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Post by Pat on Jan 11, 2016 18:41:01 GMT -5
I want to make a spoon. Do you have any advice for me?
After much research I have learned: -must be sterling or stainless bowl for the anti-bacterial properties -handle can be a different metal
-can cast via lost wax casting, but would then need a new wax form for each spoon -can hammer it out on a special rebounding anvil (40 pound anvil recommended, and a special hammer) Weight of hammer is not mentioned. I could handle a one pound hammer, but not a three pound hammer. Have never tried a two pound hammer.
Assuming I have all the tools and use the hammer method, a silver- filled spoon would cost around $40; a sterling spoon would cost around $70 in metal alone.
-amazon sells them in stainless steel for about $9.00 for set of four
Any suggestions or advice?
Thanks! Pat
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Post by toiv0 on Jan 11, 2016 20:30:06 GMT -5
Is this the type of spoon you want to make? I just weighed silver spoons and they range from 1 to 1.5 oz depending on size. So the cost would be about 20 to 30 dollars apiece depending on what you want the end product to look like or make a partial. I would make them a lot different than this guy and you won't have to have such heavy equip.
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fireforged
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 215
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Post by fireforged on Jan 11, 2016 22:52:10 GMT -5
Pat your question made me spend a very entertaining evening looking on the internet how to do this project. Just from an equipment angle it would be a good excuse to buy lots of interesting tools. Although one of the videos mentioned doing a spoon in silver I would guess they used pewter because they did not anneal the piece once in working it to shape. Pewter could be done with very little equipment for a one off project and silver would require just a little more. Most of the tools for both would be common for a blacksmith and could be easily improvised. Of course it is easy for me to say since I have my dad's blacksmith shop out in the tool shed.
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Post by toiv0 on Jan 12, 2016 8:56:44 GMT -5
I am going to make a spoon tonight, just to see if I can. I will take a pic.
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Post by Pat on Jan 12, 2016 11:32:00 GMT -5
toiv0 Your video showed the most prevalent method I've seen. I want my spoon to be bigger with a longer handle and different bowl. If you make your spoon, I'd like to see the tools and equipment you used. First one I made, I used aluminum sheet. Very flat. Need thicker stock. fireforged re equipment, looks like just a hammer and anvil are necessary + all the buffing stuff already available. If I wanted a set of 6, that might require a different setup.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Jan 12, 2016 11:40:01 GMT -5
You could cut a spoon out of sheet and forge it. a spoon pancake die and a hydraulic press would make it easy.
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ol3m3
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since September 2006
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Post by ol3m3 on Jan 12, 2016 17:24:35 GMT -5
If you need duplicates I would go with lost wax casting, make your original, make a mold from the original, inject wax and cast many more of the spoons, all alike
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Post by toiv0 on Jan 12, 2016 21:13:00 GMT -5
No spoon tonight....forgot it was my anniversary, tommorow if i didn't forget anything else. sorry
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2016 21:57:50 GMT -5
Maybe try using a heavy gauge stainless spoon as the dapping block itself,and hammer your sheet into it to achieve the shape.maybe get two stainless ones and hammer one flat from the back to use as a template..cut out your sterling place on spoon and commence to pounding.you could also take a scrap 2x4 and carve out a divet for the stainless spoon to ride in,to back it up in a sense. Dave
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Post by Pat on Jan 12, 2016 23:34:06 GMT -5
toiv0 Well, it is a spoon. I want mine longer and a different bowl. Looks like a hammer and anvil are a good deal, and maybe a spoon stake. I need to add that anniversaries get top priority over spoons. : ) . If you need duplicates I would go with lost wax casting, make your original, make a mold from the original, inject wax and cast many more of the spoons, all alike. ol3m3 Wax injection sounds like it would work. Don't have the equipment. I had started to carve out a spoon from wax for lost wax casting and it dawned on me that I would have to do that for every spoon. Might still do just one. Like the challenge. fireforged Pat your question made me spend a very entertaining evening looking on the internet how to do this project. Just from an equipment angle it would be a good excuse to buy lots of interesting tools. Although one of the videos mentioned doing a spoon in silver I would guess they used pewter because they did not anneal the piece once in working it to shape. Pewter could be done with very little equipment for a one off project and silver would require just a little more. Most of the tools for both would be common for a blacksmith and could be easily improvised. Of course it is easy for me to say since I have my dad's blacksmith shop out in the tool shed. It sure would be a good excuse for new toys! However.... : ) Now since you have all those wonderful blacksmith tools in your back yard, I hope to see a spoon soon! Don a hydraulic press is out of the question, though it would be a very good way to go. Pancake dies are new to me and would be useful, too. I think I am probably stuck with a hammer, anvil, and a spoon stake @arrowheadave I could try that! Thanks, everybody! If YOU make a spoon, I hope you post it here.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 13, 2016 0:16:30 GMT -5
From what little I know of silver filled, it doesn't seems like a good idea to forge it. I think you could easily break through the silver layer. Other than saying that, I am of no use. Your project is intriguing but out of my league.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Jan 13, 2016 8:53:13 GMT -5
I never hammered silver. If making a copper or brass or stainless steel spoon I would feel confident. If it was me Pat I would hand grind a steel anvil out of a trailer hitch ball for the shape. It would take a while. And the anvil surface would have to be polished. The back of the spoon would have a bit hammer finish. And hammers would best have polished faces. A small trailer hitch ball mounted rigidly may get the job done. I have a one inch and 3/4 inch polished ball bearing welded to a heavy chunk of steel that makes great concave shapes. I intend on welding a range of larger ball bearings to that same heavy chunk. Ball bearings have a high polish and transfer smooth finish to work. Ball bearings very hard, and do not deform from hammer blows. Oval shape would be better for a spoon. Dave's idea of using the back of a stainless steel spoon is ingenious. I would weld it to a heavy chunk of iron and use it for an anvil/shaped hammering form. I would try a small spoon using copper first. Anneal it as needed to allow it to be worked. Maybe silver hammers like copper, I do not know. The handle is relatively flat and should be easy. Cool project Pat. Please excuse the rusted condition of the anvils, a quick buffing will fix that. Notice the two ball bearings welded to the accessible corners of the 100 pound steel block. Those balls serve as 'sharper than a spoon radius' " shapes for hammering earrings and odd cupped shapes. Will get a trailer hitch balls to weld on one of the other corners. They come in various sizes about 1.5 to 2.5 inches.
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Post by toiv0 on Jan 13, 2016 14:00:11 GMT -5
I never hammered silver. If making a copper or brass or stainless steel spoon I would feel confident. If it was me Pat I would hand grind a steel anvil out of a trailer hitch ball for the shape. It would take a while. And the anvil surface would have to be polished. The back of the spoon would have a bit hammer finish. And hammers would best have polished faces. A small trailer hitch ball mounted rigidly may get the job done. I have a one inch and 3/4 inch polished ball bearing welded to a heavy chunk of steel that makes great concave shapes. I intend on welding a range of larger ball bearings to that same heavy chunk. Ball bearings have a high polish and transfer smooth finish to work. Ball bearings very hard, and do not deform from hammer blows. Oval shape would be better for a spoon. Dave's idea of using the back of a stainless steel spoon is ingenious. I would weld it to a heavy chunk of iron and use it for an anvil/shaped hammering form. I would try a small spoon using copper first. Anneal it as needed to allow it to be worked. Maybe silver hammers like copper, I do not know. The handle is relatively flat and should be easy. Cool project Pat. Please excuse the rusted condition of the anvils, a quick buffing will fix that. Notice the two ball bearings welded to the accessible corners of the 100 pound steel block. Those balls serve as 'sharper than a spoon radius' " shapes for hammering earrings and odd cupped shapes. Will get a trailer hitch balls to weld on one of the other corners. They come in various sizes about 1.5 to 2.5 inches. This is kind of what I was thinking for you, shiney hammer on trailer hitch ball. I still plan for tonight. What shape are you thinking for the bowl, teaspoon size? I measured thickness of spoons and teaspoon bowls are 21 or 22 ga. and the handles were 8 ga by the bowl and 12 farthest away from bowl. I will make it out of 18 ga. because its what i have.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Jan 13, 2016 14:10:51 GMT -5
Just talking trash toiv0. Throwing ideas. Very interested in what you come up with. I was curious if they harden trailer balls; guessing DOT requires them to be hardened or at least surface hardened. Would like to find one without the size specs embossed on the top.
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fireforged
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 215
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Post by fireforged on Jan 13, 2016 16:18:47 GMT -5
OK I went and made a shallow spoon this morning just to see how hard it would be. I used lead free pewter. First I melted the pewter and poured it into a crude mold. Then I tried off the excess from the blank
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fireforged
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 215
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Post by fireforged on Jan 13, 2016 16:26:18 GMT -5
I took the trimed blank over to the anvil and proceeded to pound the hell out of it. First I drew the handle out and then worked the bowl. This is what I ended up with when I quit this morning. Now obviously this is in pewter and I did not finish it in any way but there it is.... a spoon just like the old timers used. With some more time in it to finish and smooth the surface, deepen the bowl, and add decoration I think it would be very nice.
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Post by Pat on Jan 13, 2016 18:29:44 GMT -5
fireforged I like your spoon and you did not use a special shiny anvil. What weight hammer did you use? I'm not going to cast silver into a mold --- yet, but will try hammering out from a thick piece of metal. Bowl first, then stem. Will aim bowl to coffee spoon size. Thanks for posting.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Jan 13, 2016 18:35:56 GMT -5
Is that red clay you used as a form fireforged ? Cool process and final product.
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Post by broseph82 on Jan 13, 2016 18:59:24 GMT -5
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fireforged
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 215
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Post by fireforged on Jan 13, 2016 19:32:28 GMT -5
Pat Yes my anvil is old and rusty. The last time it was bright and shiny was in the mid 1800s. The hammer is about a two pound hammer.
Pewter is easy. it melts at 600. Silver is a lot harder and melts at about three times pewter. Silver has to be annealed and can not be worked hot. You will have to hit the thicker pieces of silver pretty hard to move the metal even with a heavy hammer.
Oof dah I got pretty tired hammering out the pewter today.
Two thoughts came to mind today as I made the spoon. It would be much faster and easier to just buy a spoon. If I was to make a spoon out of silver I would make the bowl out of silver sheet that I dapped and the handle out of wire that I twisted and soldered to the bowl. It would be a small silver spoon.
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