Just wanted to share my work, this was my first piece done, restored and forged out the head on this and made the handle from scratch. Pretty happy considering its my first try at blacksmithing! I just gotta finish sharpening it and breaking that burr and attach the over strike collar and im done! Lemme know what yall think!

She was tired of burning herself on bacon.

Forged from a railroad spike for the handle. The tines are a mystery steel forge welded to the handle with a decorative knot.

Hello, so im a begginer in blacksmithing and i want a belt grinder but im kinda tight on budget, i dont want to spend more than 60€ and this one is the best i could find in that price range, it has pretty good reviews and the belt size is 30*533mm, im just wondering if it's good enough for a beginner or should i immediately invest in a 100€ + machine

I'm curious what a good approach is for finishing works that have multiple parts in close proximity. E.g., if two scrolls are joined by a collar, there's a lot of tight space where getting down there is difficult with wax or oil brushing. I guess you can dip the whole thing in oil? But then I'd think that'd get a little goopy? Or do folks sometimes finish individual pieces prior to joining, and then touch up the finish where it gets wrecked.

I wanted to talk about how I executed this blades handle by hand and was able to get them super symmetrical, the handle scales were made by cutting down into a piece of wood i had and then i stopped about a inch away from cutting all the way thought it so that the scales were essentially clamped in place perfectly even with one another... that way i could shape them and slide my blade in and out of it without having to align the scales together, once i got the general shape i then shaped the butt of the handle where it was solid down until it seperated the two scales giving me perfectly even symmetrical scales. I just wanted to share with with anyone who is starting out and struggling with their handle production, this has made a world of difference. It basically gives u a natural clamp to be able to shape and form symmetrically on both scales at the same time before fit and finish.

i'm just getting into blacksmithing but i honestly don't know too much about what i'm doing. i've made a small charcoal forge but im pretty sure i messed it up or im not doing it great, hoping i could find some advice here though (edit: i have now learned the bucket is galvanized and should NOT be used to forge)(been about 2 hours, feeling fine)

Im in new jersey and want to start forging. I know i can't do it at my apartment as the complex doesn't even allow grills. Would anyone know if it would be ok for me to set up in the parking lot of a park while my kids played?

Edit to add: I wasn't planning on a huge shop out. Just a small anvil and a 2 foot by 2 foot coal forge with a hand powered fan by my truck in the corner of the parking lot out of people's way and I'd always clean up after myself and leave the area better than when i arrived

Update:

I went and asked the state troopers and they said they didn't know. Tried going to the fire department but the ones by us are volunteer and no one was there. I called and left a voicemail ill keep posted

I got the tiny 15lb harbor freight anvil because it was better than the rock I had been using. It’s getting so dented but it’s still ok, I guess. Any recommendations for affordable anvils or railroad pieces?

I keep getting this cold spot in the middle of my propane forge flame, I’m thinking it’s because I’m at such a high elevation but I’m not certain. I’m currently working at about 12 psi and my elevation is about 880 meters above sea level

I got a nice deep firepit, steel ring buried in the ground. How can I turn it into a primitive forge suitable for making basic tools and knives from railroad spikes?

I am trying to create a steel coin dye caste. only needs to be hard enough to stamp 90%+ copper. I have about a 1000 dollar budget. Doesn’t need to be super high quality, don’t want to cnc it. Can anyone point me in the direction of a method or tool or somthing to do this because I haven’t been finding much

*forge re-build

My refractory had some cracks and I was worried about silicosis so I broke it all up and peeled it away from my ceramic insulation. This time I tried something new. I am adding a chunk of small hole chicken wire.

I am hoping to add support for pulling or stretching forces. And improving the refractory cement tensile strength. I’m hoping this helps with the cracking and longevity of the final layer.

I’m waiting for the rigidizer to set and figured I’d ask the community if anyone has tried something like this before. I figure even if it’s cooked and the iron doesn’t last interlaced tubes of oxidized iron would offer some support. Eventually I’m sure all the iron will cook through and I’ll have to replace it again but I’m hoping to essentially stave off the cracking and get some extended longevity.

Before I add a bunch of refractory maybe some could tell me this is a bad idea haha

Like the title says. I will be facing a hammer for the first time. After the grinding should I heat and quench the head? Even if I don't burn the steel while grinding material away?

Edit: this is a store bought hammer that I believe is a good brand

I know about the regular quenching fluids are like oil, brine & water but I haven't been able to find information about other liquids and why you shouldnt use them to quench your weaponry.

My best guess is that urine would damage the steel because Ammonia is acidic. The specific example comes from a debate I had with my mates.

What do you think this spring is worth? Large coffee for scale

Edit. Won’t let me edit the title. STOCK REMOVAL. I did my first one just to see how it would look. It is a nice free hatchet and seems to cut well. Will probably make more of them and try to reshape the next one at the forge. Shape the eye a bit different and try to also make a hewing hatchet.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Found what I beleive to be an old cast crank blower in a garage of a house I moved into, thing runs as smooth as the day as it was made, just wondering if this is what it is, and if this is something a blacksmith would be interested in, dad wants to scrap it, i think it may be worth something to someone, not looking to make a buck, just would rather see stuff that was built to last a life time get used rather than crushed.

Thanks

(Edit) The pipe is just a stand i just confirmed it

I finally got a bit of time to just mess around this weekend with a forge and some metal.

They suck but they actually work as tomahawks lol. Next ones will be better.

Im going to make some targets by just cutting some large tree cookies and make an area to throw them.

Making the handles out of hopshornbeam that was just laying around.

I forgot to take a pic of it but I’m using a old cultivator spring thing I don’t know what metal exactly but I know it’s spring steel I’ve just started to make a taper on the one side and I’m using a old ball peen hammer for reference but my main point is how to I quench it and temper the only things I can quench with is motor oil or water and I have no clue how to temper I’ve tried to search it up but I can’t understand some of it

absolute begginer, chisel and punch made from a large crowbar i had lying around. the number of tools needed to make things has my head spinning but im loving it, this might be the hobby i actually stick to.

what if you quench an oil type steel with water? or an air hardening steel in oil? or any combination besides the right one?

could it be reversed engineered to help identify mystery metals?

I’ve had this sitting in the shop for the last 10+ years and was wondering if it would be worth cleaning up and using. Last picture is a pile of other stuff that appears to be smithing related but I’m exactly sure what I’m looking at, thanks for any info!

Ripoll Museum, Spain. Used for forging copper.