On Friday before the Ruhrbike race, I rode to the smithy to do some honest work again and to finish the job Volker had ordered. 20 tent pegs wanted to be forged, i.e. 15 scrolls and 10 tips, all from 16mm round bar. First, I did some degasing the coal, which was coke size 4 anthracite.
Since I had to do some pounding also, I brought my big hammer also. I tend to use my own hammer more often than not, even if it´s light at 1.200 g. But it draws out very efficiently. Advice: When you forge your own hammer, make sure its weight is centered around the handle more, makes it very nimble! The whitehouse forge hammer I got on a flea market, and it´s a great one for harder work.
I also made some more S - hooks which can be quite handy in a reenactment camp for kettles, for strapping down a tent, and whatnot. I mede them from 6mm round stock.
I also made this dragon head tent peg for Volker.
And a leaf-shaped tent peg just for fun (and for Voker to mess up the prices again;-))
I also started a leaf handled knife out of spring steel, but I stacked up and broke the leaf off*grml*:-), so I will forge it out as a rattail tang to be fitted into a handle. I will post some pictures then...promise;-).
It was quite energizing to do something other than damascus and the like. Not that I do not like that anymore, but sometimes you simply have to clear your mind to avoid getting in a rut.
I hope that Volker´s customer will be content with the outcome!
