hi every body
iwould like to ask a question iwas wondering how they make one piece spurs instead of welding
thank you c.j.

C.J.,

I was curious about that myself. I heard of guys splitting everything from square stock, to round stock, and even old car axles.

It would be great to see some examples of this process, or better yet maybe one of the pros could do a tutorial on how it's done?

_________________
Billy & Amber Dodson.
BAD Western Wurks.
Geronimo,Tx.

the way the famous makers of old did it. They would start with a peice of flat bar about 1/2" in thickness, they split it down the center of one end about 4 inches deep, hot formit into a T shape, then form the heelbands around a die. the shank was then formed by using various shapes and dies. a female die was usually made for consistency. swingers were braded in or heat welded. rowels were also formed hot with dies. It is not as far fetched as one might think to make them this way today, but forging knowledge is not as common as welding knowledge. Griff

_________________
www.handmadecowboy.com

thanks grif
i understand perfectly what your saying , learnig a bit of smithing would definatley go a long way thanks for your time and knowlege
c.j.

Griff,

Seems to me hand forging may be becoming a dieing art itself. Might be interesting to look into, to help continue the old school ways. Might be kinda cool!.....

If anyone else has info/pics of this process, jump on in and don't be shy.

_________________
Billy & Amber Dodson.
BAD Western Wurks.
Geronimo,Tx.

If you were looking for a lead on some one to ask about forging spurs, I think that Larry could be of some help in that dept.

_________________
I'm only as good as you think I am.

Hello, New to the forum and been lurking a couple weeks, figured this would be a good place for me to jump in. I make custom knifes via smithing as well as blacksmithing.
Here`s how I make spurs, pretty much like said although I had to figure it out for myself. 5/8 square stock, Split with band saw or what have you, I tried hot cutting but was tough to clean the inside of band up. Then forged it open into a T so I could clean it up on a belt grinder being real careful to upset the middle to the T into the shank a little bit so it is real flat. Clean up the inside to 400 grit on a belt sander. Spit the area for the rowels with band saw and open them up slightly when forging the band back around on heel jig I made, sand to 400 grit on the outside and clean up and scale built from the forge on the inside of bands drill holes ect ect clean up and assemble. Although I do use low carbon steel I do quench in water for 2 reasons, it does harden them a touch but not enough carbon for to warrant a temper and it helps blow the scale off the steel. Scale is a product of oxygen burning onto steel that become very hard flakes, a neutral atmosphere in a forge helps eliminate that but there always is a little. If you all have any more questions, shoot

_________________
Romey
www.highcountryknives.com

hi romey
thanks for jumping in great imfo
c.j.

Just joined up a short time ago so I thought I would say howdy.

I forged my first set of spurs in 1978 using a hacksaw, hammer, an old coal forge and some files. They came out darn rough but my Dad used them for quite a while. Since then I've gotten better at it and now I'm able to do a good job on them.

For the last few years I've been forging them out of my own Damascus steel which can be a real challange especially if the layers start to seperate during the forging process, but them it's like the old saying "no guts no glory"

I do have a web site with some pictures of the bits spurs and knives I forged. There is also a slide show that shows some of the steps in forging a set of damascus Spanish colonial spurs.
www.larryfuegen.com

I'm glad this group started and that makers are willing to share info.
I'm self taught so some of my ways of doing thing may seem different to some of you.

Larry

Larry,
I first became aware of your work several years ago. Absolutely incredible. I'm so glad to see artists like you on this forum.
Stewart

I agree with stewert Incredable work

_________________
The winds of heaven blow between a horse's ears
Black Mountain Bits and Spurs & Big Game Hounds

hi
larry


what can any one say you are the total package simpley out of this world they are art in solid steel do you use the old coke forges or the gas
love the hydroulic press how did you do the tiny patterns on the rowells
thanks for shareing this with all of us
c.j.

Thanks for the nice comments guys. I'm still learning as I go.

I use a propane forge now but I miss my old coal forge. It was nice to be able to heat only a small area I wanted to work on in the coal forge but the gas forge is much better for welding damascus and since I can only have one I've learned to work in the gas forge.

The engraved rowels on the slide show had a punch dot background. I think these were the ones C.J. was asking about.

I'll try and have my wife up load some photos of some other bits and spur
when we figure out how to do it.

Larry

hi
larry cant wait till you sort the photo problems out larry did you ever make damascus knives any time for a hobby ive heard of your name somewhere all good of course thanks the slides on your site are magic you covered the hole prosses
and i think this forum is just fantastic
knowlege is priceless every body is keeping another art really alive thanks
c.j.