Posted by Marrin T. Fleet on September 24, 1997 at 01:04:26:

In Reply to: Topic: Forging a taper posted by Chris Ray on September 20, 1997 at 20:42:03:

: I have seen a number of beginning smiths struggle with making a long taper and here is one basic way to accomplish this shape. This method works with both light and heavy stock and the principle is the same.

There is another viewpoint; one that I have been introduced to only recently, that works for light to medium stock. It probably works well for heavy stock, too, but I'm not going to try, at least by hand!

: Begin by taking a heat on the end of a bar ...

So far, so good. We agree so far!

: ... and then either over the horn of your anvil or a rounded die in a power hammer, concentrate on reducing the end first.

Now, here is where the methods diverge! Set the end of the hot bar over the side of the anvil for about the diameter of the bar. Use the radiused part of the envil edge, in the "sharp curve" area, but not the "hard, sharp corner" section. Strike just over the edge of the anvil, setting a slight shoulder, then turn ninety degrees, and strike again. This leaves a "bulb" on the end of the bar (almost like beginning a snub-end scroll), and the bar itself showing square, if it wasn't before. Then, working BEHIND this bulb, forge forward, drawing material from the mass out there on the end of the bar. As you forge forward, the bulb seems to stay at forgable temperature longer, perhaps being fed from the energy given to the bar by hitting it. A four to six inch square taper can be drawn in three-eighths bar in ONE heat! There is even enough heat left, usually, to knock down the corners into the octogon, and planish round! All in one heat!

The distance the bar extends over the edge of the anvil, and therefore the size of the mass at the end of the bar, determines the volume of metal available for the taper. A little practice gives you a feel for how much metal is needed.

The first time I tried this was the first time I had ever been able to draw a good, long, taper in one heat. Ever!

This may not be for everyone, but it has convinced me that there is often more than one way to skin a cat!

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