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BLACKSMITH
PRACTICE
EM 862
War Department Education Manual
CHAPTER XVIII
BLACKSMITHING EQUIPMENT; FORGE FIRES
Whether a farmer can afford a forge and anvil will depend upon the distance to a
blacksmith shop, the amount of machinery repair work he needs to do or have done, and
his ability as a mechanic. Although not every farmer can profitably own blacksmithing
equipment, many farmers can. If a farmer cannot, he should remember that a great deal of
repair work can be done with cold metal, if he has a few simple tools like a vise, a hack
saw, files, cold chisels, and drills.
Although blacksmithing under many conditions should occupy a minor place in a farm
shop course, no such course can be considered complete without at least some instruction
in this work. Blacksmithing is generally more difficult than woodwork. Almost any high
school boy with average mechanical ability, however, can soon learn to do simple
blacksmithing and feel well repaid for his efforts, if he will set himself diligently to the
task. In all mechanical work, much more rapid and satisfactory progress can be made if
the student will carefully study the theory and principles along with his practice. This is
particularly true of blacksmithing.
276. The Forge.-
The forge for the farm shop should have a gear driven blower operated
by a crank, and it should have a hearth at least 18 in. wide, preferably somewhat larger.
Probably the cheapest way of providing a good forge is to buy a good blower and tuyere
(that part in the bottom of the hearth through which the blast comes) and make a hearth
and stand of concrete, brick, or other masonry. The forge should be provided with a hood
and pipe connection for taking away the smoke.
277. The Anvil.-
Anvils are of two general grades: cast iron and steel. Steel anvils are
much better and should be used if they can be afforded, The two kinds can be
distinguished by striking with a hammer. A cast anvil has a dead sound while a steel one
has a clear ring.
Anvils are commonly available in sizes ranging from 50 to 200 lb. An anvil weighing 100
or 125 lb. would be quite satisfactory for the average farm shop. A piece of railroad iron
20 to 30 in. long, mounted on a suitable block or stand, will serve fairly well for light
hammering and riveting, although a much greater variety of work can be done on a
regular anvil.
Use of Different Parts of Anvil.
-- The horn of the anvil is used for making bends and
shaping curved pieces; and the flat face is used for general hammering. The flat
depressed surface near the horn is the chipping block, and here all cutting with cold
chisels and similar tools should be done, rather than on the face of the anvil. The chipping
block is soft and will not damage the chisel if it cuts through. The face is hardened and
cutting into it with a chisel would damage both the chisel and the face, which should be
kept smooth for good blacksmithing.
The better anvils have a comer of the face next to the horn slightly rounded, so that sharp
bends may be made in rods and bars without unduly marring or galling the iron. The
round hole in the face of the anvil is used for punching holes. It is called the
pritchel
hole
, taking its name from the sharp punch used by smiths in punching nail holes in
horseshoes. The square hole in the face is called the
hardy hole
and is used for holding
the hardy and other tools, such as swages and fullers.
Fig. 244.--The anvil should be mounted on a solid block and at such a height that the face
of the anvil can just be reached with the knuckles of the clenched fist when standing erect.
Mounting the Anvil.
-- The anvil should be mounted on a solid block, preferably of
wood. It should be so located in front of the forge that the workman can take the irons
from the fire and place them on the anvil by making a short turn and without the
necessity of taking even a full step. The horn should be to the workman's left (unless he is
left-handed, in which case it should be to his right). The face of the anvil should be at
such a height that it can be touched with the knuckles of the clenched fist when standing
erect and swinging the arm straight down.
278. Tongs.-
At least one or two pairs of tongs will be needed. Various types are available,
but the hollow-bit, curved-lip bolt tongs are probably the most useful. Flat bars as well as
round rods and bolts can be held in them, and the curved part back of the tip makes it
possible to reshape them easily to fit different sizes of stock. By grinding, filing, or
sawing a groove crosswise in each of the lips, the tongs can be made to hold links
practically as well as regular link tongs (see Fig. 245). Tongs 18 to 20 in. long are a good
size for average work.
Fig. 245.-Types of tongs. (A). Flat-jawed hollow-bit tongs. (B). Hollow-bit curved-lip
tongs. This style is very good for the farm shop. Flat bars as well as round rods and bolts
can be held in them.
279. Hammers.
-A blacksmith's hand hammer weighing 1 1/2 or 2 lb. and another
weighing 3 or 3 1/2 lb. will handle all ordinary work very satisfactorily.
280. Hardy, Chisels, Punches.
-There should be a hardy to fit the hole in the anvil, and
there should be a fair assortment of hand cold chisels and punches. The chisels and
punches may be made in the shop. If considerable blacksmithing is to be done, it would
be well to have a hot cutter and a cold cutter (simply large chisels with handles on them)
for heavy cutting with a sledge hammer. It would be well, also to have one or two large
punches with handles on them for punching holes in hot metal. Punches for making holes
3/8 in. and 1/2 in. in diameter are probably most useful.
281. Vise.
-One vise can well serve for all metal work in the farm shop, including
blacksmithing if it is heavy and strong enough. A heavy blacksmith's steel-leg vise with
jaws 4 to 5 in. wide is generally preferred as an all-purpose vise in the farm shop. A leg
vise is one that has one leg extending down to be anchored or fastened into the floor.
Such a vise can be used for heavy hammering and bending better than other types. If
there is a strong steel machinist's box vise in the shop, it can be used for blacksmithing
work if care is used not to do too heavy hammering or bending with it.
Fig. 246.-A heavy blacksmith's steel-leg vise is a good type of vise for the farm shop.
282. Fire Tools.
-A small shovel and poker or rake will be needed for use on the forge
fire. These can easily be made in the shop. A flat piece of heavy sheet iron about 3 or 4 in.
wide by 4 or 5 in. long, riveted to a bar or rod for a handle, makes a good shovel. A 1/2-
in. round rod,with an oblong eye in one end to serve as a handle and the other end
flattened and curved, makes a good combination poker and rake.
Fig. 247.-Homemade forge fire tools. A, shovel; B, poker.
283. Measuring Tools.
-Some kind of metal rule will be needed for measuring and
checking pieces being forged. A small steel square is very good for both measuring
lengths and checking angles and bends. A wooden rule should not be used to measure hot
iron. A caliper, or a caliper rule, for measuring diameter of rods and thickness of parts,
although not a necessity, will be found very convenient.
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