Blacksmith Forge (military)

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I have a friend that has what looks to be self contained military suitcase style blacksmith forges... have any of you seen them. Any info would be helpfull.
 
Is it big, small, in a samsonite, in a metal case, is it marked, does it plug in. How about a photograph? Then maybe members will be better able to tell you if they've seen one before similar to your friends.
 
Post some pics if possible. I had one issued to my welding truck in Korea. It dud get a fair bit of use. As that was 50 years ago my memory is mabe a bit off , I think it was about 3 feet square and a foot high when foldeup. It had a hand cranked blower and a 12 volt as well. Duker
 
Duker has it right. It sounds like the portable forge of a KL welding Lorry of 1942-45 vintage. These were on the Cdn Military Pattern (CMP) Vehicles of that era. The KL was a Ford 15 cwt (hundred weight) with a 300 amp Lincoln welder in the back (extremely heavy, powered by another flathead V8) along with various tooling and equipment, including the forge.

The forge blowers were made by Kitchener Forge or Kitchener Blower if I recall. Prewar, they would be marked with Berlin forge company. The name was changed sometime between the wars.

I had a KL in my collection for a number of years, and actually found one of those forges in the local scrapyard.

The same forge was also issued with some of the other workshop lorries of that vintage.

If you can post a photo of the forge your friend has, and we are talking about the same thing, then I will dig some some photos of my truck along with it's forge.

If your friend is looking for more information, or wants to sell it, I would suggest going on to maleleafup.org. There is a forum on there where these types of equipment are discussed.

Duker: Were you with the RCEME or the Engineers? I have never seen a 12 volt variation to the blower...may have been someones field modification.
 
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Stencollector. I think you are right about the blower.We put them on in Ft Lewis before loading on the boat. I was RCEME and we had 1 KL and 3 Studebaker 6x5 vans set for welding.We put alot of extras in the vans,mine had 3 Brens and all the loaded mags we could find a place for. and then locked u the van and got on the same boat for Korea. I was trained as a blacksmith & welder at CVTS in Calgary summer of 48 ,Staitoned at Currie and lived out in private homes while at CVTS. Duker
 
Duker said:
Stencollector. I think you are right about the blower.We put them on in Ft Lewis before loading on the boat. I was RCEME and we had 1 KL and 3 Studebaker 6x5 vans set for welding.We put alot of extras in the vans,mine had 3 Brens and all the loaded mags we could find a place for. and then locked u the van and got on the same boat for Korea. I was trained as a blacksmith & welder at CVTS in Calgary summer of 48 ,Staitoned at Currie and lived out in private homes while at CVTS. Duker
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Neat recollections. Was nice to hear them from someone who was there.
 
Ken Barwise

stencollector said:
Neat recollections. Was nice to hear them from someone who was there.
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I just read a story about a Canadian Korean War hero who just died, it was in today's Toronto Sun. Ken Barwise.
He should have gotten a VC but got a MM. They say it was because he was a private, if an officer he should have had a VC for sure. Sounds like a great man, sorry to have lost him.

http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Worthington_Peter/2008/03/10/4958356-sun.php

http://www.kvacanada.com/stories_rskap'yong.htm
 
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I was attached to 2 VP from 88-90, and we had a presentation on a diarama of the battlefield during the anniversay of the battle. The story was included about the Vickers rescue Ken Barwise performed. Turned out he was sitting at the very same presentation. It is always humbling to hear a story and meet a legend at the same time. I think there was reference to the water can and hose trailing behind the vickers while he was running with it.

He was an imposing figure of a man, not just in size, but in deeds.

Anyway, we are straying a bit off the course of the portable forge.
 
stencollector said:
I was attached to 2 VP from 88-90, and we had a presentation on a diarama of the battlefield during the anniversay of the battle. The story was included about the Vickers rescue Ken Barwise performed. Turned out he was sitting at the very same presentation. It is always humbling to hear a story and meet a legend at the same time. I think there was reference to the water can and hose trailing behind the vickers while he was running with it.

He was an imposing figure of a man, not just in size, but in deeds.

Anyway, we are straying a bit off the course of the portable forge.
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Yeah, sorry for the hijack...
 
I'll give this a try,some pic taken in 191 Wksp in1951 in Korea
RecoilessGun75MM_edited-1.jpg

WeldinginBuffalo1.jpg

RussianPPSH_edited-1.jpg
 
I should have done that differnt,Top one is 90MM Recoiless in for repair ,behind it is a Wasp ,Carrier mounter Flame thrower.Next,Me in a buffalo welding the leaks. next a Burp gun taken from a chinese (dead), it was sort of comunity property, if you could get ammo for it you could shoot it . It was a real hoot .I had a Mauser broom handle with chinese writing on it an SVT rifle and a yank 45 1911. and a full auto carbine M1. Then I got medivaced out to Japan and never seen them again ,Damm. Duker
 
How about a separate tread for the hijack ,it really deserves it's own.

I would love one of those forges. I am into knifemaking and milsurps so it is like having both my addictions together.
 
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