Glenn Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Old time blacksmiths understood nature, and things such as the alignment of the stars. They used it to their advantage when ever possible. For instance, in order to make a perfect forge weld, it should be done at midnight, under a full moon, during the equinox. The equinox is either of the two times each year ( about March 21 and September 23) when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are everywhere on earth of approximately equal length. When you get all three at the same time, use this window of opportunity to make the perfect forge weld. If in doubt, take it to the forge and try it for your self. Once you see how easy it really is, it will be a day you never forget. Forge welding has been discussed on the site before. Some of the best discussions are: February 2003 S0002 Making Your First Forge Weld September 2010 Forge Welding / Equinox / Full Moon = perfect welds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Well, ... what you say is certainly true, ... but unless you also have a "lucky" Buckeye in your ( right ) pocket, ... and spit 3 times, ( towards the East ) before you begin, ... your weld will surely fail, on the anniversary of the day you lost your virginity. But don't take my word for it. This test has been used since time immemorial, among the craft-clans of lower Heetitnbeetit, ... as part of their prenuptial ceremonies. ( A Bride who cannot produce an unbreakable weld, ... must then provide 47 Hogsheads of Coal, as part of her dowry. ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtnstream Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Having never seen a perfect forge weld I can't say how to make one. I'm going to try the full moon at Equinox though.... "Don't attempt perfection, it's a moving target" unknown artist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 this just doesn't seem very practical... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNC Goater Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 If you quench your blades on the summer or winter solstice, it won't warp. But only if the tip points north. It won't warp if pointed south either but it will get shorter. Trying to quench on the equinoxes results in warped blades. spring = right warp, fall = left warp...unless you're holding it upside down when it's plunged in the quench tank. In the event of a full moon on either equinoxes, the warp rule is null. The north-south rule is still in effect except opposite, it gets longer if pointed south. Oh wait, that sounded bad... Disregard, just point the blades north & all will be well. Pointing west results in a northward or right twist, pointing east results in a northward or left twist. So either west or east results in a left or right twist but always a northward twist. Warps are bad, twists are worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 I beg to differ WNC. Done properly quenching your cork screw pointing west while you maintain a careful rate or rotation saves the steps involved in screwing it up. The real trick is laying your wine bottle in the ice tub pointed east so it threads itself onto the cork screw. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gote Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Frosty Do you know that you can get the cork out by banging the bottom of the bottle into a tree or similar. The cork will slowly slowly creep out. A geta way to make sure the 'depot' will be thoroughly blended in again Oh I forgot. The round horn must point to the nearest place for worship of pagan gods. (for forge welding, the bottle can point any direction - --I hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNC Goater Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 I beg to differ WNC. Done properly quenching your cork screw pointing west while you maintain a careful rate or rotation saves the steps involved in screwing it up. The real trick is laying your wine bottle in the ice tub pointed east so it threads itself onto the cork screw. We were talking blades, you're "screwing" up the conversation bringing corkscrews into the mix. Whole 'nuther set of rules. This whole thread has taken a "turn" for the worse & I think my brain is getting "twisted" up. Next thing you know someone will suggest pros and cons of bacon fat vs. beef tallow as a quenchant for tempering forged rebar samurai swords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 (don't tell them the real secret is to quench them in soy sauce as a modified brine quench!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNC Goater Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Ahh, Asian brine quench. Who knew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 (Shhhhhhhhhhh!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmbobnick Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 I think the whole cosmic influence thing on the quality of forge welding is a bunch of hooey. However I will play along. My shop happens to be in full blackout of the August 21 total eclipse. Now IF I don’t get summoned to ogle the eclipse along with every other ogler that will be passing through my normally bucolic environment, I may try and hammer a forge weld sometime during that 2 minutes of planetary alignment. If the thing sticks then there may be something to the whole notion, since I am as spectacularly inept at forge welding as Glenn is spectacularly adept at provoking the membership to fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 5 hours ago, gmbobnick said: My shop happens to be in full blackout of the August 21 total eclipse. Now IF I don’t get summoned to ogle the eclipse along with every other ogler that will be passing through my normally bucolic environment, I may try and hammer a forge weld sometime during that 2 minutes of planetary alignment. AAAAHHHH!!! NOOOOO!!!!! That's when you temper the blade that you made from comet dust and lava! Quenched in the blood of a pure white horse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmbobnick Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 2 hours ago, JHCC said: made from comet dust and lava! Quenched in the blood of a pure white horse! Closest I might be able to come is with a blade that looks like lava....quenched in Budweiser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 14 hours ago, WNC Goater said: We were talking blades, you're "screwing" up the conversation bringing corkscrews into the mix. Whole 'nuther set of rules. This whole thread has taken a "turn" for the worse & I think my brain is getting "twisted" up. Next thing you know someone will suggest pros and cons of bacon fat vs. beef tallow as a quenchant for tempering forged rebar samurai swords. Would that be the post WWII rebar that was forged from samurai swords? I think that was quenched in ketchup wasn't it? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 37 minutes ago, Frosty said: I think that was quenched in ketchup wasn't it? Only after the smiths were mustard out. (I thought you'd relish that one.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Are you a dressing me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Practice safe seax (quenching), use a condiment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNC Goater Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 14 hours ago, Frosty said: Would that be the post WWII rebar that was forged from samurai swords? I think that was quenched in ketchup wasn't it? Frosty The Lucky. Only Asian condiments will work per T.Powers. Soy for example. Not sure about Duck Sauce, Wasabi, Rice Wine, or various other condiments of Far East origination. I suppose they will work but I think TP wants to keep it a secret. 8 hours ago, John McPherson said: Practice safe seax (quenching), use a condiment! Good advice! (see above) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Oh the activities latent in plum sauce! Safe seax also involves a sheath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 It's beginning to sound like you guys are making shivs and condimenting them to hard time. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Anyone who wants to be a shiv-er should just chill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 The way I get a perfect forge weld is to let my wife do them, she's good at it, has the magic touch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 All those shivers are just a splinter group. Don't let them get under your skin. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesman7 Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 On 6/8/2017 at 1:04 PM, gmbobnick said: I think the whole cosmic influence thing on the quality of forge welding is a bunch of hooey. However I will play along. My shop happens to be in full blackout of the August 21 total eclipse. Now IF I don’t get summoned to ogle the eclipse along with every other ogler that will be passing through my normally bucolic environment, I may try and hammer a forge weld sometime during that 2 minutes of planetary alignment. If the thing sticks then there may be something to the whole notion, since I am as spectacularly inept at forge welding as Glenn is spectacularly adept at provoking the membership to fun. I'll be one of the oglers coming up to WY. to watch the eclipse. If you're really going to try to forge weld then, make sure that the horn of your anvil is pointed towards the eclipsed sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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