Over Thanksgiving break I decided to make an iron fork for Professor Moss since she showed such interest in our coal rake. Here is a brief summary of the process:
This is the anvil and hammer ready to go. The pointy thing sticking up is a “Hardy” it is used to cut steel and can be removed from its slot. There are other tools that use the same slot.
This is our stock.
Heating the steel.
Hot steel, ready for action.
This is the finished roll, ready to be quenched.
Cutting off the extra steel.
Grinding off sharp edges. Note: not as cool looking in person, unfortunately.
Bending the outer tines: heating with a torch and preparing to bend with the vise-grips.
Notching out the pieces so the tines line up better.
After welding them together here is the final piece:
wonderful! i love the fact that you put the process of metalsmithing a fork online.
how fascinating; a rod of steel molded into a beautiful fork
amazing!!
You bet I love the coal rake –thanks so much!
And its birth story right here!
Metaphorically, the substance of this fork is so apparent; it has the weight a magic wand aware of its power should have. Using it without awareness of using it is unlikely. And receiving this fork was like receiving the key to Limited Fork Theory. It can bash open the doors it can’t unlock
(in its forged quest to transform thinking).