Here are a few problems which deal with the making of your own tools.
When buying steel for this work always tell what the steel is to be
used for. The merchant will probably recommend to you a grade of steel
from which you can make tools that will last.
_Hardie:_ Take a piece of 1-1/8-in. square tool steel. Make this tool
on the end of a bar if the bar is long enough. It is easier handled in
that way. The dotted lines on the drawing show the amount of material
required to make the shank. This should be made to fit the hole in
the anvil; 3/8 in. from the shank fuller down on the two sides of the
steel, leaving 5/8-in. thickness between the fuller marks. Draw the end
out to a 3-in. taper on one side and widen it out to 1-3/4-in. taper
on the other. (See drawing.)
[Illustration: Hardie]
[Illustration: Set hammer, second process]
_Set hammer:_ A set hammer is made with a piece of 1-1/8-in. square
steel; 1-5/8 in. from one end mark the hole. Put one end of the bar
into the fire and heat it. Take it out and punch a hole with the eye
punch in the piece of steel when it is marked. Knock the four corners
down, bevelling them as shown in the sketch, and trim the end off
rounding for the head. Cut it off 4 ins. long; fuller the four corners
1-1/4 ins. from the face as shown in the sketch. The end view of the
drawing shows the depth of the fuller marks.
[Illustration: Set hammer, completed]
[Illustration: Set hammer, first process]
_Hot chisel:_ This tool is made much as you make the set hammer.
However, where the set hammer is fullered on the corners the hot chisel
is fullered on the two sides, and the end is drawn out tapering. Used
to cut hot iron. (See drawing).
[Illustration: Cold chisel]
[Illustration: Hot chisel]
[Illustration: Hot chisel, details]
_Cold chisel:_ This tool is made out of 1-in. square stock. The
punching of the eye and head part of this chisel is made in the same
way as the other tools described here. A blade is tempered from the
centre to 2-3/4 ins. in length, and the cutting edge is finished a
little rounding. This tool is made to cut cold iron, hence its name.
[Illustration: Another cold chisel]