Garden hoe head

This was commissioned by a Zombie Squad member as a present for his sister. Most of the forging was done with Gunnhilda, my homebrewed power hammer. I started with a piece of new leaf spring stock, forged out the neck and spread out the preform for the socket. I actually used math to figure up the size of the socket to fit a regular hoe handle with a bit of shaving on the handle to ensure a tight fit.

Then I rolled the socket and cut the hoe free from the parent stock.

Then I spread the blade out and thinned it down.

Because the neck got forged a bit off-centered when I forged it, the blade came out off-centered. I trimmed it more even and ground the edge bevel in.

I stamped my touchmark on the blade, the first time I've done that on a hoe. Then came the part of the process that is most difficult for me, bending the neck into the appropriate angle. If the angle's off a bit, it won't work very well.

Then I hardened the blade and neck in commercial quench oil.

After that I tempered it in my kiln.

This morning after pulling it out, I drilled a hole and forged a little nail to make sure that it stays on the handle once it's fitted.

And now it's off to its new home, in time for Christmas. :)