[TheForge] Not a Stupid Question, Swedge Block through hole uses

Wed May 14 07:43:00 2003

That I can believe.
But I don't ever envision working any material that size.
And if I ever gather four guys around my anvil or swedge block, they're going
to be swinging beers and not sledges.

Thanks for the input.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Stephen McGehee
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 11:54 PM
To: The Forge
Subject: [TheForge] Not a Stupid Question, Swedge Block through hole
uses

Bob Rackers: As a bolster/heading tool.  Uri Hoffi and Tom Clark take a
chunk of 2-1/2" round stock, fuller down part of it and draw this out to
a 24" taper, leaving a blob of the original stock about 4 inches long,
attached to this spike that tapers from 1 inch to about 1/2".  Then with
a good heat, dropped the spike into a horizontal swage block and 4 men
swinging sledge hammers in sequence flattened the blob into a  head,
making a nail, 2 feet by 4 inches, adding touch marks makes art that
sold for $ 200+ every time one  goes into an auction.

 Stephen McGehee
 Publisher of
 Irony, the sketchbook of an apprentice blacksmith
 P. O. Box 9822  Pine Bluff, AR 71611
 [email protected]
 (870) 540-0142
 (479) 643-3299 (farm)
 You can see a sample of IRONY magazine here:

  http://lametalsmiths.org/news/page4.htm  )