dragon
Dragon Head
Demonstration by
Bill Epps
http://www.besmithy.com
5 July 2000

Bill :
01:51:21

 Tonight's demo is a Dragon Head. Everybody has their own ideas on what a Dragon should look like, this is Mine:) (Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished piece. This is one I was making at the ren faire and it got sold before I had a chance to get a picture of it)

Bill :
01:51:42

 dragon01.gif (3205 bytes) dragon02.gif (3272 bytes) dragon03.gif (3637 bytes)

Bill :
01:53:57

 I started w/a piece of 5/8" sq. (these can be made out of anything from 3/8" to 2"). I split it 1/2 way from each side down the center, back about 1", then rotate it 90 deg. and split 1 side down the center the same 1" back.)

Bill :
01:54:12

 dragon04.gif (4317 bytes) dragon05.gif (3422 bytes) dragon06.gif (3016 bytes)

Bill :
01:56:16

 After I make a split, I use a blunt nosed chisel, to radius out the end of the cut and get rid of a potential cold shunt. Then I start the bottom jaw to thicken it up just slightly by hammering it down and making it thicker.

Bill :
01:56:29

   dragon07.gif (3861 bytes) dragon08.gif (3549 bytes) dragon09.gif (3232 bytes)

Bill :
01:57:40

 Now, I raise what will be the horns, and start drawing them out to a point to make them look like horns as well as rounding them up.

Bill :
01:57:52

   dragon10.gif (4214 bytes) dragon11.gif (3356 bytes) dragon12.gif (3700 bytes)

Bill :
01:59:28

 Now I bump up the nose a little bit, and I use my blunt nose chisel, straight down in between the horns to spread them out a little bit, and use a hot cutter to split the mouth.

Bill :
01:59:46

   dragon13.gif (3634 bytes) dragon14.gif (3323 bytes) dragon15.gif (3405 bytes)

Bill :
02:01:16

 Now after I get his mouth split, I go to the horn of the anvil and pinch down some metal to form what will become his teeth. I do this on the top and bottom jaw both.

Bill :
02:01:31

 dragon16.gif (4058 bytes) dragon17.gif (3810 bytes) dragon18.gif (4640 bytes)

Bill :
02:03:22

 I go to the vice, using an eye punch to form his eyes just at the base of the horns (some people put a step-down here, like a dog head dragon, but on this horned dragon I don't think it is necessary). Then, I take a hammer and flatten the corners of his nose slightly at a 45 deg. angle, then use a center punch to punch his nostrils.

Bill :
02:03:37

   dragon19.gif (3673 bytes) dragon20.gif (2870 bytes) dragon21.gif (4364 bytes)

Bill :
02:06:50

 Now after I get the eyes and the nostrils punched, I shape the horns to look like what I think the horns of a dragon would look like:) Using a small chisel, you can cut in some more teeth. Also, a split horseshoe nail makes a neat looking tongue. This is used on firetool handles, any kind of handles or anything you want to put a dragon on. I neck down behind the horns and thin out the back and draw it down to a little bit of a point about 3/4" long, bend the head forward slightly.

Bill :
02:07:16

 I do this for ladies to wear in their bodice at the Ren' Faires. Any questions?

pigsmith :
02:07:50

 How would you attach the tongue?

Bill :
02:09:06

 Pig: Go inside the mouth, with a pritchel punch, and punch a hole, to receive the nail. Insert the nail after it is split, use a center punch on the Bottom side of the jaw to stake it in.

Leah :
02:10:38

 Bill, is an eye punch a tiny flat ended punch with a shallow hole drilled in ti?

jerry :
02:12:48

 Bill--nail set work for eye punch??

Bill :
02:13:02

 The horns point outward, so if some surly naive is going sneak up and steel a hug, the dragon will get him.:)

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