Old Blacksmithing hammers: tools found at Quad State!

I like old tools.  The tailgate tools sales at the yearly Blacksmithing SOFA Quad-State Conference in Troy, Ohio are always interesting.  I picked up what looks like a flatter or top tool, hand hammer, and sledge hammer head.

 They are all made simply from wrought iron bar with a punched eye. I don't know why the flatter on the left had a rectangular eye.  The center one is the sledge hammer head.  It does not appear to have steeled faces.  It also may have been upset or mushroomed just by use.  The swelling or hourglass shape on the right is from both working ends being upset for more mass.  That one appears to have the remains of a steeled face.

If you have any clues to how their origin or construction please let me know!

SOFA Quad State Conference 2013: Part III Tailgate sales and old tools!

New York is a good state to live in as a Blacksmith  It is a state rich with colonial, agricultural, and industrial history.  Between Agriculture and Industry there are a lot of old tools in New York.  It is possible to find used Blacksmithing tools at reasonable prices.  But showing up at Quad-State on Friday is still like Christmas morning!  Hundreds of pick-up trucks are loaded with tools on the tailgates.   Junk and tool sellers have rows of tables of old tools!

Here we are looking at tools before the sun has come up!

Each year the opportunities are different.  The economy has an impact as well.  Ten years ago when I started going to the event there were half a dozen or more old power hammers for sale.  There were also 3 vendors of new air hammers.  In 2013 there were lots of vendors and things for sale, but fewer power hammers and items in the multi-thousand dollar range.  There was also only Big Blu selling new power hammers.  I thing that reflects nationwide trends in the economy.  Blacksmiths were still looking for tools and things they needed and are spending money.  But they are buying more small items instead of one big item.

Our band of Outlaw Blacksmiths may be representative.  Out of five of us we bought one new tool.  My son bought a nice 800g German pattern cross-pein.  Here are a 600g, his 800g, and my 1000g German pattern Cross Pein hammers.  Ironically they were all made in France!

But the rest of our purchases fell in two catagories.  Used tools to rehabilitate and restore to use.  We brought home a broken Champion Post Drill, two leg vises without mounts or screws, and a rusty bench vice.   I found a Champion No. 96 for $20!  It has a flywheel with broken spokes.  But unbroken was the downfeed cam mechanism that is broken on the identical drill I already own.  I ended up mounting both of them in the shop side by side!  I'll forge a new down-feed cam using the one I have as a guide, and get both drills in top shape.  The more worn one will be used for bigger bits and the tighter one with a Jacobs chuck for smaller bits.  I thought I was getting parts, but instead I am using it for patterns to make parts!  That way I have two drill presses!

I also bought an assortment of sledge hammer heads, new files, and used files.

Raw material to use to make new tools or ironwork.  Our first purchase Thursday night was used Nascar axles.  We bought a bunch to use to make anvil tooling.  They are good steel.  The best deal we found on materials was real Wrought Iron!  Several people were selling iron from 19th century bridges.

We collectively bought more than a hundred pounds of 3/4 round, square, welded eyes, and massive wrought iron bolts!  We are already making the list of tools we will buy or sell at the conference next year!  Looking forward to the 4th Saturday in 2014!

SOFA Quad State 2013 Blacksmithing Conference- Part I

The largest and often the best yearly Blacksmithing conference is held by the Southern Ohio Forge and Anvil.  The event is called the SOFA Quad-State Roundup.  Even though it is over 600 miles from my house I try to go each year.  I am lucky to have a bunch of Blacksmith friends willing to make this crazy road trip out to the conference every year!  Thanks guys!

It is unbelievably flat in south central Ohio compared to my home in the Adirondack region of Northern New York.

Farmers were getting in the grain as we drove across the state.  Corn and Soybeans seemed to be most common.  We saw John Deere, Case IH, and Gleaner combines.

When we stopped for gas there were 5 boys in line buying cold soda.  They had clearly just come from the fields.  They still had chaff on their jeans and boots as they filled their pickup-trucks with gas.


This year was much drier and an easier drive.  It rained the whole trip in 2012.  At least we got to see the rainbow!

2012 Ohio drive home.

2013 Ohio drive home.

Our crew tented on grounds.  It is fairly cheap and easy to camp right at the event on the Miami County Fairgrounds.  This year was warm and dry.

What a nice change from the pouring rain, lightning, cold, and 86mph winds of last year!  Our tents didn't leak or blow down.  Success!  I am getting too old and cranky to sleep in the car.

Two attractions to Quad State are the tools and the professional demonstrations.  The tailgate shopping for new and old tools draws a lot of people.

Several acres of fairgrounds are covered by pickups, tents, and tables of rusty iron.

Bradley 15LB Upright guided helve hammer.

 Four demonstrators present throughout the weekend as well.  It is always a good time.  Part II of this report is about the demonstrators.  Part III will discuss buying tools!  More to follow.

Quad State Roundup Blacksmithing Conference 2011

As usual Quad State was a fantastic get together for Blacksmiths.  It is the last weekend in September each year in lovely Troy, Ohio.  Good demonstrators, good facilities, and great camaraderie!

Four of us went down from the Cooperstown area to the event.  It was a good road trip, in part because I got a new Toyota RAV4 two weeks earlier.  The trip sure broke that in and got rid of the new car smell!  Once there we went to most of the demos, and picked up lots of ideas and new techniques.  We saw some great ironwork being made.

We saw a lot on neat old tools.  This bridge anvil is more ornate than was usual for an industrial tool.

There were several smiths that brought their own portable demonstration rigs.  This one was very compact, and had a neat linkage that turned the rotary bellows by pulling a handle like a bellows!

We ate well.  Even if it was possum stew.

Of course we bought lots of tools!  Hammers old and new, files, books, chisels, bottom tools, and flatters!  The little truck had a full load coming back!

My thanks to the guys that went with me.  We had a great time.