Stock-removing newbie swings a hammer at mokume

[Messinger]

Hi gang. I've been listening to the hammer-swingers talk about coin-mokume for a while and thought I'd give it a try. Tonight I stuffed a stack of (cleaned) pennies (old copper ones) and nickles into my one-brick forge and made this. It was fun! There's just enough matterial here for the bolsters on the little folder I'm working on. It took a long time to get it up to weld-heat, but it finally got there. Had a few spots that didn't fuse that I had to grind away, but there was enough left for the bolsters I was after. I'm going to have to learn how to do this right and try it some more. It was kind of fun.

-Ben

[markd]

I can't believe the insanity around here...melting perfectly good money like that.

[titaniumdoctor]

Looks good bro, I've been wanting to try that, you may have just inspired me. I did actually try a little something a while back, I took and turned a piece of brass to just under an inch or so dia. by about an inch thick. Kinda like a mini solid brass soup can. Then I drilled as many little holes into that baby as I could fit. I went down to my breaker box and cut me a chunk of ground cable and untwisted it and filled all them holes with the copper. After about 2 hours of cutting copper and stuffing 'em in the holes, I heated her up cherry red and gave 'er a couple of good whacks with a hammer. I flattened it out to about twice it's original dia. It didn't turn out too bad. I coated it with Baldwins patina and ended up with some polka dotted brass. Next time I'm gonna alternate copper and silver wire in the brass. Ok, gotta go, for some reason my home electrical system isn't working!!

[Tim Brewer]

Looks great. I?m amazed what can be done with a little heat and a little sweet.

I've wanted to try that myself but was fearful of putting copper in my forge. I've heard blacksmiths of old would throw a penny into the forge of a competing blacksmith to ruin the competitor?s forge. Do most use a separate forge when heating cooper? I have a homemade forge and burn charcoal is the copper a real issue or is this an old wives tale? Has anyone else heard this?

Again, Ben, your mokume looks great. You should be proud.

[Alan L]

Copper won't hurt your forge or your welding ability unless you think it will .

I have been known to toss an old penny in the firepot while welding just to prove this to people, which is the trick it took to convince ME way back when. I use coal, by the way. That said, I wouldn't want to try throwing a dollars' worth in there, but for making mokume you aren't going to be melting it into the fire anyway unless things get out of hand.

[Tim Brewer]

Alan,

I appreciate your response and I like your no nonsense approach too. Thank you.

[Messinger]

Originally Posted by Tim Brewer

Alan,

I appreciate your response and I like your no nonsense approach too. Thank you.

I agree, Alan. Thanks for the info. Nothing I like better than a dispelled myth.

-Ben

[sdcb27]

Zinc is what can actually mess up your forge lining and your lungs as well

[JeridJohnson]

good looking stuff Ben..

[Messinger]

Thanks Jerid.
That little billet has since been turned into bolsters, now being worn by knife #4. I hope to have it finished in the next week or so. Not much time what with a family and a day-job and all. Just need to finish and sharpen the blade and do some filework. I should have a picture for the Display Case before too long (Look for a warncliff folder with walrus scales).

-Ben