Michael Stuart

Don I've read that this same type of clamp goes back at least as far as the Viking age. Clamps this size in antler, up to large wooden ones for clamping planks during ship construction. Great technology!

If you have a flea market nearby, they can be a good place to get things like files--those too rusty to file can still be forged into other things-- and hammers (often lots cheaper to buy a head without a handle and get a new handle at a different table). Unfortunately people seem to think anvils are gold now, so I haven't seen one at the flea market for several years. Every so often a post vice or coal forge shows up, but they have become pricier too as interest in forging has grown.

Nice video. That whale oil quench and open bath of molten lead are something!

Michael, I did make it to the December meeting, but couldn't make it in January. I haven't heard one way or the other yet about February but it's usually held the second Sunday each month at Steve's.

I'm not sure where in NC you are, but we're very fortunate to have active ABANA chapters across pretty much the whole state. The web site is not up to date but it lists some of the chapters at https://www.ibiblio.org/nc-abana/regional_groups.html There is a lot of expertise and sometimes useful stuff for sale at the meetings. Michael

I don't know if the pure nickel I had was already a bit work hardened, but it did not want to move much under the hammer. I would think I'd crack the wood if I tried to inlay with it. But still it sounds like a neat idea, so hopefully someone more experienced with this will chime in soon. Michael

I've been here almost since the forum started I think, moving here from Anvilfire, Keenjunk, Swordforum, and others whose names I forget. I had the great pleasure of seeing Don demo a couple times in person--it was like watching magic!--and meeting some other forum members in person at hammer-ins, the Blade show, and Pennsic War. Four moves across state lines for work and raising kids have kept me too busy to accomplish much forging of my own, but I do love seeing all the work and people on here whose work I've admired for so long, and I will, eventually, make some knives that are passable eno

Looks like it could make a really sturdy power hammer anvil too at those sizes.

That turned out well! I would be happy with it.

I really enjoyed the hammer-in Larry put on, though I only made it up there to it at his place once I think. He was one of those rare types who seemed larger than life. It was around that same time that I met Jim 'Paw-Paw' Wilson, which was shortly before his untimely death. May they rest in peace. The renaissance in smithing over the last few decades would not have happened without the willingness to teach and share that people like them and a number of others including Don Fogg were thoughtful enough to offer, coming as it did at just around the same time that the Internet took off.

I was fortunate to be able to buy several late-1930s-vintage woodworking power tools from a family friend a number of years ago. A real pain to move but they are build to last for sure!

For what it's worth, in re-roofing and expanding my little back yard shed from 8x12 to 12x12 feet, I found fire-rated particle board sheathing at a local surplus building materials place and was able to use that for the new wall parts and all of the new roof decking. It has a fiberglass (?) coating that is impregnated with some kind of fire-resistant white cement. It is nasty stuff to saw when installing because of the fiberglass, and only a supplement not a replacement for a fire extinguisher, but it will be a nice extra bit of peace of mind for when I get my grinder etc. set up in there.

I was thinking of the cave troll in LOTR after having just cut down a small white oak that was growing in the way of a backyard project, so I dug out a drawknife and made this.

Thanks Alan, I would have guessed it was from around the 30s, but good to have you confirm it. Funny thing is lately I've been finding myself drawn to woodworking planes and sewing machines of that same era, go figure!

Done, the thin diamond-section file did the trick! Here's a picture of starting the teeth that shows clearly how worn down they were, another of the tip end in progress to show the file, and one of the cool hammer-and-anvil logo on the knife.