Question and comments for you metal workers.
Had a conversation with a couple of blacksmiths last week end.
I was wonder if any of you had ever heard about "keeping your work on a North/south alignment"?
The other blacksmith said he never heard of it, but I saw that he did have his anvil lined up that way.
Guy I was talking to was telling me, that if you keep your work lined up with the magnetic N/S poles, it will come out better, with less stress cracks?
Anyone ever heard of this or just a Old Blacksmiths tale?
Did find out that he uses the tines from old "drop tine hay rakes" (spring steel)for making fire steels, gets about 6 per tine.
Also when tempering, only heat to real dull red before water quenching, gradually, in a circular motion w/ the N/S alignment.
They work very well, as we were planing with a bunch that he had made and was selling for $10 bucks each.
He was also selling hawks ($45 bucks) made from old farriers rasps, made by a friend of his:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...3/DSCF0359.jpg
You can still see the teeth on a couple.
