Kids doing fun stuff

[Tom Sawyer]

My how times have changed. It's a crime to walk along the railroad tracks now.

It always was: trespassing.

Never saw any signs when I was kid.

I did in the 80s. But no one ever said anything.

They still don't say anything. I was walking on the tracks a few weeks ago and was wondering if it is considered stealing to take old rail road ties and other junk left around. I'm pretty sure most of it is abandoned.

Yeah they just throw stuff in the ditch. A lot of steel just left to rust.

[KBCraig]

BTW, any spike marked "HC" (high carbon) make great knives. It takes considerable drawing out, but there is plenty of metal there. Just google "railroad spike knife" and you'll see dozens of pics and videos.

Spikes not marked HC may or may not have enough carbon to be hardenable, but they're still good for practice.

[Tom Sawyer]

BTW, any spike marked "HC" (high carbon) make great knives. It takes considerable drawing out, but there is plenty of metal there. Just google "railroad spike knife" and you'll see dozens of pics and videos.

Spikes not marked HC may or may not have enough carbon to be hardenable, but they're still good for practice.

Yeah, we've watched a lot of Youtube videos... there is even a TV show called Forged in Fire, where three contestants compete to forge knives or swords.

The Damascus steel is the coolest. It's like man jewelry. 

[KBCraig]

BTW, any spike marked "HC" (high carbon) make great knives. It takes considerable drawing out, but there is plenty of metal there. Just google "railroad spike knife" and you'll see dozens of pics and videos.

Spikes not marked HC may or may not have enough carbon to be hardenable, but they're still good for practice.

Yeah, we've watched a lot of Youtube videos... there is even a TV show called Forged in Fire, where three contestants compete to forge knives or swords.

The Damascus steel is the coolest. It's like man jewelry. 

I had the good fortune to grow up and spend the majority of my life within 40 miles of Old Washington, Arkansas, home of the American Bladesmithing Society's Jim Moran School of Bladesmithing (conducted through Texarkana College).

Dad subscribed to the Popular Science Book Club, so we got Alex Bealer's "The Art of Blacksmithing" when I was 12 or 13. My first forge was a hole in the ground, with an inflatable boat foot bellows attached.    I later upgraded to an old cast iron sink lined with concrete, air supplied via my big sister's cast-off hairdryer. 

I was also a member of a local blacksmith's group, even though my main interest has always been bladesmithing. Being able to go to local hammer-ins, and even the ABS national hammer-in, gave me the chance to meet probably a dozen Master Bladesmiths, and many dozens of Journeymen who do Master-level work.

My anvil is sitting on the floor about 10 feet away. I really need to get some coal smoke in my nostrils again!

[KBCraig]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x0f2b_0kn0

[WithoutAPaddle]

I had the good fortune to grow up and spend the majority of my life within 40 miles of Old Washington, Arkansas, home of the American Bladesmithing Society's Jim Moran School of Bladesmithing (conducted through Texarkana College).

Dad subscribed to the Popular Science Book Club, so we got Alex Bealer's "The Art of Blacksmithing" when I was 12 or 13. My first forge was a hole in the ground, with an inflatable boat foot bellows attached.    I later upgraded to an old cast iron sink lined with concrete, air supplied via my big sister's cast-off hairdryer. 

I was also a member of a local blacksmith's group, even though my main interest has always been bladesmithing. Being able to go to local hammer-ins, and even the ABS national hammer-in, gave me the chance to meet probably a dozen Master Bladesmiths, and many dozens of Journeymen who do Master-level work.

I grew up watching Industry on Parade.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_on_Parade 

My anvil is sitting on the floor about 10 feet away.

[Tom Sawyer]

  I didn't know that you were a steel pounding man KB.

Is that a London Anvil that is going to crush Wiley?

[KBCraig]

I didn't know that you were a steel pounding man KB.

Erstwhile, but I would like to get back into it.

Is that a London Anvil that is going to crush Wiley?

Looks like a miniature. No table, no holes. It's sure not a German pattern.

I always got a kick out of farrier's anvils... all horn, no face.

[Russell Kanning]

btw .... this reminds me that asap I need to have Jim work some more magic on my truck that no repair shop can.

[KBCraig]

btw .... this reminds me that asap I need to have Jim work some more magic on my truck that no repair shop can.

[Russell Kanning]

that looks .... interesting

[Free libertarian]

that looks .... interesting

First thing that came to mind for me was the "can it core a apple"  line from the old Jackie Gleason / Honeymooners show.  You see, Ralph and Norton had this multi tool kitchen gadget and... damn...I'm getting old. 

Okay, somebody help me out and tell me you remember that episode too? 

[Jim Johnson]

that looks .... interesting

First thing that came to mind for me was the "can it core a apple"  line from the old Jackie Gleason / Honeymooners show.  You see, Ralph and Norton had this multi tool kitchen gadget and... damn...I'm getting old. 

Okay, somebody help me out and tell me you remember that episode too?

I don't even know that one.

[Pat K]

It can core a apple.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W_dE9aY0phE

[WithoutAPaddle]

Can it make Julienne fries?