Meep Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Hello everyone my name is Ruurd 15 years old from the Fryslân province in the Netherlands. I'm just starting out blacksmithing (having watched blacksmiths videos for a while:) A question for my fellow blacksmiths from the Netherlands. do you know any good places to get gas forge materials like kaowool and refractory cement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Howdy from eastern Oklahoma and welcome to the forum! You might ask Job, he is in the Netherlands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meep Posted March 16, 2023 Author Share Posted March 16, 2023 thank you:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Welcome aboard from 7500' (2286 m) in SE Wyoming, USA. Glad to have you. Like Twisted Willow said, try Private Messaging Jobtiel since he is in the same part of the world as you. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meep Posted March 16, 2023 Author Share Posted March 16, 2023 Thank you I will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 Good Morning Meep, Kao Wool should be available at any Pottery Supplier. It is in North America. There are a few members here from the Netherlands. There must be a way to contact someone locally. Welcome from Canada Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 Welcome from the Ozark mountains USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jobtiel1 Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 Hi and welcome, I can't post links due to forum rules, but try looking up smeedwinkel and 123smeden. also Angele forge in Germany might have some stuff for you. I would also consider a solid fuel forge with coal or charcoal. For me that is cheaper than a gas forge to operate, you'd have to find out how it works out for you. Good luck and if you have questions don't hesitate to ask. ~Jobtiel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gewoon ik Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 Hello Don't forget oezwerk also germany. Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meep Posted March 17, 2023 Author Share Posted March 17, 2023 Thank you swedefille and irondragon. I have already tried forging with charcoal that i made at home (spent a whole afternoon tending a fire)But i didn't like that ut burnt so fast. I would be open to using coal but i can't realy find a way to get it here in the north. And the reason for a gas forge is that its pretty hands of and easily to light and portable because i dont have a shop for forging yet. I do have a shop for general fabrication like welding and a bit of woodwork but i'm not comfortable using it because its in a farm and i don't want ti burn it down:) i already have an anvil as you can see it weighs 190 kg without the heel. Does anyone know what the dent is maybe because of cold sharpening of blades? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BsnNFrnt Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Meep, My guess would be side cutting created that dent. Most of the anvils I encounter were used in farrier pursuits, and side cutting/ bending seem to be prevalent in their techniques. There are plenty of farrier knowledgeable folks on here that can comment on the use of anvil sides for shoeing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meep Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 Sorry for the late reply bit what is sidecutting? I think it makes sense becaus i live in the north where horses where used alot for farming. Anyone remember Zorros horse? He is from this part of the world. On 3/20/2023 at 1:54 AM, BsnNFrnt said: Meep, My guess would be side cutting created that dent. Most of the anvils I encounter were used in farrier pursuits, and side cutting/ bending seem to be prevalent in their techniques. There are plenty of farrier knowledgeable folks on here that can comment on the use of anvil sides for shoeing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 I believe that what is referred to is using the side of the anvil to back up cutting with a chisel to prevent damage to the face on top. My Peter Wright is covered with chisel marks that obscure almost all of the manufacturer's markings. I can make out a couple letters if I know what I am looking for. Of course, Frisia! Some years ago we visited a farm near Fort Colins, Colorado which raised Frisians. Beautiful and smart horses. The character played by Rutger von Hauer in the movie Ladyhawk in the early '80s was also a Fresian. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 PS the character played by Rutger von Hauer rode a Fresian horse. There was already a lot of species shifting in that movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meep Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 yes Rutger von Hauer also comes from Fryslan do you mean the side wher the upsetting block is? because i meant the large dent on top of the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 On mine most of the damage is on the right side when viewed from the heel of the anvil with the horn pointing away from you. I think most smiths would lean over the anvil and use a chisel pointed back at the far side from where they were standing. There is still some on the near side (horn to the left) but not as much as the far side. My anvil does not have an upsetting block which I have seen on either side of anvils that have them. GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meep Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 ok thank you now i understand but do you know what the big dent on the face of the anvil is? im trying to send some more photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Dents on the top usually come from lots of work being done on it, like the head of a chisel mushrooming over. The tool steel face is pretty resistant but it will deform slowly in use. I have seen some anvils that are definitely sway backed from use. That usually is a minor flaw and some folk even like that shape because it helps in certain processes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Welcome aboard Meep, glad to have you. The dent is the result of repetitive work. An owner or perhaps shop did a lot of one thing for a long time deforming that part of the face. It wasn't sharpening blades, that is done on an edge with half face blows. The blade edge to be sharpened is held flush with the edge of the anvil and struck with the hammer face half on half off the anvil. (Half face blows) This allows the blade to be forged as thin as he smith is good without damaging the anvil or hammer. Half face blows also focus the energy of the blow on the anvil's edge and naturally taper the stock being worked. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meep Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 Ok thank you guys i was asking because it has very straight edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 OK; older anvils had the faceplate welded on in sections and the weld zone often wears faster due to decarb during the welding process. So indents across the face of the anvil may be faceplate section joins and there is also a tendency to have faceplate failures at such joins. I have a Powell where a faceplate join matched up with the edge of the hardy hole and the joint where the heel was welded onand a catastrophic failure occurred leaving me with a heeless anvil. (About 120# and sold to me for US$40; so I was happy!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jobtiel1 Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 My anvil is from the 1787 and has a similar wear pattern on the face. What Thomas said is probably the cause there as well. You can see it slightly on this picture. ~Jobtiel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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