"Backyard Blacksmithing" pounding iron on the forge this evening!

Sure does

 

I have vacation at the end of August, so I should be getting the gear out then. I have to set the leg vise up outside the barn, and the smaller English anvil is here. Still a lot of stuff in storage or still packed away. Tendonitis in my right elbow is keeping me from doing heavy work. I'd like the hot weather to go away too. Lots going on here higher up on the priority ladder, but I do miss making stuff. It is important to make time to do the hobby crafts though. I can't say that enough to myself.

 

Saw this video and thought it would be appropriate for this thread.

 

Has anyone made anything lately? A friend of mine wants me to forge an axe head for throwing. A lot of my tools are still packed away from our move. I told him to look for an old axe and I can clean it up and hang it for him.

That is all I have going on.

 

Just finishing up a bathroom remodel and 60 hours a week work and deer season.....
Not much hammering happening here...
I might sink a couple posts this weekend to start on closing in my little smith shop on the end of my barn.

 

Not me but my son finally saved up enough money to start looking for a new anvil and I found a worthy candidate over the summer. Few hours of driving and he's replaced the little starter anvil that he finally broke in three early last spring.



He's been busy ever since pounding out knives to sell and lately for Christmas gifts. He's working on a kitchen knife for his mother that shocked me with how nice it is. Pictures to follow.

Sold this one over the summer.



Just sold this last week to our meat farmer. His hunting buddies were on the property at the time and drooling over it so, hopefully more orders to follow.



Going to be some more blacksmithing gear under the tree this year.

 

Does he also make sheaths for his knives?

 

He does. I bought him a collection of leatherworking tools off ebay when he was probably 9 years old and he's done some really impressive stuff. Just made a sheath for a hatchet he rehandled and is in the process of making one for my double bit axe too.

 

I made the shelf brackets and pipe hangers. The s hooks came from a purchased pot hanger set. I modified the hooks with a 90 degree twist and tightened up the pipe end so they slide but also snap onto the pipe and don't fall off.
There is 3 more skillets on it now vs the picture.
I made the self from oak butcher block semi trailer deck that was planed down.

 

Couple new knives my son turned out. He had a few orders from people for Christmas presents & such.

This is a roughly six inch, heavy blade with a South American Bloodwood handle. A farmer we work with bought this for $250.-



I was impressed by the one above but then he made a chef's knife for my wife as a Christmas present. I'm a proud Papa.

The blade is forged from the leaf spring of a 1957 Willies Jeep. Handle from African Paduak with a brass cap. Perfect symetry, perfect balance. He's doing work like this at only seventeen years old, I think he's going to have a bit of a reputation by the time he's twenty five.






Weather has not been cooperating with getting good pictures. I'll update as we go. The handle still needs a few more coats of oil too.

 

Very nice work he does RabbleRouser . A lot of detail goes into them. He is on his way for sure.

 

Beautiful knives for sure!

 

Bought some blacksmith tools today! I have a friend who does junk art, making animals and faces out of old garden tools and such. The neighbor of my last wood scrounge has a huge metal scrap and debris pile so I took my friend over for a junk pick. Ended up getting a post vise, regular vise, anvil and a portable forge. Also a mass of possible animals and faces in junque metal pieces. The portable forge is rusty but still sound. Tuyere assembly and blower are complete minus the wood on the blower handle. Everything including legs are designed to break down. Blower turns but is full of debris. Both vises are complete but of course need cleaning. The anvil is rusty but all corners are sharp with no spalls or chips. Hardy and pritchel holes are crisp. It weighs 102lbs. It rings like steel not cast. I think it is a farriers anvil and went with the forge. Will look for a makers mark tomorrow. All for $200. Probably not such a bad deal.

 

Well, that is a very good score. The anvil looks like a Fisher eagle logo. The lugs are typical fisher. Looks like the eagle emblem on the side. If so, cast iron with steel top if memory serves me right.

Leg vise looks complete with mounting plate and spring. Very good. Chamfered legs could be English made.

The forge may be a military cavalry forge.

Parker vise looks good. He did very well. Drooling here.

 

Thanks for the info on the post vise and anvil. I figured the forge was a Cavalry forge or "Rivit" forge. We each chipped in $100 and flipped a coin. He got the forge, I got the anvil. I let him have the bench top vise because he needs one and I already have several. We will probably sell the post vise and split the proceeds. I will be cleaning up the anvil tomorrow and look for a makers mark.