Forging... AKA... hot metal bashing

[jojo]

I have been playing with my new 2 brick forge this afternoon. I made a "medieval dining skewer"...

...and a bracelet.

I made both of them out of a 4mm square mild steel bar from the local DIY, I had kicking around. I really enjoy forging things. There is a lot to learn though. I am trying to get the feel of it, as forging is quite different from stock removal or wood working. Forging displaces mass of material, wood work, well, you remove wood, the same with steel stock removal: you remove metal!

Both were good exercises in moving hot metal around, cheap to do as well!

 

[Silverhill]

Glad you're enjoying 'smithing. It's a hugely addictive once you get going, and can be accompanied by a disease known as 'OtCD'; Obsessive (tool) Collecting Disorder. And when you think you've got just the right tools to do a job, you end up inventing a new one that'll do the job of two!

The skewer looks real nice, the twist is even and the scroll is well balanced.

 

[gsfgaz]

That skewer is really nice mate ... great work ...

 

[jojo]

accompanied by a disease known as 'OtCD'; Obsessive (tool) Collecting Disorder

Damn... never thought of that...is there a cure for this distressing disorder? Can I take some pills or something for it...

I take it from your name you're into forging too?

 

[Silverhill]

There is no known cure and it potentially can lead to powerhammer ownership (although I'm not quite there myself yet!).

I'm very much into my forging, and despite using a modern (gas) forge, I try to be as traditional as possible when 'smithing. For example; if I require a 20mm hole, I punch and then drift it to size rather than immediately opting for the pillar drill. This way results in me producing relatively few items for sale, friends or family (as I spend the time making tools for working) although on balance I remain happy and proud of the few pieces that I make as they are truly 'forged'.

Keep up the good work!

 

[jojo]

powerhammer ownership

...yeah...real boy's toy...

 

[lannyman8]

i have just started forging, all i have is a claw hammer a sledge hammer as an anvil and my tiny coal forge i made in a biscuit tin.......

but its AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Silverhill]

i have just started forging, all i have is a claw hammer a sledge hammer as an anvil and my tiny coal forge i made in a biscuit tin.......

but its AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We all had to start somewhere, but it's addictive. I started a couple of years ago with nothing, I now have a coke forge, a gas forge, two 2cwt anvils, a leg vice and a swags block; all bought reasonably cheaply. Like I said, I have OtCD

 

[Whittler Kev]

OH NO. YOU'VE BEEN BITTEN
Welcome to the world of "evenings in the shed".
I've been looking at making a power hammer as they don't seem to hard to make.
Nice work on the skewer BTW.

 

[Richie'66]

The skewer looks very nice indeed and looks like a very nice fire poker.
Bracelet of course will go rusty as you used mild but that would be excellent in stainless. I made a belt buckle that would look great with that , so if you make a stainless one i'd be up for buying one.

 

[SimonM]

Really like the skewer. How long is it?

Could be used as a gypsy pot hanger if you made a matching ground spike.

Simon

 

[Mesquite]

Nice work there Jojo

 

[jojo]

Thanks you chaps. The skewer is 8" long. I am going to stick to small things at the moment, as that small forge is... well...small! It probably would struggle a bit for much bigger lumps of metal. As to the rust, quite possibly, but I am not too worried. I am thinking of warming it up a bit and rub some beeswax on it. It's a bit like carbon knives, a bit of rubbing should keep it nicely rust free!

 

[Everything Mac]

i have just started forging, all i have is a claw hammer a sledge hammer as an anvil and my tiny coal forge i made in a biscuit tin.......

but its AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is better than what I started with mate - I used 4 house bricks arranged in a square in my garden then had a lump of mild steel for a while.

The skewer looks very nice indeed and looks like a very nice fire poker.
Bracelet of course will go rusty as you used mild but that would be excellent in stainless. I made a belt buckle that would look great with that , so if you make a stainless one i'd be up for buying one.

- If Jojo heats the braclet up to black heat and rubs beeswax on it - that will keep it from going rusty for some time. gives it a nice colour as long as you don't put too much on. - you can use oil too.

looking great Jojo!
I ordered some insulation bricks last night so hopefully I'll be entering the world of the gas forge soon cheers mate.

Andy

 

[Silverhill]

Just a thought here, and sorry to hijack the thread here Jojo, but seeing as so many of us are 'smiths of varying experience and background....Would anyone be interested in a 'group' within BCUK community?
I'm a regular user of the British Blades forum (which is great because it's British of course) but it's a little bit too niche for me, as I'm not much of a Bladesmith. I'm also a user of Iforgeiron and Anvilfire, but they're both American sites (and can lose a little in 'translation' so to speak), so I was pondering a little amalgamation of the good elements of both, on here as a group?

I'm thinking that it would be useful to post 'How to?' queries and the like, and use as a place for constructive criticism from other 'smiths?

I'm happy to start a separate thread if you'd prefer Jojo (sorry again for the hijack!!)

 

[Whittler Kev]

Not a bad idea. Why not PM Tony to see if he can set up a dedicated thread? It is however a Bushcraft & not metalwork site though so some may object
(again sorry for the thread jack )

 

[jojo]

I'm happy to start a separate thread if you'd prefer Jojo (sorry again for the hijack!!)

I'll forgive you, on this occasion... no problems mate.. I think it would be a nice idea, but obviously this is a Bushcraft orientated forum and so it will be up to Tony to decide.

Maybe we could sweeten the idea by saying, no... promising (scout's honor, spit in hand etc ) to only talk about forging as applicable to Bushcraft.. so that could be knives, erm, more knives, fire strikers, Bushcraft belt buckles, Bushcraft fire pockers....I am sure that would work....

 

[DaveBromley]

I think this is a great idea and as long as we have at least some "Traditional" smiths i think it fits in quite nicely here as there are other Traditional crafts that are represented!!

Good on you guys for suggesting it

I'm only at the stock removal stage myself but am fascinated by forging and hope to be able to have a bash so to speak some time soon!!

Dave

 

[Everything Mac]

I'll start a separate thread.

When are you firing the forge up again Jojo? you have some talent there mate - done much before?

Andy

 

[jojo]

I've put my name up on your new thread

When are you firing the forge up again Jojo? you have some talent there mate - done much before?

Thanks

In fact, I have done very little. Apart from that skewer thingy, and the bracelet, I have made 3 knife blades, 4 or 5 crooked knife's blades and 5 spoon carving blades. I have made a lot of stock removal knives though as well as trained as a tool maker, although that was about 40 years ago...:yikes:

I may well have a go at the week end.