Laynne Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 I did it again. Grabbed some half inch round, cut off a piece, used the fuller on it. I thought to myself "that was easy". Went to taper it and it started fraying. It was from an old gate brace or something, about twenty feet long. Two weeks in a row now. I just keep separating it out until I decide what to do with it. I live on property homesteaded in the late 1800s. The barn was demolished before we purchased. It's hard telling what I would find with a metal detector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1forgeur Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 Bet it would be pretty interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 Laynne, you have to forge wrought iron HOT. With most WI you need to work it between welding heat and about yellow. Below that, you risk your workpiece fraying or splintering. If it does you can sometimes forge weld it back together. High quality fine grained WI doesn't tend to separate as much. Way back when, before modern steel, that's all smiths had to work with so it can be managed. Joey van der Steeg works with WI often. Check out his videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 Yep, but once it's at right temperature it moves like butter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 Forge welds beautifully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laynne Posted August 12, 2019 Author Share Posted August 12, 2019 11 hours ago, arkie said: Laynne, you have to forge wrought iron HOT. Joey van der Steeg works with WI often. Check out his videos. Point taken. That's where it was when I was using the fuller and yes it moved like butter. I should have taken another heat before tapering. I'm separating it from the known material as it pops up. Then it won't surprise me, maybe. As long as I keep learning it's all good. Thanks for the pointers. Keep saying it and eventually it will get through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 I save my WI for high authenticity replicas and the coarser grades for blade hardware where etching it leaves an interesting look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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