The guy at the market swore it was tempered right, but the bottle cap didn't stand a chance and neither did the opener - has anyone else had luck with small forge-welded tools or is it always a gamble?
I was at a swap meet in Missouri about 3 weeks ago and picked up a box of used farrier rasps for 20 bucks. Figured I'd try forging a couple into small utility knives just for kicks. After heat treating and sharpening, I'm honestly surprised how well they hold an edge compared to some new 1084 or 1095 stock I've used. Has anyone else messed around with repurposing old tools like this, or am I just getting lucky with the steel?
Overheard this guy at the hardware store bragging about his 2 pound hammer being perfect for everything, but I've been switching between a 1.5 and a 3 pounder for different projects for years. Has anyone else noticed a big difference when you swap hammer weights mid-project?
I told him railroad steel is fine for a camp knife but not for kitchen work, and he got a little defensive about it. Has anyone else had people insist on using material that's clearly wrong for the job?
I was struggling to get a billet to stick together at a demo in Ellsworth last summer, and this guy just walked over and said 'you're hittin' it too hard, not hot enough.' He showed me a light tapping method that saved my wrists and actually worked. Has anyone else gotten a tip from a random stranger that totally changed how you work at the anvil?
Picked up a 3/4 inch press-fit drift from a guy at a hammer-in last fall and it's way smoother than beating on a hammer-in drift with a sledge, no more bruised hands lol anyone else made the switch?
Always thought coal was messy overrated nonsense until I borrowed a buddy's setup last weekend. Now I'm looking at used coal forges on Craigslist - anyone else find certain projects just work better with coal?
I was picking up a rusty post vise at a flea market outside Nashville last Saturday when this retired blacksmith started looking at my truck. He asked what kind of anvil I was using and I told him it was a 150 pound cast steel. He just laughed and said 'son, you're fighting your steel instead of letting it sing.' Took me a minute to realize he meant I was working too hard with a dead anvil. We talked for about 20 minutes about his old 200 pound wrought iron with a hardened face plate. He said he could fold a scroll with one hand on that thing because the rebound was so good. Now I'm hunting around for a proper wrought anvil, has anyone else had a conversation that made you totally rethink your gear?
I went to pick up some mild steel last Thursday in Denver and this old timer kept going on about how my propane burner was too close to the ground. He said I'd burn through the floor in a week, like he'd seen it a hundred times. Anyone else get unsolicited advice from strangers every time you haul metal?
I was scratching my head for 3 days why my forge wouldn't hit welding temp, then I saw a wisp of smoke coming from a pinhole near the burner mount. A $2 tube of furnace cement fixed it and now the thing runs 150 degrees hotter. Has anyone else found a random fix like that that saved their whole day?
I started out with a coal forge like everyone told me to, but after 2 years I finally caved and bought a gas forge from a guy in Ohio. Coal is cheaper per pound but the time I wasted lighting it and adjusting the fire drove me crazy. With gas I just flip a switch and I'm hammering in 5 minutes flat. Plus my shop stays way cleaner without coal dust everywhere. The only downside is gas forges don't get that hot spot coal has for welding, but for 90% of my work it's fine. Has anyone else made the switch and regret it, or am I the only one who hates dealing with coal?
For like 6 years I just used whatever water was in the bucket by the forge. Thought that's how everyone did it. Then I snapped a chef knife I was making for a guy in Austin after the third quench. Just a clean split right through the edge. My mentor watched it happen and goes "you using that cold tap water again?" and that's when he showed me to heat my quench oil to 130 degrees. I switched to canola oil that night and I haven't cracked a blade since. The difference is night and day especially with 1084 steel. Anyone else have a bad quench story that forced you to change your setup?
Three months ago I was doing a demo at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, just normal forging in front of a crowd. About 20 minutes in, I hit a billet and the head of my cross peen just cracked right off and flew past a kid's head. I was using a cheap hardware store hammer, thought it would be fine for light work. Now I only use forged hammers from a local smith who heat treats them proper. Anyone else ever had a tool fail like that mid-strike?
I was showing a group of kids at the county fair how to make coat hooks. Right in the middle of explaining why you quench in oil not water, the drain on my drum forge backed up and water started creeping across the floor. I had to stop everything, grab a wet vac from my truck, and spend 15 minutes digging rust chunks out of the pipe. The kids thought it was hilarious. Has anyone else had a forge drainage system fail at the worst possible time?
I was working on a railroad spike knife two weeks ago and my anvil just gave out with a loud ping. It was one of those cast iron ones you see at flea markets for like 40 bucks, probably from the 70s or something. The face had a crack running down the middle and a chunk flew off near the heel. I guess I was hammering a bit too hot on a twist and the rebound just wasn't there. Now I'm stuck with a Harbor Freight ASO (anvil shaped object) and it's driving me nuts because the bounce is all wrong. I'm thinking about saving up for a proper steel anvil from a local scrapyard or maybe trying to find a used one on Facebook Marketplace. Has anyone else dealt with a cast iron anvil failing mid-project?
I was trying to normalize a 1080 blade last Tuesday in my shop near Erie and the propane forge left a hot spot near the tang that warped the edge. Had to scrap that blank and start over, anyone else find coal just gives you better control on thin stock?
I grabbed a set of three tongs off Amazon for $30. Thought I was being smart saving money. After three heats, the rivet on one came loose and my workpiece dropped into the forge. Had to fish it out with a shovel and ruined the piece. Has anyone else lost money on cheap tools like that?
I was at the scrap yard last Tuesday picking through some old leaf springs for future projects and I overheard this older guy bragging to his buddy about how he never tempers his knives after quenching. He said he just hardens them and grinds them straight to a razor edge. I had to bite my tongue because my first thought was that blade is gonna shatter on the first hard use. But then I started thinking about it more and realized there are some people out there who just do things totally different and get away with it for years. Maybe he only makes letter openers or something. But still it made me wonder how many of us actually test our own assumptions instead of just following what the old timers taught us. Has anyone else ever run into a smith who swears by some weird shortcut that goes against everything we learn in the shop?
This guy Ed, been forging since the 70s, told me I was overthinking my heat treat cycles on damascus. He said 'just watch the color and feel the steel, your thermometer is lying to you half the time anyway.' It hit different because I've been chasing perfect numbers in my shop for 3 years and my blades still had issues. Made me wonder how many of you guys rely on digital gauges versus just trusting your eyes?
Bought a forged coal rake from a guy at a meet last spring. Looked nice with the twisted handle and all. First real use and the tines bent after I tried breaking up a clinker. My $15 piece of rebar with a hook on the end works way better. Anyone else found that basic homemade tools outlast the fancy store bought stuff?
I was picking up some steel last week and this 70 year old guy said "you can't rush a good weld, you just have to let the metal tell you when it's ready." Been trying to slow down and watch the puddle more instead of forcing it, and my last 3 welds came out way cleaner than usual. Anyone else catch themselves rushing and having to relearn patience?
I was at the flea market in Eugene last Saturday and this old guy selling rusty rasps watched me pick one up. He said "heat it cherry red and quench it in a bucket of used motor oil, not water." I tried it on an old file and it hardened way better than my usual method. Anyone else ever try oil vs water for tempering small tools?