Tim Tracey Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I'm having a hard time finding hardy tools with the right size for the hardy hole in my anvil. Its 287 pounds and the hardy hole is 1 3\4 inches square. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Is that a typo, "hardy hole is 1 3\4 inches square."?? If not that is a hoss of a hole!! You may have to order some square stock and make your own. My Hay Budden has a 1" square hole and that is finally what I did was too order the 1" stock and make the upper part of the tool! Some of the tools I have made to date are welded to the 1" stock and some were forged from the 1" stock and ring was welded to the piece to act as a stop on the tool in the hardy hole! Edited January 5, 2015 by C Craft C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Tracey Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Ha! I wish it was a typo! I've never seen a Hardy tool that large. I don't have a welder so fabricating a tool is a bit bigger of a challenge, but there are some good videos on YouTube that I may try in the near future. Just need to find some suitable stock for the right price. But of I can find the right one already made, is be willing to do that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Yates Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Brother Chris, Beat me to it also you could make a set of "C" type of wedges/ shims to go around any of the hardy tools that you are finding that you like to fit your anvil (Just make sure that you use a good steel and it is long enough so you can knock the hardy back out of the anvil ) **** I have seen some get stuck due to soft steels and mushroom. Robert D. Yates , 13 & On Forge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. Yates Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 No one around you in Keweenaw that you know has a welder that you are Friends with can help you with a special project for a few brews or some forge time projects Brother ? Robert D. Yates , 13 & On Forge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Tracey Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I do actually, just a bit stubborn I suppose haha. I just really need to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N. Runals Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I'd personally make my own, I know that is large stock to work by hand, but it will fit your anvil perfectly. You can get big chunks of something like 4140 from the online steel suppliers, or go to a scrap yard and look for a semi axle or something similar. You may need to do some upsetting... which may be upsetting..... Another option is wait until June and take some steel to scott's hammerin and use his PH and press. http://www.etsy.com/shop/NateRunalsBlacksmith?ref=pr_shop_more&view_type=gallerynaterunals.com My Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Tracey Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I picked up an industrial swage block from some people clearing a house out and they didn't even know what it was! I just need to build a stand for it and I can do most of the upsetting there. Just paranoid to ruin the temper on the face of the anvil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N. Runals Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Dude that is an amazing find! How many pounds is it? http://www.etsy.com/shop/NateRunalsBlacksmith?ref=pr_shop_more&view_type=gallerynaterunals.com My Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Tracey Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I haven't weighed it, but it "felt" the same more or less as my anvil. Doing some research its likely about 250. Its about 18 inches square and 4 inches thick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bret Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Make a removable sleeve that sits in the hole. You could make a couple common sizes, and use whatever hardy you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Wow that swage block is awesome, you just don't see them anymore and especially not that big, what a find!!!!! A lot of them were junked for scrap steel by folks that had no idea what it was! Edited January 5, 2015 by C Craft C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N. Runals Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 That is worth quite a bit there... $500 would be a good price. Those pass throughs are priceless in the right application. http://www.etsy.com/shop/NateRunalsBlacksmith?ref=pr_shop_more&view_type=gallerynaterunals.com My Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N. Runals Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 By the way losing the temper in your anvil is absolutely a real concern, especially when forging 2" stock on the tail. Water is a good way to tell how hot steel is getting, if you familiarize yourself with the way water reacts with steel at different temperatures you can easily tell what temp your anvil is at. Does the water steam, sizzle, bubble, or bead up? Take some steel or iron and put it in the oven at various temperatures and see what it does. http://www.etsy.com/shop/NateRunalsBlacksmith?ref=pr_shop_more&view_type=gallerynaterunals.com My Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Double score! As a general rule, hardy hole size was linked to anvil size, but only loosely. I'd expect a Peter Wright between around 225 and 350 lbs to have a 1.25" hardy hole, and wouldn't expect to find a 1.75" on anything less than a 500+ lb.er, but they would make special orders for whatever you wanted. If, for example, a railroad shop was using 800-lb anvils with 1 3/4" hardy holes for everything, but needed a slightly more portable anvil that could use the same hardy tools, they'd order one. Anyway, I'd just get some 1.75" square mild steel and weld it on to larger stock as a shank. That swage block will be REALLY handy for finishing the shoulder! The sleeve idea could work as well. A bit of 1/4" wall 1.75" square tubing with one side cut off and the last half inch of the remaining sides bent out 90 degrees would give you an insert that would allow you to use 1" shank tooling, but it would be a bit awkward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Tracey Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 I paid a buck a pound for the swage, I couldn't in good consciousness not tell him what it was. As much as I love a good deal, I can't take advantage of someone...too much. I think I'll take the idea of getting the largest shank hardy I can find (Probably an inch) a modify it to fit by welding on to the shank. Lots of ways to skin a cat I suppose. Runals, I'm trying to learn that trick for essentially the same reasons but also cause there is no calibration or tools needed. Alan, once I get the gumption to build a stand for the swage, shoulders, hot punching, and any tooling I can dream of will be used with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Abbott Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Bear in mind that the hardy shank only holds the tool in place. The base of the tool rests on the anvil face. I have a lot of hardy tools that use a piece of angle for the shank. You will be suprised how easy it is and how well it works. I have a 1" hardy and 1" channel is just a little tight. I knock the edges off on the grinder and slightly round the corners and it fits perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hewitt Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Bit late this, but I've only just read your post! My Peter Wright is 386lbs and has the same size hardy hole. I mostly make my tools to fit, but on some that are way too small I run a bead of weld along the edges entail I get to the required size. If you look at the tools from below it looks like a huge Phillips screwdriver! Not an ideal solution, but it's worked do far! Just my 2 pennoth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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