# Forestry/Logging Blacksmithing Projects



## OlympicYJ (Mar 18, 2013)

So looking at the thread of Gologit's spring board shoes that Metals made gave me an idea to start a thread for members or friends forestry related metal projects. Doesn't have to be forged but I was thinking it could be of tools we've made or friends have made for use in the forestry/logging field. Might be a good way to share ideas and so on. I would think pictures of old forged logging tools for idea purposes would be fair game as well. Not really a thread for antique logging pics since Mr. Bow saw is doing an excellent job with that 

So I'll start off. I made this last summer for spinning plots while I was doing Pre-PCT audits. The company was using hoe handles with a bolt screwed in and ground off for a point. They also used wire covered in electrical tape for a tape ring on the old spencer. I didn't like this as it didn't slide very well and their staffs were on the short side if you were on an uphill. My dad and I dabble in blacksmithing a but. Not real artsy but more of fixing and making tools. So I fired up the forge and made a ring that was one piece but had a split so I could take it off the end of my spencer if or when needed. I then made a staff out of WRC coated in lindseed oil. The point was some pipe with a slug welded in the end of it. Forged it down to a taper and flared the end for fitment of the staff and then had the old man weld a tool steel point on the end. Carved a taper and burned the point on but had to go back and fine tune it to get a tight non wobble fit after a week of use. We also put epoxy in it to achieve this. Also pinned it with a copper pin peened on both sides. We used stainless wire tightened with a special tool on both ends to prevent splitting of the cedar. DF might be a better choice but the cedar is nice and soft to the touch especially with the lindseed oil on it and wont deteriorate with use ver the years. Overall lenght is 5' 2"

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## twochains (Mar 18, 2013)

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I found this hewing ax on my property while cutting trail for cross country moto training. I checked with some old timers and narrowed it down to a fella who's Grandfather was the blacksmith in my area back in 1900. He hand hewn log ties right up till he passed. So this little treasure has been sitting in the woods right beside a hole which used to house a stump for well over 100 years! I was so amped to find it. I have shown it off quite a bit and it always gets alot of props. It was hand forged from one piece. Evidently blacksmith's all had their own style/signature when making these axes and they were either right or left left handed.

(my 10 year old son is holding it)


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## northmanlogging (Mar 18, 2013)

got a pile of these projects littering the premises... have to find the camera and wait till daylight...

My Favorites where a couple of peaveys with tube steel handles, very light and strong, plus they had a little bit smaller jaws then most factory peaveys, worked real good on lots of stuff... left em behind on a job somewhere... haven't had time to build new ones.


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## Gologit (Mar 18, 2013)

This could be a good thread. There's a lot of old time skills here that a lot of people, including me, don't have.

Go to a metal shop some time and ask for springboard shoes. Unless you're on the coast and the shop guys are all old enough to have moss on their north sides, nobody will even know what you're talking about.

Good on you guys.


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## OlympicYJ (Mar 19, 2013)

I know what ya mean Bob. Those spring board shoes got me kind of excited. Me and my dad used to belong to the Northwest Blacksmith Association. Mostly artsy stuff but there were some really talented guys there. Everyone of em could whip out spring board shoes in nothin flat. Allot of knife/sword/axe makers too. I'm planin on making some splitting wedges this summer taboot. May even attempt to make old school steel falling wedges like they used with crosscuts!


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## northmanlogging (Mar 29, 2013)

here's a couple of projects, a set of marlin spikes, and a converted chipper to run off a pto.


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## northmanlogging (Mar 29, 2013)

And this one is what paid for my crummy, the tractor, a few saws...

Its an arch for a 3pt. originally hung a set of tongs off it, but went to a choker with a cable pincher instead, much more secure.View attachment 287442


I know there have been more, like the peaveys and a few other crazy stuff, my set of gaffs for instance but most of them are either long lost, gave away, or grew legs


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## northmanlogging (Mar 29, 2013)

I poked around in the pile looking for something to build a quickie spring board shoe out of, but I must have used up all my 3/16 1/4 plate... and don't feel up to swinging the sledge today... got lots of ugly maple to kill and pack out tomorrow (back yard tree...).


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## OlympicYJ (Mar 29, 2013)

I like the Marlin spikes! Been thinking of attempting a small one myself!


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## northmanlogging (Apr 28, 2013)

So here's my spring board shoes, and my contribution to carbon offsets... Coal is so much more fun to work with than propane...


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## northmanlogging (Apr 28, 2013)

Remember I try not to measure anything in the forge...

Here's my home made pritchel, lost 2 others... and yes it was a railroad spike.


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## jrcat (Apr 28, 2013)

Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?


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## treeslayer2003 (Apr 28, 2013)

twochains said:


> View attachment 285451
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hey that's a neat find, never seen one of those, I have an axe collection some I found in woods along with a steel wedge and a 48" saw blade they used to put up the mill in woods 100 years ago here always see old mill holes :msp_thumbup:


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## bert0168 (Apr 28, 2013)

jrcat said:


> Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?



The pritchel is what he used to punch the square holes in the springboard foot


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## Rounder (Apr 28, 2013)

jrcat said:


> Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?



Mspike makes splicing go a lot easier


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## Metals406 (Apr 28, 2013)

I was gonna ask if you drifted them holes square!

Looks good, get them on some nice tight grained DF. 

You going with a tapered board?


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## northmanlogging (Apr 28, 2013)

I'll probably cop out and go with a 2x6, I could taper it down (I have the technology...) But i prefer function over form.

Marlin spike is a long tapered pin with a flatish tip used to separate strands of cable, so you can stuff another strand of cable though, making a splice...

A pritchel is used for poking holes in hot metal, basically the same as a marlin spike only square and sometimes with a handle. used in conjunction with the pritchel hole on most anvils (the little round one next to the big square one...) once you get good with one it only take 3-5 wacks with a 3 pound hammer to pop a 1/2" square hole in 1/4" plate... hand drilling... takes a bit of time.


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## Metals406 (Apr 28, 2013)

jrcat said:


> Once again for the uneducated ...what is a marlin spike and a pritchel ? Does anyone have a completed spring board they could post a picture of?



There's so many smithing tools to know about, ya best get the lappy and go sit on the crapper and get to reading. 

Punches, drifts, cut tools (hot and cold), pritchel tools, hardy tools, swages (top and bottom), spring swages, swage blocks, hold downs, dogs, etc.

There are purists out there for smithing, and stick to the old school.

There are also more modern smiths, that combine the old and new. Most smiths recognise that if you gave a MIG welder to a smith 100 years ago, he'd wear that sumbeech out before he did another forge weld in his life. :msp_wink:


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## northmanlogging (Apr 28, 2013)

The cutting torch and mig are my friends, many project would have been unsuccessful without those two.

Plasma would be killer but out of my price range, ditto for tig

I don't like the propane forges though, coal is cheaper burns hotter, and contains carbon so you have less carbon loss for making knifes and whatnot, as long as you take care to coke it up first.

Speaking of coke I have whats left of a 20 kilo bag of coke in my shed...

now lets wait and see when the drug dogs show up:msp_biggrin:

But then half the fun of black smith work is beating on hot metal... so the welding and stuff I leave for building stuff, the forge is for making stuff, there is a difference...


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## OlympicYJ (Apr 29, 2013)

We haven't had much luck with forge welding with the propane. Still have some coal but hardly use it. Think when I get home in two weeks I'm gonna disappear into the shop or the woods with the saw for half a day then the next it's to Forks and money makin time.

Good lookin shoes there! Do my eyes decieve or is that a homemade forge I see? What kinda anvil you have there?

Nate, tons and tons of tools but cool how ya can make most you need from just a few!


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## Metals406 (Apr 29, 2013)

OlympicYJ said:


> We haven't had much luck with forge welding with the propane. Still have some coal but hardly use it. Think when I get home in two weeks I'm gonna disappear into the shop or the woods with the saw for half a day then the next it's to Forks and money makin time.
> 
> Good lookin shoes there! Do my eyes decieve or is that a homemade forge I see? What kinda anvil you have there?
> 
> Nate, tons and tons of tools but cool how ya can make most you need from just a few!



That's the first rule of anyone claiming the "blacksmith" moniker. . . You have to have the "tools" to make the tools.

Most of the stuff is written down, then ya have to read it, then you have to apply it. Or you have to learn it from someone who was taught it, or developed it, or relearned it. There are many fine smiths in this country -- I certainly don't/won't claim to be amongst them. There's guys and gals out there that blow my mind with their smithing talents.


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## OlympicYJ (Apr 29, 2013)

I think you need to go to a North West Blacksmith Association conference some time! Prety amazing stuff. Lots of it is artsy but mind blowing. They bring in someone from outside the northwest. One year I remeber the guy was from Italy. Usually an east coast or Old world smith is there as the main demonstrator then a few other demos and some hands on stuff. Swap meet and new tool vendors. Pretty cool stuff. Have you seen the Nimba anvils? Dad's thinkin about joining again so we'll see.


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## northmanlogging (Apr 29, 2013)

OlympicYJ said:


> We haven't had much luck with forge welding with the propane. Still have some coal but hardly use it. Think when I get home in two weeks I'm gonna disappear into the shop or the woods with the saw for half a day then the next it's to Forks and money makin time.
> 
> Good lookin shoes there! Do my eyes decieve or is that a homemade forge I see? What kinda anvil you have there?
> 
> Nate, tons and tons of tools but cool how ya can make most you need from just a few!



Its a russian anvil made for harbor fright... 110# I want a bigger one but they cost lots of money...

The forge itself is a wheel off my uncles jeep... (it was just sitting around... didn't find out until much later it was a special offset deal...) angle iron legs, and a squirrel cage fan with a rheostat to control speed (light dimmer switch). I originally built the forge when I was 11 or so, using wood for fuel and borrowing the blower out of the shop wood stove. It worked just not real well. Once I hit adult hood I could make it to Everrot and buy coal at "Harry's Leather" (not an endorsement...), I'll go all the way to Chehalis to get it now. The rest is a bunch of burned fingers and singed eyebrows.

As far as forge welding goes, patience is my big key. I'm not real good at myself. Propane doesn't always have the heat you need to forge weld. So either seal up the forge better (to keep the heat in) or change fuels. And use gobs of borax.


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## OlympicYJ (Apr 29, 2013)

northmanlogging said:


> Its a russian anvil made for harbor fright... 110# I want a bigger one but they cost lots of money...
> 
> The forge itself is a wheel off my uncles jeep... (it was just sitting around... didn't find out until much later it was a special offset deal...) angle iron legs, and a squirrel cage fan with a rheostat to control speed (light dimmer switch). I originally built the forge when I was 11 or so, using wood for fuel and borrowing the blower out of the shop wood stove. It worked just not real well. Once I hit adult hood I could make it to Everrot and buy coal at "Harry's Leather" (not an endorsement...), I'll go all the way to Chehalis to get it now. The rest is a bunch of burned fingers and singed eyebrows.
> 
> As far as forge welding goes, patience is my big key. I'm not real good at myself. Propane doesn't always have the heat you need to forge weld. So either seal up the forge better (to keep the heat in) or change fuels. And use gobs of borax.



I didn't know anyone in chehalis sold coal. That's a lot closer than where dad used to get it. Yeah when forge welding you have to be patient but quick! The propane is hard to get hot enough unless you have a small one like blade smiths use.






Haywire said:


> Show sounds pretty cool! My Pops and I use to tinker with an old hand crank coal forge and anvil, making simple trinkets/hooks and such.
> Good times!
> His main skill was tuning saw blades for local mills.



Ah he was a saw filer? I imagine he could make quite a bit of stuff on an anvil! Did he do any hand setting?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## northmanlogging (Apr 29, 2013)

May have been Centralia I get the two confused... place was called fire and ice? sold stoves and stuff too, its been awhile since I've made a run down there, 1/2 ton is a lot of coal... and I found some on krooks list for free under a house in north Seattle I'm still burning that stuff.


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## wowzers (Apr 30, 2013)

My dad does quite a bit of blacksmithing. Mostly making knives and axes. Here is an axe he made with an osage handle.

View attachment 293054


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## Metals406 (Apr 30, 2013)

wowzers said:


> My dad does quite a bit of blacksmithing. Mostly making knives and axes. Here is an axe he made with an osage handle.
> 
> View attachment 293054



Damn! Yer dad does fine work!

I love that Hedge too. . . Some real purdy wood.


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## slowp (Apr 30, 2013)

There was a coal mine by Centralia but it got shut down a few years ago. I wonder if that is where your coal came from?

When I find a camera, I'll take a picture of my stove cleaning shovel. My Scandihoovian grandpa was a blacksmith. He made the shovel. It is smooth and sturdy. I have a picture of him standing in front of a horse he was shoeing. Unfortunately, now I realize all the "junk" we played with at my Uncle's place was blacksmithing stuff. It was stored outdoors in the elements of E. Warshington.


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## northmanlogging (Apr 30, 2013)

Seems like they carried a few different grades, some from Montana, or Wyoming, some locale from Centralia or Black Diamond. Seems everyone has their favorite the smiths like the best (anthracite) the home heating peeps want the cheap stuff and the steam geeks want the middle of the road. Personally I think they are all a little to picky, the stuff I got from under a house has a bit more clinker in it and the occasional petrified cat turd, but it burns just dandy:msp_smile:

As far as yer Grandpa's tools, seems to be the way it goes, most of the good stuff went away during WWII, the rest got put away until the scrap men came along. Anvils seem to survive though if only so rich people can pay $5. a pound for em and stick em in weeds of their front yard next to an old plow, makes me shake my head...

I would like to find a swage block for a decent price, and would consider pillaging for a power hammer...


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## OlympicYJ (May 1, 2013)

Very nice axe Preston! Love the Osage. Dad's got a pistol with Osage grips from a fence post off my Great Grandfathers place.

Gonna be headin out for the summer. We should get together for a beer and catch up!


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## Metals406 (May 1, 2013)

slowp said:


> There was a coal mine by Centralia but it got shut down a few years ago. I wonder if that is where your coal came from?
> 
> When I find a camera, I'll take a picture of my stove cleaning shovel. My Scandihoovian grandpa was a blacksmith. He made the shovel. It is smooth and sturdy. I have a picture of him standing in front of a horse he was shoeing. Unfortunately, now I realize all the "junk" we played with at my Uncle's place was blacksmithing stuff. It was stored outdoors in the elements of E. Warshington.





No quicker way to have the Earth reclaim iron, than to leave it out in Washington.


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## wowzers (May 6, 2013)

Got to make a retraction on that ax picture. I think that the one with the osage handle is made by someone else and he made this copy below. Sorry for the mix up just didn't want to take someone elses credit from them.

View attachment 293877


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## wowzers (May 6, 2013)

OlympicYJ said:


> Very nice axe Preston! Love the Osage. Dad's got a pistol with Osage grips from a fence post off my Great Grandfathers place.
> 
> Gonna be headin out for the summer. We should get together for a beer and catch up!



For sure. Let me know when. I should be heading in to town to get some groceries some time this week.


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## OlympicYJ (May 6, 2013)

Will do! shoot ya text tomorrow.


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## jrcat (May 9, 2013)

This is on a Prentice 120 c . I had to rebuild the ears on the stick. I bored the new holes in 1 inch plate fitted them and started welding. It took me about 8 hours total.


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## jrcat (May 9, 2013)

The plate right behind the nut and the head of the bolt is just 1/2". I used that to add more "beef" to the area that I spliced the inch plate onto. I simply torch cut the holes in the 1/2" plate. I was running the loader when one of the ears let go. I had a grapple full of pulp wood and the stick went side ways on me and slammed into the forward bunk ... It was not pretty nothing like a pile of pixie sticks and twisted metal lol.


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