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

I don't have the room to get this invested yet but want to throw it out there just in case anyone is interested.

 

That looks like a nice size old forge. That would make a nice home for someone!

 

Did you make those? What are they made out of?

 

Nope stolen off Facebook...made from rusted out gun barrels by some Ukrainian blacksmith.

 

Never having looked into them, is that a reasonable price?

 

If it's solid I think it's a good price! All of the parts seem to be there looks like only a belt will need to be made to turn the fly wheel. It does look pretty solid with hust some surface rust. It looks like a fairly decent size from the picture!

 

Here's some videos of when men were men!

 

Here's a video of making some anchor chain the old fashioned way.



Hand forging smaller chain.

 

Wow. That steam hammer is just too cool. Thats a big cube of steel they are hammering. Wonder what they are making?

 

Not sure but big hammer and big steel yes! Whatever their making it's big.

 

Here is a couple of pictures of a fire poker that I made. Nothing to impressive though it is about 5 1/2 ft long. I made it for a guy at work who likes to have bonfires.

The full lenght and the start of the poker end.



Close up of the handle.


Close up of the start of the poker end.


Forge welded the poker to the hook. I got lucky it took nicely. I haven't done much forge welding at all but every blind squirrel fined a nut eventually!




Middle section with the twist.

 

That is awesome!

 

I like the forge weld. Those can be tricky. I got out today for about 4 hours with a buddy. I started a second trade knife, but spent more time on his projects of a candle holder and bottle opener. I didn't get many pictures, but that is not important.

I'll put some time into this tomorrow.


Here is my friends work. He does more welding, but really had a grasp of what we were trying to accomplish.


And this is for you Pa. Boys. Keeping in theme with the thread. Hahaha.

 

What size stock did you use on that? You definitely can't find that fire poker in a store.

 

The candle holder and bottle opener are pretty cool. I always forget about making stuff like that.
I can't wait to see the trade knife when it's all finished! Are going with another curly maple handle? What type of steel didyou use?

 

It was 1/2" square stock. It's a heavy poker,you can really move the wood around with it!

 

1/2" is good stock for that. He will have that for a long time. I like the reverse twists in it too.

Mild steel on the knife again, decorative wall-hanger type. I really missed the one I donated a few weeks ago. I really want to get my skills down before using a higher carbon steel. I heated and quenched it this morning. It will go into the oven to temper with my wife's casserole in a bit. She doesn't know it yet. I'll probably use the curly maple again with three iron pins. I had a piece of maple left over from the last one that was a little too short.

I did get out and try my Pepere's old Turner gas torch this morning. This thing makes you really pay attention. I gave it a tear down and checked for leaks a few weeks ago. I used just a little white gas to breathe some life into it. When this thing gets going, it is pretty loud. It had some whuffing, so I'll check into the valve leather again and the check valve. This is for outside use only. When it is runnig 100%, it will really put out some heat. I only have the heating up pictures with the gas in the flash pan warming the valve up. Once it started running hot, it was eyes on it.

 

My neighbor has a similar torch up on a cabinet that I have tried talking him out of but he keeps saying that he likes it up there. Asked him once to take it down just so I could look at it closer and he said if I had it in my hands he would probably never see it again. It can stay there....One day it will be mine, o' yes it will!

 

They are out there and not too expensive on Ebay. Definitely a high cool factor with these things. I have a smaller Lenk torch, but the valve is stuck and the knob is cracked, so it will sit on the shelf.