Newbie questions

S

simplleman

Joined
Oct 26, 2005
Messages
2
Hey guys, newbie here. I ran across this site a few days ago and like most rookies I have a few questions to ask. I am just finishing up my first knife and hopefully I will have some pics to post soon for you guys to give me some feedback on. I took the plunge and forged my first blade. I heated it with an acyetelene ( Yeah I know that ain't spelled right, but I am from Tennessee so cut me some slack!!:D :D ) torch and hammered it out on a borrowed anvil. Now I got the bug and wanna get a little more serious so I am hoping you guys can help me out. So enough with the introductions and here goes....

1. I want to build a simple little coal/charcoal forge but I don't have alot of extra cash. Can you guys give me some suggestions on materials that I can salvage to make this?

2. What size anvil to I need? Are all anvils created equell? I don't want the most expensive anvil out there but I do want one that will last.

3. What hand tools will I need? I already have several quality files for shaping blades ( gonna have to save my money for a belt sander!!) but what other tools can you reccommend?

I can really use all feedback and suggestions.

God Bless you and yourns and have a Merry Christmas!!!!
 
A charcoal forge can be as simple as a hole in the ground with a way to blow in air. Guys use ,metal tubs, old grills, you name it. Air sources can be bathroom fans, hair dryers, vacume cleaners or commercial blowers sold for forges. For coal especially it's nice to have an ash dump and clinker breaker and with either you want a way to control the air flow. Either an air gate or variable speed blower works. There are lots of plans for home built forges on the net.

Ideally an anvil should way about 50 times as much as the largest hammer that you're going to use. That's a rule of thumb though and makers use all kinds of things including just a chunk of steel from the scrap yard set into a bucket of cement.

You can go as overboard on tools as you want...or not. You mostly need to drill, cut and grind. In general, the better the tools the easier it is. I stick to files because I stink with a belt sander but I sure wish I had a drill press and a band saw. Still, using hack saws, jigsaws and hand drills hasn't stopped me. Make me cuss a little here and there? Yes. Stop me? No.
 
If you run a search on most of your questions you will find older threads dealing with most all newbie questions.Links to tutorials are on many of these threads.There are several tutorials on building forges.
A truck tire rim makes a good coal forge.Do a search,or google "truck rim forge" (or similar wording).
Welcome to the BF - Stacy
 
a good big brake drum off a truck works well and is usually free.
don't waste your time with charcoal its just not worth it. coal is like 12 cents a pound in this area. and by gum it gets the job done. an old used hair dryer, works fine for air, doesn't even have to heat anymore. can get them cheap at salvation army stores. new ones are about twenty dollars. get some exhaust pipe to run to the brake drum, and a iron drain grate for a floor drain at the hardware. an afternoon tinkering and away you go.
for an anvil you need to find something flat and heavy and made out of steel of some kind. scrap plate steel, railroad iron, something like that, check the scrap metal yards in your area.
 
Thanks guys for all the replies. I did some searches on the forum on those items, but my computer was messing up or something and I could not get any results. I will try again later. Thanks again guys.
 
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