[TheForge] Putting a New Subject Line on it and rambling...

[J Allcorn]

“Smelling like sheep!”  LOL!
Boy does that bring back memories of growing up on a Central Texas ranch in the 50’s. We raised the little woolies and I can personally attest to the smell and the softnesses it’ll impart to your skin. And it’ll soften your fingernails too!  Thanks for the memories!
James 

> On Dec 29, 2021, at 6:58 PM, Bruce <freemab222 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> My apologies for not re-titling my previous post, the one in which I was
> bitching about taking too great a share of the work of running the club.
> 
> Since Frosty brought up the subject of what we've been doing, let me
> describe my belated project of making "icicles."  I don't know where I
> first saw these things, but I'm pretty sure I didn't originate the idea:
> Taper  3/8" square stock to a point across 3" to 6", your preference.  Now
> twist that taper.  Finally put a hook or a ring or just a hole on the fat
> end, somehow, for hanging.
> The twist is the trick.  Done wrong, it can be a mess.  After one success a
> couple years ago, and a few tries and a couple more successes recently, I
> have found that the key is to cool the tip, grab that in the vise, and
> twist the hot taper from the fat end.  I think the temperature matters a
> lot, but I don't have a good handle on that yet.  It's not a sure thing
> (yet) but that seems to give a lovely twist to the icicle.  When finished,
> polish it on the wire wheel.  I don't know whether that just brings out a
> shine on the black scale or whether it deposits shiny steel from the wire
> wheel onto the scale -- much as a brass brush will deposit "gold" on the
> scale -- but the result is a shiny black "icicle."
> 
> As for the ailments of age that some have been discussing, exercise seems
> best for many, especially the exercises recommended by physical therapists
> for joint problems, such as shoulder ailments.
> The only significant pain aside from these that I've suffered in recent
> years were shoulder and neck pain -- sometimes quite severe -- that
> resulted from a cold draft while sleeping.  Avoid a cold draft and that
> problem goes away.
> If anyone else has to deal with very dry skin, especially on the fingers
> (that get washed more than ever these days), I suggest lanolin.  The
> product available by the pound works fine if you don't mind smelling like a
> sheep.  (Washing your hands after applying it reduces the intensity
> somewhat.)  But if that's too stinky for you or yours, get the liquid-gold
> lanolin sold for nursing mothers, which is all but odorless.  The main
> problem using lanolin or some other skin creams is that you're likely to
> have to clean under your fingernails more often, but that's no big deal.
> Now, if you want to know what to do about piles, email me off-list.
> There's only so much I'll discuss on a public forum!
> 
> Bruce
> NJ
> 
> 
>> On Wed, Dec 29, 2021 at 6:30 PM jerry Frost <akfrosty at mtaonline.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Holy  Moly, this is more activity than I've seen all last year! I really
>> miss email.lists. I wish I did something worth shooting a message here now
>> and then. I haven't done much smithing since the TBI accident. Been messing
>> with burners and am pleasantly surprised at how well the Naturally
>> Aspirated
>> Ribbon Burner (NARB) works. There are a bunch of posts up on Iforgeiron .
>> Com. Not much new for the T burner other than an easy way to jig the parts
>> to make one.
>> 
>> I HATE facebook, the noise to signal ratio is ridiculous, for anything I
>> might want to see I get everything in that person's contacts and all those
>> people's contact lists dumped on me. It's a geometric progression of noise.
>> I finally got our club's FB group filtered to just folk I want to hear from
>> and I get silence.
>> 
>> Silence of the FB group. SWEET.
>> 
>> Meetings at our club are mostly newbies which is good, I enjoy passing it
>> along. I turn 70 in January and since the TBI I've slowed way down.
>> 
>> I can't tell you guys how happy I am so see you again. Maybe we should do
>> this more often. (;
>> 
>> Frosty
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rob Fertner
>> Sent: Monday, December 27, 2021 6:36 PM
>> To: 'Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA'
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] New knife steel
>> 
>> Mark,
>> I guess only us old timers still using an e-mail group. A lot of people use
>> that BookFace nonsense.
>> Today is my 65th birthday and maybe I'm feeling a little maudlin. As time
>> goes on, there's fewer in our cohorts.
>> I've been on this list since 1996 there abouts. I plan on sticking with it
>> until someone shuts off the lights.
>> Have a good one.
>> 
>> Rob
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net <theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net>
>> On
>> Behalf Of Mark A. Pesetsky
>> Sent: Monday, December 27, 2021 9:44 AM
>> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] New knife steel
>> 
>> Hey Rob,
>> 
>> Hope all is well with you and yours and you had a nice and relaxing
>> Christmas. Thanks for sharing, this is a great article. Miss the days of
>> old
>> when this list was thriving and buzzing with activity.
>> 
>> Take Care,
>> Mark
>> ________________________________
>> 
>> 
>