J.Arthur Loose

Yup, I do my messy damascus work with flux in this forge. Sides eventually get eaten, but can be repaired with furnace mortar. The bottom has space for a big ol’ flux clinker. Also, you’re not blasting your blade directly, and the forced air burner allows very fine atmospheric control from oxidizing to neutral & reducing. Finally, for blades, you can work in specific sections and reduce overall scale. I do my heat treating in my drum forge (same burner,) or in the salt tanks. It’s not very good for heat treating over about 7-8”.

Dunno. It’s definitely very specialized, as it’s really only good for billets & blades… but it’s really good for that. The burner is the best part though, super efficient, great atmosphere control, cheap and easy to make, and heats my 18” drum easily & evenly.

Worth keeping for the story alone!

I learned how to make this forge right here, on this forum, 20 years ago. Still use it for carbon damascus & blades. Just switch the same burner over to the drum forge for big pieces & stainless billets. Thanks again, Don.

Beautiful, Jim.

Allllll righty then. 38” overall, 33” blade, 2 lbs, 7oz, 24K gilt bronze & garnet.

It’s almost impossible to photograph this thing in 24K gold. Yes, it really glows.

Final photo booth pics incoming, but here’s the blade & a quick sheath. We may revisit the sheath later, but it has a date with a big war coming up.

All riveted up. Time for a quick sheath…

Got Sam back from the stone setter, who did a great job. Off to get gold plated tomorrow.

Had a minor casting blowout pushing the weight and volume limits of my centrifugal caster, but all is well. Final touches and assembly tomorrow.

I would forge the blade and tang very differently now, so it was a bit of a puzzle. Ahistoriffic!

Whup!

TOE BEANZ.

I know a cute little tiger that’s getting some toe beans.