Jump to content
TractorChild97

Any other Smithys out there?

Recommended Posts

TractorChild97

What I mainly do is blacksmithing and wasnt until here recently my shop also became my garage to work on tractors and so on. Any other blacksmiths here? If so show me your shops, anvils, forges, blowers, vises, your work, and maybe alittle Smith talk. Thank y'all and Stay safe! :tools-hammer:

  • Thanks 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
ebinmaine

@Mows4three here's a thread for ya bud... 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
 
The Tuul Crib

Nice !!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
The Tuul Crib
55 minutes ago, Mows4three said:

Hello TC,

 

I’ve been a crafty kind of guy all my life but usually concentrated on wood butchering.  I met up with a fellow that I knew when I was in my teens, many moons ago, found out he was an accomplished blacksmith, and I started smithing at his shop a couple years ago.   He has been tremendously influential in the development of my work and skill set.  Right now I have a small shop at my home in western, PA.  I am currently working out of a propane forge that I built and should have my coal forge running in a few weeks, if all goes well.   Getting the service drop from the power company installed this week and will wire up the shop for electric.   

 

I like to do architectural and colonial blacksmithing.   Things you’d find around a farm/homestead in the 18th century.  Door hardware, logging tools and equipment, hasps, hinges, fireplace, cooking and hearth ware.  I demonstrate at Hannastown Fort near Greensburg, PA with my buddy, Rex.   He just set up a colonial blacksmithing shop in a log cabin that will let us work on site without having to trailer everything to events at the Fort.   It’s going to save a lot of time setting up and tearing down.  

 

We both belong to a great group called PAABA (Pittsburgh Area Artists-Blacksmiths Association) in Pittsburgh and to the Fort Allen Antique Farm Equipment Association.  Both groups have given me access to some wonderful people (not unlike those on Red Square), resources and venues to meet and work at forges.   In good times, Fort Allen meets at our +/- 60’ x 100’ forging building where we have a half dozen forges set up and 12 work stations.  Classes for beginners through advanced smiths are held every Thursday night from April to the end of October.  Right now all activities for both clubs are on hold.  

 

Tell us a little about your interests and what you do in the forge.   Don’t forget the photos!   Everyone here likes pictures!

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

Star Forge + Ironworks 

724-875-9991

 

Below are are a few photos you might enjoy.

First two pictures are of the Fort Allen blacksmithing shop. The third is my shop.   

 

D957490F-486F-4601-B740-2A29C7002F46.jpeg.fb9f42cc4ea0cd828887f9bccf76236a.jpegC9AA6085-C6AD-4587-A884-BC284D814FB7.jpeg.02212ec59047557e758c81d93b0bcc6f.jpeg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2F39B8EC-CDAB-442E-80E8-94A4C2CAEAD1.jpeg

I recognize those long objects on the far left hanging on the wall. I used to use those years ago to stretch out furs!!

Nice shop too BTW!!

have a great one!

  • Heart 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Mows4three

Thanks Tuul Crib!  

 

Those fur stretchers were donated to me by a friend as source metal for making small hooks when my buddy Rex and I do demonstration work at Hannastown.   Turns out the spring steel they are made from is excellent steel for flint strikers.   You should see how brilliant white the sparks are that come off of this steel at the grinder.   They really do a great job on a flint for primitive fire making.  

 

We used up all the larger coyote sized stretchers and are working our way through the raccoon sized stretchers, now.   I wish I could find some more around here.   I’ll have to keep my eyes open at the flea market!  

 

Take care, be aware and stay safe....

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

  • Like 1
  • Excellent 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97

I really like those shops! I remember when my shop was as clean as yours! I will take some pictures of my shop and post them this evening. I really love the colonial style smithing, I started with knives but after a bit it just bored me. So thats when the fun started! I started forging my own hinges, latches, wall decor, mower tie rods, and just overall shaping whatever I need when I needed it. But I have to say my favorite thing to make has to be hammers. I have no power hammer or helper so iv had to do alot of redneckery to get stuff done alone. I'll be posting later :)

 

I really dig that anvil!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wallfish
19 minutes ago, TractorChild97 said:

I have no power hammer

I'm no smith and my complete experience is limited to watching Forged and Fire but it seems like a lot of guys who smith say that.

I'm curious why people wouldn't just build one right away. That's got to be a huge time saving tool. Anyone who can shape metal by forging should have enough skills to make some parts for a power hammer. Am I'm missing something?

  • Like 1
  • Heart 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
formariz
1 hour ago, wallfish said:

I'm curious why people wouldn't just build one right away. That's got to be a huge time saving too

I recently started dabbling in blacksmithing, something that always captivated my attention. Now out of necessity to make some parts for some of my work  which are not available nor is a close blacksmith, I decided to start at it.  Perhaps its me since I am a hand tool addict, but to me the hammering is a lot of fun and it requires  more skill to do than one might think. Sure with the power hammer one can be more productive if that is the intent. But for most, productivity may not be the goal. To me there is just something about hammering that metal at the anvil that sort of connects  one to the craft. I don't know ! Perhaps the little woman here is right. "I should have been born at least 100 years ago"

  • Like 2
  • Heart 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97
2 hours ago, wallfish said:

I'm no smith and my complete experience is limited to watching Forged and Fire but it seems like a lot of guys who smith say that.

I'm curious why people wouldn't just build one right away. That's got to be a huge time saving tool. Anyone who can shape metal by forging should have enough skills to make some parts for a power hammer. Am I'm missing something?

Closest I could get to that is turning a wood splitter into a press. But even then if a blacksmith shop isnt pushing out large numbers of orders it would be a bit of overkill. I would love to have one. But it would take me years and years to make up for that 20,000 dollar power hammer in selling latches and tools. For me as a Smith I dont need one for what I do. : ) 

  • Thanks 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
WHX??

Good posts TC. Closest I every got to smithing was heating up a 1/4-20 bolt then hammering it to shape to repair a battery box so I see why it's an art. 

Tractor show shops are a must stop and we are fortunate most of the shows we exhibit at have shops. 

 

Hit and miss running the shop... 

20160826_094317.jpg

20160826_094403.jpg

20160826_094414.jpg

 

My wife loves the jewelry and souvenirs they make.  

20160827_194215.jpg

Edited by WHX24
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wallfish
4 hours ago, TractorChild97 said:

I have no power hammer or helper so iv had to do alot of redneckery to get stuff done alone

 

This was the statement I was responding to about a power hammer. My thoughts were more towards shaping some of the larger stuff like hammer heads, ax heads and damascus billets. Not so much production or small things like hinges and latches.  Maybe I misunderstood the point since I don't forge.

 

Would some thing like this help to beat out the basic shape and move more metal or maybe doing forge welds? The scale of the hammer build to fit the scale of the work you do but no where near 20K to make something. Forging some twisted bars and other cool stuff for a custom hammer would look more old school. :twocents-02cents:

1093264503_PowerHammer.jpg.0818807c1ca32a84ece4351135eec29f.jpg

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
wallfish
14 hours ago, formariz said:

"I should have been born at least 100 years ago"

Then you might be dreaming of the future and how nice it would be to have power tools and no horse crap on your shoes. LoL

Edited by wallfish
  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Mows4three

While everyone was replying to the posts today I drove up to the ridge above where we live to see a guy about an anvil and some tools.  Here are some pictures of the 200 pound Arm & Hammer anvil I got today and some tools I bought yesterday.  There are still some decent tools and anvils out there if you’re patient.  

 

This anvil has a pristine face.  Level, good edges, no chips around the hardy or pritchel holes.  You can still see where the hardy hole was drifted with a round drift then finished with a square drift.   Sharpest point I’ve ever seen on an anvil.  It was well cared for over the years.  The cutting table shows some wear, but that’s to be expected when you’re this old!  Came with a nice white oak base.  

 

Got some good tools, too.   A 20 pound sledge, some nice handled hot cuts, a small flatter, several tongs including a couple nicely made bolt tongs and pickup tongs.  

 

To top it off, I got to drive across the top of the ridge and see the vista below.  That’s a shot looking northeast toward Chestnut Ridge and overlooking Latrobe, PA.  It was a good day. 

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

2F3A105B-7DD8-49AD-81DA-1D91DACAF682.jpeg

A98F3951-E187-46A3-924E-FA3B14CE820E.jpeg

8EA0201E-C39C-4BF9-A866-7503993BDA98.jpeg

C20A59A3-A135-408C-822B-AD807EB03F5F.jpeg

94FF08AF-5E87-4169-9963-0139ED1C1E2E.jpeg

81AE6FB6-2C74-419C-815E-4108913F2C6A.jpeg

0BD90DDD-8D48-4320-AA41-643C0AD1A2AE.jpeg

  • Excellent 3
  • Heart 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97
1 hour ago, Mows4three said:

While everyone was replying to the posts today I drove up to the ridge above where we live to see a guy about an anvil and some tools.  Here are some pictures of the 200 pound Arm & Hammer anvil I got today and some tools I bought yesterday.  There are still some decent tools and anvils out there if you’re patient.  

 

This anvil has a pristine face.  Level, good edges, no chips around the hardy or pritchel holes.  You can still see where the hardy hole was drifted with a round drift then finished with a square drift.   Sharpest point I’ve ever seen on an anvil.  It was well cared for over the years.  The cutting table shows some wear, but that’s to be expected when you’re this old!  Came with a nice white oak base.  

 

Got some good tools, too.   A 20 pound sledge, some nice handled hot cuts, a small flatter, several tongs including a couple nicely made bolt tongs and pickup tongs.  

 

To top it off, I got to drive across the top of the ridge and see the vista below.  That’s a shot looking northeast toward Chestnut Ridge and overlooking Latrobe, PA.  It was a good day. 

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

2F3A105B-7DD8-49AD-81DA-1D91DACAF682.jpeg

A98F3951-E187-46A3-924E-FA3B14CE820E.jpeg

8EA0201E-C39C-4BF9-A866-7503993BDA98.jpeg

C20A59A3-A135-408C-822B-AD807EB03F5F.jpeg

94FF08AF-5E87-4169-9963-0139ED1C1E2E.jpeg

81AE6FB6-2C74-419C-815E-4108913F2C6A.jpeg

0BD90DDD-8D48-4320-AA41-643C0AD1A2AE.jpeg

Looks like the guys who made it forgot to blunt the tip ; ) I currently have a 140 pound arm amd hammer that looks just like this one as my main shop anvil. The serial numbers base the making year around the middle of ww2. I gave an old 90 pound badger and 250$ for my anvil. Theres some awesome tools out there and alot of hoarders/collectors :laughing-rofl:

  • Like 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97

those horns were usually blunted. Thats awesome to see one still sharp! I have a couple of anvils to show you guys. 

  • Like 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97

20201012_203304.jpg

20201012_203533.jpg

20201012_203640.jpg

20201012_203054_HDR.jpg

 

 

The first is my main shop anvil 140# arm and hammer

The second is my dads 40# anvil he used growing up. Its 100% a mystery. 

Third is a 50# HF anvil

The last is also a 50# HF that I have abused by most cold forging (mower parts and other things.) 

Thats my shop. Icould go into detail but we would be here a while :)

20201012_203651.jpg

Edited by TractorChild97
  • Like 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97

Heres my latches and hinges. And alot of stuff I made for a local sale but the virus shut me down. 

received_1435887993276816.jpeg

received_3354366711309932.jpeg

received_432455617725758.jpeg

  • Like 3
  • Excellent 1
  • Heart 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
WHX??

Realy nice TC :handgestures-thumbupright: 

From here on out your new handle is Quint.

Google Quint Gunsmoke .... your shop reminds me of what might have been in the 1800's  

Actors I know but a fairly accurate picture of how it was.

This slice of American history just has me fascinated about this most often forgotten trade. 

Fixing wagon wheels .... shaping iron for what was needed. Repairing things.....indispensable occupation of the day and happy to see fellas like you are carrying it on. 

That shot of fall colors is priceless Mows. 

  • Heart 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97
8 minutes ago, WHX24 said:

Realy nice TC :handgestures-thumbupright: 

From here on out your new handle is Quint.

Google Quint Gunsmoke .... your shop reminds me of what might have been in the 1800's  

Actors I know but a fairly accurate picture of how it was.

This slice of American history just has me fascinated about this most often forgotten trade. 

Fixing wagon wheels .... shaping iron for what was needed. Repairing things.....indispensable occupation of the day and happy to see fellas like you are carrying it on. 

That shot of fall colors is priceless Mows. 

I appreciate that alot! That time of smithing is my favorite time of smithing. It was the life until the cast iron age took over and put all the smithys out of buisness and into their factories. :/ but yes those are beautiful fall colors!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
TractorChild97
3 hours ago, wallfish said:

 

This was the statement I was responding to about a power hammer. My thoughts were more towards shaping some of the larger stuff like hammer heads, ax heads and damascus billets. Not so much production or small things like hinges and latches.  Maybe I misunderstood the point since I don't forge.

 

Would some thing like this help to beat out the basic shape and move more metal or maybe doing forge welds? The scale of the hammer build to fit the scale of the work you do but no where near 20K to make something. Forging some twisted bars and other cool stuff for a custom hammer would look more old school. :twocents-02cents:

1093264503_PowerHammer.jpg.0818807c1ca32a84ece4351135eec29f.jpg

 

Woah thats awesome!  And ohhhhhh okay I unserstand now. Yes a power hammer for hammers would be awesome! If I had one I would have to use it quite a bit....iv heard its really easy to stray away from the anvil when a beast like that is in the shop. 

Edited by TractorChild97
  • Heart 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Lane Ranger

Very glad to see this topic of blacksmiths and the skill and importance of blacksmithing as a skill.   My dad Clifton E. Ralph was a blacksmith for 68 years  by until his passing in December 2018.   He was an industrial blacksmith for 35 years at Youngstown Sheet and Tube ( later LTV steel).  After retiring at 50 as his plants blacksmith shop was eliminated he chose a more important route.

 

it took him some time but he started going to steam shows, tractor shows and blacksmith events that they called “hammer -ins”.  He read called “ton”, “hammerman”, and tons of other names but he built a reputation and began to teach and demonstrate until his passing in 2018! 
 

 

He also was a tremendous fan of Wheel Horse tractors and bought his first in 1961 and passed on his passion for them to his sons!

 

He loved to pass on the nuances of smithing .  He was one of 20 blacksmiths and woodworkers asked to remake the original John Deere plow in Illinois by the Illinois Blacksmith Association. 
 

What mechanical and inquisitive nature I have about machines like our Wheel Horses came from being around my dad.   His shop was always filled with projects.  Thousands of his students and various blacksmith groups around the country benefited from his interest in keeping the art and skill of blacksmith alive.   
 

I am pleased to see Red Square Forum members who are doing the same!  
 

As dad use to say keep hammer-in!

F5E86321-1C1C-4D66-BA6D-664D6F6EBB00.jpeg

2D1F485F-6F82-492D-ACD1-34E8C3D68CC7.jpeg

EFB90D24-3290-472D-B97E-E601F8C4A0F1.jpeg

1D3D110F-5830-47EC-83EB-032F82B5631D.jpeg

006270CF-F89D-49F2-B9FE-2962BE366570.jpeg

2E3D77E8-75D1-4F87-BE1A-5B1278FA57A2.jpeg

516B75E8-7041-4216-A037-2D553AB01BD1.jpeg

6669A938-ABD3-4F49-B2A6-CAF113EC6981.jpeg

  • Excellent 1
  • Heart 5

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
formariz

@Lane Ranger Precious stuff. Thank you for sharing it with us.

  • Heart 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
Mows4three

@Lane Ranger   That is a beautiful write up about your father’s life and passions.   Sounds like he was one heck of a guy.   I’m just sitting here thinking how close his path was to a couple guys I know in this hobby/profession.   Wish I could have known him.   Thanks a million for sharing all that with us.  You must have some wonderful memories of your pop.  

 

Dave

  • Excellent 1
  • Heart 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 
formariz
4 hours ago, Mows4three said:

Wish I could have known him

I share your sentiment and think about  that quite often. When individuals like that are gone, besides the obvious loss to the loved ones, it is a loss to all of us accentuated by the fact that they are lost forever and sadly mostly no one is left to replace that kind of asset. Lack of necessity,different life requirements or mostly the lack of interest in our young people. I grab every opportunity regardless how short or how hard it is to talk to and listen to such individuals, and have instilled that into my children and now my grandchildren. Do not waste time with frivolous fleeting and meaningless activities while we pass by and ignore these elderly people that have so much to offer. We have a way of putting to the side our elders, literally just tucking them away in a corner out of the way. It is like burning a rare book, once it is gone it is irreplaceable. We should in fact have long conversations with them about their lives and activities and record them for future generations.

  • Excellent 1
  • Heart 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
 

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...