I need to axe you a question...

  This past weekend I set up the forge and put in some time letting others try out blacksmithing.  Between letting others work, I decided to try making an axe head.  To make an axe, you start with long piece of metal.  In this case, I was using stock metal about 2" wide, 1/4" thick and about 16 long.  The axe head is shaped on both ends of the stock.  Then, the metal is bent at the center leaving an eye open in the axe for the handle.  The two ends are brought together and welded.  The final step is to slip in a piece of high grade tool steel at the business end of the axe.  Most the axe is mild steel and that would not hold an edge when sharpened.

  Anyway, I made my first axe head.  I was not able to do the final step as I had not brought any tool steel with me.  However, I was surprised when I made the axe head in under two hours.  Not only was it easier then I expected but when I brought the two sides of the axe head together, they matched within about 1/32" of each other.  Considering that I had shaped these pieces by eye, that's pretty good...  I am definitely no longer a beginner blacksmith.  I still have a lot to learn but its nice now that anything basic comes to me with little effort.

Not quite old enough...

  Yesterday, I was at the Smithsonian Musuem of American History.  There is one particular area that I love to visit.  It includes the history of steam engines, electrical engines and the early stages of the industrial revolution.  Now, the reason that I like this area is that I have a natural curiosity for mechanical inventions.

  I spent time looking at some early steam locomotives(including a John Bull, one of the first true locomotives).  I like to actually trace the pipes, valves, etc... and try to figure out the basic mechanical principles.  I don't know why, just something I have always enjoyed.

  Well, they have a lot of clocks on display as well.  One of their clocks is later 17th century.  Aside from it using a pendulum and a slightly different layout, all of the principles of the clock are the same as mine.  After looking at it, I think I am going to go for a slightly thicker metal for the frame.  The main reason, quite frankly, is that I just like the look.  It gives it a more solid "feel"

  The original medieval clocks had frames with a thickness of 1/4" to just over 1/2".  I was originally going to go with 3/8" but I think I will go with the 1/2".  This has an added value in that it will be the same thickness as the gears giving it a more uniform look...

It just needs a little oil...

  Good day today.  I spent about 4-5 hours on the forge.  Worked on hinges for the first time.  I have to say, starting to feel like I'm understanding this blacksmithing stuff...  Anyway, I am making a strap hinge.  I was able to roll the part of the hinge that holds the pin.  On one half of the hinge I was able to thin it out and I started to put the decorative end on the hinge.  Unfortunately, my eternal foe the sun decided to set...

  I think the hinges are coming out nicely.  I have to say much better than I expected.  I don't have any plans for the hinge, but I do have some future projects in mind that need hinges.  So, I decided to give hinge making a try.  I will try to post a picture of the hinge when I am done.

A sable fleur, slightly misshappen...

  Today I finished off a chisel tool I had made earlier.  Specifically I had already annealed(removed stress cracks in the tool by slowly cooling it) the chisel but had not yet harded(rapidly cooling the tool to make it hard) which I did today.  Then, to remove the brittleness of the tool, I tempered it(heating the tool up to about 500 then cooling it rapidly.)  This softens the steel enough to get rid of the brittleness.

  After I did the chisel I decided to make a fleur.  This involves both hammer work and chisel work to make the leaves.  I have to say, for my first effort, it came out pretty good.  It had a few problems but much better than I expected.

  Finally, I started on making some items for gifts for the end of the month.  I hope to make some wall hooks then maybe some camping supplies.

I sit corrected...

Just watched a special on Discovery or History, can't remember which.  By the time of Agincourt, armor was getting strong enough that it would block bodkin arrows.  The priciple reason is that armor began to have steel in it while the bodkin was just iron.  For those that don't know, steel is just and alloy of iron and carbon but it is much harder.  So, although bodkin's were still used, they were no gurantee of penetrating armor.  It definitely had penetrating capabilities but was not a gurantee.  Why didn't they use steel on the arrows?  Mass production of steel was still in its early days so steel was saved for things that it was truly needed for such as blades, tools, etc... 

Its spring and the forge is blooming...  (bad blacksmithing pun...)

  Dragged out the forge for the first time in a few weeks.  I started by making a bodkin arrow head.  This is a type of arrow designed to penetrate medieval armor.  Next, practiced some welding for the hell of it.  Finally, started to make a twisting fork.  Unfortunately, I was using my oxy/acetylene to make it and I ran out of oxygen.

  Point of trivia.  When I pay to have the oxygen tank refilled, there is a small surcharge that I have to pay...  What is surcharge for?  To pay for the environmental damage of accidentally releasing oxygen in the atmosphere...  I kid you not...

All quiet on the forge front...

  Due to house refinancing and new insurance haven't been doing much with the blacksmithing recently.  I didn't want to have the forge going when anyone came to check out the house.  Tomorrow will be the first time I fire up in over two weeks...