[TheForge] spring swages for bark texture

[Ries Niemi]

Sure you can get a deep texture in pipe. In fact, with pipe, since it 
is hollow, the trick is to not hit it too hard. Elsewise it squashes 
all oval.

You can make your own spring swages, but it sure is easy to just buy 
one from Grant Sarver. Off Center tools- You can call up Grant direct 
like, at 1-800-99Forging or you can buy em from Kayne and son at 
www.kayneandson.com
His swages are 4140, and they last a long time. I have used some of his 
swages to hit stainless steel thousands of times, no wear that I can 
see.
He makes two sizes of bark type swages- he calls em vine swages.
They cost 55 bucks each from Kayne, and they are worth it.

If you do want to make your own, the trick is just to use a cold 
chisel, and chisel up a piece of round bar the size you want to 
texture, about 2 or 3 inches of it, at the end of a piece about a foot 
long. Then make a blank spring swage- make the spring out of 1/4" x 1 
1/4" or so flat bar, make two blocks out of 1" x 2" x 2" mild steel. 
Weld it together, then heat the business end of the  swage in the 
forge. Put the chiseled up piece in between the swage, and whack it. 
Presto, you have a spring swage. Its a good idea to relieve the edges 
where depression starts- make it more oval than exactly half round. 
Just take a grinder and open up the sides a little.  That way you can 
rotate the piece while you are forging it and it doesnt get stuck like 
it would if the swage fit exactly.

ries