Blacksmithing

Always popular with the bodgers is hitting red hot metal, so we gathered at John's workshop on a chilly wet December morning with forges and anvils.  Such is the interest we had two charcoal and 3 gas forges on the go all day.  

 

Again a range of skills were being demonstrated, we had people making hook tools, knives, and adzes (from old hammer heads)

 

Mike Gordon was also busy sorting out some fire damaged turning tools to take with him to Africa in a few weeks.  Once he has the metal parts sorted he will have a lot of handles to make and fit.

 

A couple of the beginners set off making fire pokers, with a nice swirl handle, while others set off making a coat hook, a shepherds crook, and even rubbish bag holder.

 

The adze making was impressive, there is a huge amount of metal to be moved about, so a high heat was the order of the day. Jon first opened the eye up, as he has found that the stresses involved with an adze require a more robust handle than was the case with the hammer.  Flattening the old head requires a lot of hitting, with big hammers, this is a solid workout.

 

In between adze making Jon was also fashioning an Iron ring for someone

 

Harry was encouraging a couple of younger members to have a first go at blacksmithing, and they made a couple of hooks, and particularly enjoyed applying the sizzling wax!