GRiley904 Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Hi friends, haven't posted in a while but I'm still here banging away. No longer live in FL, I've moved to mill run PA. Right next to Ohiopyle where I guide the white water. Super fun job. I had the privilege of working briefly at Red star iron works with an excellent Smith named Pete. I finally got my forge built up here and have taken to making things again. Here is a knife I've been working on to waste my idle time in the winter. Mostly a stock removal blade from a recycled leaf spring with hand tools. Honestly the whole point of this project was to be a time pit. Still I got impatient and cheated a bit using an angle grinder to establish a tang and a belt sander to quicken the profile process. A couple day ago, I went to work forging the guard and a pommel button for the peened through tang handle and picked a nice piece of walnut for the handle. There is a bit more progress made since this Pic on handle profiling but I may have cracked my walnut handle. No worries, I have more, but I could have done a better job mating it with the guard and pommel anyway. Up next is heat treat and then finish grind. I hope it comes out well as I have several hours of file time on this thing. Thanks for any input and feedback or tips and tricks on regard to fit and finish. As for heat treat, I've normalized it once but I fear it was too hot when I did so I will normalize twice more at just over non magnetic. Oil quench at similar temp and either differential temper with soft spine or differential hardening with an edge quench. I'm not sure yet but this will be a very thick blade, kinda a drop point skinner. It won't be the prettiest thing in the world yet I will refine it a bit more. I'm ready to see it finished. Thanks everyone, Riley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Welcome to sw PA. Ohiopyle is a beautiful area. It certainly is a weather change from Florida. The Yough river is really nice up there. I'm a more calm water guy and only kayak the lower Yough. Rapids look fun but it isn't for me lol. Used to bike the trails up there and as soon as I get these kids on bikes I'll be taking them up to ride and check out the scenery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRiley904 Posted November 21, 2021 Author Share Posted November 21, 2021 I love it up here, I'll take the snow and river over the heat and humidity any day. Not to mention the hunting is amazing up here. I guide the lower, it's a class 3+ runwith like 1 or 2 class 4 rapids or above 5 foot water levels the whole section becomes class 4. Those are some legit rapids. I also work a little on the upper yough, class 5. Second steepest commercially rafted section in the country, possibly the most difficult. That's where the fun lives, until you get inexperienced rafters in your boat. Middle is the mostly flat scenic float. Most think it's boring and typically takes 4 hours to complete at normal levels, class 1 and 2. It's super chill and personally I think it's beautiful. My mom's side of the family is from Ohiopyle, it's almost a right of passage in my family to at least work a few seasons on the river. Usually we do it around 18 to 21 years old but I waited until I was 30. I made the move permanent almost 2 years ago and have been tinkering and collecting ever since in order to start hitting metal again. Still have a bit to do in order to get the smithy to full potential but I'm operational again and already better than ever as far as what my tools will allow. Now I just have to work on me. Thanks for the welcome to PA Das. Feel free to hit me up if you're in town or if you hear of any events in the area. If you ever feel like seeing some more of the river, I'm your guy. Riley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 Pretty much just have to drive up there and you're likely to get a deer. I have some friends/ workmates up there. They live right on the edge of the gamelands. When I said lower yough, I meant from connelsville down lol. Where the most you have is riffles and a handful of bigger rocks to watch out for when the water isn't high. If I ever get brave enough I'll let you know. It does sound like fun. There was a small documentary I saw on yt a year or so ago about the guys that were kayaking the upper yough in the 80's? Some time around there, maybe earlier. Ill let you know if I hear of any cool events. Check out the PAABA (pittsburgh area artist blacksmith assosiation) website. They are the closest group to us. There is Touchstone center for crafts up your way too. If you get a chance and are looking for any equipment visit Ed Claypoole at Atlas forge in the uniontown/hopwood area. He buys and sells all kinds of blacksmithing equipment. Great guy. Glad you are getting your shop going. Looks like you have all the basics. Ill let you know if I'm going to be out your way. I almost wouldn't mind going to see what Ed has for sale but I'd want to go with money in my pocket. Aric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRiley904 Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 May have been the "history of the upper yough" Playlist. It's like 12 to 14 videos explaining how rapids got their names, the early days and first people to take guests down the upper, some cool stories along the way, and my favorite bit of history about how the first ones to navigate the section were being shot at by unruly locals but did it anyway. The history in this area goes just as deep as you want to dig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 All the way to George Washington and the beginnings of the french indian wars and fort necessity and down to pittsburgh's fort pitt. Then we have the whisky rebellion. So much other great history. There are books even on the indians before that in the area i believe. Haven't got them yet to read. The old hotel on the summit and where an old watering hole used to be. The brownsville area that used to be a hub of transport to the west. ( it even has a " sort of" castle) to the Old Overholt whisky distillery that lasted till around the 50's along the lower Yough past connelsville that my friend and I always stop at on our day kayak trips. There is so much history there. We still wonder where Washington crossed the Yough river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 My father used to refer to Old Overholt whiskey as "Old Overcoat." It is a rye whiskey that has been around since 1810. It is now produced in KY by Jim Beam. During Prohibition it produced "medicinal" whiskey. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad J. Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 All whiskey is medicinal, along with any type of brandy. I'll occasionally splash a bit on the anvil when I'm starting a tricky project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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