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Practicing on Clay


Michael Walker
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I don't have access to a place to work right now but I don't want to do nothing.

 

I heard somewhere that hot iron was a little bit like stiff clay and a great way to practice would be to take a hammer to clay to get a feel of how to move the iron around. Is this true? If so, what sort of clay would you use?

 

Thanks in advance for your replies!

 

-noob

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an oil based clay. Soft works best. Less time to warm it up. Yes it works like hot iron only less ooomf needed to move it. Use the same tools you would use on the hot iron. Great way to work out what and how your going to do it. I always try to push the use of clay. I find it has helped me out a lot in understanding how and what is going on with the hot metal without so much time of all the heats. Plus I can sit infront of the tv with my small anvil and hammers and make tongs, dividers, hooks, and stuff.

"Remember to live life to the fullest and without regret for the joy of life is that it ends." Me http://ipneto.deviantart.com/

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Clay is also a great way to experiment with pattern welding. Make up strips of black and white play-doh and fold, stack, twist, "grind," as you would a billet. As long as you don't go too high on the layer count, it works great.

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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelt

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You can always forge outside, unless you live in a house to house neighborhood. There is always a way around a problem.

 

Yeah, I am renting in a cookie cutter HOA ruled massive subdivision. Our lot is only 14000 sq/ft most of which has house on it.

 

Dave, I was thinking the exact same thing!

Edited by Michael Walker
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Now, once you move on to blade steels, to get a simile for, say, 5160, imagine you're hammering something which believes in hitting back...

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Aww man, HOA ruins all the good fun! Well any kind of fun.. but if you wanna use clay you could always let it sit out for a day, and if you wanna simulate a burned steel, let it sit longer. :lol: 5160 isn't too bad, compared to 9260 or D2.. never again will I forge D2.. <_<

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