# Blacksmithing from a woodworkers perspective



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Anvil stand*

*Anvil stand*
workspace for blacksmithing

After taking a blacksmithing class I realized there were no way back for me, I needed to have this possibility in my workshop, the ability to make, repurpose, restore tools for woodworking on my own, to forge the blade, then give it a handle or a body and finally make shaves with it, is for me the feeling of a full circle. Ohhh yes and then it is just another chance to learn new, to open new paths and get a wider perspective, so yes the child in me are fully alive and still endlessly curious. 
This will not be a blacksmithing blog series, but blacksmithing from a woodworkers perspective, a how I get started and the tricks I learn to make a woodworker able to forge his own tools and finish them up.









The small gas forge on top of my stove.
My first thought was to build a soup can forge since I have a MAPP gas burner, but after finding a fair priced gas forge from DEVILS FORGE, I decided to go the easy way and not spend my time on building a forge and 
figuring out how to construct a burner and the dangers that could come with it… Coal was not possible since my shop is in a domestic building in the center of Copenhagen.
(I also choose the gas burner because I can also use it for a Raku kiln that's on my to do list).









So while waiting for the forge to arrive I visited my once again generous friend Flemming who said I could borrow this anvil and tong he had in the house and not used.
(It is a better quality and I like it better than my small cast iron anvil).









Being a city woodworker I have little acces to lumber, so I decided to do reversed woodworking.
Bought a bunch of roof batterns, since they are dead cheap and easy to get.
Now waiting for a click on mount for a gas bottle to arrive…









So a stand for a tapered anvil…









Ohhh yes and I also managed to get two gas bottles at a fair prize (half the retail price), I can only use the small size since it is a workshop that are three steps under the terrain… Hmmmm that's what the law say and so I better follow it, also it holds enough gas for at least a full days forging, so that should be more than enough for my use.









So back to reversed woodworking…
Making roof batterns into a solid wood block.
Kind of stupid, kind of foolish but…
So I cut them up in pieces that fit the height I want on the anvil. 
It should be that your knuckles touch the surface when your arm hang loose.









That's it!
Kind of.









At this point I realized it would be more easy to make the tapered hole for the anvil before putting the stand together.
So I made a drawing of the anvil, then folded it on the middle and could transfer the angle to the wood.









Then sawing from both sides.









Cleaning up a little and thinking of an old friend.









Like this we have half the hole.
Two more and we are there.









Get it?









Easy to make and a perfect fit.









Glue.









Glue and screw.









Layer on layer and a block of wood are a reality.









Now metal band around to secure it and hold the beating that will come later.









I used the construction type, it is again cheap and easy to get.









And easy to mount.









Anvil stand.
Nice and simple.









I think it fits in here, kind of like home from the beginning.









Now some leather details…
Cutting a few strips.









Mounting it on the sides.
Just loose loops, different sizes.









Like this the tools will be where they are needed.









Like this.









That's it; anvil on stand, I'm pleased with the result.
Flemming passed the shop today and were so pleased with it that he gave me the tong and anvil as a gift.
I am a lucky man.
Think Flemming will enjoy some blacksmithing here also. ;-)
Now I just wait for that gas click on thing to arrive…

Hope this post can inspire others to make their own tools, after all this is why I take a detour out the black road now.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


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## MLWilson (Jun 28, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
> 
> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...


Oh. You have your forge already. I read the other one first. Good on ya Buddy.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
> 
> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...


Very nice tutorial on the making of the anvil stand. That is a neat way to make the pocket right on!!

Cheers, Jim


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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That stand was much easier to create than trying to cut a tapered hole into a tree stump.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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Very nice, very human scale, very fitting, ........ very, very Mads!

I like it a lot Mads. Just be careful and don't burn down the cutest little shop in Denmark.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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You created a custom stump, with unique accoutrements. Yes, very Mads! Thanks for sharing your adventures and smiles.


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## JR45 (Jan 26, 2012)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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Nice solution. I hope you don't forget a fire extinguisher, just in case!
Jim


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
> 
> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...











Now even in use. ;-)
I made the stand a little higher, this feels better when swinging the hammer.









The last parts for the forge arrived today, so it's on fire now and I am with a smile.
A hot smile.


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## English (May 10, 2014)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...


Very Interesting anvil. Don't think I have ever seen one like that. That stand should sure hold it. Good job.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...


The inside corners of the wood will split & it will go round with use … sorry. You should have just made a rectangular hole, that tapered hole will focus the force on splitting the sides. Your 'anvil' looks like a hardy hole tool for a real anvil. Hope it works, but don't get you hopes up. Nice shop tho.

M


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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That's a great anvil stand, Mads. It has a lot of character and I like the way that you built it.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## kaerlighedsbamsen (Sep 16, 2013)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...


Is that an anvil for working metal plates? (gørtler/blikkenslager?)
I am starting to expect a steady stream of true MAFE style tools flowing from your shop in the near future!


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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Hi,








Perhaps this can be some inspiration for the origin of the shape…
The early Viking anvils looked like this, so I think I will call it my Viking anvil.
(Truth is I have no idea, it was a gift from a friend and I love it). ;-)

kærlighedsbamsen, I looked online and found this type used both by smede, gørtler and blikkenslager, so I think we can't put a trade on it, I will use for all that's possible. Don't expect too much, I have so many unfinished project now that I will find little time for forging and I have no production plans, just joy and fulfilling a old dream.
helluvawreck, I also like the soul of that anvil, it have a history in it I think. Thanks.
MadMark, I think it's too big for being a hardy hole tool, but I don't know, as you can see in the photos above there are a long history here in Europe on these anvils, so I hink there can be many answers to the origin. Not sure I understand your point about the hole, if I made a square hole the splitting force would be even bigger as I see it since it have no base… But I did think of this force and that was why I put the metal band around the stand. Time will tell, I do think it will hold up with the little use I am planning for. My hopes are high, I hope for a happy life full of surprises, smiles, worst case is I spend seven usd on wood I can use in the stove. (Anyway hanks for your concerns).
English, yes that's what I think also, elegant, thank you.
Jim Rowe, laughs, no I am Mr. carful so I did buy one of those also, you can see it on the picture in the comments.
CFrye, you always make ME smile, thanks.
shipwright, I did give it a few thoughts… wood, fire, wood fire, firewood… But I will put metal sheets on the floor and be careful so do not worry, the tools should be safe. ;-) I like your way to say it; human scale, I feel the same, it fits a calm man.
lew, Yes I think I was lucky at the end…
Jim Jakosh, thanks Jim, I am lazy so that helps finding the easy way… laughs.
Mark Wilson, yeps and even on fire now!
Thank you all for your lovely words.
Best of my thoughts,
Mads


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
> 
> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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An early stake anvil.


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## kaerlighedsbamsen (Sep 16, 2013)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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Viking anvil sounds cool!


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## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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I like that Bamse.

==Madts.


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## handsawgeek (Jul 31, 2014)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
> 
> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...


I like how you engage in two different, but similar worlds - blacksmithing and woodworking. That is really cool. 
Reminds me of reading somewhere about how, in frontier towns, the blacksmith's and carpenter's shops would be situated near to each other. They would often make the parts of different tools for each other and, between the two, they could make nearly anything the townsfolk needed. The carpenter would also sometimes double as the town's under-taker, as he would make the coffins!

Awesome shop as well!


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
> 
> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
> ...


Viking anvil it will be. ;-)









A short road tour to the junk yard today, knife steel and floor plates…

handsawgeek, thank you. For me it was also like that, the one and the other was so close that I felt they needed each other and since there were no blacksmith in my street I had to wear both caps. ;-) Not sure I will be undertaker… It will take to long to cremate in my little forge.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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I congrat me… just saw it was my blog nr 300. ;-)
Perhaps I have to stop feeling guilty I don't spend enough time here with my LJ friends.
Thank you all for making me want to come back,
Mads


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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Super slick Mads. Nice work.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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Thanks Roger.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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> Very nice, very human scale, very fitting, ........ very, very Mads!
> - shipwright


Couldn't agree more….You have a special soul Mads…


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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I always look forward to a mafe post. You never disappoint kind sir.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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Love your anvil stand and also your knife forge Mads, very well conceived and made. Your idea of doing the full cycle of creating your tools and then making things with them is very appealing. If I had any energy I would probably jump into this myself, even though I would be greatly fearful of burning down my shop as I tend to be a little absent minded at times. At least it will be much fun to see what you will create with your new found blacksmithing skills.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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Hi,
Mike, laughing here, I can just imagine you running out the shop screaming fire or having your coffee in the garden while smoke comes up from the workshop… No pls stay on woodworking and gardening, then. ;-) Thank you.
chrisstef, smiles, thanks thats wonderful, then I better just keep up, doing the mafe things, what ever that is, laugh.
Tony_S, sometimes I think that's all I am, soul, sometimes I wonder where the heck I am going, but then just follow it… Life is such a wonderful miracle that it don't need to make sense, it is sense in it self. Thanks.
Big smile here,
Mads


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## iamtomkelvin (Sep 27, 2016)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
> workspace for blacksmithing
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Hi Mafe…read you're short on supply of wood…I have in abundance. live near by and will gladly share with a fellow woodworker..good stand for the anvil you've made, real cool…if you're interested in a solid beech stump in any size you want I have several logs in my driveway and will happily cut one for you - no charge!

Admire your work!!!

Bedste hilsner
Thomas Kelvin, Allerød


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand*
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> *Anvil stand*
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Hi Thomas,
I smile with a happy face now after reading your words.
It sounds nothing less than wonderful, I just bought a new anvil and it is screaming for a better stump to stand on. ;-) Even I actually like the version I made… 
Also I would love to get some wood for making some bowl turnings, had a wish for this for a long time, so I can easily find many reasons why I will be more than happy for your offer.
I will send you a PM with my info.
Life really is a miracle!
Thank you for your kindness.
Best of my thoughts,
Mads


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*

*Forging a iron age knife*
first wood working tool made

Will jump right in to my first blacksmith tool making project in the work shop, I decided it should be the most basic tool for a Woodworker, Lumberjack or Lumberjock - a knife. As a Dane I felt it made sense to start here, this type of knife are often mentioned as Viking knifes, but they are dated back to the iron age.
(The truth is that even I thought it was a Viking knife type).









The type has ben found here in Danmark, in a place called Dejbjerg and are dated to 100 ad.

.









I start in our time…
The knife will be made from a piece of car spring steel that I found in the street on my way home from the workshop one day.
Car springs have a relatively high content of carbon and are clean, this makes it ideal for forging tools.
You need a high carbon content of the steel to be able to harden it like this.
Steel can also be bought from a commercial seller and are actually relatively cheap.









Here the iron are getting up to forging temperature in my wonderful new gas forge.
The forge are amazingly fast to get the steel there and like this forging is a dream.
Also you don't get the steel too hot so easy, since you can control the temperature by the flow of gas.
If the iron gets to hot it will melt or for the carbon steel it will 'burn' sparkle off.
If not hot enough you will not be able to form it and the steel will get stressed.
You don't need a fancy gas oven, you can use coal or make a soup can forge really cheap, the web is full of these getting started videos. I am thinking of making a soup can version just for the fun of it, if you can get hold of ceramic felt, this oven can be made in half a hour, otherwise you can make a more at hand version with Perlite.
Look at the video here: 












The key is in the color, here you can see them.
Found this online.









A simple hammer is all I have for now for the heavy part, so this will have to do.









But the workshop are set up for forging now.
I decided to protect the wood floor with aluminium plates before I went on and on the floor you see a bucket with oil for the quenching process. Yes we should be ready to go now.









Once the steel is hot, it's time to hit it with the hammer.
The anvil works great and the tools are at hand when needed.









In and out the forge.









Hammering it to shape.
I'm really enjoying this process, everything are working fine in the flow.
Perhaps I need to place the forge a little higher so I don't have to bend for looking inside.
The color you see on the tip is a good color for working the steel, here it's soft and will be formed without cracking.
But you relatively fast get a feel to when it makes sense to form it.









Here you see a piece of spring and what it becomes.
I'm quite pleased with the way it works out, for a beginner I feel happy.









Soon this is where I get to.









I smile and look at the new work area.
Even possible to take a rest here on goat skin, what more can a man ask for…
I leave the blade on top of the forge to cool down slowly.
Like this it will become soft and I can work in it.









Once it is cold. I start to shape the blade profile and even out the taper with a file.
I have done as much of the shaping I could manage on the anvil.









But I found the steel a little hard, so I re heated it to red hot and then left it in the forge to cool down, this time waiting a good hour before I took it out.
(I must have been to quick before, then the steel hardens up, so patience is the key word here).









Then it was much easier to work with.
I finished it up with sand paper, not too carful since I wanted this to be fitting the raw steel.
Don't finish the edge here, leave it stump, like this it will not get wrapped when heat threating it.
Some will at this time do one or two runs where they heat it to red hot and then leave it to slow cool, like this the blade will be at rest, the tensions will be out of the steel, I will go directly to the tempering, I believe in a small knife like this, it will not be an issue, but time will tell.









Then back in the forge, warm it up again.
This time back edge up and the whole blade gets heated, but the handle stays cooler to keep this soft.









Then with a magnet test if the steel is hot enough, once it is no longer magnetic, it is more than 850 degree C and ready to be put in the oil.
I use canola oil it was cheap, easy to get and smells like cooking when used.
At my first go I did not preheat the oil, this resulted in a blade that was not hard enough, so I made the oil hot and then did it again, this time it worked and the blade seems to have a good hardness.
(I scratch it with a file and it leaves no marks).









Then while it's still hot I give it some bees wax, this should help to rust prevent the blade.
(Advice from fellow LJ Brinth, thanks).









After sharpening the blade looks like this in the daylight.









I make a quick wooden sheath for it.
Just a sandwich construction glued together. 
Thas the shortest wood working description ever here, lol.









Then home to make dinner for my daughter and girlfriend.









And to use the heat from the oven to temper the blade.
I give the bred five minutes and the blade one hour at 200 degrees C.
Before you temper a blade it is tense so it can snap if you hit it with something hard, the tempering makes it relaxed and flexible, so it is a process you don't want to skip.









For dinner we had marinated halibut.









And a burger.









Ok back to the tool making.
Here the blade is out of the oven and left to cool down on the pan.









You can see how the blade got the straw yellow color on the edge, this means that it is tempered rigt.
Also I gave it a wax again for the rust protection at this stage.









This is it after the final sharpening.
I am happy and a wee proud, now I have really gone full circle in the little shop.
Life is sweet and I feel lucky.









And finally in it's sheath.
Now this is a wood working project. ;-)

Hope this post can inspire others to make their own tools, after all this is why I take a detour out the black road now.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


That was really a neat way to make the knife. Thanks, Mads.

Jim


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## Brinth (Nov 15, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Nice description. 
I have some old Wood tools (til udhuling af træsko) from around 1850 you can try to copy. It will fit well inside your shop… and be a funny "future" wood project


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Mafe,
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial. The knife looks like it turned out fantastic- and the dinner looks delicious!


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## JR45 (Jan 26, 2012)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


You are a very talented and lucky person! Thanks for taking the time to share your progress here.
Jim


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


You are making me want to do this Mads but I have so many things I want to do. ....... I guess I will enjoy you doing it.
I also share your love of food and cooking. I'll be taking a cooking course in Lucca, Italy for a week in the fall. I will think of you.
Nice knife and a very nice sheath too.


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## pbyrne (Jan 11, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Thanks Mads for your inspiring post. I'm still watching for an anvil, I am patient it will come to me.
I look forward to the day I can forge my own tools.


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## tyvekboy (Feb 24, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
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> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Great description. Thanks for sharing.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Your killin' me Mads!

I'm a bit of a knife junkie…..I LOVE it! The character…the handle…simplicity at it's finest.

Can't wait to see more from you!

Looks like you cook with the same passion you do everything else with…


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## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
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> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Nice Mads.
You are just over the top.

-Madts.


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## peteg (Sep 2, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Always love the journey you take us on Mads with your creative ventures, love the knife, that's a great little forge set up you have there.
After seeing your lovely meals I've gota go I'm hungry :: )))
cheers Bud
Pete


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## NotaJock (May 23, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


That little knife is a cool tool. 
I'm glad to see the new forge is working out for you. 
Your anvil is a much different shape/style than I see in the US, is that common in Denmark? 
I use a 3# coffee can full of Perlite for annealing small tools.
Since aluminum melts at a much lower temperature that steel I hope the aluminum going to rob enough heat from a dropped piece of cherry red steel to keep the steel from burning through. Is a test called for?
Blessings,


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Always an adventure Mads!


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Well done Mads. A nicely designed 'antique knife' to be proud of. Lots of fun seeing how you did it.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Very snazzy Mads. Food looks very yummy also


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## Brinth (Nov 15, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...





> Your anvil is a much different shape/style than I see in the US, is that common in Denmark?


That anvil is not so common in Denmark.
The anvil is a "traviling" version of an anvil. In old days when they have to build mills, big Buildings, something inside forests, and so on the workers moved the anvil to the working site. You just need to make a hole in a piece of wood and then you are almost ready to Work.

Last time i were seeing it in use were this september. A lot of "naver" worked on reparing a old windmill on a museum. I to worked with them that 10 days but not with the mill.

A "naver" (wervanderen) is a educated craftsmann there walks 3 years and 1 day on the road to learn more of his education. They are not allout to come closer to home than 50 km and is not alloud to have a phone. They have to walk but is alloud to ride in a car as a passenger. They are only alloud to pay for transport by plane, boat or bridges. They Work mostly for food and sleeping. (depends of the rules in the country there Work in) They are only alloud to Work max 3 months on the same worksite. (if you follow the most common rules (the german).
From Denmark we right now have 3 "navere" walking. 2 carpentes and a blacksmith. 
All kind of eudcations (tailors, Goldsmith, Carpenters, blacksmiths, ...) is alloud to be "navere". But you have to start before you are 30 years and no kids. You can reconice the "job" on the colour of the dress. Black trousers is working with Wood. 
I have meet some "navers" there have been in US. But it is a tradition mostly from germany.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Mads,

Will you be able get it sharp enough to shave the hair off your arm?

Thank you for posting this thread… Very informational…


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Hi hi ho and a bottle of…
Joe, yes I can get any knife that sharp, the important thing is not that, it is how long it will stay sharp and I think I managed to make this one quite strong, it's a combination of the steel and the hardening and tempering that will determine what we end up with. 
Brith, thank you for the info, I love to learn new and I acually was thinking that it would be easy to bring out so it makes sense.
Roger, I love that word 'snazzy'!
Stefang, I was kind of sad I could not take more pictures of the shaping on the anvil, but it was so much fun, that I forgot all about it.
Don W, yes life is like this for some of us, ain't it?
NotaJock, I think I will make me one of these perlite versions, just because I think they are so cool, I have a small MAPP burner so it should give plenty of heat. It all works out great now, so I am really pleased.
peteg, smiles, a good combination, working and getting hungry, working well eating well - enjoy as we go. ;-)
Madts, when forging I fly high. Laughs. It really is great fun but the tools are heavy so i will not fly off.
Tony_S, a bad bug, this knife bug, think I made fifty knifes by now, but never forged the blades before my little new adventure here, so it is new doors that opens up. You can see a few here: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/24513 and there are more in my projects. Thank you for your kind words.
tyvekboy, thanks, I love to share.
pbyrne, yes they are quite expensive, so we sometimes have to be patient, it will come.
shipwright, Lucca, cooking, you are killing ME!!! What a wonderful idea. Yes we share many passions I have discovered, think we also share the ability to be really happy on others behalf. ;-) And yes there are so many things I want to do also, to learn, to try, to taste, yet life is so short I have to choose, how spoiled is that! Laughs, yes I think we are lucky men.
Jim Rowe, big smile thanks, I am a blessed man, life is good to me and I try to be good to life, so happy that I can write this, so happy you can feel it.
lew, with a good knife and good food, what more can a man ask? Ok, where is she? Ahhh right here, both of them, my daughter and my love. ;-)
Brinth, træskosmeden…. Griner. Yes don't get me started, I have so many old tools that were made for a purpose and I would love to try them all.
Jim Jakosh, a joyful way and a back to basic way, so I needed a small wooden sheath to not change focus completely, after all we are wood junkies. Cheers.
Thank you all for the comments, amazing how often you guys make me smile and I bring that smile with me in the shop.
Best of my thoughts,
Mads


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Very impressive Mads. I love the design.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Forging a iron age knife - first wood working tool made*
> 
> *Forging a iron age knife*
> first wood working tool made
> ...


Thank you Andy, having great fun here making tools.
Smiles,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*

*Crooked and hook knifes*
from steel to tool

(Part one).

To get a forge was a wish of being able to make tools when I needed them, tools I would love to try and use or that I could not get.
So first project was to make me a crooked knife and a medium sized hook knife, that is what this is about.
The hook knife just for the joy and to have a medium size after making the small version on the blacksmith class I took. This knife will join me on the Turkey travels in the future.
The crooked knife because I suffer from chronic pain after a neck operation and find it interesting that the knife is used in a inwards pull motion instead of the traditional pull stroke with Western tools. I have good experiences with the pull strokes used with Japanese tools and use these to ease the pain and give me possibility to work a little longer on the same energy. So this one is out of curiosity and a old wish to make one when I saw the 'making a crooked knife' on the web.









Starting with the blade for the crooked knife, I had to make it from a old file, fore the reason alone that I had seen this so many times on the web that it had become a wish to try.
(You can see more here on THIS Google search, there are plenty of material).
Right under the anvil you see a part of a car spring that will become the hook knife.









Ok lets go back to where the day started, talking of spring reminds me that spring are just on the stairs here in Denmark.









So let's get started, the iron goes into the forge to make it soft again.
Just bring it to red hot and let it cool slowly.









First step is to cut the file to length.









Then heat it again and again while working on it.









I try to condense the metal a wee first, then straighten it out to it's knife shape and getting the spine a wee broader than the cutting edge.









There a also time for having the shop is full of guests.









Wine and good food and company, what more can we ask for.









Ok let's continue the beating on metal.
Now time to shape the car spring.









Once it is in shape it is time to use the files.
First shape the back.









Then the cutting edge, ending with a fine file and then sandpaper down to grid 600.
Going 120 - 240 - 320 - 600.









Here the hook knife blade finished up to grid 600.









And the back gets the same tour.
Grind of the sharp edge of at the end so it will not wrap when heat treated.









Back in the forge.









Shape it on the anvils horn.









Carefully making it a hook and not getting it out of shape or hitting the cutting edge.









I'm pleased, yes I am actually a wee proud.









The crooked knife gets the same tour.









Flattening the spine.









Then I try to shape the back and cutting edge on a standard band sander.
Must admit this is not optimal, but it works.
It uses the paper fast and I feel I need a lot of control, but it works.









Not bad after all.









Collecting the metal dust and having a extra long hose on the vac to make sure I don't get a fire here…









I colour the edge with a Sharpie.









First flatten the back on the water grinders side until I feel we have a fair flat back.









Then I freehand the cutting edge.
Grind of the sharp edge of at the end so it will not wrap when heat treated.









Back in the forge.









Now shaping the crooked blade.
I want a straight blade with a curved end.









So making the bend on the anvil.
Shaping while red hot.









Kind of like the small break one gets when heating.









Bending the tang also to secure the blade in the handle later.









My friend Flemming caught me here focused on the final detail.
As you can probably see I wear glasses and heat protection, also you can see a crooked knife on the computer screen that was a inspiration.









So in and out the forge.
Have to say I am really pleased with this little forge.
Clean and fast at a fair prize.
Keeping a waken eye on the metal so it will not get too hot.
Will cut the blog here, see you soon.

Hope this post can inspire others to make their own tools, after all this is why I take a detour out the black road now.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


----------



## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Very interesting…

Thank you!


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Smiles Joe, new ways, new tools, now to bed here.
In next part they will become tools and get WOOD handles, laugh.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Another wonderful photo trip through the blacksmith shop!

That hook blade looks perfect.


----------



## Northwest29 (Aug 1, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


You are definitely a very multi-talented craftsman! Thanks for sharing.


----------



## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


It is so much fun to watch you making your own tools, Mads. Thank you for sharing and, please, thank Flemming for helping!


----------



## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Good work..great to hear how someone really enjoys making tools


----------



## 3DBMe (Apr 24, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Fantastic Mafe.
I'm so glad to see integration of life and work in that space of yours. 
I may have to get some of your crooked knives for my NW carvings.
Cheers, Bruce


----------



## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Thanks for this blog. I have been wanting to dabble in blacksmithing some myself. Great inspiration.


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Fine work Mads and some lovely tools to show for it. I love the handles too, but I have two questions.

1) If you keep making tools out of old rusty files, won't you run out of files to shape the tools with?
2) You must get a lot of people walking by your shop who are curious as to what you are doing in there. Has anyone come in and asked you to make them something yet?


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Gr8 stuff Mads. Luv the dust collector


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool I*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool
> ...


Hi there,
Just saw I never answered this one, sorry.
Roger, smiles, yes that is hightech.
Brit, big 1) laugh, yes if I did not have my friend Flemming I would run out of files, but he keeps bringing me files, so for now I'm good. 2) I have daily people looking at the window, putting their nose on the window, or saying hello, often asking 'what do you sell', my reply is 'nothing, not even me', then we laugh together. This is my meditation room, so I don't do orders. ;-)
bondogaposis, happy if I can inspire a man who have already done some. Thanks.
3DBMe, I will admit I love my workshop, every day I come I feel like a gift has been handled to me. The crooked knife takes some time to get used to, but it is interesting.
Redoak49, yes I love it, smiles. Actually did some today. ;-)
CFrye, I will send him your hello, he is a wonderful friend.
Northwest29, thank you, I smile here.
lew, I enjoy making these blades, even it is a wee hard for my neck - arm problems, but as long as I don't over do it, it is fine. Thanks.
Hope the answers were late, but not too late.
Best thoughts and thank you,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*

*Crooked and hook knifes*
from steel to tool II

(part two).









Last blog ended with the crooked blade in the forge, so we better start here by getting it out.









But first I heated the oil that will be used for quenching the blades, just up to a little over room temperature.









Simply by dipping a red hot piece of iron into it a couple of times.









Taking of happy, this was a happy way to start the day.
Filiz brought croissants and just baked sour dough bread and put fresh strawberries on top.
Ok I know it, I enjoy life way too much here.









Now time to heat the blades to red hot.









The way to test the temperature is to put a magnet on the blade when red hot, once hot enough it will no longer be magnetic and it's time to quench it.









Here you see my magnet tool, will post about this at a later time.









Here the hook knife blade are quenched.









Then the crooked, as you can see keep your head away from the oil as it sometimes catch fire.









Blades out of the oil.









Yes I sure think that forge will be a joy in the shop.









Here the hardened blades.









Back.









Crook looks fine.









The hook knife also seems to have hardened well.
I test it with an old file and it leaves no marks.









Now time to bake some bread or at least temper the blades at 200 degrees C for one hour in the oven.
This will remove the brittleness from the blades.









For the crooked knife handle I had a piece of antler.









It should give a good grip.


__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content









Something like this.









But then realized I had this wonderful piece of wood in the shop.
Since I thought my crooked knife should be basic like they would probably have been normally in the native American way, this was what I went for.









Yep, that's a perfect match.









Do you get it?









Time to fit the blade.
First sawing to length and then a flat surface to the cutting side.









After drawing the blade onto the handle, the bed for the blade are hollowed out.
Try to make a fair fit.









Drilling a hole for the blades tangs bend to fit in.
This will make the knife able to take great pulling force.









Now simply put in place.









I make a leather string.









Ohhh was on a walk in the forest today, brought home some handles for later knifes…
Closed the ends with lacquer now they will rest for at least six months.









Coffee time.
Also making a glass of hot water with baking soda to soak the leather sting in.









This is how the blade looks fitted in the handle.









I use rawhide glue to make the blade get a perfect fit.
This will just make the fit better, the glue will not stick to the metal.
(You can use epoxy, but I wanted to keep it authentic).









Also I glued a thin strip on top to hold the blade in place.
Like this I feel sure it will be strong enough for most use.
I have seen different versions on the Natives, some are with no top.









Then sanding it a wee bit to fit the handles shape.









The soaked leather string are attached I do this by drilling a small hole and wedge it in place.









Then wrapping as tight as I possible can and secure it in the other end also.









A Native American crooked knife.









I will keep the rough look, no more shaping, imagine this is how the normal workmans knife would have looked.









Then sharpen it.
I use the stones and grid 1200 sandpaper.









The handle are finished with a coat, just to preserve the bark a wee bit.









Ok back to the hook knife.
First drilling a hole in a piece of Kenyan ebony.
Then mounting the blade by holding a cold cloth around the blade while heating the tang and then putting the tank in the wood while it was hot.
No glue.









The shape are roughed out on the band saw.









Then sanded to where I like it.









After sharpening, it's time to test.
It really works well, I am more than happy.









A good grip.









That wood really makes a fine match for the blade.









Happy to give it my brand.









Back.









Sharpening are done with Arkansas stones and grid 1200 wrapped.
Then finally polished on a loaded leather strap.









Home with the family.
I think it fits right in.

Hope this post can inspire others to make their own tools, after all this is why I take a detour out the black road now.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Wonderful knives, Mads. You are getting quite a collection.

Hope you were careful and drank from the coffee glass and not the leather soak ;^)


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Nice work Mads but I have one question. 
How do you get that pattern on your bread? It looks too good to eat …... almost. 
Keep this up. I am enjoying you enjoying it.


----------



## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


*Very GOOD! Mads!*

Very informative… COOL!

Thank you!


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Hi Lew, thanks, yes it grows now… But I think that's a thing I will have to accept, tools seems to grow where I am… Laugh, I did have some gas the other day… so perhaps I was wrong…
Paul I use bread baskets, they give this beautiful texture to the bread. Thanks.








Joe thank you happy if it can bring some light.
Smiles and best of thoughts,
Mads


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Thanks, I'll look for them.


----------



## Boatman53 (May 21, 2012)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Wonderful post as always Mads. The native name for the knife is Mocotaugen and there is a wonderful book that one can download on line called 'Mocotaugen : the Story and Art of the Crooked Knife' I made one from a file a couple of years ago, but just used a torch, I really need a forge. If you do an image search for Mocotaugen you get different pics than crooked knife.
Jim


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Hi there,
Better late then never… Sorry.
Boatman53, thank you for telling me the native name, a lot more came up on Google now, super cool! 
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Good Stuff, Mads.

-Madts.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Thank you Thomas.
I play with the forge these days.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Crooked and hook knifes - from steel to tool II*
> 
> *Crooked and hook knifes*
> from steel to tool II
> ...


Thanks for the detailed process shots . Those are the best when handmade. You have almost as many knives as planes!!

cheers, My friend….........Jim


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*

*Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
and a gift from a LJ friend.

A new anvil stand from solid wood, friendship, a router sled and fine moments with smell of wood.









So here I am back in the shop, with some wonderful wood.
Lately things goes slow there, life keeps going different paths and I follow with a silent smile.
My friend Thomas was kind to offer me a beautiful hunk of wood and I had the chance to visit him in his shop.









When Thomas visited my shop, I had the old anvil stand and he thought like me it was a wee small for the new anvil.









So he cut me a block, from one of the tree logs, he had in front of his workshop.
He was even so kind, to offer me a free choice and I choose this one, since I could see rot had started and so I hoped it would be full of play and life inside.









Here it is back in my shop, as you can see, it was quite wet, so it has cracked up and that gave it even more life.
Also the rot have given it plenty of life, so I have to say I was happy with my choice.
First step was to put the hunk upside down and then level it out fairly even, so the sloping sides would be equal.
I did that with some small wedges under and a big square on the floor, since the floor is perfect level.









Next step was to construct a router sled.
Some old bed boards got a second life.
First a run through the jointer.









another one split in half.









Screw them together, like this we have runners for the sled.









Plywood and two more half boards.









Glue and screws.









A sled is born.
I adjusted the size to the router.









Now I could screw the runners on to the stand, simply by measuring from the floor and up.









Sled on top.
Hope you get the picture now…









I added a runner under the sled, just to keep it in place and also a few screws as stops for the router and sled.









First run was to make a rabbet in the sled.









Like so!









Then it was all about running the sled a step and then the router.
Quite fast and easy, I was really surprised.









Here you see why I made the half board on the side of the runners, this makes it possible, to get all the way out to the side of the block, without cutting into the runner.









Once I was done, I turned the block upside down and then repeated.
Here I had top take into account what working height I wanted so I had to take it down a little more than an inch.
Then I could place the anvil on top and draw the outline of it, since I wanted it to rest in the stand, not on it.









A small detour!
A measure are set all the way around the top and bottom.









So I could add a iron band around it.
This will keep it from cracking too much and then I think it look quite sexy. ;-)









Tightened and then the band folded around the screws.









So back to the top.
The hole for the anvil are routed out step by step.









Almost done.









Last cleaning up are done with hand tools.
Japanese, just for the joy of it.









Swupppp it fits right in.









We could stop here, the stand are fully functional now.









And I do find this detail sweet.









Since it is now heavy as hell and I am no longer a teenager, I gave it a pair of wheels.
Like this I can roll around it when needed.









Also a layer of foam and finally felt, to sound dampen it a little, for the sake of the neighbors.









I used contact adhesive and then a stampler.









Adhesive on both sides.









And the felt.









Finally I added my leather tool holders.









Hammers, hammers, hammers.









On the back also two eye bolts, then I can put sticks in it and roll it of like a wheelbarrow.









That's it, my new anvil stand, I think it blends into the shop and adds life and quality.
That it also holds a story of friendship, will make the use of it, even more joyful.
Thank you Thomas!

Hope it could inspire.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


WOW! That is quite the anvil stand, Mads! Everything you need in one place and "portable", too! Thomas will be proud of what you did with his gift.


----------



## NotaJock (May 23, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Congrats on the new anvil. It looks like a beauty, what size/weight is it?

There is a tool on the back of the block (wheel side) I don't recognize.
Right hand side of the block when facing the wheels, looks like iron, 
shaped like a crab claw on one end ball on the other.
What is that tool, what's it used for?

I copied your belt tool holders on my anvil block and though I can move it without much trouble
I see wheels and handle eyes in it's future too.
Thanks for the ideas.


----------



## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


I just like it Mads. Great job Thomas and Mads.

-Madts.


----------



## tyvekboy (Feb 24, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Cool Anvil stand.


----------



## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Very good Mafe / Mads…

Several years ago, I came by some 9" x 9" x ~30"... One day I got the idea & took a Vice that needed a home & was getting kicked around the shop, always in the way… and just simply lag bolted it into the end of a piece… Works great… Nowhere near as big & heavy as yours… I just drag it around when I need it, which is NOT very often… Much easier to keep out of the way and USE IT when I need it… Nothing fancy like yours… no hangers, etc. It's just a Metal workers vice that rotates, etc. Kinda heavy but not as much as yours! Sure beats taking up Bench Space 100% of the time.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Great story Mads. ... and yes it is one sexy little anvil base!
It looks very "mafe".


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Outstanding tutorial on the process. I am in need of a flattener jig for a piece of mesquite and may just make one of those up like you did. Thanks for the idea, my friend!!

Cheers, Jim


----------



## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Excellent story.
Excellent photography.
Excellent construction detail and design.
Excellent story of friendship.

This is also an excellent reason why I always open your posts up right away Mads.
You are a unique story teller beside being a top-notch craftsman.

I am very happy and grateful for the day I added you to my buddy list.

Thank you brother.


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Outstanding sir! It looks fantastic. I love the addition of the wheels and the eyebolts idea. There's nothing like a long lever to move something heavy, unless you have a forklift hiding in your workshop somewhere. LOL.

BTW, I am definitely adding Swupppp to my vocabulary.


----------



## iamtomkelvin (Sep 27, 2016)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Smashing job, Mads, so happy you got a great result out of your efforts; I thinks it looks the business…and I'm quite envious of not only the awesome swedish anvil but also that insanely cool gasfurnace you have…gotta get me one of those!!!

Cheers and all the best!!!
Thomas / iamtomkelvin


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


Hi there,
Thomas, thanks, I am really happy, spend the whole day inmy shop today and smiled at it several times.
Here my gasfurnance: http://devil-forge.com/dfprof-series/17-dfprof1-1d.html quite fair prices.
Now I have to finish my guksi / kuksa, I got it roughly shaped and hollowed out, this was good since the second piece are cracked in all directions, from the drying in the shop. In fact most of the wood could not handle my shops dry climate, so it will give me heat instead. ;-)
Brit, laugh, fine word; Swupppp, I found it could explain what I was feeling happened. I already moved it around today and it works really fine, so I am happy I made it moveable.
Woodwrecker, excellent comment!!! Smiles thank you, I am touched by your kind words, many people who know me, will say I talk too much I think, laugh, so good I can tell some stories and bring smiles. Life is sweet!
Jim, I have seen the system many places and in many forms, this was the most simple version I could think up. Fast easy and I was really surprised how fast and easy it went.
shipwright, yes sexy as only a big beautiful piece of wood can be! Happy thanks.
Joe Lyddon, it is always a pleasure when we can use the space in a clever way. Mine stands in the shop every day but now it can be moved around more easy. I don't use it every day but now I enjoy it every day. ;-)
tyvekboy, thank you.
madts, thanks from both of us. ;-)
NotaJock, it's a 51 kilo anvil, so medium size, good size for most work and possible to move around. 
Is it this tool: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/39611 you are asking about?
Happy you can use the ideas, that's what this is all about.
lew, thank you, I am a happy wood monkey banging of hot metal once in a while.
Thank you all for your kind comments.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


A nice hunk-a-hunk-a wood for a really nice hunk-a-hunk-a iron.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> 
> *Anvil stand from a solid block of wood.*
> and a gift from a LJ friend.
> ...


;-) hugs to you Roger:
Laugh,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*

*Froe for splitting wood*
Forged from Swedish sled runner steel

Back at the forge again and once again to make some tools for woodworking, since this is the reason I started forging.
Have to say it again; 'there are no greater joy in woodworking, than using a tool made by your own hands'.









Lets burn some gas in the little forge!
Heating up some Swedish sled runner steel, found in an old barn up there.









Trying to bend a curve, to make an eye.
(I wrote trying).









This was acually where I tried to cool down a part of the eye and the steel broke in two, while trying to bend it…
Yeps learning by doing is what this is all about for me.









That's better!
Once I had something to bend and hammer around, the eye quickly took shape.
The eye need to be tapered, so it will hole the handle, the taper must open up towards the cutting edge. 
(Bending while red hot, just not easy to take pictures while holding hot iron).









Welded the eye up.
This is not needed, but will make a stronger froe.









After cleaning up with a file and grinder.









Fair try.
Now time to forge some shape to the blade.









My little forging setup.









Here the piece that broke of…









Now heating up the blade in parts and hammering a wedge shape into the steel, while making it wider towards the splitting edge.
The hard part is keeping it straight.









But I manage to control the beast and end up with this.









Then sanding the edge, so it gets smooth and wedge shaped.
Again breaking something, this time the sanding band… The heat I guess…
No worse than a new band and some more sanding / grinding.









Time to do some woodworking, spinning the lathe.









Making a handle for the froe.
Tapering in the end of the blade.









Testing time.
Beating the froe down into a piece of fire wood, with a mallet on the top of the blade.









It works!
Youuuubbbiiiiii.









You control the split, by pushing the froe in the one or other sideways direction.









Fair leverage, compared to size, it splits the wood as easy as nothing.









Hmmmmm new things can be build now, new doors just opened.









Here next to my antique French froe.
The new one is meant to be brought out in nature for bush craft.









That's it, another one down on the bucket list.
Hmmm perhaps I should harden it… and make a sheath… and….

Hope this post can inspire others to make their own tools, after all this is why I take a detour out the black road now.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


Nicely Done, Mads!

That little forge is really neat and seems to work very well.

Thanks for taking us along on the build!


----------



## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


Awesome blend of skills. Where is the leather blade guard? Lol

I'm currently building my metalworking skills to complement my woodworking skills. Have a bunch of things to build for the parrots out of metal and wood (Nest Box, Feeder, Screens to put around the cages). My next major project.


----------



## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


There in Houston USA we do not need forges. In the summertime we justs put on the driveway and let is toast for an hour.

-Madts.


----------



## Truefire (Mar 20, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


That seems like another fun build. I'm also big into making my own tools. I agree, it's a feeling of great satisfaction to work with your own tools. It's that pioneer that's buried in us.

I love your little forge. Awesome setup Mafe. Therapy at it's apex!!!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


Wonderful work Mads, your project really came out well. If I were younger and not worried that I would burn down my shop I would like to do some metal working.


----------



## DavePolaschek (Oct 21, 2016)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


Nice tool, Mads! I hope you were inspired by the one my friend made for me.

I forgot to mention it there, but rather than bend the eye, he used a piece of pipe for the eye, and welded it to the blade. There's more than one way to do it.

Thank you for the smile this morning!


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


Your skills know no bounds Mads. What a lovely froe and a wonderful blog. I just bought mine. LOL.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


That looks so much better than the first one I made !!


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


Hi Mads, thanks for the process shots. That is a nice forge you have. You have a very complete shop!!

Cheers, Jim


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood - Swedish sled runner steel*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood*
> Forged from Swedish sled runner steel
> ...


Hi,
Jim, I love that little forge, all I need is to turn up the gas and open a window, then my woodworking workshop is transformed into a blacksmiths workshop. You know like me the joy of; thinking it - making it. ;-)
Don, laugh, yes learning by doing, I have learned that calmness is a virtue, when working with hot iron, in the beging I felt that it was all about eaw power and fire. :-D (But I guess you learned that, while making all your wonderful infill's).
Brit, Thank you Andy, big smile. Making tools - makes me happy. <3>t get around here so much as I would like these days, life is full of beauty and there are too little time.
Best thoughts and a smile,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Pocket drawknife - One for the road*

*Pocket drawknife*
One for the road

Once again a tool made by your own hands, to be used by your own hands, this time a pocket size drawknife, that will be my tour buddy, when I'm out there with my hammock, playing in nature, as a part of my tool set.









So let's start making some noise.









A piece of Swedish sled runner steel again, roughed out, with an angle grinder.
(The Swedish did make amazing steel back in the days).









Some heat in the forge.









And banging that baby into shape.
I also used files and sand paper, to shape up the cutting edge.









A round rod in the vice to shape the ends.
I just bend it around.
Sorry for the lack of pictures, I was so much there, that I forgot the camera.









Think you can see it here.









Then slow cooling it, I just left it in the forge to cool down.









After that I can work on the bevel, remove the sharp edges in the finger holes and shape it up.
Sandpaper, files and sweat.









Then re heating to cherry.









Quenching it in oil, by dipping it while cherry red.









Removing the hardness from the handles, so they are more flexible.
Keeping the blade in water, secures the hardening of the cutting edge are not taken out too.









Also made a pair of small handles, so it can be used like that also, think the fingers will be tired quite fast on heavy work - in nature I will just bring the blade and use sticks.









Here we have it, a pocket size draw knife.









Perfect when the handles are set like this, surprisingly nice to hold.









I had something in my girlfriends oven.
200° for an hour.









Dinner is served darling!









Time for some sharpening.









Only have my home kit here, but it will work, diamonds and stones (not pearls).









Testing as we go.
My dear Yeli think I'm mad(s) and I think she is right…









We got a fair edge.









And a flat back.









Now it just need a wrap.
I use suede leather.









Here from last week on a wee hike, we used the boat shelter to store our gear.









Sleeping in twin mood, wonderful to be out there, especially with the one you love.

UPDATE:





View on YouTube

Here after sharpening it on my new belt sander sharpener.

Hope this post can inspire others to make their own tools, perhaps even bring then into nature.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


----------



## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


man I wish I could do some blacksmithing but the shop is like a jigsaw puzzle to get everything in now so I don't see that happening.you did a killer job on that but yeah I don't think your girlfriend likes sharing the kitchen with your creations though.and may I suggest I nice pinot noir to go with that steel next time,chardonnay just doesn't have enough strength-lol.nice work mads.


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


I love it , Mads! Nice to see your girlfriend, too!!

Pleasant dreams…................Cheers, Jim


----------



## icemanhank (Jun 30, 2012)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Hi Mads, lovely work as usual.

I love seeing the pics of your escapades as well 

Using the oven reminded me of when I was re oiling some sintered brass bearings for my turntable in the oven and the look on my wife's face was the same as your girlfriend! Haha


----------



## recycle1943 (Dec 16, 2013)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Hi Mads,
realy neat handi work and a usable tool


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Hi guys,
I removed the kitchen picture, it was not fair to Yeli, she would let me put anything in that oven, even my car if I asked for it. She is that kind of woman. 
Pottz, thank you, my shop is also growing smaller… or perhaps the tools grow… Champagne might be the answer.
Jim, smiles, yes I'm a lucky man.
David, we do enjoy nature together, I'm lucky to have meet someone to share that part of my life with also - I have a oven in the workshop for the really bad stuff. ;-D
Best of my thoughts,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Thanks recycle1943, it's a joy to use also, I had it with me on a previous tour, where I used it for some spoon carving.


----------



## tyvekboy (Feb 24, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Mads - Thatʻs one cool project. I like the design.

Hope you enjoy it for many years to come.


----------



## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Nice project Mads, You always come up with something different.


----------



## kaerlighedsbamsen (Sep 16, 2013)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Yet another signature travelf riendly, bodger, camping, outdoor, collapsible tool. Next to planes and knives this is becoming one of your specialities. How is it to use in real life?


----------



## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


By far, one of my favorite Lumberjocks!
Your post was inspiring, wonderful and full of great knowledge as usual my friend.
You are a very special person and I am thankful that I found you.
Your work is always top-notch.
That tool will serve you well.
Happy Easter my friend.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Thanks for the pictures, Mads! Really nice little tools.

So that's what you do with old boats- So Cool!!


----------



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Great little tool Mads and a very clever handle arrangement to save the fingers for more delicate work.


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Very impressive Mads. I can just imagine you sitting in the woods making shavings with it.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Hi,
Brit, smiles, yes that is what it's all about, but I have to admit, I enjoy making the tool at least as much as using it. ;-)
stefang, smiles, when making it, I could almost feel the pain, if I had to stick my fingers inside the holes… I have seen different versions on bush craft sites, I made this one because I was thinking it could be stored flat, perhaps in a combi sheath shared by a knife…
lew, I also really loved the idea of making that old boat into a shelter, beautiful, functional recycle. Thanks.
Woodwrecker, big smile thanks, big words for Easter here. Happy easter to you and yours also.
Ty, it works surprisingly well, the only downside would be to flatten larger areas, but how often do we do that… In fact I almost always use one or two inches of my large drawknifes. So a great little tool for many tasks in green woodworking. When putting outward pressure on the handles it becomes a rigid tool and so you have full control and can work quite detailed. Yes I have long ago realized I'm a tool maker more than a cabinet maker, I love solving and making things by far the most. ;-D
TopamaxSurvivor, thank you, thinking out of the woods… with an open mind. ;-)
tyvekboy, 'less is plenty' I try to keep that approach, while the tools, jigs and other pile up. :-D Thank you.
Thank you all for the comments, it do make me smile from my heart,
Mads


----------



## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


COOL… Very unique… interesting…

Thank you.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Thank you Joe. ;-)
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


UPDATE:





View on YouTube

Here after sharpening it on my new belt sander sharpener.


----------



## Truefire (Mar 20, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Nice work. Love it.

I like your camp site and the boat. Very neat space. Love your tree cocoons. Plan on getting me a couple of Enos for the wife and myself. Nothing like unwinding in the hardwoods. See much wildlife out there where you were Mads?


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Pocket drawknife - One for the road*
> 
> *Pocket drawknife*
> One for the road
> ...


Hi Chris,
Yes thats a beautiful place. You should check the Hennessy hammocks, these are in my book the best. The ENOS are a wee cheaper, but you will need to buy a lot of extra stuff after, so at the end the money are better spend on the Hennessy hammocks. Denmark is a really small Country, so it's hard to really get into nature here, but we have beautiful places with especially birds. No wolfs, bears or so, then we have to go to our neighbour Sweden, where there are much larger wild nature and animal life. I usually say, it's almost possible to hear a motor, no matter where you go in Denmark, but I have found a few quiet places. Smiles.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*

*Swan neck carving gouge*
from tractor rake spring steel

This could be the fairytale about the Ugly Duckling, by H. C. Andersen.

Making another tool by the forge, this time a swan neck gouge, intended for making Kuksa's or hand carved bowls.
Made from an old rake from a tractor, this steel is fantastic for cutting tool making and the joy of recycle is always a joy in it's self.









Here the tractor rake and me working on the tang of a small carving knife.









At the forge, heating up the steel as I work on it.









Beating some red hot steel is always a joy, when making it into a tool, slowly blow by blow with the hammer, shape emerge from the old rake.
Here the tang are done, the neck are being shaped and you can see the end is just a block now, but will become a cutting tool.









A gouge, all shaped by the hammer and by hand.
No need to co more on the shape, when it comes to the use, so I will keep it simple, no fancy shaping, just the tool.









Here after giving it the swan neck curve, so it can reach into the Kuksa.
Will have to get a heat more, the gouge have a too steep bend and need to be straightened a little.









Here a few items from that day.
(The second swan neck gouge, is one I bought years back, it never really worked, the steel was too soft, so I tried to give it a new heat treatment, but it ended in the trash, since it was to soft still).









At cherry red, it is put into rapeseed oil to harden it, the oil is pre heated a wee bit.









Here we have it, a swan neck gouge.









Turned a little handle on the lathe, that I think will be a good shape, for this kind of use.
Short and round, so it will be easy on the hand and to move around.
Kept it rough, so it will have some friction in the hand, so no sanding also.
It also got a ferrule, since it might get some side ways force, due to the long neck.









Just from the side.









Time for the annealing. 
Just an hour in the oven at 200°C. 
(Heating the steel again to soften it a wee bit, this makes it less stressed and more flexible).









The gouge gets it's handle, I like to epoxy them in place, especially if the are used for sideway force.









Finally some cutting after I have sharpened up the cutting edge.
It cuts really fine and the curved shape works surprisingly well.
So I'm a happy monkey.
(I'm trying out different shapes and angles on the cutting edge, to try and find my way in this).









A decent tool I think, really pleased that I have come to a point, where I can make something like this by the forge.









A little dye and some Danish oil, then it is ready for years of use.
An old tractor rake has gotten a new life, a swan has emerged.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, perhaps even some fairytales.

*Best thoughts,*

MaFe


----------



## Oni (Sep 16, 2018)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Very nice gouge and knives.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


I'd say you have that one pretty close to perfect!


----------



## DavePolaschek (Oct 21, 2016)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Indeed a nice looking gouge! When do we see the kuksa made with this gouge? ;-)


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Sweet tool, Mads. You appreciate it more if you make it yourself,too!!

cheers, Jim


----------



## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Buddy great job, you always do the most interesting projects. Cheers.


----------



## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


HOT!


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Hi there,
Joe, smiles.
Ken, I always ave a lot of fun trying. ;-)
Jim, yes I love using tools I have made, every shave becomes sweeter, it's so true. Thanks.
Dave, I have made a few kuksas / cups, so I look forward to be able to use this one, to get into the tight corners and down deep, where it was difficult before.








This is my favorite, when I'm out in nature, hanging out.








Nothing like a wood cup, with hot coffee on a cold winter day.
Lew, big warm smile here thanks.
Oni, thank you so much.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


now that's cool!! well done.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Hi Don, thank you, big smile here.
I have been forging all day today.








Iron age type knife, made from a piece of car spring I found in the street, here in Copenhagen.
That was one of todays results.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Excellent. I haven't had the forge fired up in a while. knowing me I'll wait until it's 85 degrees out. I've got a planning stop in my head I want to make out of so.e old silo rod. Keep up the good work!


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Swan neck carving gouge - from tractor rake spring steel*
> 
> *Swan neck carving gouge*
> from tractor rake spring steel
> ...


Hi Don, I have a forge inside the shop, but this one is my friends and we were having a wonderful warm sunny day.
I made a planing stop, I use for my shaving horses, it was easy and fun to make.
Will see if I can find pictures.
Smiles thanks.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*

*Hot cutter*
from bricklayers hammer

It's time to make some updates on my blacksmithing for woodworkers series, have a load of stuff, that was never posted, so I'll try and get up to date again, by posting some of all that happened, show some of the tools I made for the blacksmithing and also some of the projects made and how to do it.

I'll start by the tools for blacksmithing.
There are a few basic tools one should get or make, besides your hammer and tongs.

When we want to work in metal, we need a way to cut it, this can be don by sawing or with an angel grinder, but also with a hou cutter.
A hot cutter is basically just a sharp edge of hard steel, where you cut your heted metal over, by hammering.
Why? It's easy, it takes less energy and time than sawing and no noise and dirt from the angel grinder.
So a clean hot cut.









What you need is some tool steel and then shape a cutter - or if you don't have steel in those dimensions you can do as I did, but a cheap bricklayer hammer and shape it up.









Sharpen one side, you might want to curve it a little too.









We have a hot cutter! I'll explain more. ;-)
Keep the handle, for if you want to use it as a hand held cutter, perhaps even with a friend hammering.









Let's test it.
We start by heating some metal.









Then put it over the cutter and use your hammer to beat it, once 2/3 through, then turn and beat some more.
Before you are all the way through, stop so you don't hammer on the cutter and simply break off the piece. 
(Sorry for the out of focus picture, it's not easy to take photos and do this).









You see, that's it.
Easy as nothing.









On my old anvil, I just clamped it to the side like this.









But on the new anvil, I wanted it to go into the hardy hole.
(The square hole in the anvil top - made for holding tools).
So I shaped up the head, to fit the hole, on my anvil it's an inch by inch hole, app. 2,5×2,5 cm.









Here you see the hole and the hot cutter.
(The round hole can be used for other tools also, but that will be in a later blog).









Like this I have two hand free for the job and it's fast to take it on and off.
I just left the handle in.









Then it can easily be used like this also.
You should put some soft metal under the metal you cut, when using it like this.
Then you don't risk doing damage to the tool or anvil.









Just for the joy and to prevent rust, I gave it a coat of spray paint.









That's it, and that's that.

I have used it a lot by now and it works perfectly well.

If your budget is really low, then an old masonry chisel, can also be converted easily into the same tool, I have one I use for tasks, where I need precision.

Hope this post can inspire others to make their own tools, after all this is why I take a detour out the black road now.

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


I really wish I had room for this type of metal working. It has always fascinated me.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


Hi Lew, the basic can be done with almost no room and a really low price.
Here a few ideas:
Basic tools:




Basic forge on the cheap:




Basic real forge:




Backyard coal forge:




Feel free to ask if you get started.
I personally love my little devil forge http://devil-forge.com/ they make some fine beginner forges.
Big smile my friend,
Mads


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


Hi Mads. I could sure use that now. I have some pieces of O-1 steel to harden and I think they are too big to use my acetylene torch on to keep the whole edge cherry red before quenching in oil.

Nice way to make a cutter for your anvil!!

Cheers, Jim


----------



## anthm27 (May 12, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


Nice One,
Yer, great old trade that is a quick dying art, (at least in Australia anyways) Its become hard to even get a horse shoed down there.
Is that furnace your using electric? 
Kind Regards
Anthm

*EDIT:* you've inspired me to post some metal work I did recently, I,ve never posted it on projects because it wasn't wood. I,ll do a blog on it later, I,ll be interested to see what you think.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


Excellent work as usual.


----------



## Sylvain (Jul 23, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


"Its become hard to even get a horse shoed down there."

We have a renowned school in Belgium.

You will notice that horse shoeing needs more study and practice (2440 hours) then blacksmith (880 hours) .

The first is a kind of podiatrist.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...





> Hi Lew, the basic can be done with almost no room and a really low price.
> Here a few ideas:
> Basic tools:
> 
> ...


Thanks, Mads!


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


Hi,
Lew, you are welcome. Smiles.
Sylvain, interesting. We say that to master a craft, you need 10.000 hours of practice, some trades have short school and long training, others long school and short training, at the end it's a matter of muscle memory, talent, aesthetics and creativity, before we can master something.
Don, thank you.
anthm27, more and more people here are interested in the old trades, these years, so we have a flowering of this now, but mostly as hobby. My forge is a small gas forge, Devilforge is the company - I love it, here in my small workshop. Yes you should post it, I think as long as it's wood related, it must be fine we post blacksmithing also.
Jim, you are the man to buid a small forge! I know you can build anything. Smiles.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## Sylvain (Jul 23, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


blacksmith might be creative, etc.
horse shoeing is not solely a skill matter, it is about horse problem diagnostic/compensation and the horse remaining fit for the job (workhorse, racing horse, ....). That'why it is much longer.
I was under the impression that anthm27 was considering horse shoeing minor in comparison to blacksmith.
It is a different trade even if there are common techniques.

Of course those people will continue to learn and gain experience after those 2440 hours/ 880 hours.
Note that workhorse horseshoeing is an extra course (120 hours).


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Hot cutter - from bricklayers hammer*
> 
> *Hot cutter*
> from bricklayers hammer
> ...


Ahhhh I had no idea about this, always interesting to learn new.
Thank you.
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Hardy tools DIY - tools for bending and making shoulders*

*Hardy tools DIY*
tools for bending and making shoulders.

As promised a follow up, on the tools I made, for my wood working toolmaking, at the anvil.
This part is about tools for bending, to put in the hardy hole (square hole) on the anvil. 
The reason I made them, was that I have made a few spoon knifes by now and each time, I desperately needed a good place to bend the curve, while being able to see what I do and I found this difficult at the horn of the anvil.
For the shoulder tool, I use this when creating the tang (the part that goes into the handle), when forging knife blades.









These kind of tools are dead expensive to buy, so I figured I needed to be creative instead.
So a quick tour to the local DIY shop, to get some square tubing, steel rod and water pipe.
I cut the threading off, cut them to length, with an angel grinder and cleaned the edges up, at a standard belt sander.









Then time for some welding.
In this case a pipe to a square tube, that's easy.
(I have a cheap DIY welder).









As you can see, I'm not a pro, but I have fun.









How can you not enjoy this?









This one took some more creativity, to build up, but even the scrap come to use here.









Once ready, it was heated and hammered into the hardy hole, to make a snug fit.









A bigger standard pipe, was also just hammered into the hole, while red hot.









Here are the hardy tools.









Smaller round, for bending around.









Bending fork, to bend between the two.









Mandrel, spike version, to be able to be precise on many sizes.









Used it, for the first time on this spoon knife for a friend.









That's quite fair I think.









Next up is a bottom fuller tool.
For this I bought a hammer, just a little bigger than the hardy hole and grinded it to size, with an angelgrinder. 
You use this to establish a shoulder on the knife blade, a point from where you drag out the steel to the tang and blade, or simply to bend steel over.









Then some sanding.









We got a fit.









Spray paint.









Bottom fuller completed.









Fits just perfect.









Ready for some knife making.
I use a hammer as top fuller.
At a later point I want to make a guillotine fuller, but have not had the time yet.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, or even some blacksmithing tools.

*Best thoughts,*

MaFe


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Hardy tools DIY - tools for bending and making shoulders*
> 
> *Hardy tools DIY*
> tools for bending and making shoulders.
> ...


Another good post Mads.


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Hardy tools DIY - tools for bending and making shoulders*
> 
> *Hardy tools DIY*
> tools for bending and making shoulders.
> ...


Mads, your creativity always amazes me! Thanks for allowing us to journey with you.


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Hardy tools DIY - tools for bending and making shoulders*
> 
> *Hardy tools DIY*
> tools for bending and making shoulders.
> ...


Hi guys,
Thank you, I have found it quite rewarding, to create tools for blacksmithing and while making them getting better at exactly the same. But we know this also from the wood don't we. 
Sorry for the late reply, just saw I never answered.
Thank you for your kind words.
Best of my thoughts, hope you both and the families are well and in peace,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Hold fast - two types - one also for woodworking.*

*Hold fast - two types*
one also for woodworking.

Once you start banging some metal, to make your own woodworking tools, you quickly realize, that often, two hands are not enough…
So time to make hold fasts, here I'll make two types.









First we have a quick and dirty spring loaded version.
Just a bend piece of flat bar, with a hole drilled into it and a eye bolt and nut on each side.
(The spring was just a long one from the trash, think it was from a lamp).









Here on the anvil, going through the hardy hole (square hole on top) and down to where it has a spring to it.









I simply put it on my band, no reason to make it complexed, you can just put a screw.









Here from the top.
As you can see one side is open and one side have a hold, this makes different types of hold possible.
You simply put your finger in the eye and lift.









Now in use, making the next hold fast…









Now I have two hands free for tools.









Detail.









Let's make another hold fast…









To begin with I actually just used a old bricklayer fold fast, but it came out too easy.









So a piece of car coil spring steel were straightened out.









And shaped into a curve with a food, this is a classic hold fast.
Here almost done, just needed a little more shaping.









And now in use.
It's a simple tool, you knock on the top to make ti hold and on side or under to loosen it.









One end is shaped into a foot.









So it can hold the item tight down.









The underside of the foot got a grip surface, I made that with a Dremmel tool.









That's it, easy peasy…
And it can be used for wood working as well, just remember the hole you use it in needs to be a bit larger, than the hold fast, for it to lock in place. I will use mine on my shaving horse workbench also.









It got it's own place on the anvil stand.









Ready for making new tools.









Don't do this at home…
I actually tried to harden it, but the steel got too stiff in my taste, but if we don't try, we don't win, now I'll try to heat it up to light blue and see if I can find that magic spring point.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, or to hold on perhaps…

*Best thoughts,*

MaFe


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Hold fast - two types - one also for woodworking.*
> 
> *Hold fast - two types*
> one also for woodworking.
> ...


You've made yourself a nice setup Mads.


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Hold fast - two types - one also for woodworking.*
> 
> *Hold fast - two types*
> one also for woodworking.
> ...


Very ingenious. I just love your anvil stand and how i tis outfitted with all the needed tools right close by.

Cheer, my friend!..............Jim


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Hold fast - two types - one also for woodworking.*
> 
> *Hold fast - two types*
> one also for woodworking.
> ...


Thanks for the ideas, Mads!


----------



## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Hold fast - two types - one also for woodworking.*
> 
> *Hold fast - two types*
> one also for woodworking.
> ...


Very interesting… I didn't know that…


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Hold fast - two types - one also for woodworking.*
> 
> *Hold fast - two types*
> one also for woodworking.
> ...


Hi,
Don, thank you, I like it, it's not too big and fit into the woodshop.
Jim, smile, only problem is that tools have a tendency to grow… like wild flowers… Laugh.
lew, thanks.
Joe, we learn new every day. ;-)
Thank you for the comments.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Blacksmiths basics - you don't need a lot.*

*Blacksmiths basics*
you don't need a lot.

Quite a few of you, have shown interest in making your own wood working tools, by beating up some steel and shaping it into this.
I get the impression, that some of you, just like me, thought of this as black magic and something that takes a lot, the truth is, that it's not difficult to make your own tools, by shaping some warm metal, I'll claim it's easier than to learn, how to do proper sharpening of tools…

So to get those of you, who have this fear or just don't know where to get started, I took a bunch of pictures of my basic setup and will go through it.
(I have upgraded and made tools since then, but this is what happens on any path).









First of all we need some heat, to bring the metal up to a working temperature.
You can build a small blow torch coffee can forge, build a coal fired forge from an old car brake drum forge or as I did buy a cheap gas forge, to get you started (these can also be build ).
Mine is a Devil forge, I'm really happy with it, but if you want to do forge welding, you should get a model with more heat. (Since I'm working in a woodworking shop, I can't have sparks flying around, so this one is fine for me).









Quite a cosy setup. ;-)
Just about all you need.
But let's break it down.









The anvil.
We need something harder than the metal we are working on, to shape the metal with our hammers.
I got this old stake anvil from a friend when I started, it was fine and quite cool for shaping around.
A piece of an old railway track are really fine.
But you can start with a block of hard iron and some pipes for shaping, really that's all you need.
I will not recommend the really cheap anvils in cast iron from the DIY store, the top is too soft and the sides will break off fast. So better buy a used one or find some hard scrap metal to begin with.









Here an example of a primitive anvil.
Here a bench I set up last week, as a friend of mine and I were forging outside, at his place and needed two anvils.
A block of hard iron tube and a piece of an axle, just held together with clamps, a tong and a hammer.









Here my friend Flemming, behind the table I helped him build for blacksmithing in the small place he have outside.
In fact the table also have a hole for the stake anvil, but then you work a little high.









I did this knife on the that day, on the block of hard iron tube and a piece of an axle.
The steel is a piece of a car coil spring I found in the street.
So no excuses, you don't need an expensive anvil to get going.









I made this simple anvil stand out of roof batterns. 
Like this I could work in a fair height.
Here is my first setup, it worked fine and the straps for the tools, made them close at hand.









Now we have a dedicated area and of course we need some steel too, in this picture you see a giant coil spring I got from a metal trash place, I paid next to nothing for it app. 5 USD and can make at least 50 knifes from it, so plenty to get started. Car coil springs are good also, these you can get for free at the local garage.









A gas alarm might be a good idea also, when you work inside.









Fire extinguisher should be in place before any indoor forging.









The heart of forging is the forge.
The small Devil forge, I love it, it was relatively cheap and it's large enough for basic tool making and knife making.
It's a single burner type.









This type has a door at the back end to save energy, but can be opened, when making longer items.









Like this.









Standard gas bottle, sadly I can only have the small size bottles due to regulations.
(The gas is more expensive in the small bottles).









Something to start the forge, something with a long flame, so your hands are not near the opening, as it turns on.
You have a lot of heat and a small explosion.









A regulator to fit the hose to the bottle and a gas pressure regulator.









The gas pressure regulator, is where you adjust the amount of gas to the forge, without this, you would empty your bottle en really short time.
You will find your sweet spot, where you forge and this makes it easy not to overheat the steel.
(If you are not awake in a coal forge, your steel will burn of, into the air creating sparks).









This is how it looks here in Denmark.









Next you need a metal can, with an airtight lid.
All metal is best, but I could only find a baby food canister and made a wood lid for it.
(For longer items you can use a tube).









This is for quenching (hardening) the tools you make in oil.
Just plain rapeseed oil (canola) will do, I have used this a few years now, with no issues.
Here a little on types.









Gloves and an apron.
One important thing is a pair of leather gloves, best not like these with nylon, since that melts, but the cheap leather / canvas gloves will do the trick, the cheapest way to get good leather gloves for forging, is buying those for the BBQ in your local DIY place.
An apron is not a must have, but it can save you from some burns and as I never change for working clothes, it saves my clothes, so it's a fast pay back time.









A hammer.
Basically you only need one to get started.
Something like this one.
1000g is a good starter, then you will not wear out and still have a good blow.
A real blacksmith hammer is between 1-1,5kg.
One side flat (you should round of sharp edges), one side Pein (tapered). 
These hammers are dead cheap in the local DIY, but buy a good quality there, since it need to be proper hard.









Other hammers.
You will slowly get a collection of hammers, smaller for details, larger for some blows, round for shaping and so on, but just start with the 1000g, the rest will find you.









More safety, goggles and sound protection.
I wear glasses, so I don't use goggles, but I do use ear muffs, when working longer time.









Wire brush, to clean of the anvil and the steel, when scales come from the heating.
(Oxidation occurs during the heating process, as air contacts the steel. This process creates what blacksmiths call scale or slag. ... Scale that is left on the steel during forging forces the scale into the steel, leaving a mark on the piece. The greater the scale build up, the less attractive the finished piece. Wicki).









A magnet.
When you harden the metal in the oil, it should be cherry red and non magnetic, this critical temperature can be found by heating the metal and finding the spot / color, where it stops being magnetic.
I made this magnet on a arm, so my fingers are away from the hot iron.









At least one tong.
Yes I think you need a good tong, not too heavy and with a good length, to keep your hands away from the fire.
This one is my favorite, I use it for almost every thing.









These polygrip guys are just wonderful, when you need a good hold, but your fingers are close to the heat.









Ohhh yes, if you have a wood floor, then some metal plates on top.
You will drop red hot metal and it will burn holes in your floor in an instant - trust me…
These are aluminum and cost almost nothing at the local crap yard, but any kind will do, or at least buy you time.









Here the stand again.









Quick and dirty.









Extra tools holders. Smiles.









I also often use a little guy like this, just for bends and other detailed work, or just when I need to rotate the hot iron in the tong.









A punch is a good friend for marking.









Different kinds and shapes of metal to use as anvil, when getting into odd shapes.
Here a shoemaker anvil.









Finally a vice, a real leg vice is the best, but just a small one like this will do the job.









So I think that's it, I'll add to it, if I remember more, but this should be what you need to get started.
In many of my other posts, you can read about the hardening and other advice and I still have a few old blogs ready for posting, that will come as I find time.

You can read more in my block series: https://www.lumberjocks.com/mafe/blog/series/14506

To get started and to get advice or inspiration, I can highly recommend the videos of Black Bear Forge, this guy is a wonderful teacher and have a way of removing the magic and making it into something easy: 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdOM6Qc53TcWuExrnDLVjXg/videos
He have videos explaining all the tools and how to make a lot of projects and tools your self.

Hope it can be to some inspiration or even better, inspirer some to get started making their own woodworking tools.

*Best thoughts,*

MaFe


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Blacksmiths basics - you don't need a lot.*
> 
> *Blacksmiths basics*
> you don't need a lot.
> ...


My favorite part "by beating up some steel and shaping it"


----------



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Blacksmiths basics - you don't need a lot.*
> 
> *Blacksmiths basics*
> you don't need a lot.
> ...


Nice set up you have there Everything you need to make tools..and harden them!

cheers, Jim


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Blacksmiths basics - you don't need a lot.*
> 
> *Blacksmiths basics*
> you don't need a lot.
> ...


Thank You so much!


----------



## Sylvain (Jul 23, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Blacksmiths basics - you don't need a lot.*
> 
> *Blacksmiths basics*
> you don't need a lot.
> ...


very interesting.
When they replaced the tramway rails near my house, I asked and received something about 40 cm long they had cut to trim the length of a rail section.

On the to do list


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Blacksmiths basics - you don't need a lot.*
> 
> *Blacksmiths basics*
> you don't need a lot.
> ...


Hi,
Don, big smile.
Jim, yes that's how we like it.
lew, thank you. 
Sylvain, how wonderful.
Thank you guys,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*

*Froe for splitting wood 2*
The disaster…

First part: https://www.lumberjocks.com/mafe/blog/129354









The first part of the blog ended here, with this picture of my finished frog and me really happy.
But also with this text: Hmmm perhaps I should harden it… and make a sheath… and….
This was where things went wrong… 
First of all a froe is not supposed to be sharp, then it will cut into the wood, instead of splitting it, so after sharpening I rounded the edge again. First lesson learned.









Then this!
I also wanted to do the hardening and to try to be a real sword maker, where the edge should be harder than the back and this should give strength and flexibility. Great idea…
Naaaaaa…
Not dipping it in cold water, while red hot… Idiot, yes I do call my self that, in this case.
But I'm a lesson more clever, tried something new.
Now I know that this steel, cant take that.
(I have been fighting a lot with that sled runner steel, I begin to think it's not really suited for the purpose, or at least I haven't completely cracked the code for the hardening yet).
But quite interesting to see what happened to the fro - no it cant be fixed.









So now I had two choices:
A: Sit down crying and feel sorry for my self.
B: Pick a new piece of steel and forge my self a new fro.
I choose B and I could see that muscle memory is a fact.









This time I was much better and faster at making the eye.









Welded and finished up.









Froe got it's shape hammered out.
Then with a file and a band sander it got it's final shape and a sharpening and then rounding of the cutting edge.









Hardening in oil, this time the full length in pre heated oil and the an hour in the oven at 200°C.









Had to make my self a taller oil canister.









Time for testing.









It fits right in.









And it works perfectly well.









Let's make something useful.









Hmmmmmmm…









A little mallet, so I will not beat up my other mallets on the hard edge.
Notice the bicycle tubing…









None slip handle and sheath, from bicycle tubing.
Now ready for years of use.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, perhaps a lesson learned…

*Best thoughts,*

MaFe


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


WOW! That eye came out beautifully!

Well done my friend!


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


cool project. I've made a few of these. I do not typically harden a froe. I've made a couple shingle froes as well. Here is the shingle froe post https://bladesmithing.timetestedtools.net/knife-6-kindling-froe/


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


we live and learn. I had a similar experience recently https://bladesmithing.timetestedtools.net/knife-56-forged-hunter-broke-cold-forging/


----------



## Druid (Sep 30, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


Well done.
Thanks for posting.


----------



## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


Very GOOD!

Nice job!


----------



## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


Another fascinating journey. Well done and thanks for bringing us along for the ride.


----------



## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


nice work my friend.


----------



## TraditionallySpeakin (Feb 9, 2019)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


Looks great. I love the bicycle tubing idea. I wonder if that type of rubber will turn sticky in time with use and age?


----------



## NickyMac (Feb 17, 2020)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...





> It fits right in.
> 
> - mafe


This photo is absolutely stunning and should be framed and hung on the wall.. if you had the space!

Great work! Cheers

Nick


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


Hi guys,
Lew, Thank you, my hands learn slowly the black smithing also, muscle memory I think it's called, so it becomes more and more fun to do it. Smiles my friend.
Don, Your speed is amazing, now I will need to make a shingle froe also. ;-) Laughs. Really fine work you do. Auuuchhh I see I'm not the only one…








Here my latest knife, it broke in the making, but got fixed, twice.
(I made a knifemaking workshop for some friends, it was great fun, will post ).
Druid, thank you, a pleasure, thanks for leaving word., it does make a difference 
Joe L, smiles thanks.
Swirt, so happy to have you back on the ride. Thanks.
Pottz, thanks my friend, smiles.
TraditionallySpeakin, I like to use the bicycle tubing for many things and often for simple sheaths, for working knifes also. Thank you. I have never seen it fall apart, but it might break in time…
NickyMac, laughs, it is my wall, so I don't need to hang it there. Smiles, thank you for the kindness, I have to admit my tool wall makes me happy every day I come to the shop. 
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## DavePolaschek (Oct 21, 2016)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


Nice froe, Mads! And the tubing on the handle of the beetle is a great idea. I should stop by the local bicycle shop and see if I can get an old tube or two.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Froe for splitting wood 2 - The disaster...*
> 
> *Froe for splitting wood 2*
> The disaster…
> ...


Thanks Dave,
I never trash the old tubes, use them for a lot of purposes, they are also great elasticbands.
Best houghts,
Mads


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*

*Tools and a knifes*
wonderful day with a good friend.

Hi,
Thought it would be good to keep my brain busy and give you all a chance to do the same, now where the COVID-19 is putting the world under it's spell, so I'll give you a little walk back in time, to the summer (it's winter in Denmark now), where I spend a wonderful day with my friend Flemming at his little man cave in the Copenhagen harbour, fooling around with some tools, steel and fire.

At the moment, I'm in voluntary quarantine in my home, with all the influenza symptoms, for the fifth day, but I feel, I'm getting better by the hour.
If it is COVID… I might never know, they stopped testing now…









Just as a teaser, here the Iron age inspired knife I did that day.









But first we got lucky!
It was a wonderful sunny day and when we drove down to the harbour, the local tool store had a birthday party, where they offered free hot dogs, so we brought a few and started unpacking some tools.









My friend Flemming had brought a bunch of hammers, he wanted to improve or restore, as well as a few knife blades he wanted to reforge a wee bit.









Started the day, by going into destruction mode, with an angle grinder, on a bricklayers lump hammer, I had bought for the purpose…









Cutting down 45° to the face and 50° or so outwards. 
As you can see, I had marked up roughly, with a Sharpie first.









In the meanwhile Flemming were quietly sanding on a hammer head, wearing ear protection, to be able to stand my company - sometimes I wonder, if my GF also need a pair…









We helped each other clean up some old hammer heads and give them a fresh surface, so they will not leave marks in the metal they hit.









So here my new 45° peen hammer, next to my normal cross peen hammer, both cleaned up and ready for use now.
The 45° peen hammer can be wonderful to get a relaxed working arm position, while stretching steel on the anvil. As I have chronic pain, from my neck down my arm, I do all I can to avoid working in odd positions, so I looked forward to try it out.









I haven had it on the scale, but my guess it, that it's just over a kilo now.
It's a little too heave for long time, with an untrained arm, but ok for me, when I take it easy and listen to the body. (Some days, I can work an hour or two when lucky, otherwise it can be minutes on a bad day…).









Lets get to it.
Here we are using the workbench we made, last time we were here, with a blacksmiths leg vice and my anvil today, is a piece of square metal rod and and a short round solid.









Hot cutting a piece of car spring coil, with a bricklayes chisel.









Flemming and the propane forge are firing up now.
In the left you see my old anvil, that was one he had given me, so I gave it back, when I got my new one back in the work shop.









Here I have stretched out the car spring coil and made the rough shape of the blade.
The new hammer worked great for stretching, but I used the old for shaping, it's in the hand now…









The small forge, I really love these, this one is Flemmings, he bought one just like mine.









Here he is, hammering away on a blade.









Flemming:
Just beat it!
Just beat it!
Uhhhhhhhhhhh!









I my self went for the rough shape of the knife.
From here, it's all about finding the curves, fine tapping and tuning until you are pleased, or as close as your skills can take you by now.









I had also brought with me, the new froe, it needed the last touch up and a clean symmetric edge.
Here rough grinding, then with sanding flaps, finer and finer, once the shape is there.









Not completely happy with the straightness, close but no cigar…









In the forge for some heat.









Working hairs, so get it just right, with a smaller hammer, I like this type for the details, I actually bought it for Japanese woodworking, but it now serves both purposes.









I like Flemmings picture of me here, mad man focus.









So from this, to this.
Piece of broken off car coil spring - to knife.









I'm pleased with the curves.
After it was shaped, it got cleaned up with a file, sandpaper in grits 80-1000, hardened in oil, fine grids again on the edge so the metal shines through.









Back home baking it an hour in the oven.









Left to cool down.
Notice the short froe, it was the last piece of the one that exploded, I decided to make it into a short version, instead of trash.









Here in the kitchen after sharpening, it seems fine and there are a fine spring in the steel.









Thanks for watching and going down the memory lane with me.

Hope it can be to some inspiration, or at least distraction, in these worried times.

*All my best thoughts, to you and yours*

MaFe


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Thanks, Mads, for helping take my mind off of the constant bombardment of doom and gloom.

I pray that your own illness is just a bit of a cold and nothing more.

Take care my friend.


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## DavePolaschek (Oct 21, 2016)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Thanks for the update and I'm glad you're feeling well enough to write.

We're staying close to home ourselves, but it's easy when we have sunsets like this to look at:


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Like that little forge, tempted to buy one myself as soon as I can find a decent affordable anvil.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Excellent work


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Cool post buddy. Hope all mm is well.


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## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


I like it Mads. Working with a friend. Good companionship plus throwing ideas off each other = great.

-Madts.


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## rotorgeek (Jan 21, 2020)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Thanks for sharing. Never tried blacksmithing but I like watching you do it. Lovely little knife.

Wishing you and yours the best. Be well.

-Mike


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## NickyMac (Feb 17, 2020)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Beautiful!

Cheers


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## 489tad (Feb 26, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Fun stuff. It looked like a great day. I like the style of the knife.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Hi LJ's,
First an update, I'm today with no fever and feeling good again, it was a flu for sure and took 5-6 days of fever, but it did not get into infections in the lungs, just a lot of heavy breathing and coughing - if it was COVID-19 ? I'll never now, except if get ill again, then it was probably just the normal influenza… really a strange time we are in now.
People here in Denmark, seems to slowly understand the serious aspect of it, so they stay home.
I send all my thoughts to all of you, all over the planet, wish you all the best and that we may soon look back at this time and say what the f… just happened!
Stay well.

Lew, yes it's a strange mix between dooms day and naaa it's just an influenza hype. Take it serious, many life will be lost now, because of those who don't. I send you all my best thoughts and thank you for your prayers.

Dave, wauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! what a view, stay home as long as you can, no reason not to. Smiles and thanks for your kind words.

Andre, you should, it's lots of great fun.

Don, thanks, you know what it takes, I have seen your fine work.

Ken, smiles. Yes all is well for now.

Madts, Thanks. Some of the finest moments are often those, working with a friend on different parts or projects, the special atmosphere.

rotorgreek, Thanks for looking by and the kind words. It's great fun and you relatively quickly learn the basics, not at all scarry and so forgiving. So go for it if you get the chance.

NickyMac, Thank you! Cheers.

489tad, The style are historic, people often call them 'Viking woman knife', but that's wrong. They are great fun to make, because you test some of the basic skill sets needed for the trade. It was a great day, I even smiled making the blog.

Thank you all for the kind thoughts, this really warms my heart.
The best of my thoughts goes back,
Mads


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## DavePolaschek (Oct 21, 2016)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Glad you're feeling better, Mads! I had to go to the bank and the grocery store today, but now we're good for a while. Hoping my shop will get finished this week. The contractors are still keeping busy putting on the final touches.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


It will be great if the shop is ready, so you can use the time, for moving in.
Smiles.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


with all the crap going on in the world it's a nice break youve takin us on,love to read your stories and all the pic's that you put with it.those hot dogs are making me hungry-lol.


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Only just seen this as my LJ notifications have stopped working again. Unless I stumble across things, I miss them.

So glad to hear you are feeling better Mads. We are just starting the upwards slope of the bell curve here, so we are expecting the number of COVID-19 cases to rise dramatically and unfortunately the number of deaths. I am lucky that I live near a national park and can get some exercise without any fear of meeting someone who is contagious. From this weekend, anyone over the age of 70 has been asked to self-isolate for an extended period. My parents are in their late 80s so I will be setting up online shopping for them. Both of my neighbours are in their 70s too, so I'll also be keeping an eye on them.

The human race hasn't seen anything like this since the Spanish flu of 1918, so stay informed, stay safe and don't take any unnecessary risks.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Hugs Andy, I'll pm you also saw the mail,
Yes this is truly a serious wake up call and we are lucky, it's a relatively mild virus, imagine Ebola with this speed…
You are a good man, to help out like that. My mother has isolated her in her apartment, she's really afraid as she sufferers from reparational and heart problems… She made me laugh, I spoke to her and she said she does all the things needed, then I asked her what she did today and she reply; I went to the bakery, you need some proper cakes… I tried to explain you don't need cakes, it's luxury, she highly disagreed. So I tried to explain her, that she should imagine having paint on her fingers and every where the paint would appear, this would be where there were a risk. She found that clever. 
Best of my thoughts.


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


That is a good analogy Mads. Maybe I can try that on my dad who refused my offer to set up online shopping for him and instead went to the supermarket in person pushing my mum in a wheelchair. I've asked my sister to try to get him to see reason because he won't listen to me.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Brit, my mom wouldn't put her accounting on a computer even before we had internet. She didn't want anyone stealing her stuff. I gave up trying to convince her they could actually steel paper too, but she didn't get it.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

mafe said:


> *Tools and a knifes - wonderful day with a good friend*
> 
> *Tools and a knifes*
> wonderful day with a good friend.
> ...


Smiles Andy, I can see the picture for me. There's also something wonderful about this, that special nerve of the war generatin. Try.

Laughs Don, she might have told you Corona comes from the internet virus… I told you so! Laughs.

Good we can laugh about it all also, a good smile brings energy and optimism.

Best thoughts guys,
Mads


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