Gerald Boggs

I'm sure it's just coincidental, but the word Unibomber popped into my mind :-)

If it were me making this, I would just search “tactical full tang hatchet” and pick out one I liked and could make with the least amount of effort. Because in the end, a hatchet, tomahawk, or big kill knife, are just fashion accessories. I can only think of two situations where I could have used a hatchet, and that was in survival school and jungle warfare school. In the case of survival, not allowed, and JWS, we had issue machetes.

I'm having trouble finding it. It's not where I remember placing it, which is up on a 2 by 4 along the shop wall. I'll keep looking, it's somewhere, hopefully not suffering the fate of many a sock.

I'll need to look. Will return tonight or early tomorrow

I've been interested in carving axes and such, enough that I bought the “Carving Swedish Woodenware with Jogge Sundqvist DVD” and his father's book on wood carving. I even found time to forge a few carving axes 1. Is 1.25-1.5lbs a decent size? If the plan is an axe for spoons and perhaps small bowls, then yes. A larger axe would probable be a hindrance to getting a smooth blow, especially for a small person. 2. Is it helpful to put a heavier pole on a hatchet like this? I want to add some extra weight and will either double up the material for the poll or weld it between the two cheeks when I do the wrap. Not sure about this, lack the experience of comparison. 3.Would a single or double bevel work better here? I'm not sure it matters beyond personal preference. Here's a link where it's talked about: https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/swedishcarvingaxe.aspx I know that elder Sundqvist book shows an off-set double bevel. Meaning the bevels were different angles. 4.What handle length would be good? I have blanks for this made from white oak that got blown down by a storm last spring, I should be able to go up to 16-18”, maybe longer if that would be a good idea. No idea, but all the carving axes I've seen used have a short to medium length Oops, I didn't see Alan's post. It's the same link to highlandwoodworking.

I think I'll just go real old school and call everything with carbon, "The Good Iron"

So whatever I want to say is correct because there is no common terminology :-)

I'm hoping for a clarification on terminology. Some of us have used the term “Alloy” when talking about 1080 and 1084. I thought the “10” indicated plain carbon steel, with steel such as 4140 being considered alloy steels. I compared 1018 with 1084, and the only difference (according to AZoM's web site) is the amount of carbon. 15N20 having 2% nickel would put it in the alloy classification.

I see your location is Ecuador, so this might not be useful information. Parks is expensive, you can get an 11 second quenching oil from McMaster-Carr for less then half the price. https://www.mcmaster.com/quenching-oil/

Not trying to be argumentative, but leave me out the "general consensus" It's just I don't know enough to have an opinion :-)

Perhaps others with better knowledge will clarify, but it's my understanding, Parks 50 is a oil that mimic's the speed of water. In other words, a fast quench.

And then the lights went out and when they came back on, the gold was gone!

Joseph Stokes writes about using cast iron on mild or wrought in one of his UN books. https://www.fao.org/3/ah635e/Ah635e00.htm Chapter 18. Having never done it, not sure if this is relevant information.

I like forging, but don't like finishing. With that, I thought I'd see if there's any interest in forging for others to finish. At this time, I would be limiting my efforts to tomahawks and axes. I've got a few laying around in various states of completeness and will be posting them on “Knives for Sale” forum. While most of the work would be using mild steel for the body, I can use most any steel for the edge. I know axes made by Gransfors is 60 points of carbon, but am having trouble finding it in stock. If anyone is interested, PM me. Here's a few examples of what I have laying around.

There's lots of information out there, some of it quite good. For a basic primer, Ball Canning (www.freshpreserving.com), The National Center for Home Food Preservation (https://nchfp.uga.edu/) and any number of American state extension web sites are a good start. Be warned, with the government sites, anything they have not tested is listed as dangerous, even if it's something that's been safely done by generations of canners. The BBC is also a good place for canning and fermenting information.

I'll be interested to hear how it works out. While I've no need at this time to sit while working, from time to time I've toyed with the idea. Your arrangement of being able to spin the chair to access different stations is pretty cool.

I don't use any sugar. A lot of recipes use sugar to help soften the bite of the pepper. I just use milder peppers for the same effect. Amounts are up to you Peppers garlic Salt It's the same ingredients for both canning and fermenting. The only difference is I cover the top of fermenting with a thin layer of salt. I believe that it helps stop any mold development at the air-pepper interface. Update on my recipe. With more reading, I've learned I shouldn't have added any vinegar to the mash, only salt. How much salt is a on-going question, but 3% appears to be about right. The vinegar interferes with the fermenting and is added after fermenting to help preserve and enhance flavor.

I'm confused. There appears to be some dislike for the knife. Is it because the knife is intended for self-defense or because of the design?

I know nothing abut this subject, I don't even have a power hammer. However, my curiosity got me to do a web search on "VFD power hammer" There appears to be blacksmith shops using VFD's on their hammers.

Not meaning to be disagreeable with anyone, but there's a couple of points I find I differ on with other folks posts. The balance of the hammer, and handle shape and size. First the balance. Whether a person uses a hammer which is center balanced or weight forward appears to be determined upon what part of the world or country that person first learned. The British, Swedish, and Japanese all prefer a weight forward hammer. The Germans a center balanced. I myself, started with a 2 ½ lb Craftsman blacksmith hammer, which is slightly forward, but soon after, I was introduce to a German hammer. It wasn't that I didn't like the Craftsman, but it was just a little too heavy for me to use all day. The German hammer was 2.2 lbs and was just right. I used that hammer for years and then started using a 2.75 lbs with occasional use of 3.25. As I've gotten older, I've returned to the 2.2 for most of my work. Since my formative years were with a center balance, I've never felt comfortable with a forward weight. I've given it a good try, even getting a custom hammer from Brent Bailey. And let it be said, he makes a very good hammer. Where as, those that learned with a forward weight hammer, find the center balance to be lacking in power. Some have told me, they have to hit harder to get the same results. It really just comes down to Each his Own, with neither style better or worse. Handle shape and size is the same. I started with the regular shape of most hammers and it felt fine. That is until I was introduced to the flat sided handle style which Mark Aspery shows in his first book. Now that I've gotten used to that style, using a regular style hurts my hands. As for size, I've spent too many years marveling at how much work farriers can get done with those toothpick sized handles they favor, to ever think my handle style is the only style. Again, it comes down to what you first learned. My only advise and caution are to try a variety and see which speaks to you, and to start small and give your elbow time to grow strong. If blacksmithing is the most physical thing you do, then you're always going to be pushing your physical limits. A regular program of resistance training is a wonderful thing :-)

A sad day has come, I've had to buy a bottle of sriracha hot sauce. This year, just to be safe, I'm going to put up 3 gals

It helps, but it's more a factor of being on satellite. Thanks to the Fair internet act (whatever it's really named) I can't increase my speed, which means slow download of photos. I appreciate the warnings of picture heavy, that way I know not to click. :-(

Money talks, send me a offer. Shipping would be $9 in a small flat rate or I'll be a the TN get together in the fall.

The folks at the workshop this Saturday were so positive, that it got me a bit motivated. I knocked this out Sunday before going to work. Nice to remember how to forge a choppy thing. No steel bit, as I'll just toss it in the recycle bin.

That's how it started on the warm mornings, cold took a lot more effort :-) Of course, nobody knew anything about it, so there was no tune up to help it run better.