TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 Awesome! I’m glad to hear your jumpin in BillyBones! cant wait to see what ya got planned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 "Letter Opener" is that a fancy term for a "shiv"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 Pretty much can be Thomas. I purchased a. cool dagger with a wooden handle and sheath at the fleamarket as a kid. As I got older I realized it was a fancy letter opener. I have made dagger bottle openers for a few friends before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 26 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: "shiv" Only if your married to bell star! come on Thomas, let’s see what ya come up with for a letter opener! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 What about Pearl? (Fort Smith has both a Gallows and a former Bordello on the National Historic Register.) I'm a bit busy getting ready for the state fair and Quad-State, but perhaps I could do something out of rusty barbwire if I get a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shainarue Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 End of October feels totally doable for me to learn a few techniques and join in on this! And my coworker uses a cheap plastic one to open all the office mail so I'm going to do some brainstorming on a design she'd like. She's the whole reason I even got into blacksmithing as she was the one who invited me along to join her at a blacksmithing project class (we made a Viking Fork - aka: long pointy skewer with twists & loop handle, lol) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Well ya gatta expect some failures when you wing it. Blade was barring race and my dumb self quenched it in water. What do i think when trying to gently get a bend out of it.... Nothing went right anyway. Try try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 11 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: I'm a bit busy getting ready for the state fair and Quad-State, but perhaps I could do something out of rusty barbwire if I get a chance. That’s why I set the challenge date out so far so everyone would have time to participate! I really like your barbwire icicles! A letter opener would look awesome! 8 hours ago, Shainarue said: End of October feels totally doable for me to learn a few techniques and join in on this Awesome! I’m glad your jumping in too! I’ll bet your coworker would really appreciate a hand made letter opener from you! Should make a nice Christmas gift if you wanted to wait that long to give it to her, Aric, im sorry your first shot broke on ya, But that’s a wicked looking twist you got on the handle all the same! Maybe you could save the handle to add to one of your sculptures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jobtiel1 Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 This seems like a nice challenge, and Brian has made some amazing stuff already. I've never made a letter opener, so I'll have to get my creative side up and running to think of something nice! ~Jobtiel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad J. Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 I'm in. I haven't done any figure heads or anything like that yet. Maybe I'll give it a shot with this. We'll have to see since I normally wing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 The twist got kind of ugly on me, maybe I subconsciously put it out of its misery lol. I was going to do a basket twist on it. Maybe it will get a life as something else. Either way it was good forge welding practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Found some time to get the forge fired up. Started making a trade item (Hardy tool) for our BOA meeting Sept 10th at Tired Iron. Also knocked out this letter opener for the challenge. It started out life as an old wrought iron RR spike that had rusted away badly. I first made a spike out of it to hold down an anvil but decided to toss it aside and made some spikes from mild steel instead. This is what I came up with 5 1/2 inches long. It weeel open a letter. Debi says it's cute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 9 hours ago, Jobtiel1 said: I've never made a letter opener, so I'll have to get my creative side up and running to think of something nice! I bet this will be an awesome fist letter opener for ya! 9 hours ago, Chad J. said: Maybe I'll give it a shot with this I didn’t think about doin that for mine, I can’t wait to see what ya come up with! 7 hours ago, Daswulf said: Maybe it will get a life as something else I’ll be watching the sculpture forum for it! Randy, I love it! Looks awesome! i have an ol spike I believe is wrought that I’ve been saving for a rainy day but i didn’t think about that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 18 hours ago, Daswulf said: quenched it in water. Every letter opener I have ever made is just normalized, hi carbon or mild or wrought iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 I'll be quite honest, I knew better, and still for some reason did it. Wasn't as much an attempted quench as a quick cool down from black heat. But being the bearing race I used, I still knew better. One of those tired things that bite you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Good looking opener Irondragon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 As usual Thomas is an inspiration, I think I'll make a Thomas Powers letter shiv from a sharpened tooth brush. I really like the spike letter shiv Randy. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 IFCW, that is neat.. I like the looks of it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Here is my submission. Made from 5/16" square bar of 303 stainless. The brass ball is attached by threading a tenon and drill and tapping a piece of 3/4" round brass bar, cut off a piece and ground it into a ball. Sanded the blade kind of shiney and just wire brushed the handle then a bit of wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 16 hours ago, Frosty said: I think I'll make a Thomas Powers letter shiv from a sharpened tooth brush Remember the rules, it must have at least some forged component no Matter what material you use! 12 hours ago, jlpservicesinc said: that is neat. Jennifer, are ya gonna join in on the fun? I’d love to see what you’d come up with! BillyBones, that looks amazing! I really like the brass ball! That’s a nice touch and a cool idea! Are ya gonna give it to your wife to use or you gonna keep it for yourself? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 I think I will join in.. Kinda tricky subject since it's left to my own artistic self.. LOL.. I really struggle with art and loose parameters.. Brian B.. did some fantastic work on his pieces.. I might actually have to sit down and design something.. Billybones.. Splendid.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 Oooh, letters are crying in FEAR Mr. Bones! I like it a lot Billy it's beautiful. Okay so I'll have to warm up the toothbrush and forge it into a Thomas Powers letter shiv. I can do that. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 So nice that some folk still have teeth... perhaps my hand forged toothbrush/shiv had something to do with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 27, 2022 Author Share Posted August 27, 2022 18 minutes ago, jlpservicesinc said: think I will join in Awesome!!! All Your work is beautiful! i cant wait to see your piece! 12 minutes ago, Frosty said: letter shiv Alright Jerry let’s see an Eskimo shiv! Thomas, i thought rusty barbwire made better shivs then tooth brushes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 Depends on the prison you are in...hard to forge weld rusty barbwire in most prisons, grinding a toothbrush handle down on a concrete floor or wall is easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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