I hosted a small hammerin yesterday afternoon at my little shop in Grover, NC. The group consisted of Nathan Carothers (Nathan the machinist), Butch Silver (butchesforge) and Stuart Willis. Brian Goode (blgoode) got called in to work and couldn't attend.
Nathan contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if he could visit and see some forging. That's what got it going.
Everyone arrived about 1pm. Butch and Nathan brought some of their knives for a look see. It's always a pleasure to see good knives.
After quick tour of my shop (which didn't take very long), I gave a short demonstration of "the old phart with bum shoulder" hammering method I use to forge knives.
We gave Nathan a 3/4"x1/4"x7" piece of 1084FG and a hammer and told him to forge a knife blade. He heated the steel and started pounding on the Hay Budden anvil.
Need more heat.
Butch found some old RR spikes on my welding table and wanted to make a RR spike knife. I didn't have any tongs that would hold the spike, so I told them to modify the first tongs I made and go for it. The tongs were way too heavy and I had never used them.
In short order, Stuart and Butch were in business on the Mouse Hole anvil.
Heat'n steel.
Wait'n
While Butch and Stuart finished the spike knife on the Coote grinder, Nathan finished his first forged full tang blade. He did a great job for a first forged blade. I pointed out that Nathan was hammering like me and he shouted "oh noooo, you've turned me into an old phart with a bum shoulder". I hope I haven't ruined him for life. He'll never forgive me.
About 5 o'clock my lovely wife, Shirley, brought us some food to the shop. This supplemented the home made cookies we had been munching all afternoon. We pigged out on hot dogs with home made chili, slaw and chips. Note to all, Don't get between Nathan and food.
Dumb a$$ old phart that I am, I didn't get a pic of the blades. Nathan, please post a pic of the blades.
The party ended at about 7 o'clock. I do hope every one had as much fun as I did.
Nathan contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if he could visit and see some forging. That's what got it going.
Everyone arrived about 1pm. Butch and Nathan brought some of their knives for a look see. It's always a pleasure to see good knives.
After quick tour of my shop (which didn't take very long), I gave a short demonstration of "the old phart with bum shoulder" hammering method I use to forge knives.
We gave Nathan a 3/4"x1/4"x7" piece of 1084FG and a hammer and told him to forge a knife blade. He heated the steel and started pounding on the Hay Budden anvil.
Need more heat.
Butch found some old RR spikes on my welding table and wanted to make a RR spike knife. I didn't have any tongs that would hold the spike, so I told them to modify the first tongs I made and go for it. The tongs were way too heavy and I had never used them.
In short order, Stuart and Butch were in business on the Mouse Hole anvil.
Heat'n steel.
Wait'n
While Butch and Stuart finished the spike knife on the Coote grinder, Nathan finished his first forged full tang blade. He did a great job for a first forged blade. I pointed out that Nathan was hammering like me and he shouted "oh noooo, you've turned me into an old phart with a bum shoulder". I hope I haven't ruined him for life. He'll never forgive me.
About 5 o'clock my lovely wife, Shirley, brought us some food to the shop. This supplemented the home made cookies we had been munching all afternoon. We pigged out on hot dogs with home made chili, slaw and chips. Note to all, Don't get between Nathan and food.
Dumb a$$ old phart that I am, I didn't get a pic of the blades. Nathan, please post a pic of the blades.
The party ended at about 7 o'clock. I do hope every one had as much fun as I did.
