[TheForge] thank you :)

Sat Jan 4 20:52:00 2003

Cool.

Alternate universe stories have their up and down sides. Best of all, you
get to make up what you want and the worst part is you have to make it up.
<grin>

A number of things would be made on-site, primarily the forge itself. The
forge is basically just a fireplace and can be nothing more than a campfire
for many operations. A proper forge though will deliver a hotter fire and be
much more economical with the fuel. Fuel is also something a smith would
produce on-site or perhaps buy or trade for. anyway, the smith wouldn't be
packing everything necessary.

To start a journeyman smith probably wouldn't have a large tool kit, maybe
not even an anvil and certainly not a large anvil. It would certainly
contain at least one: pair of tongs, and a couple of hammers. Punches,
chisels and various files. A hardy is a chisel cutoff tool with a square
shank that fits in the square (hardy) hole in the anvil and I'm sure the
smith would have one. A full size anvil isn't necessary, many smiths still
use stake anvils which are basically large spikes with a small anvil for
it's head, driven into the ground a stump, etc. Traveling bellows, maybe a
tueyre iron of some type and other things I can't think of off the top of my
head.

Perhaps a hacksaw, shear or snips would be in there too but not necessarily.
Things like fullers and swages are for more specialized work so are less
likely to be found in a journeyman's traveling kit. Still, you could expect
to find some specialized tools depending on where the smith's going, local
trade/work requirements or personal expertise.

For instance a smith working in or around a logging community would probably
have shears, a number of saw sets, sharpening stones, saw tongs and perhaps
even a sawyers anvil. There'd also be punches and drifts suitable for making
large handled tools: Axe heads, adzes, pickaroons, etc.

Perhaps your smith discovers a real talent for making and repairing
cookware, vessels or other sheet metal work. Maybe making knives or blades,
tools in general, etc. The tool kit would reflect this.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jane Skretvedt" <[email protected]>
To: "TheForge" <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 3:28 PM
Subject: [TheForge] thank you :)

You are all being very helpful, and I truly appreciate it!
Donn, the link you gave me to the History page on the Appalachian
Blacksmithing is very useful, and is helping me to clarify my thinking even
further. I've been able to narrow my time period to the 18th century, which
I hope will make for a more interesting story and there will hopefully be
more information for me to find.
I think my main confusion (and probably, what help to make my research more
difficult) was because I'm bascially creating my own world. The topography
and climate is similar to the Upper Midwest, but my main character spends a
great deal of the story in seaside towns and villages. So, I don't know if
that helps or not. I do know that I'm enjoying everything I've been reading
(on and off-list).
Rick, you said that "He would also, thru this time, build his tools of the
trade. (As he learned how and what he needed.)" when referring to the
apprentice. I know this may sound totally ingnorant, but which tools would
he be making? Do you know of a website or book that I could look at to learn
which tools and how they would be made? I'm guessing that after
apprenticeship, he would carry his tools along while working as journeyman.
From what I've been reading so far, I'm having a hard time envisioning how
he would be able to carry a double-jack, tongs, fuller, chisels, hardies
(which I still am unsure of their exact usage), or am I wrong in assuming
that he would carry all of his tools with him?
Since my story isn't going to be be necessarily American in culture, I would
love to read the stories you've uncovered, Dan. I've been checking our local
library, but haven't come across anything just yet. But, I've still got the
college library I can check into (need to get pay a user fee, and until now
haven't felt the need to use their resources).
Thank you again, everyone. And please, let me know if I'm being a nuscience.
:)
-Jane

--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
The reason this message is shown is because the post was in HTML
or had an attachment. Attachments are not allowed.
Please post in Plain-Text only.---
_______________________________________________
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
theforge mail list group photo site is
http://www.photoaccess.com
Login:  [email protected]
password:  anvil
___________