New stuff from the Flatwoods forge hammer in

[Spots]

So me and my old man invited some guys up for a class/hammer in, and we made some stuff for camping and primitive living. Once again, everything is made with hand tools.

Everything we made laid out together wall hooks, railroad spike throwing hawk (didn't upset the steel and busted when we drifted the handle hole, got some ideas to improve) squirrel/camp fork, fire steel, railroad spike utility knife

Skull pommeled railroad spike utility knife made by sbroomheadsr and broomhead with advice from Dad and me.

Wall hooks for hanging any and everything

Top by sbroomheadsr, middle one by my dad, and bottom by broomhead

Throwing 'Hawk

Knife and strike a light steel

Squirrel fork

[DaveS]

Good looking gear Spots!

[Guest Broomhead]

It was an absolute blast learning from you and your dad! Really looking forward to the next hammer-in. I wish y'all weren't so far away, I'd be there every chance I got.

[peejman]

Forgive my ignorance.... what does one do with a squirrel fork? I have a guess, but I've honestly never heard of such a thing.

[Guest Broomhead]

Here are a few more pictures from my dad's cell phone.

These are of the forge fire itself.

Spots and I playing in the fire, really just heating some metal up. I'm a pyro and really loved the fire and was amazed at the heat output of the forge.

I'm heating up the RR spike that we used to make the knife.

The anvil.

The orange hot head of the RR spike while I was pounding on it trying to round it out.

The end result of all the pounding.

[Caster]

I don't know what they are called but you need to make a set of spikes for cooking meat. I have a set I made. They're 3 or 4 inches long and sharp for piercing a large chunk of meat. It helps transfer heat to the middle to make sure large hunks like a shoulder or a whole turkey breast get done inside before the outside becomes charcoal.

I've seen them in gear kits like what you are building but for the life of me forget what they're called.

[Spots]

Peejman its basically a big camp fire cooking fork. We call 'em squirrel forks cause they are perfect for roasting a squirrel on, but they work for turning meat, roasting, etc. That one is 16" from the curve in the handle to the tines. Caster i get what your saying but cant picture them. Can you make a drawing or something and guess at the size of the metal diameter

[Caster]

Not much to draw. It's got a loop on one end. It's basically a Kebab skewer only shorter and some folks get fancy buy making them from twisted square stock and then beat the shanks round and very sharp.

I've used them before on a wood stick rotisserie. A chuck roast skewered with a trio of them gets done in the middle faster. PLUS, it gives you a place to grab ahold of it.

They have many uses, think small pieces of mea that are otherwise difficult to hold and cook. You can get a lot of little chunks on one of them.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Caster

[peejman]

Peejman its basically a big camp fire cooking fork. We call 'em squirrel forks cause they are perfect for roasting a squirrel on, but they work for turning meat, roasting, etc. That one is 16" from the curve in the handle to the tines. Caster i get what your saying but cant picture them. Can you make a drawing or something and guess at the size of the metal diameter

Ah. My guess was holding it for skinning.

I think what Caster's after is something like this, colonial era meat skewers...

[Caster]

Peejman for the win!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a set somewhere in my bugout camper, though not with a really nice hanger like that. They really help and have multiple uses.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Caster

[peejman]

Peejman for the win!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY! What'd I win?

[Caster]

YAY! What'd I win?

An all expense paid vacation to Maryville TN!!!!

[peejman]

An all expense paid vacation to Maryville TN!!!!

YAHOO!!

... wait a minute....

[Chazmr]

Looks like ya'll had a really good time.

I just hope it's cooler there than it is here in West TN.

I can't imagine working around that forge this time of year, but I bet it would be great in January!

[JAB]

How hot a fire is needed for heating a railroad spike before beating it into something else? I have a few railroad spikes that I want to make into knives/hawks/etc. but, having never done anything of the like, I am not sure what kind of fire I need. Can it be done with just a plain wood fire or does there need to be something more elaborate with some sort of bellows involved? I even wondered if a cheapo, hand-held torch would provide enough heat for long enough a duration to be able to do what I want.

Also, how do you guys temper/harden the finished product?

Edited July 31, 2012 by JAB

[peejman]

A very hot wood fire will work if you have the patience to leave it in the coals long enough. The iron needs to be at least 1500 deg. A very hot fire will be more than 2000 deg. A hand held torch won't work as it can't heat the whole piece evenly. Quenching is usually done in a bucket of water or oil.

http://www.beautifuliron.com/usingthe.htm

[Spots]

A charcoal fire with an air source will work. We use coal, and you can also build a propane forge. As was already mentioned, you need a min. Of 1500 degrees sustainable. Our forge with good coal will put out 3000 degrees, you need 2800 degrees for forge welding. There are some very easy to make forges using charcoal fuel, a brake drum forge, and a hair dryer air source online. Be warned while railroad spikes are fun for tinkering, they arent high carbon enough for tools or blades.

[JAB]

A very hot wood fire will work if you have the patience to leave it in the coals long enough. The iron needs to be at least 1500 deg. A very hot fire will be more than 2000 deg. A hand held torch won't work as it can't heat the whole piece evenly. Quenching is usually done in a bucket of water or oil.

http://www.beautiful...om/usingthe.htm

A charcoal fire with an air source will work. We use coal, and you can also build a propane forge. As was already mentioned, you need a min. Of 1500 degrees sustainable. Our forge with good coal will put out 3000 degrees, you need 2800 degrees for forge welding. There are some very easy to make forges using charcoal fuel, a brake drum forge, and a hair dryer air source online. Be warned while railroad spikes are fun for tinkering, they arent high carbon enough for tools or blades.

Thanks for the responses, guys. I've read that railroad spikes can make 'okay' knives but, as you say, that the carbon content is low enough that they have to be sharpened often. Mostly, I have always had a bit of an interest in trying my hand at making a blade. My 17 year old nephew recently expressed an interest in making blades, as well, so I thought that using these (free) railroad spikes might be a good way to get started/try our hand and see if we wanted to maybe move on to the 'next level'.

[Spots]

Y ans everyone is welcome to comeWe will have another forge day when it cools off and life on the farm is not so busy. Any and everyone is welcome to come use the forge and try their hand at making a blade.