Jump to content
I Forge Iron

What did you get for Christmas 2019 ?


Recommended Posts

Ahh, I LOVE blacksmiths! :) I mean, who else would get a guillotine for Christmas and be happy enough to announce it to the world? 

SWEET SCORE on the Wife and present Pedro. May the new year be the best yet and the least of those to come.

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not really blacksmith related but my daughter got me this blanket with pics of my dog on it. This Sunday will be 1 year ago that he passed and i miss him everyday. My very best friend in the world. Never had a dog like him before and provably never will again. 

20191226_171123.thumb.jpg.28d42f5e5d69c427afa9b7c30bd7deb0.jpg

Best i could do with the light and a fuzzy blanket. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My blacksmithing related presents. Quick tong bundle and RR spike tongs from Ken's Custom Iron. My husband got those and then was trying to think of other things. He PMd Jennifer of jlpservicesinc since she is such a great influence for me and asked her what he should get. Hence the Nicholson files, file card, chalk and the awesome book by Mark Aspery. Thanks for helping him out Jennifer. I love everything. 

20191226_171015.jpg

20191226_170804.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CGL, Your Husband was so sweet to reach out and get you these wonderful smithing items..  

What a great assortment.   Merry Christmas indeed.. :) 

the chalk is used to fill the troughs on the teeth of the files to help resist clogging and to make them easier to clean with the file card..  When you first use the files remember to push them lightly and only have light pressure in the forwards, (cutting) direction.   In other words only push down enough to let the file do the cutting action vs pushing down harder to try to get a deeper cut.   Filing hard scale will dull the files pretty quickly so vinegar soak or a thorough aggressive wire brushing will remove the surface scale. 

when you chalk the files, only push forwards with that same light pressure till the teeth are full..  some will always be dust and thats ok..  I've used baby powder, pam cooking spray and WD40 as a file lube or anti clog, but the chalk works about the best. 

When you use the file card use it lightly as well.  Traditionally they were also only used in 1 direction and need to be kept flat to the file surface otherwise the little wires will get bent or knocked off.    I started using the file card in both directions staying away from each end and this has lead to a longer life on the file cards..  I'm am more careful with the file cards than with files now. LOL. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice book Rojo Pedro. I have a few in my library, but the Aspery book is by far the best one. I'll have to continue getting more of his volumes. I had never heard of using chalk on files before. Great pro tip. These are the niceset files I've ever had, so they will be used with great care. The chalk is the ones they use for your hands when you play pool. My daughter works at a local bar and asked her boss if she could have one. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IF&C We should discuss your comment as for preventing scratches draw filing or otherwise..     A file will load up with particles stuck in the file as the teeth wear..  The chalk fills these wave troughs and helps to keep the metal just removed from sticking.  Basically a file is a series of tops and bottoms and can be looked at as a wave or sorts. 

These piece of metal that will stick in between the teeth in the root of the trough will gall creating a scratch or very deep scratch..  It is not the teeth of the file doing the scratching or galling. 

Technically it is galling that is taking place.. But. 

I find I barely ever need it when draw filing if I blow the dust away as I work.. The chisel video will show this in number 2.. 

Now when cross filing vs draw filing the clogging of the file with bits is much more likely as the chips are only so long and can not move out of the way of the tooth profile behind it and will lock onto that tooth and seems as though it welded to that tooth..  the file card is used to remove that stuck cutting or chip.. If this does not work, use a piece of flat brass about 5 or 6" long and use this the same as the file card in line with the teeth working across the file.. Use the front end/edge of the corner to force this chip,burr out/off the tooth.. 

This is proper cleaning and will lead to a longer life.. 

CGL, when you find your files are getting dull they will go to showing a reflection of light on the top of the tooth.. there are file sharpening services which cost much less than a new file. 

Hit me up when the time comes and I'll share it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Always clean before storage.  Keep the files protected from hitting each other or other metal tools, and wrap each separately or separated by cloth etc when you store them.  

Make a series of slots in wood and store each file on edge in its individual slot. This can be used just as well for your rasps. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rojo Pedro,   Practical blacksmithing was my bible for many years. I love that book.  I would use the book as a forging exercise book with each chapter or skill set presented as a skill set to accomplish. 

I spent many a time making whiffle tree clips but have never needed one..   Anyhow,  what I did find is this book was for people all ready in the trade with a skill set in place.. So, some information was left out.. Not because they left it out as a secret, but was left out as common knowledge not needing explanation. 

Still one of my favoirte books and a great one to have in the library.   The Blacksmiths craft was my other favorite..  Now of course Mark Aspery's books are very good. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To separate tools i use the racks out of an old refrigerator. I bent an angle about 2" from one end then about 6" of flat." _/\__" sort of shape when viewed from the side. The tools lie nicely in the racks and the coating helps protect things like files from the metal bars. Works well for pliers and wrenches also. I have seen them with 2 bends but if you are not wheeling the tool box around a lot it is not needed.  You will need to rig up some kind of brake to bend them, otherwise it is a pain to bend all the bars at the same time and angle. I will try and remember to get  pic tomorrow at work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My family was broken up between 3 states for Christmas this year. We finally got together for quiche brunch this morning. 

My dad bought me an anvil. 

20191229_150016.thumb.jpg.8f98180114407c22c87122e01df979f5.jpg

20191229_150026.thumb.jpg.2471fa41ab4e5c93db0032720258bd2a.jpg

20191229_151310.thumb.jpg.6c899df5f5ad91ba5476598b6777a191.jpg

Well, a lil 1# aso sample/trinket. :) it's cute tho. 

also got some new boots, so I'm happy. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎12‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 5:20 PM, jlpservicesinc said:

there are file sharpening services which cost much less than a new file. 

Hit me up when the time comes and I'll share it. 

jen , do you use that file sharpening service and are you happy with the service?

Edited by Mod30
trim excessive quote
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...