brianbrazealblacksmith Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 Alwin, I totally agree with you. I did say I would also use other methods, and I have also seen Alfred Habermann go a totally other extreme and cut rather substanctial plate with remarkable efficency. I believe he was just using cutting oil like you use for a drill press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 I apologize to Brian and the Forum, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 John, welcome to the IFI foot in the mouth club, I'm thankful we have sensible arbiters, or else I might not be able to remain here myself! I have started trying to write a post, walk away from it, then come back and read it again before sending it out, that seems to help. This is actually a pretty cool thread, those hot cuts seem like a new fun project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 Thanks John. Check out this hot cut hardy. Alfred had me make 2 of these hardies of his design to take with him to Japan. Here's one we made today. It was made from 3" of 2 1/4" x 5/16 " leaf spring. I call it the pocket hardy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Cool, I probably shouldn't have used the words "of his design". I'm sure others before us have thought of it before. "There is nothing new under the sun." It is very rewarding to rediscover things for yourself. Great execution of that hardy, ApprenticeMan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Okay, Sam. Thanks for showing us your hardy. Come on guys, show us your hardies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 here it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDW Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Thanks for showing that hotcut, it has always been a major ordeal for me to make one. I don't know how you got those shoulders so square, and paralell. Here is mine, it was cut from a large leaf spring. Glad to see you hear, Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Nice hardies Steve and LDW. I like that little treadle hammer. I used a top and bottom butcher or side set and a set hammmer. The tools used are in the pictures except for the bottom butcher which is on my other anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Here are 3 I made from jack hammer bits. They have held up well. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Nice, John. I'm glad you threw in that scroll starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 25, 2010 Author Share Posted June 25, 2010 I was reveiwing this thread today and thought I should revive it now since quite a few of you out there have seen me using the tapered shanked hot cut hardy, and a few of you have them now. So, what do you think? I'd like to hear from those that have used them. [ I am not selling them, nor do I have any for sell. ] I do tell people that this is my greatest invention because I believe it is. Alot of people on the road expressed concerns about it possibly splitting an anvil, so I started pointing out my top tools as an example of why this will not happen. With top tools, the larger the surface area contact, the more mushrooming you get with use. Flatters require alot of maintenance on the striking end while hot cuts hardly ever need redressing. I know this is not conventional but it is reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Seelye Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 When a Good Blacksmith makes a post, with a great discription, and an explanation of why he likes his design better that any other design AND attaches some great pictures, I do not believe he is advertising. He is allowing me to duplicate his design or at least give me a better idea for a tool or project. If I choose to ask him to make me one, that is still not advertising. Help me out here, but isn't this where we go for great information like this? Please guys, Post more stuff like this. We are all in different stages of learning. This curve concept has me thinking of several other tools I have with straight cutting edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironstein Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Brian, I use my hot cut that you gave me all the time. I rarely have to dress it. I am always amazed how well it cuts as long as you rotate and center your stock. I also have a straight hardy, without the curve on the business end. The straight one i made into a butcher because i found it to be inferior to the one you made! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquamanlr Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 I would like to say Think You to Brian and the other smiths of his caliber that post on this site. I learn by seeing, not book instructions, and I look forward to their post. LeeRoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 26, 2010 Author Share Posted June 26, 2010 Jeff Seelye, I appreciate your understanding. What was funny about that advertising stuff was that I only had those three hardies that my brother and I made one day when he was visiting for sell in the tailgate section, and I never mentioned selling them in my posts. I did remove them immediately though from the tail gate section. I've probably sold a dozen of those in about 10 years, but I've left alot more than that where ever I've been. Someone should start producing these for the market out there. I only make them when I have a striker, and that is usually at demonstrations. Ironstein, I'm glad to hear it. Most people out there will never know what we do because they'll never try it. It took Tom Clark a while to see it and even longer to try it, and he still never got away from the straight chisel end, but he made the tapered shanks for his school and demoed them at Gordon Kirby's in N. California. Aquamanir, You are very welcome, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lbhammer Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 I like the taper shank as it answers the problem I have of lose hardy that bounces around. I have a steel bar and will try to make one of these but why is the curve edge better than a straight edged hardy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 26, 2010 Author Share Posted June 26, 2010 Less surface area contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easilyconfused Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 I haven't gotten around to making one of these but I can see the advantage. I am still nervous about the tapered shank but the curved face makes complete sense. I've seen some flat faced ones that are actually concave in the center from being used which really slows down cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcellwheel Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 Well, I've been lurking around and I'm surprised I haven't come across this thread earlier. (Guess I've been stuck looking at everyeone's anvils on the anvil topic haha) Brian's Hardie tools do indeed work wonders. He gave me a few before my departure of working with him, and (sadly) I've been able to use them a few times with a friend who has a forge and anvil. An update to Brian: My father goes to court this month to see if we can keep the house. I have not been allowed to purchase/set up anything to do with blacksmithing until he knows if we can stay. If we can stay, I'll be contacting Mr. Jerry about getting a forge made, and I'll try and find someone who will let me borrow his truck for a weekend to see if I can get up there to get that stump from you! I miss swinging my hammer terribly, but I know everyday that goes by is just another day closer to being able to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironstein Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 Hey Brian, i think people have a tough time wrapping their head around the fact that you are teaching to help yourself learn as well. So many of us are hung up on the fact that someone is always expecting something in return. People like you who are so accomplished are a rare find, especially who share themselves and their knowledge. In many posts, and especially this one, people assume you are trying to sell something, when in fact you are just trying to further the ease and simplicity of items blacksmiths have been using for generations. To fully understand, they need to meet you and see you teach. Hope you an Karen are enjoying your new home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 I like them. I recently made one with the axle from a VW bug with a similar profile. The only difference is a tapered neck, larger flair, and I put a shoulder over the shaft so it wouldn't wedge into the hardie hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 hmmm...topic went sideways it seems so in an effort to send it back.... very nice work there Brian, I like the idea of a tapered shank, but for me and my home made anvil with a 1 1/2" hardy hole I will need a big piece of 4140. Or maybe I can modify it and use a standard mild steel with a layer of hard facing on the edge? consider the design "borrowed" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 26, 2010 Author Share Posted June 26, 2010 Karen here... I would like to respond to everyone who had thoughts about any post Brian has ever made on IFI. Some of you had personal experience forging with Brian and understand who he is and what he is about, like ironstein and Jeremy and some others. Brian has been standing at the anvil full time for almost 30 years, he has had a lot of smiths take advantage of his talent and experience, some have written articles and books, profiting from his experience. He is aware of it and has never said a thing. Brian has given away information on this site for more than a year now without ever profiting from it because that was not the point. We do offer classes and we do sell forged items by Brian, that is what he does for a living, but as some who have spent time with us know, Brian gives so much more than he takes. I posted our road trip on IFI to share it in a positive way and promote blacksmithing and IFI because that was what I could do to back my husband. We often arrived at a "gig' with less than 10 dollars and an empty tank of gas and counted ourselves lucky. So when some of you think he has an alterior motive, I say it takes one to know one.. I have never met a smith who couldn't learn a technique from Brian and I have never seen Brian hold back on any information for money, all one has to do is ask and he will happily show and tell what he has learned at no charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.pierson Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 Brian and Karen, Might I suggest opening a different discussion and let this one close. The beginning of this discussion was over a year ago and sidetracked. I think the discussion on the hot cut itself is a valuable one. After using Brian's design at yesteryear, I have gathered up what I need to make myself one. Well, except for the striker to help to do it but I am working on that. I have never met a more able and willing teacher in my life. Thanks for the advice and instructions. Brian Pierson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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