In this part of the tutorial we continue forging the spear by doing step two. In this step we hammer out one end of the bar into a fish-tail shape.

Part 1 of this tutorial is here

We talked about heating the bar in sections as we need to. Now we are going to work on the short end of the bar.

Heat the short end of the bar. And we want to hammer that end into a fish-tail shape. The dashed lines in the picture show the final shape we are going to achieve with this step.

As we are doing this we are thinning out the steel and pulling on the hammer as it strikes. This draws out the steel and helps it to take the new shape.Work from the center line and pull toward you and toward the end of the bar. This will move the steel into the new shape.

Flip the bar over and do the same on the other side.

As I did in step one I started with a larger hammer to move lots of steel then I shifted to a smaller hammer to get more control.

We are fish tailing it so we can curve it into a socket that we can fit onto the pole of the spear. This is more steel than we need so now we will cut off the end to get it to a length that is sufficient.

We easily cut the end off the bar using something called a hot cut off tool.

It has a sharp edge on the top of it. We hammer the piece a few times on that and it gives it a good scoring.

Then with a pair of pliers we can easily snap the end off.

Ok. It looks great. Step two is complete.

Let's continue on to step three and form that fish-tail into a cone shape

The Backyard Blacksmith -

The Backyard Blacksmith shows you how -- with some patience and a working knowledge of metals, basic tools, and techniques -- blacksmithing can be easy to learn, and a rewarding hobby. Through instructions and illustrations, readers will learn to make simple tools and useful items, such as nails, hinges, and handles, and also an interesting mix of artful projects, such letter openers, door knockers and botanical ornaments. Written by an expert in blacksmith and metal artist, this book provides readers with a basic understanding of blacksmithing, including an explanation of tools like an anvil, an anvil stand, hammers, and tongs. Heating techniques like coal forging and fire tending are explained in detail, along with different types of metal like wrought iron, cast iron, and steel.

Do you like making projects and exploring a variety of hobbies?

Sign up for my free newsletter. I give you regular updates on hobbies and projects you can make. it is totally free and I don't share your email with anybody.