Kestrel has sent us the second part of her series and things are definitely happening.

 

In our last installment, I started to cut out a piece of metal so I could make something out of it. And at last, the first side is cut!

Now, just like that, the second side is cut:

My new piece, which will be handier to work with and shape: 

Remember I said this was thick? If you look really closely, right in the middle and under my middle finger, you can also see some of the layers that were forged together to make this piece of metal. Take a look at how thick this is, and another issue for me is that it’s not all equal, but is sort of varied in thickness. That means I’ll have to be careful in my shaping.  

One more problem is that it has some sharp edges on it. Experience has taught me that life will be easier if I smooth those out a little bit, so it’s off to the deburring wheel to fix that. After that, I gave it a few whacks with the hammer, just to see how it was going to behave, and to smash down that middle part which is the highest or thickest part. So at last, I have a useable piece of metal that will be much easier to work than trying to work the entire original piece:

I think the pattern on it is lovely. But it needs to be a lot more even, not to mention longer and wider! Right now, if I cut off a piece to make, say, an earring, it would simply be way too heavy. So next, we’ll meet my new BFF, the raising hammer. 

Thanks, kestrel. I’m looking forward to your next installment.