bluerooster Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 There's a lot of hammers there, but I'd wager there are more top tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 I worked on drawing out a few tapers, cleaned out some junk, and pondered how i can reorganize my shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 Can't find my copper bar. All thats needed to finish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 Regarding heading nails, if they are large enough they hold anvils on wood stands well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 While at a demo a fellow took a couple of photos and you can clearly see that my fingernails are touching the top of my ear at the beginning of the down and power stroke. With full shoulder, arm, and wrist movement, the metal did move. When less power was needed, the hammer was not raised as much. Need more power, use a heavier hammer. Move from 2 pound to 3 pound to 4 pound or heavier. As long as your comfortable with the hammer weight and the blows are accurate, you can move metal. Jymm Hoffman makes a long handled hammer that has two hand hold positions. Choke up for detailed or fine hammering, or slide your hand back to the end of the handle for more power. There is no one perfect hammer. The hammer you have now can do more things than you have learned how to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Looks like a fine knife Jennifer. I was thinking Theo would be able to figure out a two scale handle with clear epoxy on the marked side but it looks good as you have it minus pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Got my hammer out of the vermiculite tonight and filed it clean. Still needs a couple normalization cycles, hardened and tempered. Then I’ll handle it and see how I like it. It look much larger here than it is. The face is ~7/8” octagon and ~4 1/2” overall length, maybe 10~12oz. They eye is way to large for this little hammer, next one will be larger. Steal is from a breaker point of some sort and really does like to move under the hammer. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Not too big an eye for a smaller hammer. You can shape the handle how you like. I have some small hammer heads where i wish the eye was larger. No problem for tippity tap taping. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 I agree with Das.. That'll work just fine.. As long as you are making your own handles or you have a commercial model you pattern the eye after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Jennifer, very cool knife. I like the exposed "Timken USA" stamping. Where did that stock come from? Other than Timken Steel Corp I don't see the business entity stamping their name and what I presume is the heat # on just any old flat stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Griffin Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Frazer, her steel came from a wheel bearing. That number is the part number for the bearing. Or actually the outer race in this case. Jennifer, what size copper you need? Grounding wire or rod comes in many sizes. Ace Hardware has an assortment of brass and copper in short lengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 I just looked it up and came back here to amend my previous comment. Yep, outer race of a tapered roller bearing. Very cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 13 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said: Very cool handling concept. Is it inlaid into that side of the handle or was it thin enough that it wasn’t necessary? Really like how the manufacturers stamping was left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 You can make a clear plastic handle, learning how to buff it to clear it back up after working is the trick. Casting one from a clear material like Alexander does for his table tops would most likely be easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 On 10/25/2021 at 1:37 PM, ThomasPowers said: Funny how we start with a hammer or two and over the years... Nails with laid over heads were a style used for flooring. I say you need to share. I am at 2-4 hammers depending how many handles are broken M.J.Lampert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 I cut my bench in half lengthwise, it was too big. Im going to make two narrower benches out of it and put them in the corner. That will free up some shop space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USANewbie Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 I will need to put forging practice and projects on hold till i can build another anvil base. Mine has a rotten bottom and is falling apart. I need to buy some treated wood for a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 Been spending my allowance on tools for over 50 years now, I like to have a wide range of using ones as I teach and so I tell students to pick out the one that works best for them. I'd gladly sell them any hammer in the scrap crates cheap and often give them away for forging hawks in class. (Seems like most folks I meet don't spend 2 hours at the scrapyard most Saturdays...) When I die I expect my 4 kids and 8 grandkids will get a smithing set-up and my students and friend will go through what's left like a hoard of locusts on crack. Shop will probably be so clean it will raise the value of the house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 26, 2021 Share Posted October 26, 2021 M J, fleamarkets, yardsales, auctions, thrift stores and other places are ripe for picking as well. There's tools to be had out there. Too many different places to list. Not only do we spend a little money, but our time seeking them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 12 hours ago, Pat Masterson said: Very cool handling concept. Is it inlaid into that side of the handle or was it thin enough that it wasn’t necessary? Really like how the manufacturers stamping was left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 Got a machine set up to start making these little guys here. I am thinking i could find a use for a handful of the "bad" ones that get scrapped. The saw depth is still a little deep but after adjusting that off to the races. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazz Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 I have friend who worked in the Kodak model shop who told me that he made parts in lucite or clear plastic that were vapor honed when done to make them crystal clear. The part was suspended over beaker of some kind of solvent and the fumes would polish the surface making clear as glass. I do not know what the solvent was and will ask next time I see or talk to him. Plexiglass or any of the similar plastics can be polished the old way as well by using abrasive papers with successively finer grits and the appropriate plastic polishing compound on a buffing wheel. Care is required to not overheat/melt the part from the friction of the wheel. I made a sword blade once from a die that was used to cut out shoe sole parts and left the identifying marks of the die in the blade. I forget what it said, something like OXFORD XXX123 or something. I just saw your post on the bladeforums and saw the pic of how you offset the blade which I somehow missed seeing here. A clever solution I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 On 10/26/2021 at 7:27 AM, Frazer said: Jennifer, very cool knife. I like the exposed "Timken USA" stamping. On 10/26/2021 at 8:08 AM, Frazer said: I just looked it up and came back here to amend my previous comment. Yep, outer race of a tapered roller bearing. Very cool. Yes. I started a thread on it. It's done now and on it's way to its new home.. Extremely sharp.. Not bad for a prototype and a time deadline. I'll refine it some next time.. I just located my bearing stash and have 3 more bearings with the Timken made in USA.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 My wife saw that thread and said that knife is gorgeous. She is going to try and make one out of 1095 (don't have any Timken bearings) probably a paring knife. She loves that the tang is on the outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Agreed - outside tang is very unique. I think one of the coolest parts of smithing is being able to make a tool if you don’t have the right one - well at least sometimes you can make it. I’m working on a rose and I only had a large chisel and a very small chisel that are good for doing the veins. So I cut a couple coils off the springs I got from work and made one in between. Also made a small slitting chisel. I got a set of chisels from County Line Forge when I first started and they’re awesome but the chisel he described as a slitting chisel doesn’t look like most of the other, more squared off ones I see. Not sure I have the right shape on it but I guess I’ll find out. Wish the spring was 5/8 instead of 1/2” but for the small stuff I do these are going to be very useful. Heat treated already but they need some touch up grinding I think. Octagon striking end is a little uneven but I can grind that correct I guess. I was feeling quite proud that these only took me an hour or so all said and done so I put my touch mark on them even though they’re just for me lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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