jlpservicesinc Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 there will be no stopping you now.. whoot, whoot.. that anvil and hammer is pretty close to how I got started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 Ptree once built a powerhammer that would sit on his Quad-State hat; worked too, they tried it out with a pin heated in a lighter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 I just grabbed the first hammer I found. And this is my most Portable anvil haha that’s awesome! I saw a fully functional Massey model. Salesman sample I think. Super cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 21, 2020 Author Share Posted May 21, 2020 2.5 lbs cross peen. Swedish pattern 4140 on a hickory handle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 21, 2020 Author Share Posted May 21, 2020 Attempt at a leaf from 1/8” stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 One part of a latch finished up. Wrought iron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnskij Posted May 22, 2020 Share Posted May 22, 2020 Nice! That reminds me a bit of a forged halloween decoration by Blackbear forge i watched on youtube last night. Think you could do a ghostly latch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 22, 2020 Author Share Posted May 22, 2020 Haha I suppose it does not that you mention it ! A ghostly latch could look sweet ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 23, 2020 Author Share Posted May 23, 2020 Somewhat of a hofi style cross peen 2.6 lbs. Hickory handle 4140 hammer head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 I Needed a shop knife so here’s a quick and dirty shop knife. Forged from coil spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 You're getting better Justin though you need to work on hammer control, a knife doesn't need that many hammer marks. Looks like a good working shop knife but you don't want to forge anything without trying to make it your best unless there's a pressing need for quick and dirty. Say the old lady next door can't get her seat belt unlatched and she accidentally got a flash fire in her mug of Vodka lighting a Cheroot. In tense emergency situations, quickly whacking out something sharp to free the old lady and defend yourself when you can't save her mug of vodka is PERFECTLY okay. It's a nice profile and size. well done. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 Thanks frosty. The main reason I didn’t spend more time cleaning it up is it’s gonna sit out side. Rust. Probably get lost in a few days and generally get abused. Just need it to open coal Bags and stuff like that. I also didn’t have a lot of time to forge tonight with other stuff so I didn’t have time to make it perfect. Eventually I’ll re do it better once I lose this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 I wasn't talking about grind, and finish I was talking about the hammer marks. Better control and you can forge a blade and hardly need to clean up marks. There are just a couple marks where the hammer wasn't parallel with the anvil face. It's a matter of practice is all. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 Ahhh my mistake. Thank you frosty. I bet if I took my time I could do it much better. I’ll have to give it a try one of these days when I have more time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Heh, heh, heh. It's just a matter of striking with the hammer face parallel to the desired face of the stock. On a wedge like a knife blade you need to angle the hammer to match. It's just a practice thing. Making leaves is excellent practice and don't sting as much as a blade if you screw one up beyond salvage. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 Wouldn’t sting too much to mess a blade up. They don’t take too long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Should maybe take a little longer? My advice to beginners is to concentrate on getting good, fast will come with it. I take it slowly on new processes or a new combination to make products but I was taught that way from a kid. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 I spent like an hour or total on that knife. I have time to forge today so I’ll forge one as best I can and we shall see how it looks. I only spent that long because it’s all the time I had available to forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 I understand time limitations, I actually like deadlines, they make a neat swooshing sound as they fly past. Just pay closer attention to the hammer face's effects and adjust. Forge the blade with the edge on the edge of the anvil and use half face blows. This will naturally draw the steel thinner at the edge gradually thicker the farther from the edged. That's a darned good job for a new smith in that short a time. Well done. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Frosty.. My father was nearly the exact opposite.. When we would work together his quote was " We are not building a church".. I've gotten even more finicky as I've aged as now I can spend the extra time without worrying about what it costs.. Justin, I am with Frosty.. You are doing an excellent job at proceeding at your work and you have many concepts down.. What separates average from great is not that big of a leap since you all ready have most of the skills needed in place. Refinement and wanting or having the desire to evaluate the work to reach a higher level is all that is needed.. I used to be very fast at forging and still no slacker though about 3/4 slower than I used to be.. With this said.. Even with shorter time frames available putting in and working towards the best finished surfaces will increase your speed overall though it might seem slower initially. Forging to finish can offer some serious advantages once it's in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Oh BOY did we have different Fathers! Bet your Father didn't make parts for the aerospace industry, my Father thought of 0.00001" as slop. I had a heck of a time measuring every cut to 1/64" when we were framing the house. WHAT DO YOU MEAN +/1/2" is close than necessary?! I took up blacksmithing at maybe 12 to get away from specs in the mils and the level of stress Dad was always under. He worked at that and closer tolerances routinely but the stress never left him. Blacksmithing was all visceral: eye, hand and ear, using a ruler was tight tolerances. It was what I needed and never stopped playing with fire and hitting things with hammers. I can still hold +/- 0.00001" on a lathe but haven't needed to in a long time. I'm not as fast or good as I used to be, the accident screwed up my vision and eye hand coordination. The steel is no longer as predictable so I go much slower. I used to make leaf coat hooks at demos start to finish in under 7 minutes while keeping up a steady patter. up to 10 mins for a bottle opener depending on the type. I can still do it so it's all good. Better, I get to make up tall tales for unsuspecting newbies. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 I appreciate it all. I’m not trying to come off rude or anything so apologizes if I am. I think one of my biggest issues is with my Rush I didn’t clean the spine. I wanted a savage grind to begin so I flattened it with the rounding sides before beveling. I Don’t think I remembered the to use the flat face to smooth it out after. later today I will give it a go and see if I can do it better. As a side note I made a wood chisel from wrought iron and 52100 steel. Etching it now and you can see the transition on the edge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 You don't have anything to apologize for Justin. We just get talking at any excuse. That looks like it'll be a nice chisel. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Topp Posted May 26, 2020 Author Share Posted May 26, 2020 Well here’s the finished chisel. Need to sharpen it better. But it’s already fairly sharp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 26, 2020 Share Posted May 26, 2020 The problem with quick and dirty tools that are sure to get lost; is that 30+ years later they are still hanging around the forge and all the *nice* ones have gone walkabout. I have my first ugly chisel, quick forged to dig stones out of a root burl I wanted to turn. I don't think I could lose it if I went into a jungle, closed my eyes and whirled around let it fly off and continued to whirl around a bit before stopping and opening my eyes. Shoot it would probably beat me back to the shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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