Smithing Tools

[Jeff Bly]

I have a problem. I caught the bug and I am buying all sorts of hammers, files, cold chisels and punches. Is there a general list of tools that I SHOULD have versus what I am buying? Also I have one leg/post vise, and have access to another. Do I ever really "NEED" more than one?

[Paul B]

I am a believer that you can never have to many tools of any kind.

[Jeff Bly]

I'm a mechanic. Tools are in my blood. My father keeps telling me to set up my own shop. He's a mechanic and machinist himself.

I also believe that you can never really have to many tools myself, but which are the right ones to own? I've been buying cold chisels to make for a fit in the hardy hole so I can use them to cut hot metal and to make them into other tools as needed.

I understand the basics: hammer, anvil, heat source and tongs. I have many sets of old pliers that I have been considering forge welding long handles onto them to make use of them as tongs. Does that sound practical?

[piglet_74]

I kind of started a post similar to this but I think folks missed the point of it. The best I can figure is once you have an idea of some basic operations that you want to perform. Find/make the tools needed for that operation. So for instance, I would rather hot cut than use my cutoff wheel for most things I do so that became a priority for me to make first. I like punching holes instead of drilling them so I grabbed a punch from the store but drilled some 3/8" plate full of holes to aid in punching. It also gets used for heading rivets since I want to make rivets instead of buy them. I like the look of twists so I welded a pipe onto the head of a flea market monkey wrench for twisting. I want to start making bigger holes next so my next job is making drifts.

What types of things are you looking to make?

Rob.

[Jeff Bly]

Not sure yet. I have really been quite intrigued with ornamental iron work like gates. I love the old look of iron infused with wood like on old doors. Door knockers. I also do a lot of camping, and I think it would be cool to make items that I can take and leave up in my secluded camping area.

[piglet_74]

That reminds me I wanted to make a punch for countersinking screws. I haven't looked to much into it but I think once you punch the hole you use a somewhat blunted center punch to counter sink it. I've seen that on a few pieces meant for mounting to wood. Might be the other way round though. The other thing is the blacksmith fastener website has square head lags that look good for mount stuff to wood.

[SoCal Dave]

What type of tool steel is best for making blacksmith punches and chisels? Where can I get this material without to much difficulty and to much cost. I've been using sucker rod and want to transition to tool steel.

[piglet_74]

I've seen coil spring used. Here's a chart from anvilfire.

Jock Dempsy has stated that no material from anvilfire can be copied and used on any other web site on the internet. The chart that was posted has been removed as it came from anvilfire. The chart BP0002 Junk Yard and Rail Road Steels was compiled by David Wilson of the North Texas Blacksmiths Association, and used on IForgeIron with his permission.

These references for steels are only guide lines and may or may not be current with a manufactures choice of steels for a specific application.

Edited March 2, 2009 by Glenn
Jock does not allow anvilfire material to be copied and used.

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

I prefer to use 5160 [coil spring] for most of my punches and chisels for doing hand work because it is readily availiable, it's affordable, and yeilds to the hammer relatively easily. I also use 4140 [sucker rod] for fullers.

[philip in china]

You might be well advised to start with a few basic tools and then just make the others as you need them. Actual blacksmithing tools I have bought (rather than made0 are anvils, a post vice, my first hardy, some hammers and files. I think I am right in saying I have made everything else and learnt a lot from doing so. I would almost never buy a chisel or a punch or a drift unless I saw one at a very good price.

This approach does mean that youy spend many hours making tools which is non profit making but it teaches you a lot. I am now in the fortunate position of ebing able to sell my work and so might actually start to buy more equipment rather than spend time making it. That is the luxury of setting up the new shop of course but I am glad that I learnt to make things first.

[Ferrous Beuler]

Jeff, You really don't need all that much to get started. It would be good if you got with some smiths at a group meeting to see what they are using and get some pointers on how to make stuff like punches, drifts, hardies, etc. Also this will help in locating stuff for your shop like an anvil, post vice, firepot, etc. as these are the guys with the stuff!!!
Search the blacksmith groups on this forum for the group in the Albany area.

[Jeff Bly]

I have got all my cold chisels and punches, hammers and files at garage/yard sales, CHEAP! I have one post/leg vice. Would it be beneficial to have a 2nd?

[Dave Hammer]

Jeff... Only if you have a small one and need a large one. OR if you have a large one and need a small one.

[Quang0]

I prefer to use 5160 [coil spring] for most of my punches and chisels for doing hand work because it is readily availiable, it's affordable, and yeilds to the hammer relatively easily. I also use 4140 [sucker rod] for fullers.

What is sucker rod? (Obviously 4140), but what's it used for? Can't say I've heard the term used here in Aus

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

What is commonally called "sucker rod" is the long lengths of solid round rod that have threded ends for linking more lengths of rod together to pump oil out of the ground. It comes in different sizes, but the most common size that I have run across is 3/4" round. The threded ends flare out larger then transition to about 1 1/4" square before the threds.

[SoCal Dave]

Brian: I've got some sucker rod from a cattle ranch. Don't know how old it is and what type it is, and pretty rusted. Can you get sucker rod, like the 4140, you wrote? Where in southern california?

[Jeff Bly]

Thanks djhammerd. I suppose that makes a bit of sense. LOL, so now, what is considered big and what is considered small as far a post/leg vices go?

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

I don't mess with sucker rod much these days, but it is readabely availiable any where there is oil. I get my 4140 from a suspension shop here in the Central Valley. It comes in sizes from 2" to 5/8" round in 1/8" increments in between. It is their drops. They come in 2 feet to 3" lengths. It is what they can't use. Any shop that is making suspension parts should have something similar scrap.

[piglet_74]

Gerald, Thanks. I had no idea what they were called. I'll have to do a search now and take a look at some. Up till now I haven't run across any in my other searches of tools etc. BTW that gate is awesome. The horiz. member on the bottom looked like it took some work to go from the thick ends to the thinner middle section.

Sorry about the chart Glenn.

One thing you didn't mention yet Jeff but I thought was important was a good wire brush. I took everyones advice here and picked up a butcher block brush. The one I found has strips of steel pressed into the bottom that are real stiff. It's nice because it's 4"x9" and the handle is on the back. When I used a wire brush for welding, I would toast a finger here and there. I still find it interesting that my skin turns white-ish yellow and dry instead of red and blistered when I miss and come in contact

Rob.

[Woodeye]

I'm a big fan of 5160 coil spring material as well. I get all kinds of unknown "hardenable" steel from my local scrap yard but a couple good sized coil springs go a long way and once I have the hardening/tempering figured out it goes much easier as I make tools - and the price is so right. I know there are much better steels but not that I can buy on any given Saturday morning in my neck of the woods.

[Jeff Bly]

Rob, I actually have several different wire brushes. I didn't think to mention them, although I see how they can be important. Something else I noticed someone mention was a grinder. I'm guessing that a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder is good enough? I have both 6 and 8 inch bench grinders, but it seems that any large pieces of work would be difficult to manipulate on a bench grider.

[fat pete]

I use a 41/2 angle grinder for all kinds of stuff....defiantly moves scale....i keep 3 all hooked up with different wheels..ie cut off cup brush and scotch brite..... i get em for about 25 bucks at the Black and decker outlet store....if they die they r cheap

[SoCal Dave]

Brian: I was reading some replies and came across some comments about your DVD and a tool Kit. What does the DVD cover, and how would I get one? Also, what is the tool kit for and what does it consist of. If I wanted one of your hot cut hardies, how would I get one? I have an 25 year old horseshoeing anvil and the hardy whole is one inch but tapers down to 7/8", so it seem that the one inch hardy should do? Dave

[Fe-Wood]

One of the most valuable aspects of blacksmithing for me in the adventure of making something, is making or modifying old tools into the tooling for the current project. This is actually what started me and has continued to hook me to blacksmithing.

Two things happen with this approach. You gain more tools, always a good thing! and, and this is a big AND, you gain experiance, invaluable!!!

Don't get me wrong I LOVE NEW TOOLS!!! But, there is nothing more fulfilling for me than bringing out a tool made by ones own hand and having it serve flawlessly.

My suggestion-
Buy the anvil, Post vice, Hammer and One pair of alligator Tongs. If you don't have weld equipment, take a class at the local JC in welding and build your own forge and layout table (you will need to accure a few things for this, Ie; angle grinder, soapstone, wire brush, measuring/layout tools). All the other stuff you've collected will be good for barter and recycling into tools that become necessary in order to build current projects. Also, never pass on a good deal!!! You never know what you can turn it into later... That second post vice could be swaped out for a gillitene swage or something...

Have Fun!

[oakwoodironworks]

If the second post vise is in good shape and cheap enough, go ahead and buy it. Its often helpful to have more than one vise in your shop to hold things.