Forging questions: Elbow/hand shock, and steel size

[Robert_Phelps]

I got my feet wet with my first blade forging today. I grabbed some 3/4" round 5160 at Batsons, and gave a whack at it today. Two questions came to my mind as I was hammering it out...
What size/shape steel do you guys normally start with? I don't have a power hammer or anything. My anvil is a peter wright at around 150lb I think.

Also I wondered if I was perhaps holding the steel wrong. I had the anvil on a stump that brought the anvil surface level with the bar, with my arm straight. Is there some trick to not having the hand holding the bar feeling numb/sore while hitting the steel? I did note that after I had it worked down some in size it wasn't as bad.

 

[scottickes]

Stand next to your anvil and hold your arms down to your sides. The working surface of your anvil is most comfortable for the majority of us when it is level with your knuckles.

I've never felt any soreness or numbness in the hand that holds the rebar. However, if your anvil isn't at the correct height, I imagine it might cause you to hold that arm at a weird angle that could lead to issues, but I have no experience with that.

On another note, though you didn't ask, I've noticed that with my striking hand, if I hold the hammer loosely and lift the hammer up and down with shoulder pivots, instead of wrist and elbow pivots, that I get less fatigued and have better striking accuracy.

 

[Raymond Richard]

Robert, if the forging is new to you you should get sore. 3/4" rd bar is a pretty big load for the first time. When I was younger 3/4" round wasn't a big deal but I prefer my steel already in the flat state. I just noticed you said 5160 so that's going to make it that much harder to move. I'd suggest getting some of Aldo's 1084. Most the work is already done and the 1084 moves a heck of a lot easier than the 5160. Have fun.

 

[jdm61]

Go out and buy yourself one of those velcro tennis elbow braces with the little gel pack. Get it now before you actually need it.

 

[Robert_Phelps]

Thanks for the help

The anvil is at the right height then.. I think the first session I did, I was just holding it funny. The second time around it was easier. (I think the steel may have been too cold the first time as well)

 

[go mike]

Scott, thanks for that piece of info about the height. I'm going to try forging sometime (in the summer) and it'll be nice to know ahead of time what height is needed.