dobedo
Member
Background:
Back in the early 70s at my first CG Unit when I was just an E-4 I met a MK Chief that was a farrier. He worked out of the back of his Jeep with a homemade cap. He had a small forge a 100lb. anvil, a swing out vice and various tools. I was a kid I worked at a boarding stable with a breading facility. I was always interested in watching the farrier do his thing. The Chief needed a new forge as the one he had was made of fire brick and mortar. Since I was a welder, he asked me if I could help? We went over to the base scrap yard and came up with a 30-gallon heavy walled boiler and 1/2" heavy steel plate. We cut out the barrel top and fitted a round plate about 1/2 wat down. We removed the plate and I fabricated the forge with a hole for a hand crank air supply. We also made a 4" stack on top of the barrel and made a conical top to capture the heat and smoke. He retired some years later and we lost touch.
Many years later after we had moved to Maryland and after I retired in 95 from the USCG. I was at a fair where I saw who I think it was him. I approached him and said Chief and he turned around and said yes. I said were you a farrier? He said yes. I reintroduced myself and we reminisced, and he invited me to his house to catch up. I asked if he was still a farrier? He said no as he was getting to old and swinging the hammer was just too much. His family lived in Alaska and sometimes daily chores were difficult for him. I asked what I can do to help? He is a proud man and did not want help I told him that it would be my pleasure to help. Over the next 10 years I help him on various thing around the house. He was getting pretty frail and had some medical issues which he would not discuss. I used to take him to his doctor and sometimes to the store.
One day I noticed he had been using his forge in the shop. I asked him what he was doing, and he said just puttering. I asked if I could help, he said no. About 6 months later he presented me with a knife blade that he made. He said he could not finish it and figured I could. A month later I got a call from his son telling me he had passed in his sleep at home. I attended his funeral at the veteran's cemetery. So, I decided to finish the blade and give it to his son who was going to move back to MD. Well, his son said that his dad wanted me to have the blade and it was met for me.
To finish the blade it needed a guard, pommel and handle. I purchased some brass stock and machined by hand a guard and pommel. I made the handle from walnut and made a sheath to hold the knife. Not sure what steel he made it from, but it can shave the hair off a gnat's butt.
Back in the early 70s at my first CG Unit when I was just an E-4 I met a MK Chief that was a farrier. He worked out of the back of his Jeep with a homemade cap. He had a small forge a 100lb. anvil, a swing out vice and various tools. I was a kid I worked at a boarding stable with a breading facility. I was always interested in watching the farrier do his thing. The Chief needed a new forge as the one he had was made of fire brick and mortar. Since I was a welder, he asked me if I could help? We went over to the base scrap yard and came up with a 30-gallon heavy walled boiler and 1/2" heavy steel plate. We cut out the barrel top and fitted a round plate about 1/2 wat down. We removed the plate and I fabricated the forge with a hole for a hand crank air supply. We also made a 4" stack on top of the barrel and made a conical top to capture the heat and smoke. He retired some years later and we lost touch.
Many years later after we had moved to Maryland and after I retired in 95 from the USCG. I was at a fair where I saw who I think it was him. I approached him and said Chief and he turned around and said yes. I said were you a farrier? He said yes. I reintroduced myself and we reminisced, and he invited me to his house to catch up. I asked if he was still a farrier? He said no as he was getting to old and swinging the hammer was just too much. His family lived in Alaska and sometimes daily chores were difficult for him. I asked what I can do to help? He is a proud man and did not want help I told him that it would be my pleasure to help. Over the next 10 years I help him on various thing around the house. He was getting pretty frail and had some medical issues which he would not discuss. I used to take him to his doctor and sometimes to the store.
One day I noticed he had been using his forge in the shop. I asked him what he was doing, and he said just puttering. I asked if I could help, he said no. About 6 months later he presented me with a knife blade that he made. He said he could not finish it and figured I could. A month later I got a call from his son telling me he had passed in his sleep at home. I attended his funeral at the veteran's cemetery. So, I decided to finish the blade and give it to his son who was going to move back to MD. Well, his son said that his dad wanted me to have the blade and it was met for me.
To finish the blade it needed a guard, pommel and handle. I purchased some brass stock and machined by hand a guard and pommel. I made the handle from walnut and made a sheath to hold the knife. Not sure what steel he made it from, but it can shave the hair off a gnat's butt.
