We can program ourselves to be so scared of something, that it’s a struggle to overcome the programming even when our mind knows that it’s OK. Sticking my hand into the forge and rummaging around is an example of that – I had to force myself to relax and reach inside.
One of the coolest aspects (to me) of mold-making is that we can alter objects in the course of duplicating them.
I’d insert an animated .GIF of MC Hammer doing his thing, but let me try to keep this a bit more sedate.
My friend Jenna K. sent me a package, when she saw that I was casting silver.
Where we left things, my blade was clayed up and standing in the corner drying.
We decided to quench swords in order of length, shortest first.
This is what it looks like when you are correcting the back of the blade.
Nobody got hurt and nothing was permanently damaged. Other than that, the day did not go particularly well. [Read more…]
I stuck a GoPro on the end of the die of a Coal Iron forging press.
Today was all set-up for the big day: quenching. In order to minimize blade bends or change of a stress-riser triggering a crack, the solution is typically Japanese; you simply remove as much asymmetry as you can because that’s what causes the bends.