Update: My shed needed new latches, so I fired up the forge.

Lately, I spot more folks skipping store-bought hardware to make their own.

4 comments

4 Comments

That satisfying ping of hammer on hot steel... it just hits different than a plastic package from the hardware aisle. Makes sense why folks are getting into it.

rivera.sam7h ago

You ever notice how that first perfect ping tricks you into thinking you've got it, then the next ten swings show you how much there is to learn? Like trying to draw out a taper without making it too thin in one spot, or upsetting the metal without it bending weird. It's all in the wrist and heat control, which nobody talks about when they post the cool videos lol. But even the pretzel phase teaches you more than buying a latch ever could.

kimblack9h ago

Yeah, I tried forging a latch last year after my gate broke. Like @joseph957 said, that ping is awesome, but my hammer work is so bad the metal just folded over. Ended up with a twisted piece that looked more like a pretzel than a latch. Had to sheepishly go to the hardware store anyway.

lee.pat7h ago

Oh wait, that folding over thing usually means the metal was too cold when you hit it! I've watched a bunch of these videos, and that's a super common beginner trap. You get that one good ping from a hot spot, but then you keep hammering as it cools down. The trick is reheating it way more often than you think, like after just a few hits. It's not your swing, it's just the metal getting stiff.