How to forge a simple wall hook with minimal tools

How to forge a simple wall hook with

minimal tools 

In this post, I will try to explain how you can make a

really simple wall hook for hanking really anything

from clothes to all kinds of things. It cud also be a 

simple handmade gift for someone.

I will try to keep the tools to a minimum

and things you probably already have 

around.

This is a picture of the finished hook.
Now time for the tutorial.

Things you will need:
A way to heat the metal, cud be a propane torch
or a simple homemade forge. Just looking around
the internet you'll probably find something
that will work for you.

Next, you will need a hammer(see my second post for more info).

Then you'll need something for an anvil(again my second post
goes a bit more into this.

A way to cut metal, anything from an angle grinder to a bow file
will do.

Then you'll need a drill or drill press along with some
drill bits.

And last a center punch, a bigger screw or nail should do the
trick as well.

And then a quick disclaimer before we start.
Don't do anything from this post if you
don't feel comfortable doing it, there is plenty of ways to
hurt yourself forging, so always use your eyes and head
and use proper safety equipment.

You can use either 6,7 or 8mm round or square material
to make this hook, really anything you can find will do.
For this hook, I will be using some 8mm rebar.

Use your hammer or part of your anvil to measure how much
material you will use for the hook part itself. By using the
same amount of material your hooks will turn out
really close to the same size.

Now you want to draw out a taper using a rounded off part
of your anvil or anything else you are forging on, you move
a lot of material at a faster speed.

This is about what you want it to look like after the ruff work.

Then move to the flat part of your anvil and smooth it out
as well as make the end a bit pointier.

Next to make something square you just want to keep hammering down
the corners. so from 4 sides, you go to 8 then to 16 and so on until
you got a round taper.

Now heat the end and put it a bit over the edge of the anvil, and use
really light glancing blows to form a small hook.

Something like this.

 Now carefully close up the hook into a small scroll. You will
probably need some practice to get this into a round
shape, at least I did. Make sure the metal is hot or you might
break off the thin end.
 You cud also use a pair round nose pliers for this but it can
be done with just a hammer.

 Should look something like this.

Heat up this part of the hook make sure to not bur the thin end
you can push the end a bit true the fire to avoid this.
Then cool of the scroll on the end.

Now start right at the end using glancing blows while pushing the
material forward to shape a hook by curving the material down.
Make sure the scroll is up when doing this, and by cooling it off
you can carefully hammer on it without damaging it.

Now you should have something similar to this.

Now to get the hook to the size you want there are quite a few
options. First, you cud just use your hammer and anvil to carefully
close up the hook to your liking. Another option is to use
the horn of your anvil (if it has one) to shape the hook like in the
picture. And last option (I'm going to mention here) clamping
a pipe in your vice and shape it around that. However, for the pipe
option make sure the pipe is not galvanized since the metal is hot.

After doing this your hook should look something like this.

Now heat up the area right above the hook you formed. Put the 

metal over the anvil a bit past the point on the hook (maybe 20mm)

and give it one good hit, After this make sure you push the material

down and at the same time putt it towards you, Keep hammering until 

it is maybe 2-3 mm thick. 

 Now jsut cut off the hook, leaving maybe 10mm flat material.
You can use anytign that will cut
the metal like an anglegrinder
or a bow file( metal saw).

Then use a file, benchgrinder or
anyting you got to shape the end round.

After this, I like to use a smaller hammer to get rid
of some of the file/grind marks.
Tried to show it on this picture→
but it didn't come out greate
in the image.

How just use the piece of rebar to drop the hook into the fire
or heat it any other way to get rid of the shiny part where you
made the cut. Then cool it off.

Next, use a center punch to make a mark where you are going to drill.
If you don't have a center punch you cud possible use a nail
or a thick screw. Then use a drill that matches the nail/screw
you are going to hang up the hook with, in this case, I used a
5mm drill bit.

After this, I used a bigger drill bit to deburr the hole after drilling.

There are a few ways you can keep this hook from rusting
you cud paint it, use beeswax, linseed oil or even tar.
You can find more info on finishing blacksmith
products online or if you want me to make a post about it
jsut leave a comment.

 Aaand that is the finished hook you can use it ho hanganythingg really

in your house, in your garage or in your blacksmith shop.

And before you leave I would like to thank you for 

taking your time to read and I really hope you had 

at least an ok read if nothing else. As always any 

questions, recommendations or requests just leave

a comment and if you know someone that 

would like to read this sharing would

be awesome.

Lastly, if you are going to try this yourself 

and don't have much or any experience

make sure to be careful since there is a lot 

of ways to hurt yourself forging. But as 

long as you take your time and 

don't do anything you feel uncomfortable 

doing, just have a good time forging!