Hey all,

I made my first leaf keychain fob today. Visually I think it turned out okay for my first try.

The question I have though is how thin do you forge the leaf? I think I went too thin because the edges are quite sharp and I would worry about someone cutting themselves when reaching for their keys. I tried filing and sanding the edges and it helped some but I am wondering if others don't go as thin to avoid this problem.

Thanks for your help.

Once you've made a few more you'll figure out how to leave a little more thickness on the edges. The trick is NOT hammering the edges towards the end.

Filing and sanding is a fine way to correct any sharp edges, burrs, etc. I do it all the time. These things happen now and then no matter how long you've been at it and there's no excuse for selling or giving something to someone that might hurt them accidentally.

Frosty

When forging a leaf shape use the pein of the hammer and work from the center of the metal out towards the edges. That will allow you to make leaves with nice shapes and no sharp edges.

more mass as well. Can make the same shape just thicker.

The best discription of leaf making I have read is in the best of the bits, you start from the center and work your way out with the pein of the hammer. like anything it takes a few to understand the movement of the metal. You have to decide once you have done a few dozen what you like. I switch between chiseled veins and hammered viens on a regular basis depending on what I am doing.

John

The important thing is to do it quickly so that the work doesn't look 'tired'.

Sam would you explain what you mean by looking "tired?" I've only been at this about a month so I appreciate the feedback from all who have responded.

Thanks

It's a subjective thing really. I suppose I mean that what we do can be seen not as forcing steel into shape, but persuading it that the leaf, scroll, knife etc. is the shape that it should have been all along. If you spend too long on a piece, the metal gets bent one way and another and what should be smooth curves end up like a badly made scroll with jerks and flat spots; the edges of fine work become ragged and scale builds up and gets hammered in. When you've made a few more of these and can do it in a single heat, compare your first and last and you'll see what I mean.

I have just begun to make leaves in the last couple of months, I think the sharp point on some of my leaf shapes are a good defensive weapon, in lieu of just the keys!!

Thanks Sam I see what you are saying and really appreciate your help.

Usually i use a big hammer to flattten the leaf, about 3 good blows does it, that way there are no dents in the leaf because the whole surface of the hammer came into contact with the leaf.
Bb

As far as "looking tired" I had it explained a little differently when I did the same thing. The smith I was working with told me to make everything look deliberate, like I wanted it to look the way it does. I think this comes from experience and the ability to look at your work critically. Look at it like it was someone else's and think about what you would tell them to do to make it better.