" the contrived drama did me in on it, not a high enough signal to noise ratio to be worth my time. MY last edit got disappeared and by now I only remember a couple details. The explosive charge size is what the show producers want to pay for to get permitted. They have staff to do the paper work and make sure it passes code. It's nothing for a TV program, ever watch Mythbusters? 1,200lbs of C4 was the biggest bang IIRC. I know 1,000lb Anfo explosions weren't uncommon.

I've been watching Iron and Fire for the rare glimpse of good craftsmanship but it isn't holding my attention. I find myself focusing on the TV and they're doing something different or the second episode is on and I didn't notice.

Sad, really sad.

Frosty The Lucky.