New and looking for advice

[JHCC]

And meteorites.

[ThomasPowers]

I guess they count as "non-native" metals; though they were found and used without any smelting or added heat. (I remember that bead claimed to be the first use of iron by humans.)

[Frosty]

Seeing as Earth is the result of agglomerated space stuff no metal is "native" in meteorites aren't. Hmmm?

A wood chisel MIGHT survive one cut if it's thin stock but be pretty useless for a second cut. 

Hot chisels are almost too easy for beginner projects, regrinding yard, garage, etc. sale finds or just forging one end of a piece of coil spring and sharpening are very basic skills. 

For a temporary cut off so you can cut a piece or two of coil spring. A short length of angle iron, say 1" of 2" x 2", on end with the up end sharpened will work at least one time. Two minimum if you sharpen each flange. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[JHCC]

A "native metal" is one found in nature in a pure metallic form rather than as an ore. For example, copper occurs both in native form as well as in a number of different ores (such as chalcopyrite and bornite), while gold is typically found only in native form. 

[BillyBones]

My mom has big bowl that is filled with grapes. The bowl is made of jade, the grapes are rose quartz, white quartz and amethyst. The leave of the grapes i cannot remember what they are but a dark green stone. She also has a Mah Jongg set that the tiles are ivory and the scoring discs are all semi precious stones held on little brass posts. My grandparents bought them, along with some other really cool stuff,  when they were in the Philippines in the early 60's. 

[JHCC]

I have a cribbage board my great grandfather made (or had made; family history is a bit unclear) from a piece of fossil mammoth tusk.

[Iron Fangs]

I'll keep the chisels for wood and make chisels myself to hone my skills

On another note. The stone anvil conversation was really interesting, but I'm not sure if PA has any decent kinds of rock for that kind of thing, I mean nothing more budget friendly than "I pulled this out of the creak" am I right? I already have plans to visit a junk yard and find a nice exposed axel for this

[Frosty]

Limestone or marble work. 

Steel is primo and cheap or free is PRIMOer.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Iron Fangs]

Limestone? Pretty sure that is in pretty much every riverbed and small stream. Didn't think it would work being a sedimentary rock

[George N. M.]

Billy, the leaves in your grandmother's stone fruit are probably jade.  However, I have seen less expensive arrangements which had leaves of green glass.  Look at the surface.  If it is as shiny as glass that is what it probably is.  If it is a bit more matt it is probably jade or another, related, greenstone.

Ironfangs, limestone would work but it will deteriorate faster than a good igneous or metamorphic rock.  The point is that you can use any object of a large enough mass as an anvil.  All you need is to back up the force of a hammer blow.  You could use a big block of hard wood but it would deteriorate very quickly as it charred and burned away from the hot metal.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Iron Fangs]

So I could use one of the several dozen chunks of limestone I have in my yard as a stand in (provided it is big and flat enough) until I find something more durable to replace it with

[JHCC]

Just so long as it's dry. You don't want the heat from the metal turning water in the pores to steam and causing explosive spalling.

[Iron Fangs]

Can I make sure they're dry by setting them near a low heat fire (like a campfire or a grill) like we would prepare metal for the furnace in the foundry?

[JHCC]

Yes, but not too close. Keeping them indoors also works.

[Iron Fangs]

Luckily they are not submerged, the plot next to mine was recently bulldozed so they were burried about 4 feet above the water level, so they only get wet when it rains

[ThomasPowers]

No glaciers covered PA during the ice ages?  You might be able to find usable rocks in streams left by the glaciers.

HOWEVER faster and better to find a used sledgehead---cheaper when the handle is missing or broken.

Using stone is more for research and bragging rights---like smelting your own iron.

Old drop forge dies can make a great anvil too  with offshoring I'd expect quite a lot of usable stuff in the rust belt.

[Iron Fangs]

Your right ThomasPowers, I'm not sure about the ice age. But with my dad constantly doing his own cement and home improvement work he probably has several sledgehammers that my mother is likely never to touch now that he is passed on... how heavy, does it just need to be heavier than the hammer I'm swinging or do I need something more like a 20 lb?

[Daswulf]

As long as you don't mind the possibility they might crack and break. ( some have rocks as outdoor decoration and such.)

I agree with Thomas tho. Sledgehammer head is way easier. Got any bigger stumps or logs? You can make all kinds of things to fit into the wood. I have one that will fit a sledgehammer head and a few stake anvils I made. I also used it for dishing before I got a swage block for that.

On your idea of wanting to make armor you'll probably do a bit of work on stake mounted forms anyway. 

 

 

[JHCC]

The heavier, the better, but the most important thing is that it be mounted securely. There was some good discussion here:

 

[Daswulf]

It really just needs to be bigger than your hammer. It could be the same size really but more mass the better (to a point) 

8# and up will work fine. 6# could work too really. 

[Iron Fangs]

Stake mounted... any pictures?

And you know as a matter of fact my father-in-law was complaining about his sledge being broken, I could probably trade him a functional one for his busted one (just the handle, the head is fine)

[Daswulf]

Here's a pic of my stump with the two stake anvils and the sledgehammer mounted in it. Obviously i use one at a time in use and remove the others

The bottoms of the stake anvils are spikes that fit a depression in the stump. They wedge fit and are removable. 

[Iron Fangs]

So it's like a pickaxe?

[Daswulf]

Kind of pointed like one on the end but straight and pointier. 

[Iron Fangs]

What exactly are those, the one looks like it use to be a splitting Maul