What did you do in the shop today?

[Chad J.]

Got one of my many partially completed knives handled and sharpened.  My grind lines are getting more defined and cleaner.   

[BillyBones]

16 hours ago, Trevor84 said:

Do you make this feed and wax or us it a premixed

Premix. I buy it at the local Ace hardware. It is a bit more expensive but not that much. A couple bucks more than a can of boiled linseed. I was actually there inquiring about just bees wax and the guy that worked there said the only thing they had with bees wax was this stuff. So i fugured why not and got it on a whim. Smells good also. I think it is more something you use for upkeep rather than a finish. Sorta like that murphy's oil soap. But i use it on all kinds of stuff from the wood on the gun rack i made my dad ( made from sassafras, turned out quite nice) to using as a hot finish on metal to hammer handles. 

As Irondragon also said tung oil is a nice finish and i have also can of teak oil i use at times. 

Chad, nice knife. 

[Frosty]

Is it a dry to the touch, finish Billy?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Trevor84]

Go figure the raw linseed and terpentine mix that I put on before posting here still leaves an oil sheen on your finger when handling the wood. 

I'll have to pick up some new supplies next time I'm in town thanks guys for the tips so far . 

I found an old tin of Johnson's paste wax and thined it a bit with terpentine and a blob of that raw linseed..... So far it seems to have left a decent medium dark finish on the metal bits when applied at a light sizzle with a brush..... Time will tell, I'll shoot a pic later if I get some mounted. 

 

Good

12 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

Boiled Linseed oil is not food safe

Thanks, I am reffering to raw linseed not boiled, I believe raw linseed is basically flax oil. Maybe i have to get the flax oil from the health food store.... I do know that flax oil is used on cast iron because of the polymerising and can withstand something like 400*f once its fully polymerised.

As for the finishes on my materials I should have been reading more along the way I just got carried away puttering .....

Please don't think I asked a question then ignored yawlls advice. 

[Frosty]

Lots of guys use Johnson's paste wax as is and are happy with the results. 

That's pretty normal Trevor, we all use what's at hand and occasionally find out later it wasn't good thing. 

Welcome to the club Brother. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

Anything sold as "boiled linseed oil" is not just boiled, but also has metallic driers added. That's what makes it food-unsafe.

I generally use a mix of BLO, turpentine, and beeswax for my ironwork. For anything that is going to be in contact with food, I use pure beeswax (with no solvents!), melted on and buffed off.

For woodwork, a tung oil finish is good (I've had good luck with Minwax and Formby's, but others are probably acceptable). People recommend mineral oil for woodwork that will be in contact with food, but that doesn't dry. 

For both woodwork and ironwork that would be in contact with food, I'm toying with the idea of combining beeswax and/or pure carnauba with walnut oil. Both waxes are food-safe, and the oil is both food-safe and dries without the addition of any other chemical nasties.

Finally, for hammer handles, I have been very happy with charring the surface of the handle and rubbing in a mix of BLO, turpentine, beeswax, and pine tar. Once it dries, it gives a very positive grip without causing blisters like the lacquer finish on handles when they come from the hardware store.

[Trevor84]

I've used straight beeswax on metal like bbq tools or other items that you're able to just rub against the block wax in the past.  

The first 2/3rds of the Johnson's can was used by dipping stuff like forged snails, leaves, key chains etc (I wasted lots I'm sure) 

On my hammer handles and other wood in the past had been wiped down with BLO and terpentine. I leave my hammer handles with a rasp finish, fibers burned off and oiled while hot until oil refuses to absorb. I was surprised how fewer blisters I got and the increased hammer control. 

I'm out of beezwax, BLO and terpentine so now is a perfect time to invest in a few new products. Carnuba wax definitely sounds like a common denominator here. 

 

Frosty, ya using what's at hand was the goal this time and the Johnsons was scraped up out of the drip pan and stuffed into the can, it had a mix of beez wax in it already so I figure wth soften it up a bit more and use a stiff natural brush instead of a rag. My hands are clumsy now so I fumble cold things.... I don't like fumbling hot stuff ;-) 

 

[BillyBones]

Frosty, kind of. You need to rub it into wood really good, more like polishing it i guess. Like i said i think this stuff is supposed to be more like a furniture polish than a finish. You can not feel it wet but if your hands are dirty it will pick up the dirt. Let it set over night and it is all good. 

Trevor when you are using wax keep the rag you wipe off the excess with. After a while of using it the wax will build up on the rag and small items like coat hooks or S hooks can be finished just be wiping with the rag. Help with conserving the wax, not a lot but every little bit counts.

For metal i really do not care for BLO but that is just becuase i am either in to much of a hurry or forget about the piece. I will usually try and oil when to hot and if i try and wait end up forgetting about it and letting it get to cold. So i tend to go with a wax, they seem a little more forgiving on the temp for me. 

I am thinking about ordering some pine tar and trying that. I have seen a few, mostly European, smiths use it and it seems to work pretty nice. Also i like the smell of pine.  

[Frosty]

I keep a couple pieces of cotton rag in my Trewax can. Both started as wipe offs but when my first one became saturated I started applying with it and wiping with the other one. Applying with the rag leaves a lot less excess to wipe off so that rag isn't saturating very quickly. Every once in a while I'll wipe down a piece or too hot to hold steel to draw wax out of the excess off rag. 

I used to dip hot work, tried melting and brushing, etc. but it was danged wasteful, all I use are the rags now.

I've gotten completely away from beeswax unless it's requested. I have a piece in my tool bag in case. 

Before I came across a block of beeswax I mixed up a batch of finish to Alex Bealer's recipe in "The Art Of Blacksmithing," but used paraffin wax and soot from an oxy acet torch, no oxy and turned down low. Don't do THAT, you can buy better at an art supply! I still have the coffee can and stuff finished with it has stood up to weather will also.

Frosty The Lucky.

[BillyBones]

Just came in from the shop. While out there i actually looked at the bottle of feed and wax and it does indeed say it is a polish for keeping the finish from drying out and keeping the wood looking fresh. 

[JHCC]

The idea of "feeding" a finish or a piece of wood is pretty much marketing hogwash, as is the idea that you need to keep wood from drying out. Wood is going to achieve equilibrium between its internal moisture content and the content of the surrounding air, and there ain't nothin' you can (or should) do about it. Any drying finish (whether oil-based, resin-based, or polymerized) is done when it dries, and does not need the addition of any further oil or solvent.

Over time, the expansion and contraction of the wood will cause many oil finishes to develop microscopic surface wrinkles that result in a dry appearance, and waxing such finishes does indeed improve their appearance. Some aromatic oils (lemon, orange, etc) can also help remove dirt, skin oils, etc, but that's acting as a cleaner rather than having any direct benefit to the wood or the finish itself. 

[MacLeod]

Finished this test piece for approval. Thought I’d add the snail and the dragonfly on magnets so customers children  could move them about. The customers themselves were playing about with them when I dropped it off though. 

[Frosty]

Nice, I like the magnetic dragon fly idea, I bet they end up on  the customer's refrigerator in no time. It'll b a good advertisement. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

Before the sun got too high I went out and drew a horizontal line on the side of my shop using a short level and a ladder.  Then went back and drew another 2" higher using a 2" wide piece of metal, (carpenter's square).  Getting ready to put up the gutters just in case we get any rain this year.  I'm about done with the "easy bits". 

After the sun topped the roof I went inside the shop  and made several dozen wire hooks from older election sign frames.  Nothing fancy; I just decided that since all my walls have these parallel rows of holes from where the propanel used to be a roof and I've been collecting "interesting" old stuff from the scrapyard; I could do a bit of monolithic biavicide and get the stuff up where it can be seen but be out of the way---so more ladder climbing.  Now it's hot and time to estivate.

And no, I am not going to hang a 12" gun barrel on my wall!

[Jobtiel1]

Yesterday I forged a planing stop and two holdfasts for the woodwork bench, and today I installed the planing stop. Also messed around with the holdfasts for a bit and I have to bend them a bit more for them to work well.

~Jobtiel

[JHCC]

The trick with holdfasts is to remember that the clamping force comes from them pushing themselves backwards against the sides of the hole as well as down on the workpiece. 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

And no, I am not going to hang a 12" gun barrel on my wall

Oh come on Thomas! It look great!

If I could figure out how to get it here without spending more than I did on my house I have lots of cool ideas to do with it! 

Jobtiel1, this might be a silly question but what’s a planing stop? 

Today no smithing I’ve been busy with customers an repairs but this afternoon I came back out after letting areo kroil soak in that beat up mouse hole for 24 hrs…

I’ve been wailing on that thing with a 10 pound sledgehammer and a piece of sucker rod tryin to drive that hardy outta there!!! 

it’s not even budging…

the anvils ringin away an the hardy is just laughing at me sayin is that all you got! 

I just sat down to have a cool refreshing non hydrating drink, and take a break and I’ll give it another round,

might have to step up to a heavier hammer!

[M.J.Lampert]

you got a press?

or a 20# hammer may do it 

Removed quote.  Please review rules for use of quotes

Edited May 19, 2022 by Mod44
remove quote

[Anachronist58]

11 minutes ago, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

I’ve been wailing on that thing

Turn it on its face, fill it with vinegar, and duct tape it tight? Give er a couple of days?

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Don’t have a big enough press, 20# hammer is a permanent fixture on the treadle hammer,

but I’ve got kroil and some 10 an 12 pound sledgehammers

its comin outta there one way or another lol

[M.J.Lampert]

1 minute ago, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

Don’t have a big enough press, 20# hammer is a permanent fixture on the treadle hammer,

come north to Canada I could put that under my fathers 50 ton

just don't tell him

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Lol, I’d love too but I can’t afford to drive to town anymore let alone to Canada!

Not to mention the last time I was in Canada I might’ve had a little run in with yalls authorities after a wonderful night on the town….they turned me over to my command an said I wasn’t invited back!

18 minutes ago, Anachronist58 said:

Turn it on its face, fill it with vinegar, and duct tape it tight? Give er a couple of days?

I think the main problem is someone in the last hundred years thought it was a bright idea to shove an oversized hardy shank into a smaller tapered hole an then beat on it till it welded to the anvil! 

cant prove it but I’m pretty sure that’s what busted the tool face off on the back end

i found another anvil awhile back that someone had used to hold a flagpole and they did the same thing, took me forever to get it out,

[George N. M.]

TW, two suggestions if the penetrating oil and sledge hammer don't work:  1) drill out the bottom of the hardy so that there is some "give" in the shank.  The more metal you remove the better.  2) heat the body of the anvil with a weed burner to get it to expand a bit more than the stuck hardy and then try to drive it out.  I'm not talking about anything hot enough to draw any temper, more like 3-400 degrees F.  You can get temperature indicator pencils/crayons at a welding supply shop.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand." 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Thanks George, 

I know I can get it out by drilling it out an then using chisels an punches, to clean the rest out, that’s what I did last time I ran into something like this,

it’s a lot faster! but Im attempting to save the ol hardy tool, 

times not an issue, I’ve got plenty others to work with, so I’ll just hammer on it a little every day till it finally starts to break its grip, 

on another note,

im not sure what on earth that hardy is made of but it’s mushrooming out the sucker rod and it don’t have a scratch on it!

an ive hammered it from the top, on all four sides trying to break it loose an barely nick it with a sledgehammer, 

that’s one tough hardy tool!

[Frosty]

STOP BEATING ON IT!!! Do you know how a RIVET works? It stuck because it either compress itself or stretched the anvil and elastic rebound has created an interference fit. It may only be jammed on a few thousandths of it's length but hammering will upset more and more into a similar interference fit.

Do as George suggests, drill out the center of the shank as much as possible. Warm the anvil with a weed burner or whatever. And to gild the lily apply dry ice to the hardy. 

Gentle taps, it it doesn't move straight out tap it back and forth and wiggle it out. 

Have you ever tried to force a #2 morse taper loose? It requires the long tapered wedge and a modest tap, it will NOT pull out and you oil them.

Just stop hammering on it or get used to it as a permanent feature. 

 Frosty The Lucky.