- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 4,551
Y'all might get a laugh outta this...
I'm new to blade forums. Been posting mostly in the Political arena. But, I've been interested for some time now in trying my hand at forging/ making my own blades. I got a bunch of fire brick over this past weekend, and just to see if I could get metal hot enough to shape, I built them up into a crude "forge" using my leaf blower to blow air and used grilling charcoal to burn
Anyway, It got hot enough but, after about an hour it burned through my coal and I was only able to beat the piece of #4 rebar into a crude "poker"
It seems obvious to me now that I'm either going to have to put together a gas forge or come up with a way to keep the fire stoked with charcoal.
My questions then are these, any help will be appreciated even if it's making fun of my initial attempt.
1. Is gas that much more efficient?
2. Having been to Zoehler forges web site and seen his gas forges, has anyone here worked with similar setups?
3. If anyone here works with a coal fired forge, are there different types of coal?
4. How much beating do you guys put into a hand forged piece? ie; How many hours does it take one of you more experienced buys to make a blade?
5. How close to the final shape can you guys get your hand forged knife to its final shape during the forging process.
6. How much grinding do you "generally' have to do to finish a blade?
I think that'll do it for now. Try not to laugh too hard, although I like to be able to provide a little humor now and then
Thanks,
ttoney83
I'm new to blade forums. Been posting mostly in the Political arena. But, I've been interested for some time now in trying my hand at forging/ making my own blades. I got a bunch of fire brick over this past weekend, and just to see if I could get metal hot enough to shape, I built them up into a crude "forge" using my leaf blower to blow air and used grilling charcoal to burn
Anyway, It got hot enough but, after about an hour it burned through my coal and I was only able to beat the piece of #4 rebar into a crude "poker" It seems obvious to me now that I'm either going to have to put together a gas forge or come up with a way to keep the fire stoked with charcoal.My questions then are these, any help will be appreciated even if it's making fun of my initial attempt.
1. Is gas that much more efficient?
2. Having been to Zoehler forges web site and seen his gas forges, has anyone here worked with similar setups?
3. If anyone here works with a coal fired forge, are there different types of coal?
4. How much beating do you guys put into a hand forged piece? ie; How many hours does it take one of you more experienced buys to make a blade?
5. How close to the final shape can you guys get your hand forged knife to its final shape during the forging process.
6. How much grinding do you "generally' have to do to finish a blade?
I think that'll do it for now. Try not to laugh too hard, although I like to be able to provide a little humor now and then
Thanks,
ttoney83
