c/blacksmiths

Read an old book that said blacksmiths used to use urine to quench steel

Found a beat up copy of 'The Village Blacksmith' from 1902 at a yard sale. It had a whole section on how smiths would keep a barrel of stale urine, usually from the local pub, for quenching tools. The ammonia in it was supposed to make the steel harder. I tried it once on a small punch just to see, and honestly, the smell was awful. Has anyone else ever come across this or other weird old quenchants?

2 comments

henrym14•17h ago

Heard a customer call my forged bottle opener 'just a piece of metal'

Made me realize how much the skill behind shaping and tempering gets overlooked now. Anyone else feel like people don't see the work in simple forged items anymore?

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alex_flores24•1d ago

Found a weird trick for getting a clean weld on old wrought iron

I was fixing a 100 year old gate for a client last month, and the wrought iron was full of slag pockets. Every time I tried to weld a patch, it would bubble and spit. After three failed attempts, I remembered my grandpa talking about using borax. I mixed a tiny bit of powdered borax with water into a paste and brushed it on the joint area before heating. The difference was night and day, it flowed smooth and sealed the pits. I've been doing this for 15 years and never tried that old school method before. Anyone else have a go-to trick for welding on antique metal?

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wendy205•1d ago

I saw a blacksmith's mark from 1872 on a gate in Charleston

I was walking through the historic district in Charleston last weekend and stopped to look at an old iron gate. Right there on the hinge, clear as day, was a stamped mark with the initials 'J.H.' and the year 1872. It made me think about how long that piece has been there, holding up through all that weather. The work was simple but really solid, with clean scrolls at the top. Has anyone else found old marks like that and tried to figure out who made them?

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ellis.casey•1d ago

My uncle swore by a water quench for 5160 spring steel and I thought he was nuts

He's been a farrier for 40 years and told me point blank, 'Casey, you'll get a harder edge with water, just move it fast.' Every book and forum post said to use oil for 5160 to avoid cracks. I tried it his way on a camp knife blank last fall, heating it to a bright orange and then plunging it straight into a 5 gallon bucket. The sound was a sharp hiss, not the quiet sizzle of oil. I was sure I'd hear a ping and find a crack, but it came out fine. The file skated right off the edge. I tempered it back and it's held up through a whole season of processing kindling. It made me question a lot of the 'always do this' rules you read online. Has anyone else had a trusted old timer give you advice that went against the grain but worked out?

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granta12•2d ago

I finally tried using a coal forge after years with propane

My granddad's old coal forge sat in the shed for ages. I fired it up last week. The smell, the heat, it felt different. Propane is clean and easy, but coal has a raw touch. This got me thinking about how smiths did things back then. No temp gauges, just eye and feel. What do you all think about old methods versus new?

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jake481•2d ago

I nearly lost my eyebrows quenching a knife yesterday

Yesterday, I was hardening a blade and picked a new oil for the quench. I got the steel to a bright orange heat and plunged it in. Boom, the oil lit up like a bonfire! I scrambled for the fire extinguisher and put it out quick. After that, I found out the oil's flash point was way too low for my heat. Now I double check oil specs before any quench. Has anyone dealt with this before? What oils do you trust for safe quenching?

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wade_dixon51•3d ago

My local scrap yard shut down without warning.

I was in the middle of a big gate project and now I'm stuck. Have to find a new source fast, and prices are way up.

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hugo441•3d ago

Vent: My leaf spring punch cracked after a water quench

I forged a center punch from an old car leaf spring last week. It split straight down the middle when I cooled it too fast. What's the safest quench for spring steel to stop this from happening?

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jake481•4d ago

Showerthought: My noisy anvil actually gets the block talking, not complaining.

Many smiths think loud forging will upset people nearby. I've found that showing folks how it works cuts the tension fast. Last month, a neighbor brought his son over to try it out.

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derekmorgan•5d ago

When a 'decorative' blade spec sheet read like a fighter's wishlist

I never questioned why people wanted what they ordered. Then a regular asked for a piece that was clearly not just art, and it bothered me enough to refuse. Do you ever turn down work based on a gut feeling?

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holly_hill89•7d ago

My anvil survived a freeze thanks to a basic cover

Just draping a heavy cloth over it after work stopped any cracks from forming.

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murphy.barbara•8d ago

TIL why checking oil temp before a quench matters

I was finishing up a small hunting knife in my garage forge last Saturday. Got the blade to a nice cherry red, then dipped it straight into my quench tank. Heard a sharp ping and saw a crack right down the middle. Felt pretty dumb, since I'd just topped up the oil and didn't think to warm it first on a cold day. That ruined piece of steel made me see how it's like my accounting tasks. If I don't double-check my figures before finishing a client file, mistakes happen. Now I make sure to heat my oil to just warm before any quench. Have you ever had a similar wake-up call from a basic step you skipped?

3 comments

fisher.felix•10d ago

My wash drum forge project filled the block with smoke

I wanted to be more green and use leftover metal. So I picked up an old washing machine drum from the sidewalk. Once I heated it in the forge, the paint on it began to melt and smoke. A huge cloud of gray stuff blew all over the place. Someone down the street thought a building was burning and called 911. The fire guys came and just shook their heads at my setup. It was pretty funny after we all realized what happened.

3 comments

susan_torres5•10d ago

Forgot to check my propane tank and it messed up a whole batch

Ngl, I was making hooks and didn't notice the tank was low. The flame died mid-heat, so the metal cooled unevenly. Now all the pieces have weak spots and I have to start over. Honestly, a simple gauge check could have saved me hours.

3 comments

ninasingh•11d ago

Gave up hand bellows for a fan and my forge runs smoother than ever.

I do miss the rhythm, but my arms thank me every day.

3 comments

jakewilliams•12d ago

Serious question, ever burn your hand on a hot piece you thought was cool?

I kept grabbing finished work too soon and getting blisters. Then I saw how cooks tap a pan to check heat, so I started lightly brushing my knuckle against the steel. If I feel any warmth at all, I leave it alone. No more burns since I made that simple change.

4 comments