fireforged
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 215
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Post by fireforged on Jan 14, 2016 17:09:14 GMT -5
Here is a chain I made out of wire for your inspiration. A fun little project to pass a winter day. All links are soldered.
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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 14, 2016 8:39:54 GMT -5
I used hot stuff.
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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 19:39:33 GMT -5
Is that red clay you used as a form fireforged ? Cool process and final product. That is delft clay that I use for casting pewter, silver and bronze. I was in a hurry and just made a rough impression in the pan that I store the clay. If I were to do it again I would take more time in creating the blank. Glad you and others can enjoy the process. It may not be the best way or the best material to make a spoon out of but it is what it is.
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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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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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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 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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fireforged
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2015
Posts: 215
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Post by fireforged on Jan 9, 2016 20:51:14 GMT -5
Taking it to another level. Very nice.
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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 9, 2016 20:23:21 GMT -5
That's a great piece and I to love the way you did the bail! May I borrow that idea? Don't matter I am stealing it anyway LOL. Beautiful stone. Tom, you (and any others) are more than welcome to use any ideas you can get from my work. I doubt that there is much that is truly original in it. This was a fun project in that the stone was a crumbly mess but I loved the colors and the experience in stabilizing it. What I really like is that it is totally (all the parts) created by me, totally "handmade".
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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 9, 2016 20:07:08 GMT -5
Very nice and simple.
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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 9, 2016 20:01:36 GMT -5
They look good to me. Even after reading your comments about the "flaws" I don't see them as anything other than confirmation of handmade jewelry. Real handmade does not need to be flawless.
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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 8, 2016 8:55:35 GMT -5
Beautiful piece, fireforged ! What type of metal is the chain? The chain (the whole piece) is sterling.
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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 6, 2016 19:18:06 GMT -5
Whoa that is pretty!!!!! Hope it has a good home.
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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 6, 2016 17:41:51 GMT -5
Curious? When you start cutting them are they good and solid? I have been making spheres and am looking for some good rough material to start with. But stuff that chunks apart is not very conducive to making nice spheres. They tend to all have fractures. Pretty much what I would expect from surface finds in a northern climate.
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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 6, 2016 17:38:13 GMT -5
The haul is impressive, no doubt. Gathering that much rough is a feat. As I reflect on it, it probably means I am a little soft in the head. Next time I will be more selective.
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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 6, 2016 16:23:12 GMT -5
Yes Adam, the pictures show mostly jasper. But there were some agates in there also (just trust me). I guess I don't get too wound up over what it is, if it is pretty it gets a new home.
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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 6, 2016 15:29:13 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 6, 2016 15:04:03 GMT -5
This is one of the first slabs I cut from one of these agates/jaspers. It was not what I expected. It will be hard to cut and cab because of all the fractures. In spite of that I am going to try to turn it into a piece of nice jewelry. Good memories on a cold winter day. Hope you enjoy.
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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 6, 2016 14:59:20 GMT -5
I thought I would share some pictures from my fall rock hunt in western SD near Fairborn on the Cheyanne River. My Grandson and I went out to visit one of my friends and got to stay in his cabin. The cabin, outbuildings and landscaping were surrounded by a fabulous three foot border of prairie agates and jaspers. It was clearly a result of long term collecting efforts. We enthusiastically accepted his invitation to collect rock in the pasture and used his four wheeler to ride out there. In very short order we had collected about 650 lbs of rocks. I must admit we were not real selective but we had fun collecting in between chasing away some very tame and curious steers. Here is the back of the truck after we loaded the rock. It sure does not look like 650 lbs. The rock off loaded and washed down at the tool shed. One of the larger agates we found.
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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 6, 2016 14:33:55 GMT -5
Here is a picture of my latest effort. I slabbed, cabbed and stabilized the shatticaite, mounted it in sterling and added a handmade chain and clasp. [/URL]
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