The Everyday Blacksmith Blacksmithing Today A village blacksmith from the 1800s walking into today’s blacksmith shop would find many familiar sights. The anvil, forge, hammers, tongs, and vise in the modern shop may even have been made during his time. He would see a kindred spirit in his modern counterpart, hunched over the anvil bringing a piece of hot iron to life with rhythmic blows of the hammer. What our village smith would not recognize would be the power tools—welders, drills, grinders, and power hammers that save the modern smith both time and sweat. Most of all, he might be surprised by the products of our modern smith and the blacksmith’s evolving role in his—or her! community. I’ve restored axes, designed custom gates, rebuilt truck beds, forged hand tools, furnished homes with hardware, created garden sculptures, and welded broken tractors parts. Many of these requests were things I didn’t know could even be needed until a neighbor would call up and ask the always enchanting question that starts with “can you make…?” The beauty of blacksmithing is that answer, more often than not, is yes. For the world of steel is our domain. So let us return to our 1800s village blacksmith and ask this question: Is the part we play in our community today so different? We may not be repairing hammers or making nails for the local carpenter (actually, see the hardware chapter), but we blacksmiths continue to serve our community with the products of our craft. Honoring that tradition, I hope this book helps you—like our blacksmithing forebears—continue to shape our world with unique pieces for yourselves, friends, neighbors, and community to use and enjoy every day. Book Structure This book is divided into two parts. Part I is a reference of shop basics: safety, equipment, and techniques. Basic techniques are illustrated through a series of projects. It also covers methods for finishing pieces. Part II, the majority of this book, provides a step-by-step guide to a diverse range of blacksmith projects. Projects are structured by category and difficulty. The emphasis of this book is on the accessibility of techniques, functionality of projects, and diversity of design. The projects selected for this book were ones that can be made, used, and enjoyed by folks in a variety of settings. With care, someone with only basic tools and equipment will be able to make every piece in this text. New techniques are explained the first time they appear in a project and are indexed for reference in the back of the book. There are many approaches to projects, influenced by available time, materials, tools, techniques, and one’s aesthetics, and these pages represent only one of many ways to do things. Treat project steps as suggestions rather than scripture, and find out what works best for you. I’ve tried to account for the great diversity in our craft today by featuring projects by a range of smiths from several countries, up and coming and established, traditional and modern. Their stories are often as inspiring as their work. Look them up. As you will soon see, there are many exciting projects waiting for you to explore in the following pages. For newer smiths, I hope this book both teaches and motivates you as you continue on your journey in blacksmithing. For established smiths, I hope this book provides ideas, a launching pad, and timesaving when designing your own new products. What are you waiting for? Get smithing! PART I: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES Chapter 1: Setting Up Shop This section covers basic blacksmithing concepts. The emphasis is on helping you get started making the pieces in this book quickly. If you are brand new to smithing, it will be very helpful if you supplement this text with an additional reference on blacksmithing basics or take an introductory blacksmithing class. And if you are not already a member, consider joining a local or national blacksmithing association. These associations exist primarily to teach and help new smiths get into the craft. Many blacksmiths may be big and scruffy, but they are also friendly. We all learned our trade from generations before us, and most are happy to share with the next generation. When setting up your shop, also known as a forge or smithy, there are certain immediate choices to make. Chapter 2: Finishing Pieces Once a piece is forged, the last step to finish metalwork is the process (aptly named) of finishing. Unprotected, mild steel will rust. The first consideration is, thus, how to best protect from corrosion. The other considerations are use and aesthetics. Is the piece going to be indoors or outdoors? A light wax sufficient to protect an indoor hook for years wouldn’t last one rainfall on an outdoor hanger. Do you want a natural finish or bright colors? Will the object be in contact with food? These questions can help determine your best choice. Don’t be overwhelmed by the numerous finishing methods one can find online. The best smiths I know work with a limited number of simple finishes but do so expertly. Experiment until you find combinations that work for you. Chapter 3: 10 Projects to Start Today These starting projects highlight some of the basic techniques referenced throughout the rest of this book. They also provide a good gradient for practicing fundamental hammer skills. The importance of having this foundation of technique cannot be overstated. As you will see in these projects, even the simplest pieces require the smith to execute multiple techniques smoothly and quickly. Steel becomes harder as it loses its heat, making it more resistant to manipulation. Accordingly, the faster one is able to work, the more malleable the steel. Developing basic skills is thus doubly challenging for the blacksmith because of the need to “strike while the iron is hot” while still figuring out the proper way to strike. PART II: PROJECTS Candle Lanterns By Gunvor Anhøj, Calnan & Anhøj, Wicklow, Ireland This lantern project is a fun chance to combine various materials into a unique final piece as well as use the heat of the forge in a new way. Few things are cooler than getting to hammer pieces of white hot steel. But using that same piece of steel like a light saber to cut through glass bottles has to come close. If you want to hang these lanterns from a post or wall, you can make an accompanying hanger such as the plant hanger on page 119. Scottish Thistle Fire Brazier By Jim Whitson, The Blazing Blacksmith Peebles, Scotland, UK Legend has it, an invading army was once trying to sneak up on an encampment of Scottish soldiers when one of the invaders stepped on a thistle and let out a scream, thus spoiling the attack. Ever since, the thistle has been the national emblem of Scotland. This fire brazier pays homage to that humble flower. It might not startle invading Norsemen, but it will certainly keep you warm on those cool summer nights. Celtic Brooch By Gunvor Anhøj, Calnan & Anhøj Wicklow, Ireland Celtic penannular (incomplete ring) brooches held a greater purpose in Celtic society than that of clothing fasteners. They served as secular and religious status symbols used by all genders, showing the rank, wealth, and importance of the wearer. Here are two traditional variations for you to try.
✔ Author(s): Nicholas Wicks
✔ Title: The Everyday Blacksmith: Learn to forge 55 simple projects you'll use every day, with multiple variations for styles and finishes
✔ Rating : 4.8 out of 5 base on (615 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 1631597124
✔ ISBN-13: 9781631597121
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about The Everyday Blacksmith by Nicholas Wicks
Lucy Garraway
This book is a treasure trove of knowledge and wisdom. The insights offered by the characters and their experiences have left a lasting impression on me.
Elaine Leonard
The plot was incredibly well-crafted, with twists and turns that kept me hooked until the very last page. It was impossible to predict what would happen next.
Sydney Richardson
The characters in this book felt like old friends, and I was sad to say goodbye to them at the end. It's a testament to the author's talent for creating memorable and relatable personas.
