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I've been trying to successfully forge a Rapa Nui totem for awhile. Never tried carving one in wood, though. Hmm...

Drill/chisel a large hole in your stump and insert the hammer head. Then backfill with silicone caulk, masonry adhesive, etc. You can do a ton of work on an anvil like that, so don't feel like you need a fancy shop to make some really nice stuff. The most important thing about an anvil...

Sounds like I'll get to do some experimentation! :D I really enjoy learning new things, and these augers are about as new to me as you can get. I'm sure there'll be some fits at the start, but overcoming the obstacles is half the fun.

I had a fellow ask me to make him one of these contraptions, but I'm a bit at a loss as to how the teeth should be cut. None of the pictures I can find online are very clear, though I did find one video showing the thing being used in a bow-drill set up. Are these things predominantly...

With two edges, you should be able to chop down a tree in half the time. Right?

Very nice work. I wouldn't worry about the weld flaw as I'm pretty sure the ax will still fell plenty of trees as it is. Might not be perfect, but I bet it will outlast anyone wanting to use it.

Beautiful work, hoss. I would have thrown the box into the fire by now, no doubt! Can't wait to see it all finished up. Are you going to use riffler files for the final finishing?

And I'm still mad at you for not selling me that awesome sharpener! If I had only half as much talent as you, I'd rule the world!

Super slick bit of kit, hoss. The only thing that would make it better, aside from selling it to me, would be some adding some crazy steampunk collection of knobs and gears that would raise and lower the crossbar. Absolutely love your work!

Got her finished this morning..... Hemp twine coated with hide glue. Pitch glue over the junction just for looks. Stained the handle with whatever grease and grime happened to be on my hands. I didn't pin the blade in place because I'm curious to see how the Gorilla Glue...

Well, things are progressing nicely. I decided to use a section of plum branch that I've had drying for a few months. It's still a bit moist, but should dry out in record time now that I've removed most of its mass. Since the blade has been heat-treated, I had to forge a false tang to burn...

Thanks, Gents. If the blade takes a decent edge, rest assured that I'll be more than happy to photo the rest of the build.

Long ago, I made an Otzi-style knife with an obsidian blade and really liked the way it handled for skinning deer. Always said I'd make one from proper steel and finally got around to doing it. A long time coming! I'm using 1070/1080 alloy and have gotten her to the point that she's ready...

Very nice. I like the use of the 550 for the hinges and latch.

Looking forward to how this turns out. I made a bodger's horse some time ago and found that I liked the wrap-around dumbhead design more than the pass-through style so common in America. I used 1/4" round stock for the pivot, but would have been had and shoulders better off if I had used a...

If you have a pair of metal snips, you can make your own corners from a soup can. The thin sheet steel is plenty durable enough, but still easy to bend, punch and file. That means you can get as decorative as your patience allows. The mass-produced corners are stamped in a press, but...

Gas is available everywhere, doesn't smoke out the neighbors, and is generally cheaper to operate than coal. While a coal forge is truly wonderful and I miss mine every time I walk in to the smithy, I can't deny that my propane forge is really nice to have. The downside to propane is that you...

I've had good results from regular shoe polish. Most types have other things in them besides just wax, so you get a bit of oil and color depending on the brand you use. I apply it thick and then go over the thing with a hot-air gun to melt the wax into the leather. Scrub it with a toothbrush...

That's some beautiful work. Using the router like you did was pure genius. Brilliant stuff, hoss.

Nice work. I've never considered thinning the leather so it wraps better around the spine a bit closer. Very ingenious.