February 6, 20224 yr 16 hours ago, bluerooster said: Oh, and one more thing. Ordered new glasses today. Trivex lenses, with IR protection. Came out cheaper than the same thing cost me back in 2006. At the same place. : I'm saving up some money to get some IR protective glasses myself. I'm careful not to stare into the fire or forge but I think I'm developing a cataract in my left eye. I don't know how much genetics have to do with it but my mom also had to have cataract surgery a couple times. Pnut
February 6, 20224 yr My eye doctor told me about when he was in med school they learned about what was called Blacksmiths cataracts, from staring into the fire over a long period of time. He said mine were not bad enough to warrant surgery, but in time I would need to have them taken care of.
February 6, 20224 yr I haven't been to the doctor yet. It very well may not be a cataract. I'm afraid it is though. We'll "see" when I get it checked out. Pnut On 2/4/2022 at 4:17 PM, Chimaera said: - That's really neat! I don't think I'd ever heard of a mouse hawk before. I want to make a tomahawk but dont have the right flat bar right now. Check out the video from Black Bear Forge on making one from a RR spike. They're pretty fun projects and actually make a halfway decent kindling chopper/splitter or throwing hawk. Pnut
February 6, 20224 yr I'll look at that- only issue is that would require making a lot more tooling that I don't own- chisels, slitters, and drifts. I'll figure something out. Still have a while before the world thaws.
February 6, 20224 yr Here is a traditional Fokos, an Eastern European cultural walking stick made from a RR spike. I've made several mouse hawks from them too.
February 7, 20224 yr One of my students came by wanting advice on an idea for combining some ironwork and woodwork. We played around with riveting and twisting some scrap from torch cutting practice: Before he showed up, I did the rough grinding on some chasing and repoussé tools I’d forged previously.
February 7, 20224 yr St. Valentines day coming up and i need to get some roses made. Also making some hearts from motorcycle chain, welding just on one side. Haven't decided how to utilize the hearts just yet. Might be just wall hangers or mounted free standing on sprocket bases.
February 7, 20224 yr That would be a big flower, and heavy. Bicycle chain might suffice for that better. And it isn't a bad idea.
February 7, 20224 yr Smaller froe I made and started on small viking style sword. Spent about 4 hrs banging around.
February 7, 20224 yr Tried another wall sconce. The wife says no more candle holders. Shaped out what is becoming my best ax so far. Started as a piece of 1/8" x 3" x 8" piece of flat bar. The bit is 3 layers of 52100 and 2 layers of 15n20. No grinding yet, all hammer work, or heat treat.
February 7, 20224 yr John, make the rivets into suckers as you have a great tentacular look going on there!
February 7, 20224 yr Finished with bedroom furniture. Made chair and stool covers. At the same time photographed the lights.
February 7, 20224 yr On 2/5/2022 at 3:55 PM, Chimaera said: What do you mean by a clean fire? Is that saying without contaminants, or a reducing flame? minimal contaminants and as low oxygen as possible direct blast on the weld spot.
February 7, 20224 yr Not to forget: if you are burning coal; you want only coke to be in the section of the fire the piece(s) is in.
February 7, 20224 yr Unfortunately I only have anthracite and lump charcoal, so coke is near impossible for me to produce. I also have to run my fire with really high oxygen to get welding temperatures, but I’ve done a bit of welding and it works ok
February 7, 20224 yr Chimaera; You are located close to some of the best bituminous blacksmithing coal there is; I still buy sacks of it every time I drive the 1500 miles to Quad State and haul it the 1500 miles home to use in my coal forge. So I have to ask WHY?
February 7, 20224 yr Not sure where the coal I get comes from, but the last two bags have been awful "clinkery". And lots of dust/fines that don't coke up.
February 7, 20224 yr Even when you mix the fines with water? Some of the "local" coal out here is ground fine and you store it in a bucket of water and add it wet to get it to coke up some. (Why it's worth hauling coal back from Q-S, Pocahontas/Sewell seam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Just remember that while a smith can get by with almost anything that will burn; good *smithing* coal makes everything so much better! And if you can't get good smithing coal; well that's why lump charcoal is still a major smithing fuel around the globe!
February 7, 20224 yr I think mabe these last two bags were from the bottom of the pile, and the "fines" are actually dirt, colored black. Because usually fines/dust, will clump, and coke. But I have managed to create some spectacular clinker donuts.
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