Pics of my new coal rake.

Reminds me of back when we used to collect old locks to rob their curved shanks for use as "running irons" for branding cows.

They have something in them like a small amount of Cr or something, (5160?) we could weld them to a piece of mild steel and the suckers would out last the mild steel rod. We always used wood back then too, still do mostly, but a couple guys are using propane now.

That was the old days, in the late 80's one of the guys bought a friggin truck load of "sugar beet conveyor belt" that was made of what appears to be 5160 rods inter-linked. They are simple just cut one crooked end off and sort of save, but modify, the other crooked end... running iron. A running iron that'll outlast mild steel by 4(?) times. :)

I use them for tire irons they are tough and strong.

Anyway, your figuring that your rake, made from mild steel, was "going to erode away" reminded me of what those "dumb cowboys" figured out. :)

Prob'ly not news to the blacksmith group tho? :/

Alvin in AZ ps- running irons are used because of so many different brands pps- and a fancy made one, heated in a wood fire, didn't last long enough to make all the time spent making it worth while even when made from automotive leaf springs!

I've been making forging custom branding irons for more than 30 years. Like most folks in the trade, I use stainless steel (304 or 316) for the business end. Please see .

I made my first one recently:

Andy Dingley Spaketh Thusly:

LOL Nice one, Andy! And to think all this time I've just been hitting them with a clue stick... that's gotta be a lot more effective.

-- Bill H. [my "reply to" address is real]