What did you do in the shop today?

[Frosty]

That's pretty cool David, I like it. But (there's always a but isn't there?) Shouldn't it be more difficult to take off than put on? Maybe the ends lock together in an intricate manner? 

Not a bad sword in a Mad Maxian sort of way, perfect for a Rogue. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Chad J.]

Very well done for your sword Rouge.  What were your inspirations for the design?

[Goods]

Frosty, I thought about making a clasp for it, but I figured that was jus something the get caught on clothes. The other side of it is that this is normalized 52100, pretty springy. The opening is about 1-1/2” smaller than my neck and I was just flexing it open to put on. Of course you could just put it over one’s head, it’s pretty big.
 

I’ll think more on a clasp. I’ve got a couple ideas rattling around up there and now that my wife has seen it, I will be making more…

Keep it fun,

David

[Frosty]

I was being silly, funnin you a little. The joke clasp was something that goes on easy but takes at least two people to take off. I like it as it is I wouldn't change a thing.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Wandering_R0gue]

3 hours ago, Chad J. said:

Very well done for your sword Rouge.  What were your inspirations for the design?

Partly what the metal did for me, partly what my wife wanted in the design. It is sort of a mix of a cutlass and a falchion. 

[Goods]

Frosty, I completely miss read your post. (Not that uncommon for me!) A joke clasp would have been perfect for this . I’m now debating whether I really want to part with it.

Keep it fun,

David

[jlpservicesinc]

Got 1st set of chain makers tongs finished. 

4 more pairs to go.

5prs needed for the upcoming class be taught by yours truly end of July. 

3/4"sq for bits and 7/16" for reins. 

[1forgeur]

Lookin good!

[anvil]

On 7/2/2023 at 7:56 PM, Goods said:

Well it’s done

Not only is it done,,, its well done!!    

Is the center detail forged, forged and filed, or do you have a top and bottom tool to make it?

Jen, why 4 sets? Just practice? Or did I miss something. Nice tongs.

[Frosty]

They're for her first class, anvil. I expect tong making to be a little later in the class.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Goods]

Anvil, the center detail was made with a spring swage I got as a door prize at one of our hammer-ins a few months back. I should make some more. I’ve put this one to good use, and would mind having a variety of types.

Keep it fun,

David

[Cavpilot2k]

Another farrier's rasp tomahawk. They are definitely getting better and cleaner after making several. 

I was going to polish this one up a little more, but I decided to leave the temper color bands on the face. They don't come through as well in the pics as they do in person. 

[Frosty]

Looks pretty good. Temper colors are oxide colors and wont last if you don't protect them. I don't know if there's a good finish for it though.

Frosty The Lucky.

[jlpservicesinc]

Looks very good indeed. 

 

Sales or personal? 

22 hours ago, Frosty said:

They're for her first class, anvil. I expect tong making to be a little later in the class.

Frosty The Lucky.

The class is a "beginner and beyond" so is very personalized towards each student.

So there is a common group skill taught and practiced, if the person shows proficiency or has the skill down, they get shown another skill building of the original shown.

Tong making is not typically taught but if there is enough interest and the skills leading up to tong making are in place then it is entirely possible. 

The class was scheduled for 5 but was informed there will be 9 students so will have to see how the group shakes out. 

Might be some mini skill sessions breaking the class into 2 or 3 groups. 

[Cavpilot2k]

3 hours ago, Frosty said:

Looks pretty good. Temper colors are oxide colors and wont last if you don't protect them. I don't know if there's a good finish for it though.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks.

I just oiled it. I know it may not stay, but since they are oxides, I figured not only do I like the look vs polished, they might help inhibit rust. 

3 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said:

Looks very good indeed. 

Sales or personal? 

Thanks. 

Planning to sell it unless I gift it to someone. I've made a few prior, but this is the first one I've felt nice enough to actually sell (I think it's my 3rd or 4th). 

[Les L]

Cavpilot, great looking hawk, I don’t think you’ll have any problems selling it, and have several orders for one after people see it. 

[Duckwalk]

10 hours ago, Frosty said:

Looks pretty good. Temper colors are oxide colors and wont last if you don't protect them. I don't know if there's a good finish for it though.

Frosty The Lucky.

Ive had good experience keeping temper colors by spraying on some clear coat. 3 layers worked well for me. See my example below. 

[Frosty]

Looks good. What product, brand, etc. do you prefer?

Frosty The Lucky.

[Daswulf]

Nice work Cavpilot. 

Duck, thats a nice looking butterfly. 

There is a bit of a difference between something that will be displayed as art and something that will be used and in the case of the hawk, will possibly be chopping into wood. Clearcoat will help with the art pieces. Not as much for the work pieces. 

The heat colors do look good on the hawk and depending on if or how much it is used will last a little while. I feel it is a neat way to finish it. It gives the hand made new tool look and can wear with the end user. 

Frosty, for me, I have found that VHT flameproof exhaust satin clear holds up the best for a durable finish. It adheres better and is less prone to get scratched or flake off. It sprays on nice and dries fairly fast. Duplicolor engine clearcoat works well too. Most other clear coats I have used didn't hold up as well or didn't spray nice. Its pretty miserable having to wire wheel clearcoat off a piece and start over when something goes wrong. 

[Frosty]

I think that lays it out pretty clearly. 

#1, Is the hawk a user or wall hanger? If it's a user just keep it oiled, the temper colors WILL abrade off. A wall hanger would probably benefit from one of the clear coat paints recommended by Das.

I'm no chemist but I do not see how an oxide layer could prevent or inhibit oxidization significantly. Even Core-10 rusts just not as fast. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[anvil]

Actually, I believe, core 10, like wrought iron, rust and doesn't flake. Mild steel rusts and flakes and rusts and flakes. So both wrought and core 10 hold up better over long periods of time with no finish. Because it doesn't flake, it seals out oxygen and tends to prevent more rusting. 

Jen, i'm still confused. Shouldn't the tong making class be making the tongs? Or are you making ring tongs so each station will have a set for a ring making lesson?

[Cavpilot2k]

12 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I think that lays it out pretty clearly. 

#1, Is the hawk a user or wall hanger? If it's a user just keep it oiled, the temper colors WILL abrade off. A wall hanger would probably benefit from one of the clear coat paints recommended by Das.

I'm no chemist but I do not see how an oxide layer could prevent or inhibit oxidization significantly. Even Core-10 rusts just not as fast. 

Frosty The Lucky.

MY hawk , anyway, is meant as a user. 

Regarding oxide layers inhibiting rust. I could be wrong, but I've always operated under the impression that if a piece of steel is already covered in one form of oxide, that (preferred) oxide will occupy some of the molecular bonds that allow for rust-type oxide. Basically pre-oxidizing it with a non-destructive and preferable preventative oxide layer. Just like the patina that builds on kitchen blades and darkening from acid etching - they serve as a mild rust-preventative when compared to a "raw" polished steel. 

Again, I am no metallurgist, and I don't completely understand the chemical process, but it is conventional "wisdom"(which isn't always true) that oxide patina helps inhibit rust. I figure tempering oxide colors are a form of such preferable oxide. 

If I am wrong on this, somebody please correct me!

[anvil]

I think that any oxidation in use will wear off. If you throw your hawk, when it embeds in the target, the oxidation will come off, as it will say in a sheath on your belt, high spots will be worn off. Hang it on the wall and it will do as you say. 

By the way, I really like your hawk. Well made and a pleasure to see!

[Frosty]

 I'll concede there are forms of rust that aren't fuzy or flaky but pieces I've left in the weather eventually do turn into soft or flaky rust.

Actually core-10 has been discontinued for sheathing buildings as it is staining, more traditional sheathing below it, sidewalks even lawns and is rubbing off if touched. It's reasonably stable if left undisturbed. 

Wrought is more stable having a % of silicate inclusions and black iron oxide which is a more stable form.

I think I've shot about what I know of iron oxide, more memories are coming forward but I don't really trust my memory so I'll let it rest.

anvil: Jenifer's first class session is making chain and those ring tongs are for the class.

I mentioned making tongs as a later more advanced class exercise as a logical assumption. Jenifer didn't.

Jenifer hasn't posted in a little while, you've been talking with me.

Sorry, as happens too often I confused things more trying to clarify them. <sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

[Duckwalk]

After 3 weeks these copperhead skins are finally cured. These are my first snake skins I have tried to preserve myself. I soaked them for 7 to 10 days in a 50/50 mix of glycerin and 91% isopropyl alcohol. Then i wrapped them on a spindle to let the glycerin slowly get absorbed by the skins and the alcohol evaporate for another 7 to 10 days. they turned out nicely. Cant wait to use them as inlays in some knife sheaths. this is one skin overlapping another. 

 

(PS: I love snakes, I dont just kill for no reason. These are venomous and were in my space where my 3 children play. I skinned these 2 and ate one of them)