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Blacksmithing - The Process

A blacksmith is a person who forms hot iron with hammer and anvil - a process called forging. When metals are heated they become softer and can be readily shaped by skilled hands. It is a cyclical process of heating in the forge then shaping with a hammer on the anvil as the metal cools. When the metal gets too cold and hard to forge the process is started again, and is repeated until the desired effect is achieved.

A Bit of History

For three thousand years blacksmiths forged all of the iron needed for civilization. They made weapons, household items, agricultural implements, architectural pieces, horse shoes, art and many of the tools needed by other craftsman. During the mid 1800s the methods and scale of industry changed from one of a kind work done by the blacksmith to mass production. The small community oriented shops could not compete with the prices of the mass produced goods and they faded away.

Mass production now gives people the time to once again produce things that have individuality and character. The over abundance of sameness in our culture has stimulated people to search for articles that bring character into every day life. Because of a growing demand for the unique and an increasing number of people working to preserve this cultural cornerstone, blacksmithing is now moving away from the brink of extinction.

Materials

Traditionally, a metal containing layers of silica interbeded with iron, called wrought iron, was used. Often, if you look at old ironwork you can see the wood like grain caused by the iron rusting away, leaving the silica raised. Smiths today generally use mild steel, a readily available, homogeneous iron alloy, though we now have many choices of medium - stainless steel, brass, bronze, copper, aluminum and even titanium are often forged.

There is some confusion about the term "wrought iron." Wrought means hammered, so the term literally means "hammered iron." When referring to types of steel it means the aforementioned, historic iron that contains layers of silica. In this case it refers to its method of manufacture. An end product of iron smelting, called a bloom, was hammered out with a large trip hammer, into wrought iron. The term is often used today to mean decorative ironwork made of mild steel that, hammered or not, resembles traditional ironwork.

Techniques

Traditional forging techniques are often divided into categories. In practice these divisions are not clear cut and two or more techniques are often happening simultaneously. Some of these are used on both hot and cold metal.

A contemporary blacksmith will command a host of auxiliary skills in addition to those listed here, such as brazing, heat treating, electric welding, filing, grinding etc.


Draw out -
To make thinner and longer. Usually acomplished by hammering the hot metal on a convex surface.
video

Upset -
To make thicker and shorter. Usually by hitting the hot piece on the end.
video

Bend -
This term is used in the normal way -- to cause to assume a curved or angular shape.
video

Chisel -
To shape or cut with a sharp tool - a chisel.
video

Chase -
To indent with a blunt tool from the front.
video

Repoussé -
To push out from the back to give more depth. Usually used on sheet metal.
video

Hot punch -
To make a hole by displacement and shearing, using a special punch.
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Twist -
To turn the ends of a piece in different directions and impart (or take out) a helix shape.
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Forge weld -
To join two or more pieces by melting their surfaces together.
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Video of spreading, a sister technique to drawing out.
Video of cutting off with the hot cut.

Tools

Again, this list contains only the most basic traditional elements, the tools that distinguish blacksmithing from other trades/arts. A modern, well equipped shop will have a huge assortment of tools, some specialized and some extensions of those listed below. One of the beauties of blacksmithing is the ability to make one's own tools. This gives smiths great creative latitude as they are not limited by what is commercially available.


Forge -
The furnace or hearth where the metal is heated. Mild steel is forgeable between 1300F and 2400F.
Anvil -
These come in many shapes but all are heavy blocks of iron or steel with a flat top on which metals are shaped by hammering. The horn is the round, pointy end, the hardy hole is square and the pritchel hole is round.

Hammer -
These also come in many shapes. Hammers typically have a flat side, called the face and the other side is called the peen. Hammers are usually classified by their weight and their peen end.

Tongs -
Large iron pliers that allow the smith to handle hot metal.

Leg vice -
A stationary clamping device with a leg that transmits the force of the hammer blows to the floor.
If you want more information about blacksmithing, look at the links page for resources.