Comments on: Working Hot Steel http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/06/working-hot-steel/ Timeless Tools Sat, 19 May 2012 20:07:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Bob Strawn http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/06/working-hot-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-833 Bob Strawn Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:37:18 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1162#comment-833 Charcoal works, but takes a bit more to manage the high heat. Bob Charcoal works, but takes a bit more to manage the high heat.

Bob

]]> By: Seamus http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/06/working-hot-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-803 Seamus Mon, 31 May 2010 03:00:25 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1162#comment-803 This is the first I've encountered your blog so pardon if this has been discussed before. Have you tried charcoal ? This is the first I’ve encountered
your blog so pardon if this has
been discussed before.
Have you tried charcoal ?

]]> By: BobStrawn http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/06/working-hot-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-483 BobStrawn Sun, 03 May 2009 02:56:29 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1162#comment-483 Thanks, John! This forge is about two years old. It is way bigger than it needs to be. My personal choices for preservation are actual real pure neatsfoot oil for weather proofing, Ballistol for holding steel tools, and Camellia for holding steel that will contact food. Saddle soap is inconsistent so I would ask someone who rides horsed in all weather, what they prefer. When using saddle soap, I work up a lather, apply the lather and clean the leather with it. I try to remove all of the soap that I can when I am done. All good oils for leather are mostly nondrying. They will eventually evaporate. So you will need to regularly treat with a touch of oil to maintain your leather. Wax can reduce this, but not stop it. Nikwax is reasonably recent, but a lot of people like it. When silicon oils first came out a lot of folk raved over them. Now most leatherworkers avoid the silicon. I used it quite a bit over the years and I am not real impressed with the results. I have no experience with Nikwax, but it seems like a good idea. I have treated some leather with an oil mix made of wax, turpentine and camellia oil. It seems to have done well so far, but a real test takes a few years. Bob Thanks, John! This forge is about two years old. It is way bigger than it needs to be.

My personal choices for preservation are actual real pure neatsfoot oil for weather proofing, Ballistol for holding steel tools, and Camellia for holding steel that will contact food.

Saddle soap is inconsistent so I would ask someone who rides horsed in all weather, what they prefer. When using saddle soap, I work up a lather, apply the lather and clean the leather with it. I try to remove all of the soap that I can when I am done.

All good oils for leather are mostly nondrying. They will eventually evaporate. So you will need to regularly treat with a touch of oil to maintain your leather. Wax can reduce this, but not stop it.

Nikwax is reasonably recent, but a lot of people like it. When silicon oils first came out a lot of folk raved over them. Now most leatherworkers avoid the silicon. I used it quite a bit over the years and I am not real impressed with the results. I have no experience with Nikwax, but it seems like a good idea. I have treated some leather with an oil mix made of wax, turpentine and camellia oil. It seems to have done well so far, but a real test takes a few years.

Bob

]]> By: John Tohkubbi http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/06/working-hot-steel/comment-page-1/#comment-482 John Tohkubbi Sat, 02 May 2009 21:48:04 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1162#comment-482 Hey Bob, I was just checking out your forge. AMAZING! How long have you had it? I also like the changes to your website and it looks a lot nicer. As far as leather work is concerned, I've been looking at several conditioners like Ballistol, neatsfoot oil, saddle soap, water-based wax, and laquer. Which do you recommend and why? If you apply a finish, does that mean that you do not need a periodic conditioner such as oil? (feel free to e-mail if you like) John Hey Bob,

I was just checking out your forge. AMAZING! How long have you had it? I also like the changes to your website and it looks a lot nicer.

As far as leather work is concerned, I’ve been looking at several conditioners like Ballistol, neatsfoot oil, saddle soap, water-based wax, and laquer. Which do you recommend and why? If you apply a finish, does that mean that you do not need a periodic conditioner such as oil?

(feel free to e-mail if you like)
John

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