Wall Hook

Tools you'll need

• Forge (propane or charcoal - any heat source)
• Tongs
• Anvil (or a heavy steel plate)
• Hammer (hand or power - both work)
• Water bucket (for quenching)
• Optional: file or grinding stone for finishing

Build steps

1. Start with a 7 inch piece of 1/4 inch flat bar. Any recycled steel works - old rail, plate, or bar stock. If the edges are ragged, trim them roughly square with a hacksaw or a grinder. The finish is hand textured, so small imperfections are fine and part of the character.
2. Heat the whole bar in the forge until it glows bright yellow-white - a near welding heat. The steel should glow evenly along the entire length, not just at the ends. If only part of it glows, move it in the fire so the heat spreads. This is the step that makes everything else possible; without full heat, the steel will crack when you hit it.
3. Using tongs, lay the hot bar on the anvil face and bend the top end (one end) down at about a 90 degree angle. Hit it with the hammer to set the bend. This forms the top loop that the wall hook hangs over. Do not worry about making it perfect - you will refine it in the next steps.
4. Now curl the tip of that top end over the face of the anvil to close the loop. Bring the tip around so it hooks over a nail or bolt head. Check the curve - it should be wide enough to catch a 1/4 inch bolt or a thick nail. If the curl is too tight, heat and straighten it slightly. If it is too loose, curl it a bit more.
5. Reheat the lower end of the bar and bend it up about 30 to 45 degrees to form the hook that the load hangs on. Hit it with the hammer to set the bend. This is the part that catches a bag, a coat, or a tool. Make the bend smooth, not sharp - a sharp bend will crack under load.
6. Reheat that same lower end if it has cooled, then strike it against the edge of the anvil (the step) to build up the thickness. This is called upsetting or jumping the tip. A few firm blows is all you need. The extra metal here is what holds the weight without pulling through. If you have no anvil step, press the tip into a hole or the corner of a plate.
7. Quench the finished piece in water to harden it. Hold it in the water until it stops glowing, then pull it out. The hook is now hard enough to hold weight without bending. If you have a second heat source, temper it by heating to a dark cherry-red for about 20 minutes, then let it air cool. This makes it tough instead of brittle. If you do not have a second heat source, the water quench alone is acceptable.
8. Finish the surface. If you have a file, grinding stone, or bench grinder, pass over the rough spots to clean it up. If you do not, you can leave it rough - the hand textured look is part of the character. A light pass with a power hammer or hand hammer over the whole piece adds the authentic forged texture. The wall hook is done.