Good day to all from the Fingerlakes,
My name is Ben Erway, but I often go by "Banjo" here and there. I am pretty green to bladesmithing. I just started collecting blacksmithing tools this last spring, and have been really enjoying learning some basics of the craft. I was able to acquire an old Buffalo rivet forge and a decent useable anvil, a pair of tongs and a post vice, and started having fun. Then I decided that I should give an old acquaintance a call to get some tips to add to all the books I had been reading. So I went to see MS Ray Smith at his shop, where he was very welcoming and willing to offer any advice he could.
So it just progressed from there. The bladesmithing is a beautiful traditional craft/art, and is a more focused goal than general blacksmithing, so I have started on the path of learning the craft. my goal at the moment is to keep improving, and be ready to take the Journeyman's test when my time is up. From there I'd love to make MS, but I'm keeping this one step at a time.
Ray gave be a set of instructions to build a Peot style Gas-forge, which I completed a couple of months ago. I'm still trying to dial it in as I only get about 30 minutes before the 20# propane tank I have freezes up and loses pressure. Despite that I have successfully made one knife so far. It was cut from an annealed lawn mower blade, shaped mostly by stock removal, then heat treated in the gas forge. I will try to get some pics uploaded soon to share.
Right now I am working on #2. a dagger style blade with a hidden tang. This one is from the same mower blade, but I forged the rough shape, and now am starting the grinding/shaping.
I'm sure I will have dozens of stupid newbie questions, but this looks like the group that can answer them all. Thanks for reading through my novel. I hope to be able to meet many of you at future events.
Cheers!
Ben "Banjo" Erway
And a good day to you Ben. Sounds like you are on the right track,and it is good to have a master smith close to you. Many do not. You might try getting a 100 lb. propane bottle,that is what I use on my
vertical forge with no freeze ups. Hope you have fun.
Anthony Griggs
Hello Ben and welcome. I will second Anthony on the larger propane tank. I use a 100lb tank and no freeze ups. Sounds like you are off to a good start. Welcome again.
Brion
Brion Tomberlin
Anvil Top Custom Knives
ABS Mastersmith
Thanks Gents,
I'm sure you're right about the tank. It's all a matter of $$$$. I think a hundred pounder is going to be high on the "need to get" list.
Hello Ben, good to hear you caught the bladesmith bug. I rent my 100 pounder for 56 dollars a year which i find reasonable at this time. You might try a manifold though to connect two or more 20 pounders if the 100 is just not gonna happen. Then your only out the cost of some hose and fittings.well and the 20s of course. Not to harp on ya or anything, but there are enough variables to make a man go mental especially when heat treating especially early on in your endeavor without having to worry about frozen gas flow. At least that was my experience. Any way take care and happy forging.
Jesse Bartram
Welcome to the ABS and Forum Banjo. You definitely came to the right place!
Ok. I'm gonna try to post a few pics. Here is one of my first knife. Salvage lawn mower blade, and some scrap walnut. Mainly just stock removal, and I cut out the profile on a band saw. After heat treat I had the blade tested, and it read 55 Rockwell about mid-blade. It is by far not perfect, or the prettiest thing, but I was happy with it for a first attempt.
first knife post by banjoben42, on Flickr
Welcome to the forums Ben! I think most of us went through our time of doing battle with the #20 cylinders......then I went to #100s, then to a 120 gallon tank, and finally got the right idea and went to a 300 gallon tank. Its saved me a bunch of money other the years. Although its sometimes tough to write a tank fill check for $600+, I only do it once every 14-16 months with the 300 gallong tank..... I was spending that every 4-5 months when I was using #100 bottles.
Ed Caffrey, ABS MS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
www.CaffreyKnives.net
Hello Ben and welcome I'm pretty new here also. I use a 20 gallon propane tank as well I found putting it in a tub with some water helps with that freeze up. Gilbert
