The Blacksmith's Craft by Charles McRaven

Author:Charles McRaven
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 2005-09-01T16:00:00+00:00

Other Welds to Try

A hoop is another good beginning weld, made on the anvil horn. Scarf the ends, and leave a little tension in to hold the joint together. Some smiths even punch holes and rivet first, to help get a good weld. Old-timers used to pride themselves on their smooth welds, challenging anyone to find the joint in a welded wagon tire. They often used more than one heat, and of course were working with wrought iron.

The Eye of a Froe

A tricky weld to make, and one always harder than it looks, is the eye of a froe, that shake-riving tool of antiquity. I’ve seen lots of old specimens doubled for the length of the blade, and I know it’s not really evidence of top craftsmanship; that smith had trouble with the weld, too. You see, it’s actually easier to shape the eye, double the thickness of the blade, and start the weld at the tip, progressing back toward the eye. Simply welding near the eye is harder, especially with high-carbon steel, which burns easily.

This is a tool that should be struck only with a wooden mallet, and it need not be high carbon, but most smiths make their froes from leaf spring, which is apt to burn near welding heat. Flattened axle steel welds easier, and makes a tough enough froe if you want to put in the work required.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.