Put a couple of firebrick to cover the end of the forge and act as doors.  The forge will get hotter faster.

I have them on the back. I only have the soft thick ones to create a front door.  I'm also learning to control the heat and fuel use.  Three approx two hour sessions, and it started stuttering a bit.  This particular model came with a high flow regulator but no pressure dial, so I don't have a means to consistently monitor what I'm doing.  I'm having too much fun with it though.  

Just mark on the regulator where it runs best but if v you're having fun it's totally worth it.  If the stems broke off you may be working the steel a little too cold,  also look at the order you're doing things.   

Well, I don't think the steel 

Chimaera unfortunately the one on the right to a warp on ht.  I'm going to try tempering it in a jig tomorrow if that doesn't work I'm going to aneal it and start over. 

Shucks, I hit send when I didn't finish what I was trying to type.  Got a new forge, and been out for a year, so I'm thinking my technique is shaky.  I also just moved everything around in the forge.  I need to be more methodical with the regulator.  The knob feels sloppy and it's the kind that you have to turn three full rotations to open all the way. With no guage it's hard to tell how much pressure I've got.  I also need to pay attention when fiddling with the choke.  I want to have a tank lasta while and not waste heat.  

I do notice that it heats way faster and steel stays hot longer than I'm used to.  And I'm moving it faster with a lighter hammer.  I'm not as controlled with my heavier hammer, but that'll come with practice I suspect 

14 hours ago, Paul TIKI said:

broke two of them at the stem before I quit for the night

I have this video saved in my Blacksmithing playlist for when I get going on leaves again because I also frequently had them breaking at the stem - the logic is sound. 

 

15 hours ago, Chad J. said:

unfortunately the one on the right to a warp on ht.

Sorry to hear that. Hope you can get it straightened out over the temper. If not, good luck with round two, hope it goes better for you. I'm hoping to do a short sword soon, and I'm really not sure how I plan on doing HT. It's probably good I haven't started on it yet- once I get a project heat treated, I obsess over it. Usually finish it that night instead of taking my time haha.

Thanks, if you have questions about making your first short sword dm me.  I've learned a few lessons that I'm happy to share. 

Hardened my 2 punches. 

They make holes in hot steel.

See how long they survive.

Also made a dinnerbel for the kids their playhouse. Hope they are happy with it and i don't hate the sound in a couple of months.

 

I’ll share a bit of a failure here on my first attempt at a blacksmith knife.   Didn’t turn out like I imagined but I’ll try again.  
 

on the plus I was happy with the blade shape and being able draw out a foot of handle from the bar.   I liked the 90 degree back of the blade, did that on the anvil not with a grinder.   
 

The blade is too big for the handle which is too flimsy and the scroll is sad.  

Started with a 6” pipe hanger from the restore.   
 

 

It may not have turned out like you wanted, but it still looks pretty good!

Is that pipe hanger made from a hardenable steel?

If it turns out that it is mild steel try quenching it in "super quench" which will get mild steel semi hard.  Not hard enough to skate a file but much harder than its normal state.  You can look up the recipie on line.  I use it for rail spike knives and they don';t quite resist a file but almost.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

7 minutes ago, JHCC said:

It may not have turned out like you wanted, but it still looks pretty good!

Is that pipe hanger made from a hardenable steel?

I just have water to quench and it was still soft after bringing it to an orange heat.    Could be I did it wrong but try again tomorrow after getting it hotter.  

On 2/27/2023 at 9:00 PM, Paul TIKI said:

  I then lit the forge and and was trying to get back to making leaf key chains.

I have a similar setup and the bricks behind the kiln do help

19 minutes ago, PCRDNADave said:

I just have water to quench and it was still soft after bringing it to an orange heat.

If it’s not hardening in water from an orange heat, it’s probably not a hardenable steel. Frankly, that wouldn’t surprise me: a pipe hanger doesn’t need the extra strength that would come from a higher carbon content. 

That does make sense.    Thank you.    Mostly I’m practicing and trying a few new things with whatever material I have at hand to build some experience.  

Nothing wrong with that. Even an unhardened knife can spread butter and open letters. 

Last week on Wednesday when it was 70 degrees, it was a nice day to be in the shop. I normally make things for the re-enactor community, so I forged a few fun things, hooks, a turn screw and a couple of firesteels. It was nice to get limbered up in front of the anvil. Tomorrow, Wednesday, it will be 70 degrees again. Looking forward to another good shop day !!

Ohio Rusty ><>

Nice work Ohio Rusty.  About how big are the fire steels.  I'm just getting back into the swing and those look like just st the thing

Those all look great Ohio Rusty.

I can't remember,  do the fire steels  need to be hardened?  My neighbor just opened up a gun store and has an open cabinet for me.   I'm thinking survival and outdoor related items might be a good fit.  It should also force me to reduce my pile of partly finished knives...

Chad- I have only made a couple (truly horrible) fire steels, but as far as I'm aware they do need to be hardened. If it is too soft, the flint will simply scratch it, instead of chipping off the sparks. At least I think that's why. I've heard that 5160 works well, but someone with more experience would be better suited to answer that. I am looking at teaching a small 1 on 1 class, and I think fire steels may be a good option. First I just need to find some more flint.

1 hour ago, Chad J. said:

 

I can't remember,  do the fire steels  need to be hardened?

The striker needs to be hardened and NOT tempered. 

My understanding of the physics involved is that the sharp flint is shaving off tiny particles of metal and that friction between the flint and the metal turns the energy of the blow into heat, melting those shavings and turning them into tiny glowing spheres. If the metal is too soft, there's not enough friction to melt the shavings, and if the metal is too hard, then the shavings aren't produced in the first place. 

I could be wrong on this, though, so comments from more experienced folks are welcome.

I guess I should elaborate on my last comment. I edge quench the striker because that section needs to be hard so the flint shaves off steel.

Quenching the entire piece will make it too brittle (it'll break if you simply drop it on a hard surface) and tempering it will make it too soft. 

That's what's worked for me anyway.