Do any of y'all use molds to form the curves in spoons or leaves? If so,what do you use and where can I get one?
TIA

You can use almost anything of the right shape / strength to form a curve. I use a ball barring welded to a piece of metal and use it to press into a bottom piece of metal which i drilled a bit then heated and hammered the ball into for my small spoons. A leaf I just use the step / corner of my anvil and the cross peen on my hammer to shape it a bit.

You can find them from Pieh tool co. , Centaur forge, blacksmith supply, Ebay. I just make mine on the anvil though. Curves in spoons can be made using a wooden block.

Another thing to use wood be a hitch ball.

I have a swage with different sized spoon molds, but for small stuff I prefer just to hammer the steel down onto scrap wood.

Ok,see if I can get this.....are you guys saying to use wood that is just flat,or has it been dished out?

you can also use the small hole in your anvil or a steel ring . if using wood the hot metal will start to burn a depression into the wood ...you control the size and shape with your hammer...

Alright....thanks everyone

For small spoons and leaves you can just dish them hot on the end grain of a hunk of firewood. As the hollow burns bigger with use, use it for larges spoons and start on a new chunk for small stuff. OR! If it gets too cold chuck teh wood in teh stove and keep warm!
Finnr

Ok so is it necessary to use a ball pien hammer to start/form the dish-out?

Finn you are SO practical!

A ball pein is a good hammer for dishing. You can also use body hammers, dishing hammers, make a set hammer, all kinds of options. One of my favorite was a shaped wooden mallet I made from a piece of 1x2 oak.

I usually use the through holes and edge swages in my swage block to form bowls, spoons, etc. I then finish them over a stake to smooth the hammer marks.

Frosty

My primary dishing hammers are made from dome headed RR bolts, (not spikes), most ballpeins have too sharp a curve on the ball part. I have also forged ballpeins so that the hammer end has a much more shallow curve for dishing.

DenK, get a black iron pipe elbow. For an eating spoon, use about a 1 inch elbow. For a serving spoon, use a 3-4 inch elbow. On the heel, or the backside, of the elbow draw a spoon. Cut it out, dress it up with a grinder and weld to the head of a RR spike, or something that can be held in the vice. You now have a swage.
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8362/ppuser/1675
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8363/ppuser/1675
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8364/ppuser/1675
I also cut down a ballpein hammer. it works better on the serving spoon. A small ballpein works better for an eating spoon. Good luck and have fun. That's what it's all about!!
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8366/ppuser/1675
Here's also a swage for a ladle.
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8365/ppuser/1675

Edited September 11, 200817 yr by CurlyGeorge
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Cool idea,Curly.What's best for cutting pipe?

Dang, Curly... thanks for dumping another load on the "to do" pile.

Great ideas. Thanks.

Don

Thomas, how do you go about "handling" the RR bolts? I've got some and would like to try. thanks

Well the first one I did I annealed it and drilled three holes and filed them together to put in a rectangular hammer head. Did it about 1/2 way between head and thread. Worked a treat but was a bit frail as the hammer handle was pretty small and the throat wasn't very long.

So I went out and bought a hammer handle drift and slit the eye back in the threads and drifted it for a hammer handle. I also canted the bolt so it follows my swing and hits true on the face rather than an edge for deep dishing. I've used it for several gallon kettles!

If you need more umph you can have one with the threads preserved for a bit on the end and add on the nut that goes to it.

I've been experimenting with heat treating them, I try hot oil first and if it's too soft I go to brine.

Could you just weld it onto an old hammer head?

I used a plasma cutter. An oxy-accet. torch would work just as well. Glad you liked the ideas. Good luck.

I'm not too good cutting with a torch,and I'm too poor to have a plasma,so I might hack on it with a cut-off blade in my 4&1/2" grinder.But yes,I liked your idea,Curly

Locate a local welding shop. They will probably cut it out for you and not charge much. Tell them what it's for and they may show some interest and, who knows, not charge you at all.

Thomas, thanks!

I use a lead block and ball pien

I use a wood stump, a swage, and my anvil.

I use a swage block (the Jellyfishes head was made on the swage block, [see Sculpture, Yard Art section]) and my anvil. Rings made from different sized round bar, with various diameters work quite well. I've used rings made from round bar with square shanks welded on. The most used had a ring made from 1" round bar turned so it had a 1 1/2" inside diameter. I've also used the end grain on wooden stakes and burnt them to keep warm afterwards :D