Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds Hand forged original wrought iron bottle openers

Just another note about the openers and those that have received them already. Before shipping them out I rub in one coat of Renaissance Wax, followed by a coating of high quatlity carnuba paste wax to help protect your opener from wear.

I would recommend an occasional (maybe once a year?) coat of high quality paste wax (not the liquid stuff) and buffing with cotton rag to help keep your opener looking nice.

I've been out forging every night after work, and most of the weekends too trying to gain some ground on the order list. This latest batch of salvaged wrought iron cemetery pickets is proving to be especially finicky. More than usual the grain is splitting out the end on me and my reject pile is growing faster than I'd like. But the ones that are forging fine are showing a bit more character of the grain of the wrought iron, which I think is very cool.
You can see some of the 'cracks and crevices' in the metal from the wrought iron grain.

Here's from the last few forging sessions, before applying the finishing steps.



BUT! ****I have another "misfit opener" available.****
Another double-frog stamp, but barely noticeable. It has "2014" on the side and a flame color finish.
Let me know if you'd like this one right away without having to wait on the order list for one.
If you're not too concerned about a slight double-frog stamp, this one is for you!

I'll take that misfit "double frog in flames" opener. PM me the payment requirements.

Todd I received mine today and promptly tried it out. Looks awesome and works perfect. It has a heft to it that says "I will be yours forever". Thanks man!

"I will be yours forever. .." !

Wow, I'm gonna steal that and add it to my advertising material!
I completely agree with that sentiment, and I guess that sums up what I was after when trying to finalize a design I was happy with.

Glad you like it- Happy Beers!

Todd, mine arrived Friday and it looks fantastic...gonna take it to the grave

Dave, glad you like it!

For everyone else... Unfortunately right now I'm going to have to hold off on taking any more orders using the wrought iron. This latest batch of wrought iron is splitting out on me on almost every one.... I need to honor the orders I've already taken, and at this point I'm spending way too much time trying to get just one opener to turn out from the wrought iron pieces.... Just this week it took me 5 bad ones to turn out one good one, and using a lot of fuel and time in the process.

This really isn't too surprising to me though now that I think about it. This wrought iron came from the salvaged cemetery fencing, and I'm sure way back in the day they were not using the highest/purest quality wrought iron for simple fence pickets.

But I can make the same opener out of steel.
I use 1018 steel and they are the same look, same design, same stampings, same finish choices, difference is they are not made from the old wrought iron and have a slightly different feel to the metal surface.

If you're interested in doing that, I can put your name on the list. Everyone that has paid already will be getting their wrought iron order as I work through this batch. But I'd rather not take any more orders for the wrought iron openers until I fulfill the orders I have committed to. It may be that I just ran into a bad section of wrought iron and it will turn around and get better later on, we shall see. If so, I'll start taking orders for the wrought iron again.

Forging them out of steel is the same process and same steps, only the 1018 steel is much more predictable and consistent.
You can usually count on making a good one almost every time.

Thanks Dave! What a great picture!
May I steal that?

Here's one made out of 1018 steel for comparison. This one has a double frog stamp (another mis-stamp on my part) and flame colors before the wax coating is added. The colors are more vibrant before the wax is applied. The wax coating diffuses the light a bit and mutes the colors somewhat, but that is a necessary evil in protecting the opener. Wthout a protection coating, it would start rusting quickly just like any other bare steel.

The flame colors are caused by an oxidation layer forming on the surface of the metal. That oxidation layer is only a few molecules thick, diffusing the light reflecting off the metal and providing the colors you see. When you add a coat of wax, you are adding another layer of a few molecules thick that the light also has to travel into, and out of, to get to/from the metal. That is what diffuses the colors a bit.



But as you can see the openers made out of steel are the same as the ones made out of wrought iron. Just different metal material.
I think it is VERY cool to have something made out of 100yr old cemetery fencing, but if having actual wrought iron isn't a big attraction to you I can forge the steel ones anytime.

Fantastic! Got mine yesterday. A very solid piece!
Thank you!

Just an update, 'Fire members are keeping me plenty busy!
I haven't forgot about anybody, I'm still working through the list of orders I have to fill.

Over the last few weeks I've shipped out nine openers. I take the time to get the openers forged and finished correctly to my standards, so it isn't a quick process. But if you're on the list, I WILL get to your order as I keep forging away. The high temps here are not supposed to get above zero for a few days, so that slows down things even more than usual.

It would be nice if we might actually sniff temps that approach the freezing mark and above for a stretch.
I wouldn't waste so much forge fuel in the bitter cold and the cold anvil wouldn't be sucking so much heat out of the metal on each heating cycle.

Thanks everyone!

Another update, shipping out more this week, and keep working through the list.

This wrought iron batch is quite tempermental to work with.
Here's one that was unique, but ultimately went on the reject pile.
The entire body of the opener completely split along some internal grain line within the wrought iron.
This was very cool to see, but maddening in that it was another failed effort with wasted time and fuel.



That got thrown onto the reject pile, which has grown considerably.



I sifted through the reject pile just to see how many were there.
I counted 26 rejects in that pile, so you can imagine how much wasted time and fuel that equates to....

So those that still have orders coming, I promise I'm going to get to yours!
I just don't want to rush the process, and want to produce a quality result for you.

Well worth the wait folks.

Definitely worth the wait and nice to see this QC!

Eric

10 openers have found their way to new homes of 'Fire members around the country in the last couple of weeks!

Still making progress on the list of orders, so hang in there.
Of course I picked this winter to make these, the coldest we've had in thirty years.
Below zero temps have become the norm, and seems oddly warm when it approaches 20 degrees....

Just saw this and once you start taking orders again please put me down for 2 or PM me with specifics

I received mine and they are awesome! It was well used last weekend...thanks again!

My three showed up and they are fantastic! Look and feel great and exude quality. Make a fine gift for someone who will appreciate the work. First class operation all the way! Thanks

I received my opener Monday. It's badass.

Thanks for the comments guys!
It makes me happy to know that people find this stuff as cool as I do.
Life is too short not to open beers with some class and style.

I'm getting a better feel for the average success-vs-reject ratio of forging this wrought iron now. Once I get all caught up I'll most likely have to revise the price a bit to factor in the wasted time and fuel when rejects happen on the way to getting good ones. But I'll also offer the 1018 steel ones as an alternative.