C-1ToolSteel Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 More roadkill: about a foot and a half of 3/8" x 3" leaf spring. I'm thinking guillotine.... Reminds me of a piece of leaf spring that showed up in the driveway after we had a load of soil delivered. The awesome thing about having a bumpy driveway, is the presents that some people leave you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Sawicki Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Made these on Thursday jumbo snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzelik Hammar Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Trying to get the basics consistent so I can feel right calling myself a blacksmith. Working on my scrolls, curls and twists. Made a J hook with a twist and an S hook with a twist. Also put some more time into a knife I've been working on, and made a small axe pendant for the girlfriend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4elements Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 it's black, you smote it. You're a blacksmith. The level of your experience doesn't deny you the title Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzelik Hammar Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 it's black, you smote it. You're a blacksmith. The level of your experience doesn't deny you the title Appreciate it. It's a mental thing I guess. It's weird learning a trade backwards. I can make knives and armor, but I'm still learning how to do things like tongs and these little hooks. Proficiency in the basics is something I require of myself, despite experiences with more advanced techniques. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Looks like you're starting to get the hang of it. The axe pendant is really clever. As for the knife, are you planning on straightening the tang? It's hard to drill a curved hole in a handle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Made a cross for a friend whose husband is in hospice for glioblastoma. First time working wrought iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Greetings Randell, Just an old boys 2c.. It looks to me that you are working your metal to hot.. Bright orange to yellow and heavy brushing between heats would yield a much smoother surface.. Practice practice practice.. You will do well.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFC Snuffy Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 I recently acquired a brush - a proper butcher-block brush with flat "bristles" - and it's done a world of good in the finish of forged products. A wire brush is better than nothing, but a butcher-block brush/scraper really smooths things out, removes scale, and even smooths some tool marks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gergely Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Working on two big knives. Blade length is 8", width 2,5". Spring steel (56Si7). Also made earlier a karambit from a Trabant leafspring - "Trabambit". went with the folded loop instead of punching it. Bests: Gergely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzelik Hammar Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Looks like you're starting to get the hang of it. The axe pendant is really clever. As for the knife, are you planning on straightening the tang? It's hard to drill a curved hole in a handle! No, gonna split the handle and chisel it out, the put it back together. No external pins Greetings Randell, Just an old boys 2c.. It looks to me that you are working your metal to hot.. Bright orange to yellow and heavy brushing between heats would yield a much smoother surface.. Practice practice practice.. You will do well.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Yeah, working on acquiring one of the good brushes. Until then I'm doing my best with the old wire brush, water to pop scale, and a brass brush to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Oh, forgot to mention: heat treated a cold-cut hardy, reforged a hot-cut top tool, and started another project that will be described when it's closer to finished. Also discovered another use for the hold-down: to keep my forging bridge in place while I'm using the little bick on the the end (for the hearts on the arms of the cross). It's a BIG improvement; it previously had a tendency to bounce all over, but now is steady as a rock. I'll take a picture when I'm next in the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daninghram Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 This is from last weekend, forged a couple hammers. These hammers I didn't have a striker for, but that morning I put together a blacksmiths guillotine, and so I just used that for it. Let me tell ya, those hammers take alot when your are using a hand hammer and not a 12lb sledge! also a plant hanger and my first rams head that is on the handle of a dutch oven lid lifter. Littleblacksmith That plant bracket is wonderful! All your work looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzelik Hammar Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Those look awesome! Love the leaf of the plant holder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 Thanks yall! littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Poet Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 I posted this in the other thread but I thought I might as well post it here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 super sweet job Mark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzelik Hammar Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 I need to turn my foot pedal like that. I put it the other way and it doesn't hold very well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Thanks yall! littleblacksmith LBS, if I might ask, how did you go about putting the texture on your plant hanger limbs? Hammer or texture tool of some sort? Work looks beautiful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Trying to get the basics consistent so I can feel right calling myself a blacksmith. Working on my scrolls, curls and twists. Made a J hook with a twist and an S hook with a twist. Also put some more time into a knife I've been working on, and made a small axe pendant for the girlfriend. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (that got a little weird, I tried quoting Randell and trying to lose the picture ended up with multiple copies, tried to clean it up and ended up without any quote so I had to cut and paste in the 5th EDIT!) Looking pretty good Randell. Need to back off the air some more you're still working too hot. The hooks look good the twists are consistent, the hooks are turned smoothly with a pretty pleasing profile. The hooks on the "S" hook could be evened up, When you're doing S hooks you want the hooks either the SAME or really different. What you're calling a "J" hook is a "Drive hook" you drive the straight point in a timber, etc. the hook could use a finial scroll so it doesn't tear a coat, hung from it. Turn finial scrolls so they face outwards from the hook or they tend to snag things hung from them. Check with the butcher or restaurant supply for a "Butcher Block Brush". You have to go to a powered cup or wheel brush to do a better job of cleaning up forged steel. I'd call that a blacksmith's work. Some practice and a little mentoring and you'll be giving lessons. No fooling, you have a good eye it's just untrained. Looking good Brother. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzelik Hammar Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Thanks Frosty! The butcher brush is in my list this month, I watched a video by Joe a week or so ago and realized it wasn't just a wire brush like I've been using! A drive hook, ok, I'll look up a proper J hook for Wednesday! I hammered it into my cabin wall to hold my keys and ball cap. I tried scrolling out the tip "after" I had curled it, and just failed so I tapered it back out before I destroyed the whole thing. Gotta remember to scroll first. I've been trying to get the shiny brass finish with a different brush but it doesn't seem to work, does that take a special brush or technique too? I'm trying to do the basic projects in Simm's and McRaven's books, getting my horse back in front of the cart. The little axe got cooked pretty hard, I'm practicing small welds (folding instead of upsetting) and it got away from me in the fire. I'm pretty sure the knife is cooked, I quenched and then stuffed it back in the forge still dripping oil... Brain fart. No huge flare-up but it textured it really weird. Running too hot is something that is taking a while to figure out. I work in full sun and have to try to gauge the color against the coal glow, I put up a piece of sheet metal to give me a contrast but it didn't help much. I'm looking for "nearly orange" most of the time, but by the time I get it into the shade to see it, it's usually a deeper red. Is that sufficient? ... Or my brain checks out while I'm cranking and when I come back it's scorched... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Randell, you need to get a brass brush for burnishing. Find yourself a snowboarding base brush ... they have very fine bristles and give a rich brass colour. No special technique required. Just make sure you apply it hot, but not too hot. Nowhere near red. You will soon get to gauge the correct heat. Lorelei Simms has some great ideas in her book. I started off making many of the projects she suggested. You're on a winner there. I would find it very difficult to work in full sun. Apart from the uncomfortable heat, just seeing the colours of the steel would be frustrating. Orange is better than 'nearly orange', and no, deeper red is not sufficient for forging. You are really making work for yourself at that heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Randell, what Aus said on brass brushing, and check your brass brush with a magnet, some are steel brushes that are brass coated and won't work. It works at a black heat. Too hot and it doesn't take, too cold and it doesn't take or it will wipe off. You could just try it at different times in the black heat to get a feel when it works best. Give it a good wire brushing first while still in the orange to red range then wait for the black heat to try it. Havnt had any forge time lately since I've been working in and around the house but I did sneak in there last night to weld up the feet on my demo anvil stand ( pictures later) and started on a dishing swage. I'm using a 4 1/2" grinder and a 3" roloc on an air die grinder. So far the spoon swages are getting longer than I'd like when I get the depth I need. I'll try a more worn down stone on the 4 1/2" grinder next. So far tho it's looking usable. I was getting too tired last night and had to put down the power tools before I ended up making an oops post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzelik Hammar Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Good call. My brush stuck to the magnet. As for the sun, I'm limited in where I can put my forge, so I do small stuff in the morning while it's full sun, more important projects when it's shaded, and go home when the sun hits it again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 26, 2017 Share Posted September 26, 2017 Many's the time I have forged under a canvas tarp, high up enough to not get warm from the forge and more sun blocking than most plastic ones. Of course I use heavy canvas and not light drop cloth stuff. You can even forge your own tent stakes for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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