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got this on the bench, my first attempt at twisted damascus this is just a test etch and i only am at 40 grit in this pic so hoping it will pop more when finished.
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What's going on in your shop? Show us whats going on, and talk a bit about your work!
- Thread starter WillSwift
- Start date
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Getting closer to done. I have some painting to do, and benches to build, but the main construction work is pretty much finished. Electrical and lights is next.
I stacked the anvils for a beauty shot.
From the bottom:
Two Armor's anvils (under flat anvil) Probably 10# and 20#. They fit on a heavy stand with a large hardie hole. Round one is flat, rectangle one is domed.
400# flat anvil
154# Hay Budden
72# Vulcan
25# RR anvil
10# Chinese anvil
Two 6oz. jewelers anvils
On the cut shelf of the Hay Budden is a custom cutlers anvil
Peeking out from behind the stack is an antique caulking vise with the nail anvil dies in the slot. This was Bill Moran's.
In the shot of the forge with the white door in the background is a 250# post anvil.
Not in the photo is the Atlas #1 prototype anvil. It stays in the main shop.
I think there are a few more small anvils laying around,... somewhere.
Everything has been in an open smithy for the past 20-30 years. Even with BBQ covers over them, humidity has put on light surface rust. All these and the other big equipment will get wire brushed, treated with phosphate restorer, and painted.
I stacked the anvils for a beauty shot.
From the bottom:
Two Armor's anvils (under flat anvil) Probably 10# and 20#. They fit on a heavy stand with a large hardie hole. Round one is flat, rectangle one is domed.
400# flat anvil
154# Hay Budden
72# Vulcan
25# RR anvil
10# Chinese anvil
Two 6oz. jewelers anvils
On the cut shelf of the Hay Budden is a custom cutlers anvil
Peeking out from behind the stack is an antique caulking vise with the nail anvil dies in the slot. This was Bill Moran's.
In the shot of the forge with the white door in the background is a 250# post anvil.
Not in the photo is the Atlas #1 prototype anvil. It stays in the main shop.
I think there are a few more small anvils laying around,... somewhere.
Everything has been in an open smithy for the past 20-30 years. Even with BBQ covers over them, humidity has put on light surface rust. All these and the other big equipment will get wire brushed, treated with phosphate restorer, and painted.
Enclosures set up for the laser and CNC! Finally got off my butt and got this done. Still have tools and accessories to move out into the garage, but I can fire them up and use them out there without the smell in the house!!
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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- 38,409
That is why I designed this one and had a machinist friend shape it on his CNC mill. The flat area on the base is great for flattening liners, springs, blades, etc. The beveled claw part was shaped to almost sharp and then a 30° angle was ground on the bottom side.
IIRC, the base is unhardened 4140 and the anvil part is O-1 at Rc50. Two socket screws hold it together.
Photo to show size:
I never built it, but planned on converting a claw-hammer to a cutler's anvil. It can be made from stuff laying around most every shop.
1) Get one the many old claw hammers laying around "somewhere" in the shop. You want one with a wooden handle. Remove the handle (if it even has one).
Find a block/plate/disc/piece of steel that weighs around 5 or so pounds. It can be anything from a cube to a barbell weight.
Find a piece of 1" round mild steel at least 6" long (any iron/steel round stock should work).
2) Anneal the head at 1400°F for 30 minutes and let air cool to black.
Grind/cut/shape/forge the old hammer head to get the flat surface, and shape desired
(NOTE: there is no need to remove the old hammer face end unless it creates a problem, or you want clean square corners.)
If you forged it, clean up the socket well.
Drill a 1/4" hardy hole in the anvil top and make the claw groove. Simplest way would be to hammer the caw closed in the shaping steps and then re-cut it with an 1/8" grinding disc.
Re-HT the hammer head at 1600 °F for a 15 minute soak. Quench in medium speed oil. Temper at 400°F for an hour, twice. Clean up on the grinder.
3) Forge the the end of the round bar so it fits the hammer head socket like a handle. When fitted, clean it up on the grinder. It should stick out just a little when snug.
Cut the excess rod off so the anvil will sit at the desired height from the base when assembled.
4) Drill a hole 1/16" less than the size of the round stock in the base plate/block. Grind the round rod with a 220 belt so it has a minute taper and can be driven home tight in the hole. Weld it in place if needed (doubtful). Grind the bottom of the base flat, if needed.
5) Clean up the base and set it on your regular anvil. Place the cutler's anvil on the post and tap down tight with a wooden mallet. Cut/grind/file the exposed shaft to 1/8" proud, and peen it down solid. Start by working the perimeter straight down on the end with the ball end of a 1-pound ball peen. It will enlarge to make the fit perfect. After it is as snug as you want, work the top down with the hammer end a bit. When happy with everything, file/grind the top flat and sand to 400 grit ... Make sure it is flat.
I might make one of these as a WIP thread. I just went out and looked around the shop. Hammer, block of steel, and piece of round WI took less than two minutes to find.
Look at this image and you will easily see where the cutlers anvil is hiding. (NOTE: image is an example, not my actual hammer)
IIRC, the base is unhardened 4140 and the anvil part is O-1 at Rc50. Two socket screws hold it together.
Photo to show size:
I never built it, but planned on converting a claw-hammer to a cutler's anvil. It can be made from stuff laying around most every shop.
1) Get one the many old claw hammers laying around "somewhere" in the shop. You want one with a wooden handle. Remove the handle (if it even has one).
Find a block/plate/disc/piece of steel that weighs around 5 or so pounds. It can be anything from a cube to a barbell weight.
Find a piece of 1" round mild steel at least 6" long (any iron/steel round stock should work).
2) Anneal the head at 1400°F for 30 minutes and let air cool to black.
Grind/cut/shape/forge the old hammer head to get the flat surface, and shape desired
(NOTE: there is no need to remove the old hammer face end unless it creates a problem, or you want clean square corners.)
If you forged it, clean up the socket well.
Drill a 1/4" hardy hole in the anvil top and make the claw groove. Simplest way would be to hammer the caw closed in the shaping steps and then re-cut it with an 1/8" grinding disc.
Re-HT the hammer head at 1600 °F for a 15 minute soak. Quench in medium speed oil. Temper at 400°F for an hour, twice. Clean up on the grinder.
3) Forge the the end of the round bar so it fits the hammer head socket like a handle. When fitted, clean it up on the grinder. It should stick out just a little when snug.
Cut the excess rod off so the anvil will sit at the desired height from the base when assembled.
4) Drill a hole 1/16" less than the size of the round stock in the base plate/block. Grind the round rod with a 220 belt so it has a minute taper and can be driven home tight in the hole. Weld it in place if needed (doubtful). Grind the bottom of the base flat, if needed.
5) Clean up the base and set it on your regular anvil. Place the cutler's anvil on the post and tap down tight with a wooden mallet. Cut/grind/file the exposed shaft to 1/8" proud, and peen it down solid. Start by working the perimeter straight down on the end with the ball end of a 1-pound ball peen. It will enlarge to make the fit perfect. After it is as snug as you want, work the top down with the hammer end a bit. When happy with everything, file/grind the top flat and sand to 400 grit ... Make sure it is flat.
I might make one of these as a WIP thread. I just went out and looked around the shop. Hammer, block of steel, and piece of round WI took less than two minutes to find.
Look at this image and you will easily see where the cutlers anvil is hiding. (NOTE: image is an example, not my actual hammer)
Last edited:
bike4fun919 OpbunchKnives
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WIP - Frontier blade
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I love curly tails and as-forged blades. Makes me remember Tai Goo.
Sometimes, I think this is more realistic as a user than a fancy blade with fancy wood.
Sometimes, I think this is more realistic as a user than a fancy blade with fancy wood.
bike4fun919 OpbunchKnives
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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bike4fun919 OpbunchKnives
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Bloodwood and 1095
jfk1110
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Nice jobBloodwood and 1095
jfk1110
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I did some drilling and tapping on the new grinder, the main body is coming along.
But to align everything before I tighten down the screws I need to make the tooling arms, so that the holes can be matched to that.
While I was almost at the max X travel length with the previous parts, I am definitely over with the tooling arm (and this is the shorter one). But I think I will just move the part over and use the milled sections as a reference to then extend the machined surfaces further.
But to align everything before I tighten down the screws I need to make the tooling arms, so that the holes can be matched to that.
While I was almost at the max X travel length with the previous parts, I am definitely over with the tooling arm (and this is the shorter one). But I think I will just move the part over and use the milled sections as a reference to then extend the machined surfaces further.
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- Mar 4, 2013
- Messages
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Recently went to full time maker. Prepping my next batch for heat treat, Profiled and drilled some S90V and CPM M4. More to do, but a good start to the week. Getting a 220V outlet installed this week in the garage so I can finally set up the TW-90 with a 2HP motor.
bike4fun919 OpbunchKnives
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Good luck!Recently went to full time maker. Prepping my next batch for heat treat, Profiled and drilled some S90V and CPM M4. More to do, but a good start to the week. Getting a 220V outlet installed this week in the garage so I can finally set up the TW-90 with a 2HP motor.
jfk1110
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2013
- Messages
- 26,913
Recently went to full time maker. Prepping my next batch for heat treat, Profiled and drilled some S90V and CPM M4. More to do, but a good start to the week. Getting a 220V outlet installed this week in the garage so I can finally set up the TW-90 with a 2HP motor.
Best of luck with all your endeavors!!!! In and out of the shop....
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congratulations!Recently went to full time maker. Prepping my next batch for heat treat, Profiled and drilled some S90V and CPM M4. More to do, but a good start to the week. Getting a 220V outlet installed this week in the garage so I can finally set up the TW-90 with a 2HP motor.
Learned my IR2 2 watt laser goes pretty deep! Lasering was crooked first time, so I had to regrind the blades and redo the lasering. Took a few minutes with a 120 belt to remove the laser engraving on each blade, and converted them from handrub to satin belt finish.
