| One of my goals in writing these articles is to create a | | | | magic happen as the leaf takes its final shape right |
| library of step-by-step guides for the projects I have | | | | before your eyes. Take a good yellow heat on the |
| worked on in my own personal smithy. A sort of | | | | leaf portion of your steel. Be careful not to burn the tip. |
| "activity book" for those looking for something new to | | | | Lay the leaf section down flat on your anvil face and |
| create in their workshop, or even someone just | | | | using straight up and down medium/strong blows |
| wondering "how did he do that?". I have been blessed | | | | hammer down on the leaf section and watch it begin |
| through other blacksmiths posting their own guides and | | | | to flare out. Make adjustments to your hammer blows, |
| I thought now is the time for me to give something | | | | hitting one side or the other to keep the leaf edges |
| back. So, welcome to my first submission to this brand | | | | flaring out as equally as possible. Use stronger blows |
| new library: Forging a Leaf Hook - a step by step | | | | at the base of the leaf near the stem, and very light |
| guide. | | | | blows up near the pointed tip of the leaf. You want to |
| So, you've seen the leaf hook that I have posted on | | | | keep that point, and hitting too hard can mash out the |
| my website and thought you'd like to give it a try. Well, | | | | sharpness of it. |
| feel free! It's a fun and educational way to pick up new | | | | Step 7: Add veining detail to the leaf |
| skills and add something different to your repertoire of | | | | There are several ways that this can be done, but the |
| projects. The leaf hook is a very simple design, and | | | | way I do it is quite simple and creates an elegant look |
| doesn't require the use of any really advanced | | | | to the detail of the leaf. Using a broad bladed chisel |
| blacksmithing techniques. Therefore, I have classified | | | | with a fairly dulled point, you can strike nice smooth |
| this project as "easy". | | | | looking lines into the surface of the leaf. Start by |
| I will lay out the process to forging this item in a series | | | | making the "spine" of the leaf. Beginning at the very tip, |
| of steps to make it simple to follow along in your own | | | | place your chisel so that it will make a line down the |
| forge. | | | | middle of the leaf. Strike solidly, and only once. Move |
| Step 1: Cut your length | | | | the chisel back a bit to continue the line down the |
| Cut a piece of 3/8 inch round steel to length (approx | | | | center of the leaf. Make sure your chisel is sitting in the |
| 12 inches long) using a red-orange heat and cutting off | | | | groove of your last mark so that you create a single |
| with your hot cut hardy tool. | | | | smooth line. Once you have made a line down the |
| Blacksmith's tip: there are several ways you can mark | | | | center, start making the angular veins. I typically make |
| your steel when you are measuring for a cut. One | | | | 3 veins on each side of the leaf, but that decision is |
| method is to lay your steel ruler on the face of your | | | | entirely up to you. Make the veins at about a 45 |
| anvil aligned with the back edge and measure out your | | | | degree angle to the center line you made. This is |
| desired length of the steel. Then, using the sharp edge | | | | where the art comes in, so just have fun making your |
| of the back of your anvil, you can lightly mark your | | | | own look! |
| desired measurement by striking the steel against that | | | | Blacksmith's tip: You may have realized while reading |
| edge with a hammer. It will make a visible dent that | | | | through step 7 that this step might be very difficult to |
| you should be able to find easily even after heating to | | | | do with only two hands. You really need a third hand; |
| an orange heat. Another method for marking is using | | | | one to hold piece, one to hold the chisel and one to |
| something called "Soap Stone". It is a stone that is | | | | use the hammer. So, a trick I have made for myself is |
| naturally soft, leaves a clearly visible white mark | | | | to take a heavy weight (in my case a few lead disks) |
| (almost like chalk) against a steel surface, and is very | | | | and attach it to a chain. I have attached the end of the |
| resistant to heat. This mark will remain quite visible | | | | chain to my anvil stand, and whenever I need an extra |
| even after enduring high temperatures in the forge fire. | | | | hand to hold something down while I'm chiseling or |
| Step 2: Forge a sharp point | | | | using a punch, I throw that heavy chain over the anvil |
| Take a good orange heat at one end of your steel, | | | | and let it hold the work down while I free up my other |
| then forge the tip to a shallow point. Use the far edge | | | | hands to use the tools. There are also "hold down" |
| of the face of your anvil, holding the steel at about a | | | | tools that you can forge for yourself that do a great |
| 45 degree angle and use light hammer blows to bring | | | | job as well. |
| the tip of your steel to a point. Rotate the steel back | | | | Step 8: Create the bends in the vine |
| and forth with quarter turns using even hammer blows | | | | Now we are getting to the part where a vice and a |
| to bring the steel to a shallow sharp point. This is going | | | | bending tool can come in handy. I made a bending tool |
| to end up being the leaf end of the hook. | | | | by taking some angle iron and drilling a couple pairs of |
| Step 3: Create a "shoulder" | | | | holes in one face of the angle iron (one pair fairly close |
| Now we will bring that pointed end to another orange | | | | to each other, the other pair a bit further apart for |
| heat and create a "shoulder" about 1 inch back from | | | | making different sized bends). I fastened a couple of |
| the tip. To do this, measure (or just eyeball it) back 1 | | | | smooth bolts into those holes and when clamped into |
| inch from the tip that you forged and place that spot | | | | the vice, this makes a good tool to bend hot steel |
| at a 45 degree angle on the far sharp edge of your | | | | around. So, take your piece you are working on and |
| anvil face. Using medium blows, strike the steel with | | | | heat a portion of the stem a few inches back from |
| the hammer face half on and half off the anvil. This will | | | | the leaf. Using your bending tool, make about a 180 |
| forge a ledge or "shoulder" into the steel. Rotate the | | | | degree bend. Do this again bending the next section |
| steel a quarter turn and continue forging. The idea is to | | | | about 180 degrees back, then again heating and |
| create a much narrower diameter section that is going | | | | bending the next section back again. You should end |
| to become the "stem" section of the leaf, leading into | | | | up with a curvy shape to the vine. This part is all open |
| the vine. | | | | to whatever artistic inspiration you might have. Try to |
| Blacksmith's tip: Try to work quickly so you can avoid | | | | make the vine portion of the hook aesthetically |
| taking too many heats. Taking more heats increases | | | | pleasing and geometrically balanced. To finish the |
| the scale that forms causing you to lose mass. Each | | | | bends, take one last heat and bend the final portion |
| heat also increases the chances that you might burn | | | | about 90 degrees from the last bend to make the |
| off the leaf at this delicate end as you continue to thin | | | | vertical portion which we will turn into the hook. |
| out that steel. If you see sparks jumping from your | | | | Step 9: Draw out the hook |
| steel, you have begun to burn your steel. Try to avoid | | | | Now we will work through a process very similar to |
| heating to the point of sparking. | | | | Step 2 in this guide. Forge a point to the hook end and |
| Step 4: Draw out the stem | | | | draw it out. No need to make a shoulder here, we are |
| Taking another orange-yellow heat along about a 2 | | | | just drawing out a straight taper all the way to the end |
| inch section (just behind the leaf where you've started | | | | of the hook. Once you've drawn out a nice even taper |
| to form the stem) bring the piece back to the face of | | | | and are satisfied with how it looks, take that square |
| the anvil. Leaving the unfinished leaf section hanging off | | | | and make it round just like you did in step 5. |
| the back edge of your anvil so you don't damage it, | | | | Step 10: Forge the hook and curl |
| begin drawing out the stem portion. Create an even | | | | Now we are getting to the functional portion of this |
| taper about 2 to 2 1/2 inches long using overlapping | | | | project. Take an orange heat on the very tip of the |
| hammer blows starting from the back section of the | | | | hook portion of your piece and using the very edge of |
| heat and working towards the stem. Make quarter turn | | | | your anvil, bend the tip over the edge of the anvil |
| rotations to draw out the stem evenly all along its | | | | making sure you are bending toward the "back" face |
| length. | | | | of the piece. Rotate the piece in your hand and begin |
| Step 5: Bring the stem back to round | | | | forging that bend back on itself creating a tiny little curl. |
| By now you have probably noticed that as you are | | | | This is both decorative and functional, as it will look |
| forging this stem, you are turning your round stock into | | | | great on the end of the hook, but also prevents |
| square. You will find that blacksmiths do a lot of | | | | anyone from hurting themselves on the sharp point of |
| making round things square, and making square things | | | | the taper you forged. Once you've made a small little |
| round. It's just a normal part of the process of forging | | | | loop, take another orange heat and quench just the |
| steel. Now that you have drawn out your stem to your | | | | tiny curl you forged. This will prevent the hammer from |
| desired taper and length, you want to bring that square | | | | disturbing the curl shape too much. Now, with the curl |
| stem back to its original round shape. Do this by | | | | facing up, start forging a bend on the horn of your anvil |
| knocking the corners in. After bringing the length of the | | | | creating the throat of the hook. You can make this |
| stem to a red/orange heat, hold the steel so one of | | | | portion as deep or shallow as you'd like. |
| the square edges is pointing straight up, and using light | | | | Step 11: Set an indent for the screw |
| overlapping hammer blows, knock the corners flat so | | | | As a finishing touch, I like to set an indent somewhere |
| that you are creating an octagon. Do that on the | | | | in the vine for the screw to sit in. It helps give it a |
| quarter turn edge as well. | | | | finished look. Take a good red/orange heat in the |
| Blacksmith's tip: remember that everything you are | | | | section where you expect to drill a mounting hold. |
| doing with the hammer on the top of the steel, the anvil | | | | Using a ball peen hammer, place the ball direction on |
| is doing with equal force to the bottom of the steel. | | | | the vine where you want to create the indent, and use |
| That is why you only use quarter turns when bringing | | | | a soft faced hammer to hit the face of the ball peen |
| the square steel back to round. As you flatten the | | | | hammer. Check your work after each strike, reset |
| corner on the top of the square, the anvil is flattening | | | | your ball peen and strike again until you have a good |
| the edge on the bottom. | | | | indentation that you are happy with. |
| Once you have the octagon shape, go back again and | | | | Finishing: |
| knock the corners off the octagon and lightly tap | | | | Now that you have forged the hook, take the piece to |
| down any edges that persist. You should be able to do | | | | a wire wheel and polish it up, or simply give it a coat of |
| all of this in one heat. As the steel cools, it doesn't | | | | beeswax while the steel is hot. Finishing is up to you |
| move as much under your hammer blows, and this is | | | | and it is a part of how you will make your hook unique. |
| the ideal time to refine the surface with your hammer. | | | | Drill a small hole in the center of your indent and hang |
| You should be able to take out most of the lumps | | | | this piece of functional art in your home. I've had my |
| without drastically moving the steel since it has cooled | | | | keys hanging on one for many years and I love it! |
| a bit. | | | | You can see a video of the entire process of me |
| Step 6:Flatten the leaf | | | | forging one of these hooks at my YouTube page: |
| This is where the fun begins! Get ready to watch the | | | | Until next time, happy forging! |