Playing in the forge...again

[Whittler Kev]

I got asked to make some bits for a mate to sell on his reenactment stall. Thought I'd share

A 5ft Fire Tripod with chain and an S hook, Two pokers and a couple of kettle/pot hangers -one made from square one from round bar

All are made out of 10mm square or round bar. I'd have preferred 12mm or 16mm for a bit more strength in the tripod.
All hand forged by me.

The square stuff has one, two or three twisted sections on them

The tripod has all the bars and the top hook forged together

and when folded up, lay straight with the legs almost touching all the way down

Heres a square poker with a single twist (on a 12" x 12" slab)

and a square kettle/pot hanger that are turning up on loads of re-enactment sites. It has a single twist on the vertical bit

of course with round bar, you can't see the twists very easily, only very close up (look a bit like Damascus but as all the same steel, not so pronounced)

I ended up making

• five pokers
• two 4ft fire tripods
• two 5ft fire tripods
• four S hooks to go with the tripods
• four kettle/pot hangers
• eight strikers

 

[craeg]

Nice work Kev :You_Rock_

How much load can the kettle hanger take and could it twist and drop off? Neat idea though. Is this item in the historical record or a new idea?

Cheers
Craeg

 

[Whittler Kev]

Made from square, it locks in although the weight on round seems to lock it in as well. As it has a deep hook the pot stays on as its hooked on the lowest part of the horizontal bar. Your pot benefits from having a kink in the middle of the handle (like pointing down, curly brackets { )
A guy from the re-enactment society rescind he's seen some similar in old documents (Saxon or Viking not sure although the Vikings had round bar)
weight depends how far out you have the horizontal and the angle of the vertical bit.
I see a testing coming on at the next Cambs or Norwich meet me thinks

 

[BarryG]

Quality work Kev!!! I like that.

 

[salad]

Good solid work there mate

 

[Whittler Kev]

Thanks for the comments guys. Means a lot when your basically self taught apart from one day on a course from theses guys http://www.bushcraft-magazine.co.uk/courses.php

 

[bikebum1975]

Good looking stuff wish I had access to trying stuff like that.

 

[Shewie]

Nicely done Kev

 

[mitch66]

nice work kev, not bad for an old boy later mate

 

[Whittler Kev]

And this as well - There's no stopping me now


A round kettle/pot support with a twist in it (told how by the Blacksmiths Guild)

and I made myself some tongs today as well :yikes:

 

[launditch1]

Heh!You've got it bad mate! Good fun innit?!

Lets see the the tongs then...

 

[Retired Member southey]

I like the twists in the round bar mate, very nice, have you tried to make a knife from twisted bar? I think i read it in a book, looked interesting,

 

[Whittler Kev]

Heh!You've got it bad mate! Good fun innit?!

Lets see the the tongs then...

I would do but....one of the jaws ended up about 5mm longer so after bending look a little lopsided. Work ok though at picking up hot 10mm round and square.

These look better
http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/be_dragon_tongs/top_index.htm
and these few? ideas are going to keep me up at nights
http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/ :yikes:
and maybe you too Nige

 

[Whittler Kev]

I like the twists in the round bar mate, very nice, have you tried to make a knife from twisted bar? I think i read it in a book, looked interesting,

I've tried to keep away from blades at the mo but...ahhhhh....they've started calling again (it's how I got started really)