Jump to content
I Forge Iron

How to make a perfect forge weld, every time.


Recommended Posts

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:

S0002 Making Your First Forge Weld 

September 2010 Forge Welding / Equinox / Full Moon = perfect welds

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 102
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

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. )

 

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 :wacko:

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...