Daniel Cauble

I plan to have small amounts of orishigane for sale from time to time. As of right now, I do. http://caublestonecutlery.com/home/my-steel/availablesteel/

Not yet. A medical procedure this weekend stopped me from working further.

My most recent work. ~1.7% C

Mark has.

Jan. I have very similar results running an open hearth. Yield wise.

My original video is no longer up. I guess they took it down. Now it displays my fav list.

For the size dies you will need 4340 to keep your quenchant as oil, or step up to some of the air hardening steels like H13. You can somewhat water quench large sections of 4140, but it leaves the risk of cracking, which is why 4340 would be recommended on dies exceeding 3" thick in order to get an appreciable amount of hardness in oil.

Flats are great for general forging and toolong both. I use mostly flat dies. Stay away from combo dies. They arent really appropriate for these style hammers, as the offhitting tends to wear out a LG in the ways faster than larger or more robust machines. Your bottom die looks like the interchangeable die system, nice to have. Great new style LG you have there. Very clean.

I decided with the several i have made that a curve in the handle, along with the very weight.forward hammer head to feel very comfortable. I made a few for myself, and others liked them, and they have a place. I use them almost exclusively.

I only use the double bit axe because it gives extra meat to make unique handle to every hammer. I try to make them the same, but each starts out as a bigger lump of wood. Costs a lot more on my end that places like house of handles, but isnt a dime a dozen look.

To be honest, every hammer handle that i use for my cutler hammers started life as a double bit axe handle from the hardware store. I get two different styles of handles from one, and i get to pick and choose grain orientation. Plus its hickory.

I mean, i can work 10# bloomery by hand. I wont recommend it though. I think my wording is off calling it next to impossible. Just....not fun at all lol. Who eould do that to themselves???

And doing 1-2kg pucks is next to impossible without a power hammer and to a lesser extent a press .

Read everything you can guys, but i really implore you to just go out and do it, and then come back and reread, and do it some more. The more people getting involved the more we all gain from shared or even differing experiences.

Im limited on time with 3 kids, a newborn included....but had some spare time to make a pound of shibuichi.