Tried my hand at the forge! It isn't as easy as it looks!

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

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The forge worked great...Me I hammered till I was sore and the metal didn't move much...But it moved. I'll need some more experience at this. Going to be some real nice knives when i am done....Camp10 sent me the steel! It is hard as a rock!

[welderguy]

Looks like you got a good start going , nice forge set-up. Have fun hammering out a work of art.

[crashdive123]

Cowboy - i fixed the title.

Also...

You do realize that the heated metal looks pink don't you? Just sayin'.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Looks like you got a good start going , nice forge set-up. Have fun hammering out a work of art.

Thanks for the encouragement! I enjoyed every minute! First time I cut loose in awhile! I plan on these being my best work yet...Camp10 sent me the steel and it is early 1800"s period so I want to get it perfect this time! Look for more posts as I go.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Cowboy - i fixed the title.

Also...

You do realize that the heated metal looks pink don't you? Just sayin'.

Well it just might look pink to you...The stuff seems durn hard to me! Thanks Crash!

[crashdive123]

Looks good though. It's on my "to try in the near future" list. Got my anvil, so I'll be banging soon. Hmmmmm. That didn't sound right.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Looks good though. It's on my "to try in the near future" list. Got my anvil, so I'll be banging soon. Hmmmmm. That didn't sound right.

It is alot of work Crash...Stock removal...you know the part where the little (grit gets in your underwear)..doesn't seem so bad anymore~!

[crashdive123]

It is alot of work Crash...Stock removal...you know the part where the little (grit gets in your underwear)..doesn't seem so bad anymore~!

Well.......

Depends


On how snug your belt is.

[canid]

yeah, i don't grind in my underwear personally, but i could see how it might cause a guy some trouble.

cowboy: are you returning the workpiece to the heat often enough? it gets real hard in a hurry if you don't.

[welderguy]

yeah, i don't grind in my underwear personally, but i could see how it might cause a guy some trouble.
.

Make sure Rick takes note of the no gringing in underware I dont beleive he stands a chance in that thong of his

[Camp10]

Nice start Cowboy! That steel is tough stuff! Keep your heats good when you forge it. Steel back then was folded with iron and forge welded together. It is strong and tough but can be brittle to work hot and if you try to move it as it is cooling it might flake a little on you....guess how I know this? Cant wait to see the finished knives!

[rebel]

Nice! Have fun and keep us posted on the progress.

[gryffynklm]

Brake drum forge, nice sturdy design. I like it.

It looks like you are heating on top of the coal/charcoal. Your stock should be in the coal were the high heat is. Heating will go much faster.

I agree that the hammering is surprisingly fatiguing, not like hammering a nail is it.

[gryffynklm]

It looks like you are trying to thin out its thickness. I use the cross pene of a five lb hammer to start. On that piece I would strike the pene perpendicular to the narrow drawing out to the end. Work from the end and work in. When the piece is near the thickness you desire, use the flat of the hammer to smooth out the the marks from the pene. This is more hard work and less stock removal. I can try to take some pics of what I mean on thursday. I'm away from the forge right now.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

Thanks for all of the advice! Especially about tightening my belt or is it that some of us have a dunlap that helps prevent the grit problem. A couple of things I learned. When mounting your anvil or in my case a vice untill I can find a deal on a good anvil. It needs to be the optimum height for hammerin which seems to be much lower than mine is mounted. I think that is what it made it much more work. In the above step I was trying to widen the blade width and start thinning the edge. One more thing I learned (Wear Safety Glasses!) I got a spark in my eye and hurt pretty good! Another tip if you do get steel in your eye A slice of patatoe work wonders for the pain and for removing the steel. I got it out that way. Camp is spot on about this steel it is alot harder to work than 5160.

[gryffynklm]

If you look for a used anvil, take a hammer and check that you get a rebound from it's face. As silly as it sounds, the rebound helps the return of the hammer in the up direction, it is less fatiguing then one that doesn't rebound. If the face is in good condition $1.50 per lb is an ok price. It would have to be a pretty good anvil for me to spend $2 a lb.

Harbor Freight has ok anvils at a decent price unfortunately, their on line catalogue only lists a 55# anvil, a bit small.

Two companies I buy tools from are Centaur Forge and Pihe Tools. Sit down before you look at the prices for anvils, new ones are not cheep.

http://www.centaurforge.com/
http://www.piehtoolco.com/

Hern Iron works also makes anvils. I only have fired their cannons and know their work by good reputation.
http://www.hernironworks.com/blacksmith.html

As for a stand for the anvil, I use a pine log 16" in diameter about 28" high. You can make a stand by bolting 6, 6"x6" land scape timbers cut to your desired height. DRill through and bolt three together at the top and bottom with 1" threaded rod and a couple of nuts and washers. Then do the same thing in the other direction to bolt the three triples together. There are other options these are the two I have done.

[rebel]

Good used cheap anvils aren't easy to find. Before WWII every farm had one. Then scrap metal became in demand. E-bay usually has them:http://cgi.ebay.com/anvil-blacksmith...item439d32b6d9 Shipping costs would be high. Sometimes Craigslist has them. I found mine at a farm auction, you could try that approach. It took me a couple of years looking.

[rebel]

[QUOTE=gryffynklm;193820] Two companies I buy tools from are Centaur Forge and Pihe Tools. Sit down before you look at the prices for anvils, new ones are not cheep.

http://www.centaurforge.com/
http://www.piehtoolco.com/

Hern Iron works also makes anvils. I only have fired their cannons and know their work by good reputation.
http://www.hernironworks.com/blacksmith.html QUOTE]

Good links. One day I may need to send for some good coal. What coal do you use?

[oly]

At Least your attempting the skill.
I just came in from my garage and looking at my old saw blades from my chop saw and need to ask crash a question.
Is saw blades from skill saws and chop saws already tempered enough for a good knife?

[gryffynklm]

I have bituminous and Anthracite coal The anthracite is a bit cleaner and doesn't stink as much. I've also used coke but it is a hot burning refined coal, my forge might not like the heat. Coke bowls are heavier then the coal forge I have. Coke also burns clean. When i Illinois I get coal from Centaur Forge

http://www.centaurforge.com/Coal-Coke/products/277/

When in WV, I go down this road turn left and fill a bucket or two. I think its anthracite but has a bit of derbies mixed in.