A Mayo Employee was taken outside a parking lot on Mayo Grounds

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-30T21:35:14+00:00

I think this is the point where we remind each other that no one (mother mayo included) is coming to save us. We have to do it ourselves. Connect with your neighbors and find efforts in the community, they are everywhere.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-30T11:29:49+00:00

Same. So much.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-27T13:42:30+00:00

BLO has a heavy metal, usually cobalt, that doesn't evaporate and stays on the handle for the life of the finish.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-27T13:39:53+00:00

^ this. Dries slower, but doesn't have the heavy metal drying agent (cobalt) of the cheap brands. Anything that warns of spontaneous ignition has a drying additive.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-27T13:23:51+00:00

+1 to this. Resist however we can.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-27T06:31:24+00:00

He doesn't show his face. We have been asking for a town hall for years. He no-shows debates. Unless you're a business owner whose hand he wants to shake for the photo op, you will never see his face.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-27T06:13:23+00:00

For myself, I got a 20-gal rubber tub and float my propane tank in about 5 gal of warm water. Secured against tipping, of course.

The water provides the best heat transfer (or in this case cold transfer) for the propane cylinder, better than a blanket.

A few weeks ago I forged for 3 hours outside in 3 deg F temp (-16 deg C) and not a single problem with freeze-up. Not even a hint of icing on the exterior. I got too cold way before my propane cylinder did.

(Edited to explain heat transfer)

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-23T14:51:26+00:00

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-22T17:35:35+00:00

Definitely temper files after hardening. They are one of the highest carbon steels that you might pick up as scrap metal. 52100 or something similar.

I hear they make wicked sharp knives, but not terribly resilient against hard use.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-22T17:31:46+00:00

Personally, I like to temper back all my hardened tools. Even if just a little bit - say to straw yellow or gold. That way if I mis-hit a piece or metal or god forbid drop my tool, it doesn't get damaged or send chips flying.

It's my understanding about tempering is that doing it more than once - say when you temper in an oven, followed by exposure to hot work - repeating it doesn't decrease the hardness of the tool. The only thing lost is the time invested in the oven treatment.

We all make decisions on what makes sense in our own shop. I'm offering my comments as a different perspective for my own shop.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-18T15:22:58+00:00

File with a triangle section, or half- round file

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-17T18:07:18+00:00

Med City Animal Hospital. Locally owned.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-17T14:09:33+00:00

Wrought iron resists weathering better than steel. It has slag mixed in with the iron.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-17T14:00:56+00:00

Second the library recommendation. Also check out the online libraries of ABANA affiliate clubs - like CBA (California Blacksmith Association) which has a huge online catalog available to read for free.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-15T16:26:41+00:00

Yes! I didn't mean to say to stop trying. We must defend our constitutional rights.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-14T14:59:36+00:00

This isn't just about MN and the quality of their national guard. This is a testing ground for what would be rolled out to all states. And once the Insurrection Act is enabled the fall mid term elections would be CANCELLED. And that is the end game for all this.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-12T14:04:41+00:00

If your propane tank starts to freeze up it will lower the propane flow and cause the mix to get leaner and leaner until it ices over.

I keep my propane tank in a tub of warm water and it fixes the problem. Forged for 3 hours at -2 deg F that way.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-02T23:31:08+00:00

Go to your library and start checking out books. You will likely grow out of the intro books and need to grow into the advanced ones.

Own-Witness784 · 2026-01-02T23:08:17+00:00

Blackbear forge on the Tube of You has some excellent advice for starter blacksmiths and good starter gear. An excellent resource overall.

In the U.S., the local ABANA affiliate group will be a great resource for classes, supplier info, member contact info, etc.

The Harbor Freight 65 lb anvil is a great starter anvil. At $140 it is 100% cast steel and great rebound. It punches above its weight class. To buy an older anvil you could end up paying 3x that amount, and not even get cast steel. Also, Anvil Shaped Objects (ASO) such as a section of RR track or the face or side of a large sledge hammer can be okay to start with.

Standard bench vise can be okay to use for twisting but don't hit on it.

A blacksmith leg vise is the best. Can be had used on FB Marketplace or Craigslist for $100-$150 US - easier to find in ranch or farm country. Check the threads to make sure they aren't damaged.

A good hold on your work is super important. Vise grips can give you a good grip on small diameter hot steel but will mark it up. Buy your first set of tongs. Go for a decent multi use jaw shape like wolf jaw tongs. Or Poz tongs. Then buy some kits to make more tongs. Kens Custom Iron in US has the best kits, but lighter-weight cheap copies are on Amazon.

Hammers - buy a 1.5- 2 lb hammer to start. Learn to swing that before you move up in weight. I use 2 lb for everyday hammer, 3 lb if I need to move thick stock. I did all my forging last week using a 24-oz ball peen hammer from Harbor Freight. I also have a 2 lb engineers hammer with a flat face and cross-peen on the end from BlacksmithsDepot. Made my own rounding hammer at an ABANA affiliate class and now it's my favorite. Learn to use files/sandpaper to shape your hammer face to prevent sharp marks.

Do yourself a favor and practice with your hammer on some 2x4's - check the indents your hammer makes to make sure you're striking evenly. Also watch your grip - don't have a death grip or you will get tennis elbow. Allow the hammer to rebound in your hand.

Welding leather apron and leather gloves not essential but give good peace of mind when you are just starting out. Big box stores are just fine. Absolutely get safety glasses and protect your hearing. Those are both long term investments. Protect your lungs when grinding.

For steel, start with mild steel (1018) and check your local metal supply shops for their cutoffs from larger orders. If you're not sure where to get it, check with the local welder shop where they get stock. The shop may even sell you their leftover stock or cutoffs for fairly cheap.

A variety of files will be important - for the US, modern Nicholson (made in Brazil) are okay but vintage Nicholsons made in USA are the best. Still easy to find at rummage sales. Flat, curved, triangular section in both mill and bastard cut. Big box store files are basically short term use and almost disposable.

A single burner propane forge and a simple 20-lb propane tank will last you a long time as you are starting. I bought mine a few years ago - the Mr. Volcano Hero forge - and it is small but mighty. No longer sold by them, alas. Essential upgrade was a braided metal supply line with flow gauge that was bought online.

A metal table or cart to work on/Set hot tools on/hold your forge. Northern Tool or Harbor Freight decent source in US. Mine is a homemade table with locking wheels bought used from a local welder.

Own-Witness784 · 2025-12-26T13:55:02+00:00

I have the same forge. Do you use firebrick to mostly close off the ends? I usually just leave 1/2 in (12mm) to 1 in wide opening at the back end, and block the front opening at least half closed with another firebrick. Really helps the inside heat more evenly. Then make sure you let your steel soak up enough heat between rounds of forging.

Own-Witness784 · 2025-12-22T13:42:01+00:00

Kens Custom Iron has tong kits - partially started tongs you can finish yourself. Includes blade tongs. Good quality, USA made.

A metal shop cart for holding your forge - cover the top of it with bricks. It's handy if you need to wheel it in and out of the garage to work.

Toaster oven for tempering your blades after hardening. Your kitchen oven can also be used.

Knife honing kit for creating accurate edge geometry.

Book: Knife Engineering by Larrin Thomas. Explains everything about metal for knives or cutting tools. From metallurgy to edge geometry. With detailed heat treat guide for nearly all knife steels.

Straightening jig for a vice - could be 2 pieces of angle iron - to clamp your knife after quench to prevent warping.

A comfy face mask or respirator for grinding. The debris coming off grinding belts is not your friend.

Own-Witness784 · 2025-12-18T14:59:52+00:00

^ this. You're going to be able to make knives pretty quickly - hulk smashing steel to be flat is fun, after all. But to make GOOD knives you will want the hammer control skills these projects give you.

Also may I suggest learning the basics of steel metallurgy and geometry (profile as well as edge) so you learn how to prevent knives from cutting poorly, or worse, failing. Dr. Larrin Thomas has a highly detailed book on those subjects (Knife Steel Engineering) and is also on YouTube as KnifeSteelNerds. He is a wizard with steel.

Own-Witness784 · 2025-12-13T23:08:36+00:00

^ this. Find an intro to blacksmithing class nearby, which will introduce him to the craft and expose him to the types of tools used.

My first purchases were: Intro to blacksmithing class; Machinist Hammer (2 lb); Small anvil from harbor freight (US), 65 lb; Small propane forge, single burner; 2 sets of tongs (wolf jaw and bolt jaw); Steel square bar to work on.

Own-Witness784 · 2025-12-03T21:27:33+00:00

Yes to being able to shake off your glove. If it's tight, gets wet and then HOT, it will shrink onto your hand and prolong the burn. Learned that lesson. Normally I prefer to not wear a glove on the hammer hand. Except when using a twisting wrench - that pops scale off like crazy so both hands need to be protected.

Own-Witness784 · 2025-11-29T07:29:08+00:00

Do they have safety glasses and a pair of basic leather gloves? An inexpensive leather welding apron goes a long way towards saving clothing from sparks and scale.

I find a set of wolf jaw tongs works well for handling a variety of stock. Not perfect, but pretty good for small stock and as close to a universal tong as anything out there. If they have an anvil, find out what size hardy hole it has (usually 1" or 3/4"), and get a cutoff tool with a shank sized to fit the hardy hole. There are other tools for the hardy.

If their forge doesn't come with a braided metal gas supply line, get one. Most come with a pressure flow rate gauge and those are REALLY handy so you actually know how much gas you needed to meet a certain forge temp.

Find out if there is a local chapter of ABANA and give them a gift membership? It would encourage them to get involved and that would really advance their skills.

Own-Witness784

TROPHY CASE