What did you do in your shop today?

[Alan Longmire]

That class will be great!  Learning how to grind the geometry of gravers is hard to do over the internet, in-person is much better. The fact that you're doing so well already, and in something as gummy and hard to engrave as copper, says you'll be excellent. 

[Niels Provos]

 

I am happy to report that Powerhammer and compressor assembly are back in working order and I can get back to some serious forge welding. Yay! While my shop was out of commission, I spent more time making EDM; my latest track is "What does it mean to be happy?" which seemed appropriate given the situation.

[Gerhard Gerber]

I got an early start Saturday, final prep on 3 blades that I wanted to heat treat.

Large blacksmith knife (old file) destined for a charity auction, drilled 3 holes to visually lighten the part behind the ricasso, that went well but then I got drill-happy

Decided the smaller 52100 needed a hole in that same area, went well, but the hole in the handle for a lanyard turned into a 2 hour nightmare.  Destroyed 2 drills and had a little divot for my efforts when I decided to relight the forge and try to anneal it.

That only devolved into trying to drill it hot, two more drill bits toast, punching in a hole (first time ever) with the wrong kind of punch, destroyed that but got through, then used the drill bit with the most left to ream the hole.

THEN I got to fix and re-align the handle again on a knife with a thin hollow grind already done.......very lucky I had something to heat treat.  

[Gerald Boggs]

The folks at the workshop this Saturday were so positive, that it got me a bit motivated. I knocked this out Sunday before going to work. Nice to remember how to forge a choppy thing. No steel bit, as I'll just toss it in the recycle bin.

 

 

[Jeremy Blohm]

1 hour ago, Gerald Boggs said:

No steel bit, as I'll just toss it in the recycle bin.

I would buy it from you for me to weld in a steel bit!

[Gerald Boggs]

Money talks, send me a offer.  Shipping would be $9 in a small flat rate or I'll be a the TN get together in the fall.

[Joshua States]

I have been working on a commission that has so many things I've never done, it's been really pushing the envelope. Today I set about forging the guard (second time) out of 416 SS.

 

 

 

 

 

[Garry Keown]

Some work laid out for next week and beyond.

 

[Francis Gastellu]

Started moving some of the heavy stuff. Putting as much as I can in boxes with plywood floors and roofs in order to maximize stackability in the shipping container.

 

The movers are going to hate me.

 

 

If they ask what's in the "heavy duty tall wardrobe box", I'll just say I'm taking my collection of suits of armor.

[Jaro Petrina]

Its flat now, about 120 layers on each side and edge from german carbon steel san maied in the middle.  I think the pattern will really come out when I grind it.

[Jaro Petrina]

And a bit of grinding later..... I think it will etch better once hardened.

[Randy Griffin]

I been a little bit busy in the shop lately. It’s been almost 2 years since my surgery and I’m finally getting to where I can do something. This is over the last few weeks.

I still can’t hold out to stand very long so I’ve got my forge and anvil where I can sit and work now. I built my chair from a boat seat on a 3/4” pipe welded to a disc harrow blade. Works really well once I got used to it. With my post anvil between my legs it’s a couple of inches taller than my legs.

I built the work table and one just like it on the other side of the shop. I can spin to my right and use the vise or my left for the drill press.
I don’t have a hardy hole so I made a ball fuller and a top and bottom fuller that will slide over my anvil.

made a stand for my portaband.

 

And a box for my 1x30 to use it on its back.

 

These last few days I been feeling like I’m getting another infection but if I can hold out a couple more days I plan to forge a few blades. Will be the first forged ones in almost 3 years. Got my fingers crossed.

[Jaro Petrina]

Glued it together finally. This is gonna be good for a pig roast.

[Gerald Boggs]

20 hours ago, Randy Griffin said:

 

I still can’t hold out to stand very long so I’ve got my forge and anvil where I can sit and work now. I built my chair from a boat seat on a 3/4” pipe welded to a disc harrow blade. Works really well once I got used to it. With my post anvil between my legs it’s a couple of inches taller than my legs.

I built the work table and one just like it on the other side of the shop. I can spin to my right and use the vise or my left for the drill press.
 

I'll be interested to hear how it works out. While I've no need at this time to sit while working, from time to time I've toyed with the idea. Your arrangement of being able to spin the chair to access different stations is pretty cool.

[Randy Griffin]

2 hours ago, Gerald Boggs said:

I'll be interested to hear how it works out. While I've no need at this time to sit while working, from time to time I've toyed with the idea. Your arrangement of being able to spin the chair to access different stations is pretty cool.

Thanks Gerald. I’ve done some forging on it and it works really well. Only thing is if you need to work on the side of the anvil your legs get in the way. Those times I just stand for a minute. Most of my forging is on top anyway.

[Jaro Petrina]

And finished as well.

[Doug Webster]

I was fortunate to get a permit this year to harvest a pacific yew.  I split the tree into bow staves and have quite a bit of wood left over.   If anyone is interested, I can cut to 11 inch lengths and fill a flat rate box and ship for $20.  Im hate to see any go to waste.  It still needs to be seasoned and dried a bit. Send a private message if interested.  

[Gilbert McCann]

Did some handle work yesterday. My first time working with Bloodwood burl I should probably always wear gloves. I didn't, now after much scrubbing with orange pumice stuff and a brush my hands are dyed black with a hint of blue. The wife says oh that's nice. San mai Chef knife. This shot is after I wore a glove. 

[Charles dP]

56 minutes ago, Gilbert McCann said:

hands are dyed black with a hint of blue.

Have you tried washing them in lemon juice?

Very nice handle.

[Gilbert McCann]

I'll try lemon juice 

Thank you 

[Alan Longmire]

[Charles dP]

17 hours ago, Gilbert McCann said:

I'll try lemon juice 

Thank you 

The real stuff, mind you. You can also scrub them with half a lemon. It works with blackthorn stains anyway.

[Alan Longmire]

 

[Gerhard Gerber]

Had a pretty epic Saturday, we attended the Schutzenfest 2022, we had a corner of the hall to ourselves, 2 tables full of knives, 2 forges running.

I sold one knife and my friend from the coast sold a cleaver and knife, thankful the trip was worthwhile for him because the knives are his only income, and fuel prices are crazy....
Main attraction of the day was a pellet gun shooting competition, but there was good beer and good food and lots of laughs.
I overheard one guy express his disbelief that the knives were locally made, I asked him if he thinks the fairies made them, he answered they must be off ebay......don't know what to make of that.

It was fun having a bearing race, and cut in half and forged straight piece, as well as a finished blacksmith knife........and then to point at the two forges where they were forging out the same.

We paid for our tables by donating a knife for the charity auction for the benefit of a dementia center, fetched about 1.5x what it would've been on my table for.  

[Jeroen Zuiderwijk]

I did things! I made fire, and put iron in it!  Last evening was a rare occasion when I was on my own at home. So I pulled out my makeshift forge for hardening two seaxes that have been waiting for many years. That seems to have worked well. And since I still had a good amount of glowing charcoal, I forge welded a bit of layered W2 to a piece of wrought.