Fork Advice

[Mace]

Hey there!
I ordered my fork today, and I know that I need to sand and sharpen the tines, But How do I go about bending the tines so that they are all lined up, and don't point outwards at the tips?

I hope this makes sense.
Thank you!
-Kate

[Sheaf daddy]

take some PVC - drill three holes about 1/2 and inch apart. Squeeze the tines together and put them in those holes and leave alone for about 3-4 months.

OR

Heat it up with a blowtorch at the base and when it is red hot bend it in.

The second method is faster, more dangerous and may result in your tines being brittle. But it is faster!

[Mike Wills]

I used a bench mounted vice for flattening the tines and bending the outer tines in to make them straight.

[miked]

Get a 5-tine manure fork and use a dremel to cut off the outer two tines. you don't have to worry about weaking the tines with heating or bending.

[Mace]

Awesome!.. But since I don't have a blow torch.. or a bench mounted vise..
I'm gonne try the manual bend and pvc..
(Why do I have a feeling that I'm going to stab myself? )
As far as smoothing and sharpening.. is sand paper sufficient?

[Gunny]

Shaping: Bend them in as tight as you can and somehow clamp in place over as many day's as you have.

Sanding: I used an angle head grinder with a flap wheel to shape mine, but not too many people have them. Then moved on the the file.
You can start with a metal file (Flat on one side, half round on the other). It may produce faster results than just sand paper.
Finish it off with some 200 or above grit sand paper.

Sand, sand, sand, stab yourself, get band aid. Repeat till smooth.

[Tim]

You work at Sikorsky and you don't have access to a blow torch or a vise? Kate, you gotta get out of the office more.

[Mace]

You work at Sikorsky and you don't have access to a blow torch or a vise? Kate, you gotta get out of the office more.

Tim!.. I work in the President's office. We don't have shop tools.. and if we did I can't bring them home... and I can't bring a pitchfork through the security check points..

They are not fans of employees bringing anything that could be concidered a weapon to work.

[barbe705]

I smacked mine on concrete as hard as I could. A couple of smacks to each side and it was good.

brent

[forrester]

Well, first u need a HUMVEE, .....then do like i did and stick the outer tine thru the shackle bolt hole in the bumper, then apply pressure steadily until the outer tine lines up with center tine.Then, repeat with the remaining outer tine. Or lacking a HUMVEE, u could use a trailer hitch as the leverage point.

Second, to smooth the tines u have a couple options.
U can manually smooth the tines, my suggestion would be go down to Home Depot or the like, and get a file. then begin the slow laborious process of filing off the "paint" covering the tines. Then continue to file and shape until you are satisfied. Once that is done, begin with the sandpaper... start with a rough grit, and then progressively use finer and finer grit, up to about 200.

Another way would be go down to said hardware store and buy a mid grade Drimel. Make sure that u get one that will have the attachments that will do what u need, stripping the "paint", filing, then sanding finer and finer, until you have that nice smooth, polished finish that you want.

Or.... u could find a friend that is mechanically inclined, who has converted in garage into a mini auto shop and borrow his power tools, vise, and all the best in Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor toys, and before you know it, you'll have the Sheaf Fork 3000, with turbo lift, graphite core flex tines for that super extra snap to give you enough height that AD's everywhere will need to construct new sheaf standards!!!!

Seriously though, I recommend the Drimel, it works really well for smoothing the tines, and straightening the tines using the trailer hitch will work, good luck!

[Tearlach]

Kate,
My fork that you used at So. Md. was sanded/ground with a veriable speed Dremel. I used the cold method with a vice to align my tines. You can also use an adjustiable pipe style wood working clamp. They can usually be picked up for less than $ 10.00 and they are portiable. Good luck with the new fork. Don't forget the fine steel wool and teflon spray after you are done with the Dremel.

Chuck Wagner

[Abner Stolzfuz]

I bought a fork 16 years ago and never sanded, ground, bent, demmelled or mutilated it in anyway and have been throwing with it ever since.

~Steve

[Mrs. T-Bone]

Yeah Kate...you should have seen the look on the face of the master goldsmith I apprenticed under when I told him I was going to "polish" Bob's fork in the shop one night. "Not on my polishing lathe you're not " was the response. "Of course NOT! That could be deadly" and I don't get any credit for skewering myself (not being an athlete and all). Filing is a good start but if you don't have one or don't want to get one you can start with about an 80 grit sand paper. By hand is time consuming but fine to do. Rotory tools will make the job faster and easier. Just step up the sand paper as you go...80/140/200 will give you a slick as snot finish. Bryan's PVC plan is good. I would add a strong bungee or 2 wrapped snugly from the base to about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the tines. It will shorten the time frame and give you a little more control over the angle of the tines. You can tighten them up a little more every few days to get the desired angle. Of course, if you don't like any of these ideas you can get in touch with Pat McNamee. One of the Masters throwers and one of the best blacksmiths on the east coast. Good Luck with the new fork

[The_Mike_D]

first thing is where is the fork coming from and are the tines diamond shaped or the new hex shaped..?