Lou L

You have an awful lot of spike left there to draw out! I have a decent collection of spikes but haven't touched them simply because I don't feel like drawing that much out for a rein or handle when stock in suitable dimensions already exists. Granted, there is much to learn from the sweat of it. I suggest that, since you have access to so many of them, go ahead and practice drawing some out. Maybe make some tongs like Joey does. You don't need massive long reins on a pair of tongs most of the time anyway. You can calculate the volume of the spike and then use that number to determine the theoretical lengths to which you can draw it out. But I think the best thing would be to grab the narrowed end, plunge it in the fire, and start working on the rest of it just to find out. You keep that want to deal with the thicker head on it first. The hotter it is the easier it will be to work, of course. Dull red will get net you sore arms.

Sweet score! Congrats. You know Thomas will be here any minute singing the praises of using TPAAT at church. It is, apparently, a thing.

Welcome to the forum. You are lucky if you get some tutelage from C1! Enjoy your journey.

Gorgeous knife! Must have been one heck of an employee.

You mean, "additional handcuffs," right?

Last night I scanned the inter webs for pictures of bottle openers with n eye for my own design and came up with the idea to make a bottle opener that acts like pulling a trigger. Made a prototype this afternoon. There are some geometry issues but I went by feel mostly with just the bottle cap width as a working dimension. Here's what I came up with.

Picked up a portable farrier's anvil from a retired farrier. He had a cool Future #1 anvil with an aluminum base that had no ring to it at all. Never saw one before. Of course he is never letting go of his forge or daily anvil. But I had a nice long chat with him, learned a few things, and grabbed this just because I may find a use for it for small shaping work.

I desire this. The Damascus isn't even necessary. I sincerely believe that I must own one of your folders. This puts my Benchmade to shame...and I love my Benchmade.

Good point, Judson. You can simply email these same pictures with your story to an archeologist at a local university. That way they can't claim it.

I would consult an archeologist in the area. No chance of a cool find like that on this side of the pond.

You should send along your ideas before he finishes the attachment of the parts. He said that he had them cut the same dimensions knowing he would have to file it to fit. He may be able to incorporate your ideas. I would love to find out how much it cost him in total after steel and cutting.

I wanted to share what I believe to be an excellent concept Denis Frechette just posted on YouTube. I think it is an idea many here would enjoy discussing. Have a look, the video is relatively short. https://youtu.be/C2eK0XaA0zw Lou

I'm correcting myself. The anvil does have that mousehole shape...but it doesn't have the old, stocky style with the thick waist. That's just how I picture the pre-pritchel English anvils. I have no,idea when the waists started to get thinner. Maybe it was one of those diet crazes.

At Littleblacksmith's urging I figured I would post my haul from the Foth anvil experience I had today. The guy, Dave, basically told me he would take any offer for the pile of stuff I had. I knew he would take $20 but offered $40 because he was really cool and we bonded over his stories about his grandfather's anvil. I think I made out fine. There are about 20-30 round files and easily 50-60 square. I grabbed the Ford valves just because I figured I would find something to make with them given enough time. There are seven very small tongs that are made for very small round stock. Two of them actually appear to be a set for doing some sort of weirdness with small rivets. The large tongs are quite beefy and would be good for 1-1.25" stock. There are also two small brass hammers and a variety of cold chisels for narrow work. The large calipers can only achieve three different sizes (they were designed for specific work in the owners old shop) and need a new guide plate that allows them to swing to any size I want. Lou

I was thinking it was possibly for setting rivets as well but it seemed a strange place to work on rivets. I wouldn't like holding work sideways on the anvil like that. I knew it was old English and that there were loads of small anvil makers so it might be impossible to identify. What had me confused was the shape. Most pre-1830 anvils have that "mousehole" look to them. My Isaac Hill is about that old and it looks more like a Mousehole as well. This one has the Peter Wright shaping to it. I should have done a stencil on the area where vague lettering appeared to be.

I had a cool little adventure trying to buy old tools. I answered an ad on Facebook marketplace (never knew it existed until very recently) because the pictures showed a bunch of very old tools, hammers, files, etc.... Of course, when I got there, I practiced TPAAT and the gentleman, Dave, reluctantly admitted he had an anvil in his garage. He made it clear that it was his grandfathers and he wasn't interested in selling it. I promised him I wouldn't even ask for a price but I just wanted to see the anvil because of the stories he told me about it. Apparently his grandfather was a long time handcuff and shackle maker named Hugo Foth and the anvil was the one he used to make all of his handcuffs. Furthermore, he made handcuffs for Houdini and, as the story goes, one type of his grandfather's double lock handcuffs was to difficult for Houdini to get out of and he refused to use them. So we dig through the garage and he can't find the anvil. He has basically given up but allows me a once over et voila, I found it. She's not pretty, but she's beautiful for sure. The stories he told me about his grandfather were engaging. Once I dragged the anvil out he had a rush of memories that came back to him. He glowed as he regaled me with stories of his grandfather and how people still collect his handcuffs. Apparently his father sold much of his grandfather's tooling to a collector long ago but he kept the anvil. Anyway, I just loved finding an anvil and learning its provenance. The history of the tool is written into it because his grandfather shaped grooves onto the bick for the shaping of different sized cuffs. When I got home I searched the name, saw the cuffs and realized the grooves in the bick were a perfect match for the cuffs posted on a collector website. Today TPAAT delivered me an anvil (that I wouldn't dare make an offer for) but, what's more, it delivered some history. Anyway, I promised him I would post some pictures of the anvil because I couldn't identify anything on it. There were markings (possibly 0 3 1 English weight) and the hint of a stamping above it. This really isn't an "identify this anvil for me" post but if you have any ideas I will pass them along to Dave so he can know more about his grandfather's anvil. Honestly, I just thought many here would appreciate the story and the unique anvil. To be honest, it looks as if the damage to the heel may have been intentional for use as a die as well. the pics: Telltale grooves. I told Dave that collectors of handcuffs would probably kill someone to get this anvil so they could hang their Foth handcuffs on the grooves that were used to make them. It looks like he was testing punches on the side. Hope you liked the little story, Lou

Strange coincidence. There is a guy with a YouTube channel called Cody's Lab so just posted a video about his solar eclipse goggles that were made using welding goggles. He's quite the intelligent science type and he claims they are sufficient as he has set himself up. He also has a penchant for playing with mercury so you be the judge of his legitimacy. Search for the name of his channel on YouTube if you want to hear his rationale. Lou

Thank you kindly for you detailed reply. Your method seems actually achievable! This is something I would like to learn to do.

That's pretty sweet. Your ability to make things freecycling style is amazing. Now scroung some padding to line it. Not because it is necessary, but because the unholy fumes that engulf you when you don a well-used helmet are a rite of passage for any SCA fighter.

That's another work of art! How did you make the "button" that embellishes the riveted tang?

Do you intend to Braze on some ornamentation or at least etch in a big "X marks the spot" target for the warhammer?

Thanks to my education here at IFI that's what I surmised. Because of the usual trade secret/ASTM nonsense I couldn't find one reference to what those rods are actually made from. Suffice it to say I have a pile of them with no current purpose. I was, of course, asked to make a knife with it...but we all know there are myriad reasons that isn't happening...my lack of knife making skill being first.

Just listen to Thomas! Seriously, try lump charcoal and use less air. Even backing the output from the shop vac a few inches from the inlet pipe might help. Trust me, I'm on my fourth redesign of my forge and air control has been an issue for me. Listening to the advice on IFI has set me straight.

Very cool idea. If I ever come across an awesome chunk of steel like the on you have I now know what I can do with it. Thanks for the idea! Lou

My first inclination was to say, "You have no idea!" But I have no idea what tough metals you have worked with. Even so, it is some seriously cranky metal to work with. It defied my punches.