My first bodkins (pics)

[SimonUK]

Good question DT. I find you can work on the iron even when it's completely cold. It bends much less of course. I straightened this bodkin out a little when it was cold and rounded off the socket more. I wonder if it's possible to make a bodkin without any heat at all?

I don't know about you Kviljo, but it's taking me ages to make a single bodkin, about 30 minutes. There's a good chance I'm going to upset the neighbours too, so I don't know how much of this I can do.

[D. Tiller]

Simon, one of the guys I work with at Camlann (Check out www.Camlann.org ) is making Plate armor in the medieval style. He is going to be making some jigs for a couple of us this winter so that we can pound out bodkin and other points quickly. I think it all comes down to having the right tools and set up. Once you are able to round out the socket on some kind of form it becomes quick and easy. Plus, I bet ya ten to one the blacksmiths in the medieval ages had a primitive assembly line to make these points by the hundreds. One person made the socket the next the neck and the last the head. The old saying about "Having one in the fire!" is true when you think of it from a blacksmiths perspective. While you work on one you have one heating in the fire so that when the one in your hand is cold the one in the fire is ready to work. Instead of one done in half an hour you have three.

Plus thinking on it. Get the rough work done first and then put the finnishing touches on later when you can use less heat and true things up.

David T.

[SimonUK]

What an interesting place to work DT. The menu at the Bors Hede made my mouth water 

[D. Tiller]

Thats just a sampler menu too! You should see some of the other feasts they have. If you ever get over here try the Fenberry Pie.  Best dang meat and custard pie I have ever had and the live entertainment is fantastic. We are having a medieval fair going on now untill the end of August every weekend.  This weekend is dedicated to medieval martial arts. Next two are music and crafts, the following two are the plays and entertainment of the medieval times. The Village Freemen will be giving demonstrations of english archery with warbows. The smith is making armor and the cider press demonstration happens once a day. Food is available from the Bores Head. Though I do wish they woud vary the lunch menu a bit more! I'm getting a bit tired of the strawbery/nut/meat pottage! 

David T

[Kviljo]

When it stops to glow, I reheat it. Otherwide there will be internal tensions in it, and may shred or break more easily. Don't think there is much to gain to hammer it till it's cold, because it will just take longer to reheat it, pluss it's much easier to shape it when it's glowing.

[SimonUK]

Meat and custard pie  ...there's nothing like a good bit of delicate english cuisine. Are you going to be one of the freemen? Sounds great fun.

[D. Tiller]

Yep! That will be me with some fynberry pie in one hand and a bow in the other! 

[Kviljo]

 

[SimonUK]

Is that the quillion dagger? It looks excellent whatever it is  How do you find the time to do all of this