Forging a chisel

**Andy Mac** · 25th February 2006, 05:13 PM

Hi there,
A mate dropped his old forge off for me to have a look at, reckoned it wasn't working too well. I did a few things like replace the grate (tuyere); braced the fire box up with some angle iron; sealed the area between the blow pipe and the underside of the grate; and greased the gears. After that I thought I'd better give it a test run

so took some piccies as I went.
First here's the forge, a standard old portable thing. A fire of charcoal is set, but I should have crushed and screened the charcoal, its too big.

Cheers,

**Andy Mac** · 25th February 2006, 05:17 PM

Next is a shot of the steel to be worked, its a length of new annealed spring stock, 12mm, probably 1095 grade. I intend making a chisel, so that's more than enough.

**Andy Mac** · 25th February 2006, 05:22 PM

I have now roughly forged the round bar into a rectangle, and its too long, so here I'm in the process of cutting it off on the hardy. The steel should be a good forging temp to do this, partially cut through one side with a good blow, then flip it and cut from the other. The final bit is snapped off by working it back and fwd...don't hammer right down onto the hardy or it will be ruined. My hardy is home made, from a section of truck leaf spring.
Note the scale all over the anvil, it should be swept off before next work, otherwise it imbeds in the work.

**Andy Mac** · 25th February 2006, 05:29 PM

Here's the rough chisel starting to take shape. I have necked down the tang area, but any wider section (the bit that bears against the handle) will be added, not forged. A swage setup is needed to do that properly, and I haven't got one. I am intending to make a bevelled skew chisel, so have hammered the rough bevel,down the sides and the cutting bevel at the end. Further work will be grinding and filing, before heat treatment. The blank is now cooling slowly in the charcoal and ashes, hopefully will be soft enough tomorrow for filing.
I'll post more picks as I go...although I don't reckon the heat treatment colours will show with a flash!

Cheers,

**DanP** · 25th February 2006, 05:50 PM

keep 'em coming...

**Schtoo** · 25th February 2006, 07:42 PM

What Dan said.

Waiting with baited breath...

**Clinton1** · 25th February 2006, 07:47 PM

What Schoo said.

Although I have had the pleasure of handling and using some of Andy's other work. Nyarr nyarr!

**Pat** · 25th February 2006, 08:18 PM

Clinton - you are not nice to tease us like that

Andy, wot the boys have been saying, keep'em coming!

**Auld Bassoon** · 25th February 2006, 10:12 PM

Fascinating stuff - looking forward to the unfolding.

BTW, that forge looks very similar to one a chap I once knew had back in Jersey; on his, the hand-operated blower was an old WWII air-raid siren blower!

**Driver** · 25th February 2006, 11:05 PM

Great thread, Andy! (Have a greenie!)

Looking forward to learning more.

Col

**JDarvall** · 25th February 2006, 11:25 PM

Same here too.....How you'll attach the handle should be interesting....you gonna burn it into the tang ?

Thanks Andy.

**Andy Mac** · 26th February 2006, 10:48 AM

Thanks for the interest. I've been itching to get back onto it, but no progress so far today. Had a very productive day yesterday, with this forging, plus: I cut the old Renault in half with a big angle grinder, readying for an exhibition; and I machined up an adaptor to take worn down cut-off wheels from the big grinder onto the little one. Also a quick bit of gardening and household repairs...Phew!
However today my wife's running a market stall, so I've got the household, including young Loki, & he's too young for the shed!
The handle is a while off yet, no use stampeding there yet 'Tripper

. I have some seasoned Mulga which I'd like to experiment with on the lathe, maybe it'll do. I usually drill a pilot hole and heat up the tang before ramming it home.

Cheers,

**Al B** · 26th February 2006, 12:17 PM

Good stuff Andy, thanks for sharing it with us. As the others have said keep em coming.

**Wood Butcher** · 26th February 2006, 12:37 PM

Dammit, I was thinking of going for a drive to your place yesterday too.

Fascinating watching the process Andy and I look forward to the rest of the piccys. One day I will have to learn how to do forge work... one day!

**JDarvall** · 26th February 2006, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

...... Had a very productive day yesterday, with this forging, plus: I cut the old Renault in half with a big angle grinder, readying for an exhibition.....

Come again !? .....you CUT a renault in half ! ....your talking about a car ? right ?.... Bloody hell, and I thought I was reckless with angle grinders.....oh, I like you Andy...:eek: oh, not in that way,,,I mean,,,, uno,,,, I like the way you cut cars in half....

.

I want to see pictures of that car.....and that grinder......AND all the carnage you caused to....

.....and the chisel of course.

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