SMALL COKE FORGE - HAND BUILT

 Small forge all ready to go, the dodgy looking bloke in the photo is Harry, a good mate from the College of Art. Managed to find an Alcosa hand blower on e-bay for £80. Blower is a bit ropey, we have already stripped it down once, and will need a another strip down as really difficult to turn.

Not the easiest thing in the world to light, normally two attempts and a whole lot of frustration!!!!
once going we have found that a little Air pump the same as the ones used for inflatables give an excellent fire.

Hence the coffee can lid and a whole lot of tape!!

Biggest problem with this forge is time, or lack of it on my part!!

Sometimes there is only an hour spare, and the time it takes to light, it is just not worth it. Gas has solved that problem, for the odd hour but has worked out to expensive for learning with.

THE KING OF CRAFTS MAKES HIS/HER OWN TOOLS

A big thank you to Mark Aspery for letting me use this passage from his excellent book THE SKILLS OF A BLACKSMITH VOLUME 1 - MASTERING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF BLACKSMITHING.

THE KING OF CRAFTS MAKES HIS/HER OWN TOOLS

Camelot had been finished for a month or so, the concrete curing to perfection,King Arthur decided to throw a feast to honour all the craftsmen that had helped construct the palace.

As the craftsmen entered the great hall, they were instructed to seat themselves in a manner where those that had most to do with the construction sit nearest the King and those that had least to do with it sit furthest away. In that way honour could be given in an equitable fashion.

Arthur was renown for his wisdom and council throughout the Kingdom. Part way through the main course Arthur looked about the room. He stood after the main meal and walked about the tables.

He approached the craftsman nearest to him and asked what was his occupation? The man replied,"Why sire, I am your tailor!"

          Arthur asked what he had constructed. The tailor replied "Those fine robes that you're wearing sire, the tapestry that hangs on the wall. I made those!" Arthur congratulated him on his fine workmanship and moved to the next person.

He asked the same question. The man replied "I am, a goldsmith sire, That platter that you eat from, the goblet that you drink from, I made both of those. I even made the fine gold thread in the tapestry."

Arthur again offered his congratulations and moved on.

The next in line was the silversmith. His reply to Arthur's question was to point out the cutlery at the King's table and the fine candle sticks adorning the Kings table.

And so Arthur made his way down the table. Stone mason, Carpenter and so on until he reached the blacksmith sitting at the far end of the room.

He asked the Blacksmith what he had contributed to the palace. The Blacksmith replied that he had made the hinges for the door, but not a lot else. Seeming satisfied with his meetings, Arthur returned to his seat.

After the fine dessert, Arthur again stood and walked around the table.

He approached the Tailor.

Arthur asked "Tell me, your scissors,your needles, where do you get those from?" The tailor replied "Sire I go to the blacksmith!"

Arthur asked the question of the goldsmith "your hammer and stakes, where do you get those from?"  The goldsmith replied "sire I have the blacksmith make them"

Arthur got the same response all the way along the table until he reached the blacksmith. Arthur asked the question of the blacksmith and the smith replied "Sire, I make my own tools, and those of others. That is my trade."

          Arthur exclaimed

"SMITH!  BY YOUR  HAMMER AND HAND ALL CRAFTS DO STAND! YOU SHOULD BE SEATED AT THE TOP OF THE TABLE"

 Arthur bade the blacksmith to move to the top of the table. He asked the tailor to swap seats as he thought the smith had been done an injustice. The smith was very embarrassed as he had just come from the forge and was still wearing his apron.The tailor was livid.

So intent was the tailor to exact some sort of revenge That he snuck beneath the table with his scissors and when he reached the Blacksmith, he cut a fringe on the blacksmith's apron.

After the meal the smith noticed his apron and understood what had happened. He continued to wear the apron for work at the forge and always exclaimed delight when someone would ask him the story behind the fringe.

"Why" he would say " The tailor gave me this recognition of my services to the crafts" That is why, to this day, a blacksmith should have a fringe cut on the bottom of his/her apron. 

And make his/her own tools.

 

GREAT VIDEO OF A HAND FORGED VIKING AXE HEAD

Very taken by this video when i came across it two weeks ago, Something to aspire too !