From thought to fire in steel

[jay-t]

Pantyfanatic has been after me for a year now to start this thread,so we will see how it goes. For those that don't know me I've been blacksmithing for over 10 yrs making what some say are prettys ,and sharp and pointies..The first 2pics are where it all starts.

[jay-t]

candle holder

[jay-t]

This last summer we went to S Dakota to the Crazy Horse monument.

[jay-t]

Lord Snow you might like these.

[Lilith]

I am seriously crazy for iron. The candle holders are so beautiful. Sexiest thread ever.

[jay-t]

I am seriously crazy for iron.
The candle holders are so beautiful.

Thank you


Sexiest thread ever


I don't know about that I've seen pics of you!

[Lord Snow]

I keep trying to get other people to build me a forge, but no one is willing to. LOL. Not sure if it's because of cost or if it's because they don't trust me with hammers, fire, and subsequently............make sharp, pointy objects.

I do like the look of those axes though. Especially the twisted shaft.

[Oldfart]

Lord Snow, have you thought of flint and bone? No fire but the coolest of knives and axes. Commercial black glass does wonders too.

[dicksbro]

Workmanship is fantastic jay-t. Thank you for sharing your work with us. That Indian shield is amazing. Loved it all.

[Oldfart]

Forgot to mention, great stuff jay-t. I hope you can't hear the envy in my typing. LOL

[gekkogecko]

Pretties, indeed.

[Teddy Bear]

Jay-T i have to agree with everyone who posted before me..... great stuff and i too love the candle holders!!

Thinking back to my childhood, growing up watching westerns with my Dad, (or 'cowboys' as he would say), the blacksmith was always a big muscular hunk of a guy.... usually sweaty and just plain sexy!! mmmmmm.... is that you too Jay-T? ;) :D




Glad you kept after him to post this PF. :)

[Lord Snow]

Oldfart, it's kind of hard to use flint, bone, and obsidian for stage combat weapons.

[Oldfart]

Not at all LS, it just lacks the clash and clang.

[Lord Snow]

Kind of the point though really. Impressive looking moves with the unmistakable ring of steel.

[jay-t]

Thinking back to my childhood, growing up watching westerns with my Dad, (or 'cowboys' as he would say), the blacksmith was always a big muscular hunk of a guy.... usually sweaty and just plain sexy!! mmmmmm.... is that you too Jay-T? ;) :D

Muscular? nope just average size
sweaty and sexy you bet! at least the wife thinks so lol!

[jay-t]

These are a couple of the sharp and pointies we make.
Every March I have a master knife and sword maker come from the frozen north and stay with us until mid June.We set up at a couple of Renn Faires for 6 weeks .

[Teddy Bear]

sweaty and sexy you bet! at least the wife thinks so lol!

mmmmm.... thanks for that image Jay-T. Lucky wife. :)

[jay-t]

A claymore in process

[Lord Snow]

I like the look of that claymore. What are the dimensions on it?

[Teddy Bear]

A claymore in process

Whats a claymore ?

[gekkogecko]

Whats a claymore ?

Either (in this case), a huge, heavy longsword made for the purpose of opening cans (that is, actually penetrating late medieval/early renaissance body armor). Nasty anti-elitist personnel weapon.

Or, a directional land mine named after the sword. The mine is bascially a brick of plastic explosive, backed by a steel plate, and fronted by a large number of steel pellets. Nasty anti-personnel weapon.

[gekkogecko]

We set up at a couple of Renn Faires for 6 weeks .

Which ones?

[Lord Snow]

The claymore sword wasn't just anti-armor. It was anti-cavalry. The blade is usually exceptionally long and heavy, so that when the horses charged they could either set it up to spear the horse's chest or swing it and take out the horse's front legs.

[Oldfart]

The claymore sword wasn't just anti-armor. It was anti-cavalry. The blade is usually exceptionally long and heavy, so that when the horses charged they could either set it up to spear the horse's chest or swing it and take out the horse's front legs.

As an anti-cavalry device, it was inferior to pikestaffs and other "standoff" weapons.

[Lord Snow]

True, but it was more versatile than the pikes/spears. The shaft of a spear would snap under the crashing weight of the horse and rider. Whereas the sword, if swung, would be able to continue the fight.

[Oldfart]

Not if you have a horse sitting on you. The word is "standoff". Many pikes were just sharpened saplings, cheap and disposable.

[Lord Snow]

Still have the chance to get run over and landed on by a horse with a pike. Horse can jump you know. Since the claymore is more maneuverable than a pike which would have to be braced into the ground, if the horse jumps you still have the option of hamstringing it, or going for the rider instead. The force of the blow versus the momentum of the horse would easily knock the heavily armored rider off. He wouldn't be able to get up very fast since his armor would be an extra 150-200 pounds, so he'd be easily taken care of.

Though I think we might have to concede that this is a difference of opinion and just simply agree to disagree.

[Oldfart]

Damn, this was just getting heated (and fun).

We'll wait for the next opportunity.

[Teddy Bear]

Poor horses!!!

[gekkogecko]

Poor horses!!!
Not necessarily. Often, the horses were smarter than the riders, and would balk at charging well-disciplined infantry who looked like they might be armed with pikes.

See, the tactics were such that the pikes would sometimes be hidden in what ever ground cover was available and raised (and braced, like jay-t said) at the last moment as the cavalry charged. Of course, probably just as often the pikes would be presented at the beginning of a battle, as a *deterrent* to such a charge.

In either case, if the cavalry (of varying, but usually much more heavily armored than infantry) really wanted to continue the charge, they would often have to force the horse to do so.

There has never been a case, to my knowledge when medieval cavalry got the best of well-disciplined infantry: i. e. infantry that stood their ground and formation throughout the battle.

However, the well-disciplined part is the kicker: the reputation and reality of medieval knights were such that, infantry, even in a controlled formation at the beginning of a battle, would break and run. In which case, the cavalry has it all over the infantry. Hence, the need for a claymore for the (realitively rich) infantryman: it gave him a somewhat better chance in a one-on-one fight with a better armored cavalryman.

[Lord Snow]

The rich part wasn't always true. With it's heavy use and many varying degrees of large swords, oft times weaponry was retrieved by those that survived. I agree with GG in the well trained aspect. Most times the opposing force for the knights were whatever rabble decided to try a civil war or a more barbaric culture, and subsequently were more interested in their own survival than continuing the fight. Which means they broke and ran and were trampled.

[Oldfart]

To drift off the topic slightly, we get to the argument that a longbowman was better than a arquebus firer in terms of accuracy and rate of fire. A similar circumstance when the Brits met the Amerindians and Oz Aborigines.

[jay-t]

I get a lot of requests for fork and spoons at the faires for dinner with the king and queen

[Lilith]

lovelies

[Oldfart]

Interesting take on the fork.

Is that a historical item copied?

[jay-t]

Yes, I have a friend that goes to Denmark every other year to tour the mesueams looking for artifacts we can reproduce.We also work with a history professor whose expertise is the Viking era.He goes every year to Scandivia for the reinactments of Vikings .
If you would like I will post some tidbits of history of blacksmithing thru the ages.

[Lord Snow]

Oldfart, I can't argue with you on that one. I don't know anything about bowmen, except the English longbow. Unless you want to start with the much more modern day Olympic archery, which I just so happen to be formally (and formerly) trained in.

[Oldfart]

Nah, not many olympic archers at Crecy or Agincourt.

[gekkogecko]

If you would like I will post some tidbits of history of blacksmithing thru the ages.

Please.

[jay-t]

In colonial America it was considered treason for a blacksmith to make iron tools to sale,all iron tools had too be made in England and import taxes paid .In 1774 John Ames of Mass. started making iron shovels .He desinged a very important feature the handle socket that is used to day.Ames shovels are still in business they are sold thru True Value Hardware stores.Since the 1860's Ames shovels were standard issue for troops from the Civil war thru the Korean war.

[Oldfart]

Sounds typical of the period.

[jseal]

In colonial America it was considered treason for a blacksmith to make iron tools to sale,all iron tools had too be made in England and import taxes paid .In 1774 John Ames of Mass. started making iron shovels .He desinged a very important feature the handle socket that is used to day.Ames shovels are still in business they are sold thru True Value Hardware stores.Since the 1860's Ames shovels were standard issue for troops from the Civil war thru the Korean war.
More info in re the Ames shovels please. This is interesting.

[jay-t]

all the colonist had was wooden shovels or wooden shovels with iron bracing between the blade and handle.John Ames design was the curved neck socket that the handle fits in, greatly reducing breakage and increasing leverage.The wooden shovels and early iron shovels used by the colonist had straight handles that broke fairly easy.Jseal I couldn't find a pic of the early wooden shovels but I'll keep looking.

[jseal]

jay-t,

Live and learn! TY.

John

[jay-t]

these are from another thread a while back.




http://pixies-place.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31593

[Lilith]

I love those.

[jay-t]

Since the time of the Vikings until 1940 blacksmiths in Europe have been allowed to perform handfastings (a wedding).As they were considered upstanding and important people in the village.Scotland was the last country to ban weddings by any one other than a priest in 1940!Blacksmithing at Renn. faires we have been ask to preform a symbolic handfasting for a marriage forged in fire and bound by iron.



http://www.langust.ru/review/gretna_g.shtml

[Oldfart]

Wasn't that what Lil told me about shackles in the dungeon, that it was all about love?

[Lilith]

And, is it not?

[themi01]

some day I'll get around to posting some of the iron work my wife's grandfather did

[Oldfart]

And, is it not?

Yes, love.

[wyndhy]

amazing craftmanship jay-t

[jay-t]

Have been posting my work mainly on Facebook.So I thought to finally post some here

[jay-t]

I also do a little wood carving

[Oldfart]

This is so far beyond my ability. I can nail timber together, but this is creativity.

[dicksbro]

I'll second that OF. Jay-T, you do some really nice work. Wow! Thanks for sharing those pics.

[Lilith]

There are no words for how lovely your work is. I still collect iron but have not gotten anything lately. Your work is stunning.

[Teddy Bear]

jay-t,

Very nice things. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Where are the faires you go too?

[jay-t]

Teddy Bear 2 fairs in okla. 1 of them is the largest 3 day free fair in the U.S. they have a gate of almost 400,000 in 3 days.The other one is 5 weekends in May.Then applied for 1 in N.W. Ark. Maybe when I retire I can travel around some to other fairs.

[BIBI]

Love your creations...thanks for sharing with us. :cheers:

[dicksbro]

Jay-T, just looked back thru the pictures you've posted and again, I'm in awe of your talent. Wish we lived closer ... I love to go to one of those fairs and see your work (not to mention meeting you in person). :thumbs:

[jay-t]

I wish you could it would be an honor

[PantyFanatic]

I have one of his 'feathers' and can attest to the craftsmanship. "Craftsmanship" hell! He's an artist in every way. http://serve.mysmiley.net/love/love0030.gif (http://www.mysmiley.net)

[Aqua]

I do not think I have seen this thread prior to this evening. Excellent work!

[Teddy Bear]

This seems to be the best place to ask this....

Daughter and I went to a Flea Market today. Lots of antiques, besides me I mean.
At one table there were a lot of what the man said were 18th century tools.

There was one interesting one that was held and opened/closed by scissor type handles. At the opposite end instead of the scissor blades were half balls. When closed the half balls would form a complete solid ball.

The man had no idea what they were for. He said some one had thought they were used by vets to hold a cows tongue so it could be given medication.

I'm hoping someone might identify what they are.

[Teddy Bear]

OK, look at this picture......

This is NOT what I saw but similar.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SILVER-ALUMINUM-LARGE-MELON-BALL-SCOOP-TOOL-HANDLED-ICE-CREAM-BALLER-/151321554614

The pc is of a melon baller. The tool I saw was older and not aluminum.

The main difference is that the half balls are not scoped out like these are but they are filled in solid.

Any idea what it is used for?

[Oldfart]

Bullet mould?

[Teddy Bear]

No, each half of the ball is filled in solid. Its like they took a solid ball and cut it in half and attached each half to the end things.

[jay-t]

If it was about a foot long they are commercial salad tongs from around 1940's . My wife bought some for me thinking they were for blacksmithing. they also made some with fork ends on it

[Teddy Bear]

They were maybe 6" to 8" long. The half-ball-thingys when together were about an inch in diameter. It was made of iron and quite heavy for its size.

Don't think you'd get much salad using them.

Thanks jay-t

[PantyFanatic]

Bullet mould?
:faint: *WOW* How big are the wheels on your cannon?

[Oldfart]

I'd tell you, but then I'd have to tell you again. LOL.

[Oldfart]

I get the feeling that there may be a heating aspect to these.

[dicksbro]

Darn, I thought this was one of those things TB might use to grab the "SCOTUS" hanging down from some poor guy. :(

(True and False Smut Game ... :D )

[Teddy Bear]

oooooo DB... such an evil mind................. wahahahaha, I love that idea. :D