So, I've already got a nice brick hammer that I use for plenty of stuff besides just brick work, but I really wanted a nice pick.
So, I bought another cheap brick hammer and forged into a nice geologists pick that I can take with me when I go rock hounding in the future.
I have greatly surprised myself with my skill here. I hardened both the pick and the chisel end independently and I was stunned with how well I tempered it (tempering steel after hardening reduces the brittleness and gives it a tougher quality that resists shock.) I tested it out on the toughest rock I have around and that is a chunk of granite. Not only did the pick hack away at the granite, it held up very well with out blunting or chipping apart. A true success in the ability to temper steel.
Also, fun fact about this brick hammer- If the view looks at the first two panels, one can see that there is a colour difference at the ends of the hammer and chisel portion. They are darker grey and the middle portion of the body is lighter. This is not intentional at all, this is what happens when two different steel alloys are etched clean of corrosion in either evapo-rust, vinegar, or muriatic acid.
This brick hammer was made with hardened steel ends laminated to a soft steel/iron body to reduce the cost of materials.
It's how a lot of older things were made back then. Anything that needed a hardened steel face or edge had it laminated on and the rest of the tool was soft steel or wrought iron. We don't do that anymore because steel is much cheaper.and more affordable to the point where the whole head can be made from the same high carbon steel.
So, I bought another cheap brick hammer and forged into a nice geologists pick that I can take with me when I go rock hounding in the future.
I have greatly surprised myself with my skill here. I hardened both the pick and the chisel end independently and I was stunned with how well I tempered it (tempering steel after hardening reduces the brittleness and gives it a tougher quality that resists shock.) I tested it out on the toughest rock I have around and that is a chunk of granite. Not only did the pick hack away at the granite, it held up very well with out blunting or chipping apart. A true success in the ability to temper steel.
Also, fun fact about this brick hammer- If the view looks at the first two panels, one can see that there is a colour difference at the ends of the hammer and chisel portion. They are darker grey and the middle portion of the body is lighter. This is not intentional at all, this is what happens when two different steel alloys are etched clean of corrosion in either evapo-rust, vinegar, or muriatic acid.
This brick hammer was made with hardened steel ends laminated to a soft steel/iron body to reduce the cost of materials.
It's how a lot of older things were made back then. Anything that needed a hardened steel face or edge had it laminated on and the rest of the tool was soft steel or wrought iron. We don't do that anymore because steel is much cheaper.and more affordable to the point where the whole head can be made from the same high carbon steel.
Category Crafting / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Any
Size 1788 x 1308px
Absolutely lovely craftsmanship, do you do commissions?
If so how do you feel about the proposition of being sent an item and then sending it back another.
Let's just say I wanted a very simple modification, with some specific criteria, if you were to ask a reasonable price, could it be done if I were to send you the tool?
Great work either way, that pickaxe is going to be good for a lot of different situations.
If so how do you feel about the proposition of being sent an item and then sending it back another.
Let's just say I wanted a very simple modification, with some specific criteria, if you were to ask a reasonable price, could it be done if I were to send you the tool?
Great work either way, that pickaxe is going to be good for a lot of different situations.
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