Mark Ling Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 Had a somewhat unproductive day in the sense that nothing came out quite how I wanted. I had always seen the old plantation hoes and wondered how they might be forged, I gave one a try today out of 5” of 1” square mild steel with a high carbon but forge welded in. It’s kinda wonky, but in general it’s ok. Forged a couple hardy tool billets to be upset tomorrow and made into cupping tools, and also forged a small stubby 1lb cross pein that came out weird. Also handled one of the sledges I forged and a 4.5lb rounding hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted March 16, 2020 Share Posted March 16, 2020 The hoes have a welded eye.. You scarft so it looks a lot like a small winged butterfly and pull the eye up and over the wings create part of the eye when pulled up.. The wings cross over and weld to the blade in the V where you have the Raised spine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 That’s what I figured, especially since being out of wrought that would be the smartest option. Mine I just punched and drifted. I took some pictures during the process that might be interesting to some. Starting stock 5” of 1” square. I upset and forged it on the diagonal, so to be able to spread a wider blade and have a taller eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Don't forget that they were an agricultural tool, and mostly made for use by slaves or subsistence farmers. They would have been made of mostly wrought iron the cheapest way possible (forge welded, even the eye) and then used, remade, used again, etc. Surviving historical pieces are mostly worn out! Originals were probably bigger before wear. Unrelated note, those are my favorite kind of tongs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 I had seen some examples up in ME some in MA and then a few in VA.. It was kinda neat seeing the different levels of wear.. Also neat seeing how big some of the originals were. We have no real concept today of what things used to be even in early America. Nice job LBS.. Great work. You have grown so much as a smith.. I love stories like yours and thanks for sharing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Real nice Mark. Always great work from you. Here's a bit of mine. Bottle opener didn't come out quite like I envisioned, but I know what to do different with anything like it again. My friend's last name is Hercules ( ain't that cool?) so it's an H. Spoon needs finish work. I have some more, but I didn't want to drag them all in the house. I'm getting better with the bowl shape I think. Y'all have a good night and take care out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
671jungle Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Due to strange times, I am out of work for the next few weeks. I believe I will find myself stripping scale off of older unfinished pieces and wondering what to do with the used vinegar. Anyone have ideas? BTW, everyone seems to be doing some great work keeping busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 CGL, That bottle opener is fantastic. Some nice clean classical work.. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les L Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Great work LBS CGL, your spoon and bottle opener are looking good, I like the way you made the H into a handle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Thanks for the pictures LBS, and for this thread too wow CGL ! that opener is super cool. What is it made of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 8 hours ago, 671jungle said: wondering what to do with the used vinegar. Anyone have ideas? You can use it for a stain on woods that are high in tannins -- oak, ash, etc. The vinegar reacts with the iron oxides to produce iron acetate, which in turn reacts with the tannins to produce iron tannate -- a black metallic salt. This is the classic "ebonizing" finish of European cabinetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Jungle, sorry to hear about your job situation. It's hitting us too. Thank you Jennifer, Les and Rojo. The opener is just 1/4" × 1" flat stock. I wanted it to be a little more robust, but after filing where I chisel cut out the top and bottom of the H to clean it up, I was left with much less material than I anticipated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 May I suggest a hack saw, Chellie? If the traditional police give you flack point out they've been around a lot longer than working iron, pre metal in fact. Sawing is fast and leaves a LOT less file work. I like the opener by the way, I think you have something really marketable with a little more development. Make more, they'll sell. All you guys are showing some excellent work and outstanding improvement in your skills. Please don't think I don't notice I only have time to comment on a few posts. Things are a little hectic here right now. I sure wish that were for a better reason. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Thanks Frosty. And I have that very idea of a hacksaw in mind. I use any tool available if it gets the job done. I just try to do as much with simple tools as possible. My hacksaw sees a lot of use. I just ordered my dog's RX food from Chewy. It usually arrives he next day, but it says they are backed up and it may be 5-8 days before it gets here. I understand. Strange times indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted March 17, 2020 Author Share Posted March 17, 2020 Finished the stand and cleaning up a swage block that I will now try and sell. 175lber. I put the half inch bolts on the side that act as set screws and keep it from jumping and wiggling while being used. Also finish ground and handled a 4lb axe I forged while in Montana with Ethan and Jonathan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Used vinegar: I always have poured it out on the gravel driveway. Charles McRaven wrote: "Country Blacksmithing" & "The Blacksmith's Craft, a Primer of Tools and Methods" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoshinjoe Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Jennifer, amazing advice Lbs and CGL that is some fantastic work. I’m so inspired to get home from work to get into my other work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Worked on my table legs some today. They are coming along nicely. Not what i would want but it is what my buddy wants so, hope he likes them. Tried my hand at making a heart. First one, i think the heart came out good, the rest ehh, but i was a little tired after having to R&R a new ford explorer this PM. The old lady likes it, so that is the important part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
671jungle Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 14 hours ago, JHCC said: You can use it for a stain on woods that are high in tannins -- oak, ash, etc. Thanks JHCC, that is great! I am actually working on a wood project that could use it. 10 hours ago, CrazyGoatLady said: It's hitting us too. It’s a good thing we are a resourceful bunch. 7 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Used vinegar: I always have poured it out on the gravel driveway. I bet some plants wouldn’t mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Finally began the somewhat daunting task, in my opinion, of making a hot cut hardie for my anvil. Certainly the biggest piece of material I have worked on (my anvil has a 1" hardie hole) and my little forge was actually was able to keep up, which I am happy about. Started with a 3/4" sq drop 5 maybe 6 inches long I had picked up at the steel supplier (they have a huge collection of miscellaneous drops they sell by weight). I upset it to 1", plus a bit, square then formed the shank and flattened out the rest to make the what will be blade. Then cut a slot down the middle, made a wedge with some 1/8" 1095 and forge welded that in for what will be the edge. I don't think this is necessary, and I'll have to temper it back significantly to avoid potential shrapnel, but it was fun. I've never tried that before. It's not very pretty, but it was quite a lot of heavy hammering, and overall I'm happy with the result. Tomorrow I'll put an edge on it, heat treat, and it will be put to good use. My angle grinder has been doing all my cutting up to this point, but it's loud and my neighbors already put up with plenty of noise. My brothers knife is coming along nicely, still hand sanding, but I couldn't help taking a peak at the pattern now that I'm getting close to final thickness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 I like the pattern on that knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 I do too, it came out nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 To me, that is the most pleasing style of Damascus and one I hope to produce in my knives someday. Guess I'm just not one of those flashy fancy kind of guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Thanks, I admit it was by chance, and not what I was going for initially. I had filed down through the layers with a round file and flattened out the tiny billet (like a ladder pattern). However, I have at this point sanded through all that and this is what was left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Darnit, Frazer, you are supposed to go into a lengthy dissertation about how you carefully and methodically created such a pattern. Talk about disappointing. You've let down the entire IFI community if you can't tell us how to replicate that pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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