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Any Blacksmiths here?

Nod4Eight

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A little off topic, but seemed to fit closest to this forum.

I recently moved and just got my shop set up (built workbenches etc). Should have my anvil stand and new forge stand made this week and can start forging again.

Any smiths here? Gas or coal? What do you like to make? Let's talk hammer marks!

I've got several old spring packs of 5160 steel. Plus several hundred feet of cable to play with. Also want to experiment with some canister. Plus, the Mrs wants me to make some decorative things like curtain rod hangers. It'll keep me busy this winter, for sure.
 

Hillbillyzombie

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A little off topic, but seemed to fit closest to this forum.

I recently moved and just got my shop set up (built workbenches etc). Should have my anvil stand and new forge stand made this week and can start forging again.

Any smiths here? Gas or coal? What do you like to make? Let's talk hammer marks!

I've got several old spring packs of 5160 steel. Plus several hundred feet of cable to play with. Also want to experiment with some canister. Plus, the Mrs wants me to make some decorative things like curtain rod hangers. It'll keep me busy this winter, for sure.
FUCK!! why have we never talked about this!!! I am in the process of building my own forge right now. I'm starting off small due to we are moving next year but I'm going to start smelting next week if I can get all the material i need this week(they were out of the fire bricks)
 

Nod4Eight

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FUCK!! why have we never talked about this!!! I am in the process of building my own forge right now. I'm starting off small due to we are moving next year but I'm going to start smelting next week if I can get all the material i need this week(they were out of the fire bricks)
NICE!! I had a decent, but very small shop set up at my old place and cranked out a few knives. My new place has a nice sized shop (35x35), but I haven't gotten to play much because too busy with other projects. I hope to have the shop completely set up and ready for forging this month.
What kind of forge are you building? I got me a Majestic forge - Three Burner Delux. It's the same as they use on FiF. I splurged a little, but it's so worth it. I was using a ferriers forge, but you can only make so big of a knife with that.
So, smelting, I assume you are building a foundry? That's next on my list, but will probably wait till spring or summer. My kids made one a few years ago and made some cools stuff. I basically want one so I can smelt down spent brass to make bolsters and finger guards on my knives.
Tell me about your setup...
 

Nod4Eight

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I'll try to take some pics of my shop and dig up some old pics of my knives....
 

Nod4Eight

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Here's the process of one knife I made for a buddy of mine. He used it to clean his deer he got the day after Thanksgiving this year. My knives tend to have some hammer marks in them, I like the rough look.

14075196_10209872191471978_1095197951_o.jpg

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46508324_976222475903833_6912557053240147968_n.jpg
 

Nod4Eight

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Here's another one that's in process now.

19944253_10213070296462604_2082813896972750397_o.jpg
 

Nod4Eight

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Here's my first one. Pretty ugly but I liked it. I guess someone else liked it more, or it grew legs and walked away.

19030617_10212778743653966_6709039638215872764_n.jpg
 

Nod4Eight

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Here's a skinner in progress

13614990_10209435776681881_3841806260746732046_n.jpg
 

Nod4Eight

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Random knife in progress. I can't wait to start up again.
13103387_10208947581037295_3250780016043805955_n.jpg
 

elguapo

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Any of you based near GA? I am a woodworker but always want a smith to make a handle or accent pieces, can never find 1 I like or trust
 

Nod4Eight

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Any of you based near GA? I am a woodworker but always want a smith to make a handle or accent pieces, can never find 1 I like or trust
I'm in Idaho. But depending on where you are in GA, @txTIGER1963 might be able to help out. If it can be done with metal, I'd trust him to do it. He's in South Carolina.
 

Hillbillyzombie

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NICE!! I had a decent, but very small shop set up at my old place and cranked out a few knives. My new place has a nice sized shop (35x35), but I haven't gotten to play much because too busy with other projects. I hope to have the shop completely set up and ready for forging this month.
What kind of forge are you building? I got me a Majestic forge - Three Burner Delux. It's the same as they use on FiF. I splurged a little, but it's so worth it. I was using a ferriers forge, but you can only make so big of a knife with that.
So, smelting, I assume you are building a foundry? That's next on my list, but will probably wait till spring or summer. My kids made one a few years ago and made some cools stuff. I basically want one so I can smelt down spent brass to make bolsters and finger guards on my knives.
Tell me about your setup...
That's going to be a nice shop at 35x35! I'm just now getting back into all of this with taking the last 15 years off. I'm starting with building a quick forge and foundry myself. The foundry will be made out of just simple supplies i can get from home depot and Walmart. When i get the time after i get home from work i will take pictures of my process in building it and when i start to use it. My plan is to smelt the Copper wires and scrap metal ive been acquiring the last few weeks from the swap meet i go to on the weekends. The forge will come after I perfect the foundry refractory recipe and get the little grill I picked up for free last weekend cleaned up. That one i will use to make the knives and axes out of old railroad spikes and whatever else people want. I have a guy already willing to trade some of his leather for some knives once i get up and get going.
 

Nod4Eight

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Me too! But Iron & Fire was better, wish it was still on
Wasn't a huge fan of Iron and Fire. Too scripted. FiF was simply a competition. Of course they try to dramatize things as much as possible, but at the end of the day you could learn some things and watch some decent (and some not so good) forging.
 

Hillbillyzombie

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Random knife in progress. I can't wait to start up again.
13103387_10208947581037295_3250780016043805955_n.jpg
That's a bad ass Anvil. How much does it weigh? I'm still looking for one right now, every time i go to the swap meet to try and find one they never have them or want over $2 a lb
 

Nod4Eight

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That's going to be a nice shop at 35x35! I'm just now getting back into all of this with taking the last 15 years off. I'm starting with building a quick forge and foundry myself. The foundry will be made out of just simple supplies i can get from home depot and Walmart. When i get the time after i get home from work i will take pictures of my process in building it and when i start to use it. My plan is to smelt the Copper wires and scrap metal ive been acquiring the last few weeks from the swap meet i go to on the weekends. The forge will come after I perfect the foundry refractory recipe and get the little grill I picked up for free last weekend cleaned up. That one i will use to make the knives and axes out of old railroad spikes and whatever else people want. I have a guy already willing to trade some of his leather for some knives once i get up and get going.
Trades are always good. There is a place not far from here that sells fur and fireworks (I know, odd combination). I used to sell them furs from coyotes or things I'd trap. But they have a decent selection of leather and handle material such as antler scraps. Gonna try to trade some knives for more supplies. I have enough metal now to make quite a few knives, but handle material is different.
Leather is always useful. I used to do quite a bit of leather work, and still have some shops asking if I'm doing it. I could make/sell some chaps and I heard quickdraw holsters are pretty hot right now. Too much to do and not enough time to do it....
Please do take some pics. It's always fun to see other shop setups. I'll take some this evening, but don't judge, it's a mess right now.
 
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