I definitely won't use any inferior metal for my forgings. I am fortunate to have quite a bit of excellent spring steel I can use for muzzleloader items for accoutrements. I have collected quite a few high quality worn out files like Nicholson, K&F, Black Diamond, etc. that make the greatest firesteels. I won't scrimp on this steel as those firesteels need to be dependable. I don't know when someone may need to stake their life on something I made. That is a responsibility I take seriously. A few years ago I had purchased some lengths of 1084 steel for knife blades. I couldn't afford to pay for them now, that is for sure. The dilemma for most makers of anything in our hobby is how do you make goods that are still an affordable price for people, and make them so you at least break even and hopefully come out a few pennies ahead for your time invested. If handmade things have an unaffordable high price, no one will buy them. If your handmade things are of a low and shoddy quality, that doesn't reflect well on your goods. I do my absolute best to produce goods that are truly pleasing to the eye and function better than expected. The stupid high prices at the Post Office are another high cost we have to deal with. I only charge what it costs to ship. I used to split the shipping cost with the buyer to help them save money but I don't know if I can do that now. The small flat rate boxes are still a viable way to send something all over the country but since two years they jumped from $7.40 to $10.50 today. I don't expect prices of everything to get better anytime soon. I'm retired as of last year and on a strict fixed income, so I have to really do my best to watch my spending everywhere. Gas just jumped 50 cents a gallon over the weekend .......
Ohio Rusty ><>
