JHCC Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Never been in the military and thus never had to deal with military justice, but my cousin Eugene was the JAG for the US Army back in the fifties (he had also been in the Engineers in the forties and was one of the first US soldiers to go ashore in Normandy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 JHCC, my dad was an engineer also. He used to tell me that the engineers were the first on a battle field. I looked at him kind of funny the first time he said it and his reply was "Do you think those tank positions built themselves?" Now i took that with a grain of salt from him, he being an engineer and all, but i will say everywhere i went in the ME was a ready made berm to get my tank into. Now, i would think that an invasion like Normandy would be a bit different. Kind of hard to land a battalion of engineers to do all that work with out drawing undo attention. However the German engineers would have been there and gone long before we came and ruined their day. So i guess there is a speck of truth there. Just have to look at the other side of the coin i suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Folks, In my experience, creativity was avoided at all costs and I.Q. was severely rationed, in the military. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 1 hour ago, BillyBones said: i would think that an invasion like Normandy would be a bit different. Kind of hard to land a battalion of engineers to do all that work with out drawing undo attention. My understanding is that the engineers landed first in Normandy to clear barbed wire and other obstacles and facilitate the landing of other attacking forces so that they could make their way on shore and up the beaches. Cousin Eugene's citation for the Distinguished Service Cross gives a good description of what he and his men were up to on June 6, 1944: Quote The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel (Corps of Engineers) Eugene Meade Caffey, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding Officer of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, in action against enemy forces on 6 June 1944, at Normandy, France. Colonel Caffey landed with the first wave of the forces assaulting the enemy-held beaches. Finding that the landing had been made on other than the planned beaches, he selected appropriate landing beaches, redistributed the area assigned to shore parties of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade, and set them at work to establish routes inland through the sea wall and minefields to insure the rapid landing and passage inshore of the following waves. He frequently went on the beaches under heavy shell fire to force incoming troops to disperse and move promptly off the shore and away from the water sides to places of concealment and greater safety further back. His courage and his presence in the very front of the attack, coupled with his calm disregard of hostile fire, inspired the troops to heights of enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. Under his experienced and unfaltering leadership, the initial error in landing off-course was promptly overcome, confusion was prevented, and the forces necessary to a victorious assault were successfully and expeditiously landed and cleared from the beaches with a minimum of casualties. He thus contributed, in a marked degree, to the seizing of the beachhead in France. Colonel Caffey's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 My FIL was a JAG for the Army Air Corps during WW2. Started as a defense att'y, became a prosecutor, and ended up running a POW camp for German aviators. He came home with some interesting souvenirs, including my MIL. He got a big kick from being called 'Col. Klink'. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 JHCC, your cousin is a man to be admired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Haven't had much forge time lately so I was happy to get off a couple hours early. based off a vid From Gs Tongs. They need some clean up and some holes drilled and Im happy with the result. Plus a couple bits I need for a glass crusher I am making. Lots of fun and thanks for looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Thinking about a temporary mounting for the anvil I picked up today, which has both a nasty wobble and a rather loud ring. Since it’s resting on my striking anvil for the time being, I decided to wrap their mating surfaces in plastic wrap and put some silicone caulk in between. I’ll let that sit for a day, trim the extra plastic, and chain the two anvils together. It’s already a lot quieter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 that's a nice looking anvil John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Eva christening the new anvil: (Definitely too high; shorter stand imperative.) Hardened the bearded ax. Alas, the blade cracked, and I had to cut off half the beard. Bummer. Also straightened out a Pandrol clip to make some chasing tools and started a wrought iron bottle opener. Propane tanks froze up, so we had to shut down for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Two more beautiful pieces of work Alexandre, the bed is the picture of elegant simplicity, very clean and proportioned. How did shipping the pieces to Alaska go, any problems beyond cost? John: Reading the citation for you Uncle's medal is enough to clench my gut. I'll bet he didn't think of himself as a hero did he? He was just doing his job, exceptionally well but it was his job. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 JHCC, where are her safety glasses? That is still a bearded axe, but it is the goatee style. Have you tried a speaker magnet under the heel of the anvil instead of the mile of chain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 The noise wasn’t the problem; the height was. The chain is to temporarily mount the new anvil on top of my striking anvil. Fair point about the glasses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Got to the shop late, (had lunch at 2pm). So I decided to work on getting the baseplate for my 25# LG from where it has been hiding in the weeds to where the hammer will be in the shop. I sure don't remember it being that heavy...and I sure went out of my way to put stuff in the travel path over the last decade. 27"x48"x1" about 367 pounds: Levers, scrapped gas cylinders for rollers, come-a-long, even used my truck when I got it to a clear path. Got it to right in front of the shop door before I lost the light and the will. Only 20' left to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad J. Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 As I was an Engineer in the Marines I can say we lead the way, if course is you obverse to that you can find the landmines and IEDs the hard way. No shop time. Went out to enjoy the weekend in Eagle River, WI except I developed a scratchy throat on the drive up and the gf got a nasty cough for our second go round with the 'Rona. We still went out on the snowmobile because how are we going to spread it at 45 mph with helmets on in sub zero wind chills? The plus side is I'll be spending the next couple days of isolation in the basement shop trying to finish projects. I'm fine BTW, I had minimal symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 On 1/13/2022 at 3:21 PM, SHC said: Thomas, when I was in it didn’t go to full court martial if you got hurt doing something stupid. When I was in, you had best report in, even if you were dead. I was a paralegal, and I reported in 'dead' to CQ one morning. Waxed and buffed Battalion HQ that day... Robert Taylor On 1/14/2022 at 9:35 AM, SLAG said: In my experience, creativity was avoided at all costs and I.Q. was severely rationed, in the military. That is what it was all about... On 1/14/2022 at 10:23 AM, JHCC said: Cousin Eugene's citation Awesome. 27"x48"x1" about 367 pounds: Levers, scrapped gas cylinders for rollers, come-a-long, even used my truck when I got it to a clear path. Just another day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.J.Lampert Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 first isnt blacksmithing but started to fix up an old snowmachine a 1973 ski-doo tnt 440cc engine needs coil, belts, and fuel line (sitting since late 80s or the early 90s) also a snow blower engine in the background Also no picture but tried working some buncker teeth got one pounded to 1/16 and quenched in water to no result it was bending under a hammer after being pulled out of near freezin water and cold to touch. Wondering if its some kind of mild though sparks suggest maybe medium carbon (40-50% maybe) thinking they may make good axe bodies if nothing else. will post pics of them within next few days M.J.Lampert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Been a while since I could get on here - glad I have a couple weeks of others projects to scroll through now though. Sorry to hear you’re not feeling well Thomas. My late 97 year old grandfather and 96 year grand mother had and have diabetes. I’ve been helping to take care of her since he passed and it’s really tough on her. Nice knife Chimaera. JHCC did you do that with just file work? I need to redo my touch mark but haven’t thought of anything that I really like AND think I can pull off making on my own - only either or for ideas. My current one is just an M from some rebar that hardens somewhat well but not great. Log splitter press is done - well, done meaning I can use it. The stand ended up being a bit taller than I wanted lol so I may bring it down a little and I still have to make more dies - I want at least some drawing dies and I think this is a good spot to use some of that Flutagon I got to make a punching die but it’s useable nonetheless and I’ll try it next weekend for sure. I was incredibly excited to finish and use it yesterday but then my new belt grinder arrived and it turns out I was more excited about that. I copied another Amazon buyers mods so that it will take thicker belts and the wheels can be used as contact surfaces. He also made a really cool work rest I want to to try to make also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Wow look at you go.. Nice I got together the last installment on the box jaw tong video. j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 MJL, may have been one of the new Boron alloys that don't break like HC steel; but they also can't be quench hardened for blades. (I was just telling a new student at the scrapyard---go for the OLD farm stuff and the NEW auto springs for blades. Pat, are/were they type 1 or type 2, (or like me, making trouble as usual, Adult Onset Type 1, AKA LADA, AKA Type 1.5?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 23 minutes ago, Pat Masterson said: JHCC did you do that with just file work? Files around the outside, rotary burrs in a Foredom tool for the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Bit more playing around with chaser’s pitch. Melted the last batch and stirred in a little canola oil (borrowed from the quench tank), more rosin, and some brick dust. That came out rather sticky, so I added some more brick dust, which seems to have done the trick. Definitely need to make some more punches and chisels, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Masterson Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 (edited) Both like you Thomas - adult onset type 1 which from what I understand is one of the tougher diabetic situations to control but I could be wrong. Nice knife Das - is it the inner and outer strands of the cables that are different and therefore provide the contrast when etched? I ask bc I feel like I’ve seen videos where people remove the inner and just work the outer or vice versa but still get the Damascus look - which seems confusing.. Edited January 17, 2022 by Pat Masterson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 The cable has I think 4 outer bundles and an inner bundle. No idea really if the inner is a differing alloy or not. Ill have to take a closer look at the cable. I really just got it, said yipee and started working it. Lol. I did end up re etching it to get a little darker pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalfgreen Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 On 1/16/2022 at 3:12 PM, Frosty said: John: Reading the citation for you Uncle's medal is enough to clench my gut. I'll bet he didn't think of himself as a hero did he? He was just doing his job, exceptionally well but it was his job. John is he the same man in charge of Operation Torch sorry I ww2 history nerd. and recognized the name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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