mel jacobson on fri 25 apr 03
are wonderful.
i use them all the time. it was the only
trimming tool we used in japan. we made
each tool to fit the specific ring foot we made.
usually made about a dozen of them for each
shape.
used a file to sharpen them...like razors. they
held an edge for about an hour of constant trimming...then
we took a new one. sharpened them all after lunch and started
again.
( i can still here uchida...`melsan, pick up that banding metal,
take back to the studio, 400 trimming tools in that scrap.` (you
ever haul strap metal on a street car?)
couple of tips:
when bending, use a bernz-o-matic torch. heat
to soft dark red, bend to shape with a plier.
when done, re-heat and watch for the `wheat to violet`
color to appear. when you see it, you will say...`oh, man,
that is cool, i see, wheat to violet...irra-des.`
(every potter should have a bernz-o-matic torch.
great tool. then you will graduate to a small oxy/acet.
welding outfit...then a wire feed, then a big stick welder.
take a class at tech school and change your life. all women
should weld...it gives you big edge on the goobers. `hey
little lady, you run a great bead...i'll be damned.` then you just
smile back and say...`well, don't we all?`)
then plunge the piece into some motor oil for a quick cool.
that is metal-smithing 101. you have just hardened your tool
a bit, and with the amount of actual iron in the metal it will
take a nice sharp edge. stainless does not take nearly as fine
an edge. (i know, i know, we can go into great detail about metals,
quality of steel, numbers, but...we will keep it simple here.)
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
rob on fri 25 apr 03
mel
This is an excellent descriptive methods for making tools from strapping
steel...I would add a couple of steps, though.
After you heat the piece and bend it to shape, get it back to red heat and
then stick it in the motor oil. Veggie oil works okay, too, but will tend
to burn. if you can't easily get ahold of oil, then use salt water...about
a cup of salt to a gallon of water makes an adequate quench for the type of
spring steel that strapping is made from. Don't use plain water, it'll cool
te steel too fast and it will crack. This is called hardening.
After you've quenched it, polish the surface with some emery paper, then
take the torch back to it. Holding the flame at the corner, you'll be able
to see the colors (violet to straw) run back out the metal. This is much
easier to observe on a peice that has been polished. As soon as the cutting
edge turns straw, take away the heat source and let it air cool. This is
called tempering.
Follow these steps, and you'll get a longer-lasting tool with a more durable
edge. Sharpen with a file, and don't store the tools wet.
Blacksmithing 101, revised
Rob Van Rens
-at Pine Ridge Pottery Supply in Alexandria, VA
SMASH! MAKE FLAT!
--The Blacksmith's Motto
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
To:
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 6:48 AM
Subject: strap metal tools
> are wonderful.
>
> i use them all the time. it was the only
> trimming tool we used in japan. we made
> each tool to fit the specific ring foot we made.
> usually made about a dozen of them for each
> shape.
> used a file to sharpen them...like razors. they
> held an edge for about an hour of constant trimming...then
> we took a new one. sharpened them all after lunch and started
> again.
> ( i can still here uchida...`melsan, pick up that banding metal,
> take back to the studio, 400 trimming tools in that scrap.` (you
> ever haul strap metal on a street car?)
>
> couple of tips:
> when bending, use a bernz-o-matic torch. heat
> to soft dark red, bend to shape with a plier.
> when done, re-heat and watch for the `wheat to violet`
> color to appear. when you see it, you will say...`oh, man,
> that is cool, i see, wheat to violet...irra-des.`
> (every potter should have a bernz-o-matic torch.
> great tool. then you will graduate to a small oxy/acet.
> welding outfit...then a wire feed, then a big stick welder.
> take a class at tech school and change your life. all women
> should weld...it gives you big edge on the goobers. `hey
> little lady, you run a great bead...i'll be damned.` then you just
> smile back and say...`well, don't we all?`)
>
> then plunge the piece into some motor oil for a quick cool.
> that is metal-smithing 101. you have just hardened your tool
> a bit, and with the amount of actual iron in the metal it will
> take a nice sharp edge. stainless does not take nearly as fine
> an edge. (i know, i know, we can go into great detail about metals,
> quality of steel, numbers, but...we will keep it simple here.)
> mel
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
>
>
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