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I Forge Iron

What did you do in the shop today?


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  Along with some more tongs and hand tools I made a paper towel holder for our kitchen, one of the twists didn't come out all that well, but they're inside the towel roll most of the time... It functions well and the Girlfriend liked it so it works. 

 I did my first stainless steel blade, up till now I've only worked with carbon and Tool steels for blades. It's a small kitchen knife for my Girlfriend's mom. When I made dinner over at their place there wasn't a single decent blade in the place (nor a sharp one). Also first time dealing  with air hardening steel - 440c from 5/8” round bar, and honestly that stuff is harder to shape than the 52100 I often use.

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MAN, that's a lot of work! Looks good it does. "The girlfriend likes it" you've discovered the secret, congratulations! It's all the chrome that makes 440C so much harder to work but it's also the reason it makes a blade you can carry when you're diving in salt water and not worry about corrosion. Nice looking blade, "nimble" is a good term. Last but not least, those look like good solid tongs.

You're going to be one heck of a smith, before long you'll be giving classes.

I'll be telling people I knew Savlaka back when. ;)

Frosty The Lucky.

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jlpservicesinc, Thanks - I asked her what knife she liked the best out of all the cheapies she had and modeled the blade after that one, though I went with a very different handle design. as to the meet -  I honestly don't know anything about it, I'm not a member of any of the groups / clubs down here. I'll probably join one eventually I just haven't got around to it.

 LOL... Yeah Frosty it was a bit of work, the hardest part of the holder was trying to get the twists right, I eventually gave up on one of them. It seems I somehow stretched one of the 4 legs of the twist slightly longer than the others and I just couldn't seem to get it even after that.

Though it was one of the tongs that took the most time, it has Asymmetric jaws one side is a large V and the other is a smaller V with teeth - I made it to fit a wide range of square, flat and round as a filler tong for specific sized ones. I've run into a number of times I needed a different sized tong due to the forging I'd done on an item... it fits 1-1/4" to 3/4" very well it'll go down to 1/2" and up to 1-1/2" if i don't need a perfect fit and it'll hold flat bars from 3/4" up to 1.5".  I made the two jaws from some 3/4" 1117 hex bar and as I don't have any kind of swedge block making the larger V Jaw on the edge of the anvil was a real pain. that's actually one of my current projects is a hardy swedge block and handheld top tools for it.

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3 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said:

Nice blade.. Looks nimble.

12 minutes ago, Savlaka said:

I asked her what knife she liked the best out of all the cheapies she had and modeled the blade after that one,

I have a kitchen knife with a very similar blade that I like a lot, and I’m thinking of making a larger forged version someday. 

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Over the last few years especially working with the steeled wrought iron or mild steel this method is super easy. 

Once one figures out where to apply the steel for when it's drawn it makes all the sense in the world. 

I pulled the handles off so I could polish it up more and give it a proper acid soak. 

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Getting ready for Halloween and the festivities. Made a couple coffee scoops and a serving fork. Got some 3/8" round from work that was left over from another job. Not much 5 bars about 20" long or so. Tried making and S hook from a piece. It is 12L14 steel. Was not sure how it would forge being machine steel. Soft, moved like butter. 

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And to attract attention to my wares i started a new sign bracket to set in the front yard. Beats the piece of wood and a hunk of carboard. Got one rivet done, my minion did not come over and i could not get all 4 set with out a hand. 

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JLP, the draw knife is another example of excellent forging!

Billy, the times on the fork came out great, you’re getting really good at those. I also like how you’ve designed your sign.


I got a few hours in the forge tonight and I made progress on the five blacksmith knives:

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The blades are 5-1/4” to 5-1/2” with a hollow grind (fairly rough grit, mainly for practice) and ready to stamp, heat treat and sharpen. I’m getting closer to having something done! (I probably should have stamped my mark on the knives before I bent the handle to shape. A short cut that will make my life “interesting.”)

Keep it fun,

David

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Goods, Nice knives. 

Frosty, yes it is free machine steel and from my understanding it having the "L" means that yes it does contain lead. it is pretty much the most common material you will find in the shop i work. I turn ether 12L14 or half hard brass usually with a smattering of 303 thrown in. 

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I'd stop putting that steel in my forge Billy, breathing lead oxide fumes is a B A D N E S S thing. Lead isn't good but lead oxide is easily water soluble and will transfer directly from your lungs to your blood stream in it's most easily metabolized form. 

Hmmmm?

Frosty The Lucky.

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Been busy, had a couple of live demos and have been really putting it to that little harbor freight cast steel anvil.  It's holding up great btw.  Only 2 surface dings, one was from the gf's cousin when he hit it with my 8 pound hand sledge,  he didn't know any better and I didn't stop him in time, the other I was using a cross pean aggressively on a larger piece of stock.   Anyway I'm currently working in a memorial piece that I was commissioned to do.   A pair of angel wings that will go on a stand.  Not quite sure what to do in the middle.  I'd put initials in it but my engraving is worse than my hand writing.  I may have to make a repousse set up for myself.

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I don't know I kind of like the snitch.

Yeah, the center is a thing. How about something to represent flowing robes and shifting the semi-sphere higher and invert it to suggest a halo? 

I don't know if those could be worked into what you have now though but I'll keep thinking on it and get back if I have any ideas. 

Frosty The Lucky.

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