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There are still some craftsman out there.

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The tools and skills to make it, impressive. Really got a kick out of the tempering oven.

Once caught h*ll for usin' mom's oven to heat a ring gear for my first MGB.

The effort put into the making of that hammer makes me appreciate there's a Home Depot within a couple miles if I need to replace one, though. :smirk:
 
Indeed - there is a PBS show currently where the host goes around to interview craftsmen - yesterday was an armor maker - also impressive.
 
Very nice.

Now imagine doing it without all those fancy power tools. Most blacksmith's shops didn't even have electricity!
 
Blacksmith with Electricity? what is this thing called "electricity"?


Not only smiths, but we also have a working tin shop, cabinet making shop, shoe shop, carding mill, grist mill. And women's trades too.
 
It amuses me to watch one of those blacksmiths working but he is gripping the hammer about 3" from the head. This guy has been taught the right way.

My metalwork teacher would do a mime of choking then lecture us about using all the hammer handle. You get more control holding it at the end of the handle. That was in the days when schools had a forge in the metalwork shop and we got to work with red hot steel. Too dangerous these days?

David

NutmegCT said:
Blacksmith with Electricity? what is this thing called "electricity"?


Not only smiths, but we also have a working tin shop, cabinet making shop, shoe shop, carding mill, grist mill. And women's trades too.
Click to expand...
 
It is really nice to be able to make a simple "tool" when you need one but that guy takes it to a whole different level. That hammer was a thing of true beauty.
 
DavidApp said:
It amuses me to watch one of those blacksmiths working but he is gripping the hammer about 3" from the head. This guy has been taught the right way.
Click to expand...
Not just teaching, but also having the strength and endurance to control it that way. I don't have enough to go for more than just a few blows holding it at the end; choking up is one way to deal with that. Much less effective, wasted effort in the long run, but better than losing control of the hammer!

I think lack of strength is part of the reason why you see so many wanna-be smiths (that only do it one or two weekends a year) choking up on the hammer.
 
Due to his instruction years ago holding a hammer any other way feels totally unnatural. Must admit I have to take breaks now when hammering.

David
 
That was a nice video, watched the whole thing. When I was in South Carolina we had an old blacksmith locally and that guy could make anything out of seemingly nothing. He made a lot of old wagon parts for tobacco farmers, very interesting to watch. :encouragement: PJ
 
When I lived in England I would go to the County Fairs. Always enjoyed watching the horse shoeing competitions. The smiths were given a horse and a length of square bar stock. Had to form the shoe profile then the shoe. Remove the old shoe and do any necessary work to the hoof. Then fit the shoe. 30 minutes of intense work. No power hammers in sight.

David
 
Was told years ago by my dad that mechanics didn’t use hammers.
went to work at a shop and the master BMC mechanic had a drawer full of them!
be sure your vice and hammers are tempered.
Nice video.
 
Have a variety of hammers, from the Tappin' hammer and th' Nobblin' hammer to the BFH. All have their uses. :wink:
 
If Monty Python was still around they'd probably create a "Ministry of Making Things Out of Other Things". I watch some of those "Life Hacks" YouTube videos and I think inventive for sure but $15 and a 20 minute drive to (box store here) and you'd have it.
 
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