Mankel farrier forge for knifemaking?....

T

Trick

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Mar 3, 2001
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I am going to a farrier's estate auction tomorrow that has a Mankel two burner propane forge and a 200lb anvil. Do y'all think the forge could be used for knife making? I am sure they will both go out of my price range but there is always the chance. This is a picture of the actual forge and anvil being auctioned tomorrow. I will only be able to spend a couple hundred bucks so chances are I will get neither. But, there are several other auctions tomorrow and this one doesn't really have anything else tool related at all, mostly antiques. You never know. I have been pretty darn lucky at auctions this year. :D
Forgot to mention about the anvil. It is a Rueben made in 1912. Are they decent?
mankel.jpeg

anvil.jpg
 
I think that would make a great knife forge. My understanding is even with modern pre made shoes there is still some shaping in the forge.
If you were making the front clip that would need to be forging hot.

Nice looking anvil. Good luck. Let us know if you get a good price.
 
Hi,
You should have a lot of fun with that forge. I have the Mankel 2 burner knifemaker forge that is a tunnel without the slot in the side.
Some of the Mankel forges have a plug on the end that can be removed. That will make it even more useful.
An extra bennie, the top half of that forge, the part with the fire unbolts. You can place it on a stack of firebricks to make instantly reconfigurable forges of most any reasonable shape. You can also fabricate a new bottom out of 10/12 ga sheet metal, pour in castable refractory, and have a new bottom shaped like the regular tunnel forge. Cheap and easy.
Enjoy, Ken
 
I have the same forge except mine has 3 burners. Centar Forge closed the side and opened both ends and sells it as a "Knifemakers forge" It has end doors. Yours looks like a nice forge I would reccomend buying it and modifying it with both ends that can be opened or closed. Good annealing forge too if you close the doors hot with steel inside. It takes hours to cool if you use castable refractory to reline it. It will also weld damascus with ease. Did I say buy it? Yes. Cool anvil too.
 
Thanks everyone! I am sure hoping I can get the forge. I know I could build one but right now I am such a greenhorn that the burners freak me out. If I had one a while and learned how it operates with some hands on then I would try to build one. But right now never seeing one ever in person I am not confident in my abilities to build one from scratch.
I am guesstimating that the anvil will hit 3 bills at least. If not $2 a pound. You never know. I know that forge is a pricey one but I am hoping it will not go as high as it is worth. I hope the forge goes first. The only thing that worries me is it is in the heart of Amish country. But I am not sure if they could use a propane forge or not with an electric blower. We will see. I am definitely going to try my best to get it. The anvil I need but my dad has a 110 pounder that is beat up. We have a coal forge also but I am just scared of the neighbors in town. They have never said anything to him but I cringe when I fire it up. I expect the law doggies any minute. :)
Thanks for the advice.
Ric
 
try to be reasonable with your forging and shed noise and you will probably get on alright with the neighbours.

I have been lucky so far no complaints but as i say I try to be reasonable.

I weighted 10 years to start building my own equipment. It was probably 9 too long.

be safe but have a go I wish I had started sooner. I had a trade back ground. I just lacked confidence.
 
Those darn Amish! :( The forge had an electric blower and an extra 12volt blower. I didn't even get a bid in! It went for $275. The anvil went higher than my guesstimate. $620. Man, I stood out in that hot sun for hours for nothing. Well, I did get a 1/3 horse motor for my taig lathe for $9 so it was not all a total loss. If it works that is!
But the good thing is that looking at one in person it sure doesn't seem like nothing I couldn't build. With help from you guys of course! :D
 
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