Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 Well cheap and reliable is always a win-win where you can find it, function over flash is all the more true for a Newby like me am I right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 Not just for newbies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 Depends on what you value more, we see plenty of folk here who're more interested in. S'okay, it's a free country. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 Is there any point to me saving stainless silverware? Is there any way for me to forge with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 I see a lot of neat art made from stainless flatware but other than flattening, bending, etc. I haven't seen any forged. It's probably too full of chrome/nickel to be safe in the forge anyway. SS flatware makes great scrap art. Just be careful welding it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 See I was saving it with the intention of making a foundry, melting it down, and pouring it into ingot molds for easier use, but after reading several threads on IFI warning against exactly that I decided against building the foundry altogether. May look into making a bloomery but I will be needing to do more research before tackling that beast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 For a bloomery you would need iron ore and so not need the cutlery for that. BTW of all the various ores we have tried in bloomeries; the preprocessed taconite balls were the worst to work with---too much slag, ok for a blast furnace where it's molten and run off; but more of a pain for a lower temp bloomery; those blooms were like "iron soup". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 Alright, here is my main question about Iron production: Is putting a bloomery in my backyard more realistic thsn a foundry for producing forgable iron? And to follow up, is it a more safe process for myself and anyone around me? What I am having in mind is red rust (from Iron so rusted it isn't recognizable) and magnitite (chunks or powder) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 OK cast iron isn't forgeable and so you would need to melting steel. Steel melting is hotter and more tricky to do, fluxing, deoxidation, alloying---what you put in the pot may not be what you get when pouring. Is there a reason you want to make less pure steel at much higher costs than buying it? We got into bloomeries trying to do historical, (circa viking era), metalworking where you can't just go out and buy it! We were getting about 15 pound blooms with around 45 manhours per bloom what with building, prepping, running and consolidating blooms. More modern bloomeries would probably be a LOT more efficient but still nowhere near the quality or the price of scrap steel! A Bloomery is more safe in my opinion as you are NOT working with molten metal like you would be with a foundry. Again the question "why"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 I can't help much on the in the bloomery field but I do make a lot of scrap metal sculpture and art using silverware as parts. I have a decent stockpile at the moment but I am due to make more dragonflies using butter knives and i dont think i could have enough silverware for some ideas I Plan on making. So till then I just stockpile it. People have made some nice jewelry from silverware, like bracelets from the handles and many other things from other parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 I do see your point Thomas, and the only answer on why I would want this I can think of is simply that I feel there would be a sense of satisfaction I'm forging Iron that I refined myself, and this stems from my respect for blacksmithing and works of iron. When it comes down to it I am curious about the process and feel the experience is something I would enjoy, but of course if the steel and iron I find in a scrap yard is both cheaper and better quality I would rather source from there based on financial decisions Maybe I will hold on to the silverware and see what I can do with it down the line, might come up with some interesting ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 Definately hang on to it for future possibilities. Nothing worse for a metal worker than to sell or get rid of something then realize they needed it later lol. Just like ideas and knowledge. Learn to move steel first and you can build and grow your knowledge base from there. What Are some things you'd like to forge/make? Mine started with knives and other blades and grew to many different areas from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 As an end game I would like to make things like swords, shields, and even Armor if possible, but as a more short term goal I would like to make things like axes. Hammers, maybe even a saw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 It all starts with basics and builds from there. Gatta make the tools to make the tools to make the thing you were making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 That's exactly why I'm on IFI, seemed like a well of information and I wanted to make sure I didn't get in over my head right from the get go, I want to enjoy the craft and not ruin it for myself by taking on projects that are unrealistic for my current level, or use improper equipment and end up hurting myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 I spent about 10 years on the Pennsic Bloomery crew down your way when I lived in Ohio; then the last 17 years in New Mexico... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 It's definetly something I would like to try once I have more experience under my belt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 Volunteer as a bloomery thrall at the next Pennsic? Do they still do that at Pennsic Thomas? There's nothing wrong with doing something just because. However there's even less wrong with trying "just for the heck of it" projects with as good a chance of success as possible. As starter projects how about things you'll be able to use right away say: fire tools for the forge, shelf brackets and various types and sizes of hooks, punches, chisels, tongs, etc. All these things require the same kinds of skills necessary to make the things you list above but not the precision nor required degree of heat management. Whatever you do, take ad post pics so we'll believe you made the stuff. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 5, 2021 Author Share Posted November 5, 2021 Thanks for the words of advice and encouragement, I think that sounds like a great place to start, my first project was a simple S hook I was taught how to make at Fort Allen Antique Farming Equient Repair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 5, 2021 Share Posted November 5, 2021 I haven heard from the smelting crew for a long time now; I don't know if Pennsic Smelting is still being done. I'm hoping to do a bit out here if I can get permission to collect hematite and magnetite locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 5, 2021 Author Share Posted November 5, 2021 I actually looked into identifying magnetite and hematite in soils (especially in riverbed areas which are plentiful around pittsburgh), but moreover as a fun activity to teach kids about magnetism, the magnets separate the two from non-ferous dirt over a piece of white paper, fun for all ages lol, but It would be cool, I might look into some places still using a bloomery and see if there are any in my area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 Daswulf, Glenn, Frosty, ThomasPowers, JHCC, Goods... Thank all of you for the help, advice, and suggestions you have given me on this Thead to date, and also thank all of you for the tips and useful information I have recieved from all of you on other IFI threads as well, I am very grateful to find so many willing souls to share their experience and help me get started! I think I'll keep this thread open for just a bit longer to continue to benefit until I get some of my skills in order and my "shop" up and running (not that i'll be selling anything just starting out, not my goal), I loved Frosty's 30 lb of dynamite analogy that stopped me from trying to build a foundry myself, I've seen Zinc Tidal waves and an aluminum foundry furnace shoot a 4 ton cannonball across a warehouse and that's about half the heat of iron of not less. Scary stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 Threads don't die on Iforge unless they go way south and get locked by admin. Even then they get archived. You'll be able to come back and post something fresh be it question, discovery, epic mistake, cyber sock hurricane worthy pun or whatever probably till we're all gone. Every now and then you'll see a post that's kind of confusion on it's face but if you look back in the thread you'll find someone replying to a post from 2010 and then it'll take off again. It can be hard to find an old thread if you don't remember enough about it. The on site search engine sucks . . . Use your favorite and add Iforgeiron, to the terms and it'll search here first. It's also a good place to kill time. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Fangs Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 Sounds like fun, but I did seriously want to thank everyone for all the advice, caution, and very interesting ideas, it made me want to go to the nearest junk yard and look for a nice heavy Axel head to turn into my first Anvil, and I'm thinking a discarded Rotor from my next brake replacement would be an excellent tool to prop in a vice to make smooth curves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 I WASN'T trying to curb your enthusiasm just pointing out the fun is never ending when you play with fire and hammers. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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