[TheForge] grapez

[George Dixon]

Greetings,
The grapes were die-forged.  The job called for acorns and grapes.
The spring die in the acorn picture  
http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/acorn1.jpg is one of two I made for the 
job...the die body of both looked the same.  The die is shown laying on 
a bar with an acorn shaped depression in its face.  This was made by 
driving an acorn into the white-hot bar so that the flash rested on the 
bar face.  This bar/depression was the acorn-holder while the flash was 
chisel cut away.  

The grapes were made and trimmed in the same way.   
http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/grape-raw.jpg In both cases, the 
trimmed pieces were reheated and put back into their die, but this time 
they are rotated as the die is struck....so they come out ready to use.

The grape shanks were drawn out to 3/16" diameter save one, which was 
left thicker and longer for the main stem.  The balance of the grapes 
had their stems snipped as needed and were tig'd to the aforementioned 
main stem.  

A two-grape-leaf cap http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/grape-leaves.jpg 
was drilled and dropped down onto the stem to cover the open top of the 
assembled grape bunch.  The grape leaves on the grapes and the vine were 
chisel-cut from 16g naval bronze.  Naval bronze chisel cuts very quickly.

The acorns went onto 'oak branches' with oak leaves.  A third spring 
tool  http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/branch-tool.jpg was forged, 
relieved and striated with a chisel to make a texture tool for the 
branches. http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/branch-tool2.jpg

These last shots are of a 'tool' I made for my Iraq-bound son (1st Inf Div).
The 'shiny end' is made of a piece of w-1 sandwiched between two pieces 
of iron.  This was welded, cut, folded and welded 6 times, then forged.  
The body is a flat diamond in cross-section with a chisel-like blade 
instead of a point at the tip. 
http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/knife3.jpg  The two 'wings were split 
out, leaving a tang, and forged (on opposite sides) with a large 
ball-faced hammer.  This left the back of each 'wing' thick, while 
cupping its section down to a blade.

The handle is forged from 1" diameter naval bronze.  The blunt, tapered 
end of the handle is thick and extends past the hand by about 1 1/2".  
The fullered grip is like having several rolls of quarters in ones 
hand......... http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/knife4.jpg
It will be blackened prior to shipping-out, it can be polished again 
someday.

Take care,
George Dixon
Metalsmith