swedefiddle Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 A friend makes Files with a Hammer with that kind of handle. Great for working close to your work and at an angle. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostTownForge Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 yay! 1000 pages xD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hefty Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 I've had a socket set for a few years now that originally had plastic clips to hold it shut. They broke within the first few months after purchase. Since then, I've had to ignore the handle on the case and carry it flat so the lid wouldn't fall open and spill all of the sockets onto the floor. Well, today I took some pallet strap steel and made some replacement clips. I took some thick wire, about the same size as the section the clips used to sit on, to use as a mandrel to form the clips around and then I heated the new clips with a little butane torch, quenched them in canola oil and drew a spring temper. I'm pleasantly surprised at how well they work! I'm still nervous enough to keep my index finger down the lid side of the box when holding the handle, but at this point it looks like they'll hold securely enough for me to start trusting them not to pop open. Cheers, Jono. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gewoon ik Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 Arkie there are also zirks that you don't push the greaser on, but you slide them on. very handy. No need to push and hope the greaser stays, but it hooks on. But i will look for an oil one. Need to mesure the threat and hopefull it is not a not-common-in-europ one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 Nice fix Jono. Seems like they always put dinky little clips on socket set boxes but put better clips on the tools you buy that end up getting the box set aside or discarded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 Just so, a cutler's, dog face, eisenhower's, etc. hammers are intended for repeated consistent blows on a constant height tool. File cutting is a good definitive example, eisenhower means literally Iron cutter and was the trade name for "file makers" or file cutters. EG. President Eisenhower's family name. Professional versions are fitted to the user, held and swung comfortably the head should be parallel to the circumference (arc) of the swing so the face of the hammer strikes in line with the struck face of the tool. The handles originally resembled a tin knocker's or chasing hammer's. Consistent strikes and power were a must. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 The hammer used by blade forger Albert Craven in this classic video is a great example: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 I love that video, I just wish the interviewer didn't take up so much camera time. Good example of a, dog's face(?) hammer. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostTownForge Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 That is an incredible video, he is definitely the fastest, most accurate worker I've ever heard of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 The head shape and weights are slightly different. The main difference is the handle. I've made 2 handles that suit each need. Cutlers is the main use and made the hammer to go along with the anvil. I'll interpret a little about Frostys post about work height. The anvils and the materials dimension wise are closely fixed. Unlike regular blacksmith work that varies in material thickness with large variation. A cutlers or file makers materials don't change as much. In the photos the handles are markedly different based on the difference between swinging the hammer. The file cutters swing is much more confined. Frosty that was some neat information about "Eisenhower" do you remember the book? This hammer and head combination is held in with external wedges. Once I get some use time on it I'll adjust the handle. I'll make a separate file cutters hammer at some point when the file cutting station goes in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted September 21, 2023 Share Posted September 21, 2023 Ghost town forge.. Mr Craven and I have the same anvil.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostTownForge Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 That is so cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Albert Craven is a true master, should be considered a National Treasure. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Well, out of the five tomahawks I started, the first two may end up scrap, at least I salvaged one out of the third: The eye got strangely off center. The right hand side by the weld is thin at the top and the left hand side is thin on the bottom. Two more to practice with, before I try salvaging the first two. (I learned my drift doesn’t make the shape of my purchased handle well at all. It was to round. So I started today by grinding the drift to the correct size, and that me a big difference! I also move the set down lengthening the eye material by 1/2”. Also a big help.) Keep it fun, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 26 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge ClayWorks said: Albert Craven is a true master Was. Mr. Craven died in 1989. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad J. Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Well, my welding helmet was acting up tonight and I had planned on making basket twisted ornaments so I did what I had only done once before, by accident. I attempted to forge weld in my little rivet forge. Got my 4 bars twisted up and didn't get the wire right enough, it fell apart. Second attempt went better, third attempt was quicker yet and then my final set. Really I did 2 welds per ornament so 6 successful forge welds tonight and 0 puddles of melted steel. Brass brushed it and put a little glass piece in the middle for fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 SOrry to hear that Goods, welds didn't take or something else? Heat treated a pair of neck knives, forged and HT this abomination (kris dagger?), and made this little paring knife as a thank you to someone for some wood. My first time trying a saya, a bit tricky but lots of fun. Can't wait for quadstate after classes tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Your link is not working. I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Goods.. Don't adjust the mandrel.. What you do is flatten the eye once it's welded.. This will give you the correct geometry for the handle. You are better off with a rounder shape as that is traditionally used for many things.. Froes, hoe's, axes, etc.. I try to show this each hawk I make at demos.. The thick side you need to forge down while it's on the mandrel.. The eyes should always be undersized when forge welded and then drifted up to size.. Keeping in mind that you will need to flatten them some to fit the handle.. The Qualiity of handles is lack luster so even between the same sizes the hammers won't be perfect.. I got a batch that they all needed to be sanded on one side because they were kinda flat where they were supposed to be round. Chad, nice job.. It's great you stuck with it.. practice makes perfect.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 7 hours ago, Irondragon Forge ClayWorks said: Your link is not working. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Your knife work has come a long ways.. Congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Nice ornament Chad, well done! I found I needed to match joints with multiple round pieces in a V swage before welding them. I made the one I use on the anvil by welding two short lengths of 3/4" angle iron to a bridge plate and a V top tool by driving a piece of 3/4" round bar onto a piece of 1/2" square resting in the v swage. Break and gentle the ends of the Swage and top tool or they'll mar the bundle before you try the faggot weld. I made the bridge swage because it was WAY more convenient and faster than walking to my swage block and it was easier to make a bridge swage than turning my 250lb. Lancaster swage block on it's stand and losing heat walking to it. I could move the forge, etc. but the little bridge swage can wait on my anvil stand. Preforming the basket twist joins before welding makes successful welds much more likely and best of all easier. Ahhh, that is SO much easier to see Chimera. The paring knife looks pretty good but shouldn't we wait till you finish the Kris before opining? Hmmmm? I'm with Jennifer on the handle issue I haven't bought a hammer handle in a couple decades that didn't need some serious filing to fit a standard hammer head. Sure, I expect to do a little final fitting but some of them don't align with the handle, are twisted, etc. I bought a dozen +/- (it was many years ago) "matched" handles all from the same maker and batch and they were visibly off kilter. I pointed it out and got them all for a heck of a good price even considering how much I had to do to make them right. The custom tool store was going out of business and I gave $5 for a bucket of what I called out as "seconds." The sad thing is that bucket of seconds is every bit as good as what I see in stores now. It's enough to make me wish hickory grew here I'd maybe take a lash at making my own. On the other hand I can buy straight grained clear 5/4 hickory lumber and it makes excellent slab handles. Soooo. Frosty The Lucky. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 I bought 3 tomahawk handles a while back. When i got them the handles were round and not tear drop like advertised. They were also tapered smaller at the head end. I ended up doing a lot of filing, sanding, and whittling. Found they also worked better upside down as well. As far as hammer handles go, since i found a place that sells 5/4" hickory boards at a decent price i have not bought one since. Welp, off to Quadstate. Hopefully get some "it followed me home" pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 13 hours ago, Chimaera said: this abomination (kris dagger?) I’ve seen similar blades described as “Persian fighters”, probably because of the similarity to the Indo-Persian pesh-kabz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 4 hours ago, Frosty said: Ahhh, that is SO much easier to see Chimera. The paring knife looks pretty good but shouldn't we wait till you finish the Kris before opining? Not sure when that'll happen. I'd like to use that deer radius as part of the handle but it still needs a good cleaning. And also I hate working with bone so might procrastinate on it. Glad the other stuff is looking good, my things have come a long way. 3 hours ago, BillyBones said: Welp, off to Quadstate Heading there as soon as I finish classes. Hope to see you there. John, I guess that could work. It looks halfway inbetween a persian and a kris. I guess that's what happens when I get bored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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