Fall 2022 challenge!

[Scott NC]

  Nice letter opener, Jerry.  I had to look up potato chain though.  I now know all about antique McCormick-Deering potato diggers... Thanks.

[JHCC]

I was trying to think of a good pun about potatoes, but all the ones I could think of were pomme-de-terre-ible. 

[wicon]

Colt–Browning M1895?

I like the design of your letter opener, Jerry. About 15 years ago I forged a kitchen knife with a similiar shape. Can't remember where it went, I'm getting older

[Frosty]

Wow, thanks everybody I don't know what to say. It doesn't look like what it was supposed to and certainly isn't nearly as nice as many of the other entries.  

Thanks for the challenge Billy it's been fun, you even got me out in a way too cold shop to be working at the anvil. There at one point the only time my fingers were warm was at the grinder.

Sorry Steve, I'm still not tempted to walk the dark side. 

I am surprisingly pleased with the basic opener, it has a pleasant weight in the hand and the handle is as comfortable as I'd hoped. I'm not sure what I did wrong with the grind on the curved, it doesn't want to cut so easily, the straight edge slits envelopes like warm butter. 

Thanks again. May the best opener win the fabulous all expenses paid round trip to Peavine Ok! 

Frosty The Lucky.

[M.J.Lampert]

one question... with all the different designs and levels of experience how will TW choose a winner, I say we all head down to visit and have a major gathering/ create a new blacksmithing event as well as to unveil next year's challenge (there is going to be one right?) 

M.J.Lampert

[gewoon ik]

8 hours ago, M.J.Lampert said:

one question... with all the different designs and levels of experience how will TW choose a winner, I say we all head down to visit and have a major gathering/ create a new blacksmithing event as well as to unveil next year's challenge (there is going to be one right?) 

Well winter is coming. 

[Frosty]

I don't know M.J. That's an awful LOT of all expenses paid round trip tickets for Billy to absorb. Just imagine the grocery and beer bill!

Good idea though, maybe we should put it to a forum vote.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Or at least a poll. We have been to Peavine and it's a neat place. Also the mayor is a gracious host.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Alrighty guys an gals I’m back

Happy Halloween to everyone everywhere even if you don’t celebrate it!

sorry it took me a bit to get back here an log on, we took Max asauras Rex to town

so he could go trick or treating an attend a Halloween bash at daycare,

8 hours ago, M.J.Lampert said:

with all the different designs and levels of experience how will TW choose a winner

That would be really really really hard!!! 

the challenge rules were intentionally left wide open for materials, methods, designs ect… 

so that everyone of any skill level could participate and let their ideas run wild using whatever material they had on hand,

I think the challenge did just that, we got lots of wonderful entries an awesome designs for letter openers!!!

I myself am just a hobby smith and as such I’m not really qualified to go around picking over other folks work

ive spent the last few days starting at page one of this thread and working my way to the end page over and over and over looking at everyone’s letter openers!!!!

there’s no way of comparing  a pattern welded blade to a Mini rail spike opener to a dragon head or a mini sword or dagger or a sweet lookin squiggly line or a pair of letter openers made for family ect… 

they are all awesome in their own respective ways!

the winner is everyone who jumped out in the smithy and made a amazingly cool lookin letter opener for this challenge!!!!

if y’all just have to have a winner I’ll let y’all select one by popular vote lol

but I personally won’t pick one over the other cause there all great in my opinion!!!

but if y’all do a vote keep in mind this challenge was left wide open on purpose for everyone to have fun!

as far as prizes go???
Anyone who participated prior to today and made an entry and would like a prize can pm me their mailing address and I’ll dig around the shop a ship you something thats old and rusty!!! Lol

8 hours ago, M.J.Lampert said:

I say we all head down to visit and have a major gathering/ create a new blacksmithing event

Y’all’s more then welcome down here anytime!

I’ll host a whole conference down here if y’all all wanna make the trip! Lol

5 hours ago, Frosty said:

Just imagine the grocery and beer bill!

Good idea though, maybe we should put it to a forum vote

Y’all just gimme a heads up before hand and I’ll stick up on 100percent beef franks an beer! 

ive got plenty of forges I’m sure we could get quite the conference started! lol

we can set the tailgate area up in the field

5 hours ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

Peavine and it's a neat place. Also the mayor is a gracious host

Aww shucks y’all’s welcome back anytime! I enjoyed the company!!!

[jlpservicesinc]

TW I'm sorry I did not enter an item.. Time just slipped away..  I loved seeing what everyone brought to the game and all very respectable work. 

No design slapped me in the face for my own opener so sadly nothing to enter.. 

Thank you for the awesome card too.. You are very thoughtful.  Happy Halloween. 

[Frosty]

Uh HUH, likely story. If we don't see pics of a Max asaurus Rex we ain't gonna believe it!

The day isn't over Jennifer, you have till midnight and I'll lend you our's, that gives you 6 hours. 

Speaking of days slipping away from you. I drove to Palmer and wandered around for close to 20 minutes looking for the sport's center to watch the local curling club's Halloween costume curl. Wandering around Palmer is what folks who don't live there do to find places they don't visit regularly. Anyway, I get there, it's dark and parking lot's empty. <sigh>

I drive home and open their FB page to see if I'd missed the notice it'd been canceled and realized yesterday wasn't the 29th.! I really wanted to watch the curling live and lost a day. <sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

7 minutes ago, Frosty said:

. If we don't see pics of a Max asaurus Rex we ain't gonna believe it

How’s this?

[jlpservicesinc]

Frosty, sorry to hear you missed the Curling Halloween.   Bummer.. Sounds like a great event. 

I just couldn't come up with a design that spoke to me..   I was thinking I'd fire up the forge and at least make something but then ended up cleaning the new to me   Canedy Otto New Model 16 with Electric 1907..     Just picked it up few days back and was primarily used in a wood shop..   

its in really good shape..  After this I worked on the electric in the shop.  Installed a new Electric fence controller since lightening killed the other one. 

TW that is so awesome..  What fun..  I thought you were a little older..   Hummm..   

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Thanks Jennifer! he had a ball!

Not sure what age y’all thought we was but Max is 2-1/2 an I turn 36 this comin December lol

that drill press looks awesome!!! I’ve got a couple around the shop that got some old motors like that one, but mine are DIW I need to get the motors rewinded cause their pretty fried,

 

 

[ThomasPowers]

I've heard of potato chain as being higher C to resist abrasion in use.  We make steels for "flint&steels" from them.

[jlpservicesinc]

TW, I was just kidding around..      Max looks great in that costume.   That is the kind of thing I'd wear so was kidding about the age thing..  Meaning you were the one wearing the outfit..     

Both Canedy Otto New Model 16's I have run..   This new to me one is supper smooth and show very little wear.  The Gold paint is still on the Name.. 

[Daswulf]

Don't recall there being a prize or winner, just a challenge. Personal gain is the prize and anyone that participated is the winner. Awesome pics of the kiddo. Fun costume too. Happy Halloween all. Beautiful work and look forward to the next personal challenge Billy has. 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

1 hour ago, jlpservicesinc said:

TW, I was just kidding around

ok that’s good!!!

I was afraid you thought I was setting next to Thomas a Jerry on the mayflower when they came over!!!!  Bahaha

im just joking y’all… don’t be puttin no Halloween hexes on me!! 

I forgot to post my letter opener, I saw an idea online and I attempted to copy it, i failed miserably lol

its made from 3/4” x 1/8” it will open a letter but the handle looks like it’s 1/2” offset from the cuttin part lol I think I way over twisted it, I’ll try it a few more times an see if I can’t make a decent looking one later,

tried to post the pics but keep getting error message, I’ll take new pics in the mornin an post then when I’m back out In The shop,

[Frosty]

That's a pretty happy looking Max asaurus Rex, you have there Billy!  Good times. I took my single mother neighbor's girls trick or treating for the first time for their time. The older daughter was pretty sullen about it all until the light came on and she turned to me and said. "You say trick or treat and people give you CANDYEEEE!!!!" She ran to the next house, I almost needed a leash to keep up. Pure Kodak night and emphasized one of my only regrets not having kids of my own. 

Halloween costumes in Alaska need to fit over snow suits or parkas and make it a special thing. 

How pleased with the way my letter opener turned out is prize enough, twitting Billy is just icing on the cake. What's our next challenge Billy? 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[ThomasPowers]

Mayflower?   Some of my Ancestors *walked* to get here!   Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe predates the Mayflower landing(s) and is still in use!   400+  years so far.

[BillyBones]

Frosty, working 2nd shift now puts a damper on enjoying the kids on Halloween for me now. It is always enjoyable on a kids first trick or treat them realizing they get free candy, then when the police cars and fire trucks come with lights flashing passing out the king size candy bars they get a bit more pep in their step as well. 

TW, i thought you were a bit older than that to be honest, not a lot i was thinking mid 40's early 50's maybe. Great costume.

As for the challenge, i used a material i have very little experience with, stainless, and added brass highlights again not much experience with. It got me thinking outside the box along with other shapes than a basic knife shape for one.  That is why i put up the squiggly thing i tried to maybe get others thinking about what is needed in a letter opener. I have already started making others to give for Christmas. So to me that is a win. 

As of late things have slowed down a bit and this past Saturday i was standing looking at my forge thinking what to do. These challenges not only get the creative juices flowing and add another skill to my box of tricks but at times just give me something to do.  

 

[Les L]

Nice openers Frosty and Shaina

Shaina, have you thought about turning the blade 90 degrees to make it look more like a tail on the gator?

Twisted, thanks for coming up with this idea, I had fun participating and seeing all of the great ideas everyone came up with 

[Goods]

Sorry I didn’t get to doing a submission for this challenge. I have the exact opposite problem Billybones has, my project list is so long I rarely get any time to make something just for fun. (Ok, I find just about any time in the forge fun.) I should have made one as inventory for the last demo, but I had my list made up and sometimes I can’t think past that. (It’s probably just the engineering side showing itself in me…).

Keep the challenges coming though! It’s great seeing others creativity, and it did have me thinking about lots of different ideas.

Thanks all and great work!

David

[ThomasPowers]

How about a Christmas Tree ornament for Christmas Challenge?

Forge welded from rusty Barbwire:

[Jobtiel1]

I'm sorry for not submitting one too. I was working on one but I messed it up and needed to make a punch. Busy schedule and other stuff to do let me to being too late. Next time I'll make sure to join! Maybe we can make this a 4 times a year thing.

~Jobtiel