[TheForge] blacksmithing

[Dan Tull]

Steve,
Thanks for that report.
dan tull
georgia
abba, afc, S.C. psba, obg,sofa
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Howell Steve" <steve.howell at siemens.com>
To: "'Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 5:04 PM
Subject: [TheForge] blacksmithing


>
> What I did for Christmas break:
>
> Over the holiday I visited some friends in south-eastern Austria. In a
> region known as "Carinthia", a Roman name imparted on the area when it was
> under the realm of empire. The region has been popular with civilizations
> for centuries based on it's southern, almost Mediterranean climate,
> proximity to the Alps and numerous lakes and thermal pools which made for
> ideal vacation retreats.
>
> It was here that I happened upon a treat that even my native guests had
> never taken the opportunity to visit. The works of the Karl Zeilinger
> company in the tiny town of Himmelberg.  The Zeilinger company was noted 
> for
> some of the best agricultural cutting implements in the world.  Their
> primary product was "Sense-Werk" or translated,  'Grass-tools'. Axes and
> other cutting implements were also produced but what put them on the map
> were their scythes. At the peak of production, close to a half million 
> units
> were produced per year. Keep in mind this was prior to the industrial
> revolution.
>
> The shop was in production from 1502 until 1968 and at it's peak had 25
> employees.
> The shop was (and still is during summer months) powered by a waterwheel
> running over the Tiebel river, not far from where it emerges from a spring
> on a nearby mountain.
>
> The youngest boys would start at 3 AM to tend the fires and work until 7 
> PM.
> It's not known what hours the others worked. Upon entering the shop, five
> forging stations were immediately present with the largest of four or five
> spring assisted helve hammers being first in line. Each hammer had not a
> solid anvil, but stumps with the sow block being positioned upon the end
> grain. I was told the stumps were set 3 meters in the ground. As the raw
> material slowly transformed itself into the finished product you could see
> almost the makings of an assembly line, the hammers reduced in size for 
> each
> step. A separate furnace, long ago converted to oil was used for the
> hardening operation. Line-shaft driven Fly presses were used for punching
> eye-holes in axes and for other various operations. Grinding and finishing
> operations were carried out in a separate area. A pair of water-wheel 
> driven
> 6' diameter wheels would rotate in a trough of water for cooling. This was
> referred to as nasty work as the grinding personnel were always soaked 
> from
> head to toe from the grinding.  The final touch on scythes was a 
> planishing
> pass with a high-speed hammer. Imparting no more than a small dimple for
> each blow, the scythes were passed under the hammer and given a 'swirl'
> finish of hammer blows. I was told this was to impart final elasticity. 
> The
> visual effect was very stunning.
>
>
>
>
> The financial impact of the operation on the Zeilinger family had
> repercussions throughout the village as the quality of homes in the area
> surpassed that of other nearby towns. The quality and reknown of 
> Zeilinger's
> tools spread worldwide to where they had special implements for every
> region, from short stubby blades for Asian rice paddies to monster 3 1/2
> foot long scythes for Russian wheat fields.
>
> Success breeds competition and in 1806 the French arrived in Himmelberg to
> take stock of Zeilinger's operation. They measured the hammers and tooling
> upside down and sideways, they studied the iron with which the tools were
> made. They asked many questions. When they were done, three of the top
> workmen were offered relocation to France to set up a new forge.  The
> workmen refused to leave their beloved Himmelberg. In the cover of 
> darkness
> the three workmen were kidnapped and brought to France.  It was not known
> what happened to these workmen.
>
> Continuing the tradition of quality; In 1900 the Zeilinger company 
> exhibited
> it wares at the Paris World Exposition. Regarded as a highest honor,  it
> looked like (from an old photo) that the whole company had attended in 
> their
> tuxedos and were extremely proud of their exhibit.
>
> I doubt at that time the workmen would believe that the company would only
> have another 68 years left to operate.  I did not find out the exact
> circumstances behind the shops' closing.
>
> The family tradition lives on, however. While I was unable to meet him,
> there is a family member that still carries on the metal tradition and has 
> a
> small studio attached to the main shop. FA Zeilinger .  I was told he has
> taught with Habermann in Venice and maintains a presence in Vienna. He had
> manufactured a neat little home-made spring hammer that is near the end of
> the photo gallery.
>
> In Vienna, I was thrilled to find the address for the Master Otto
> Schmirler's Alte Schmied  (old smithy) Unfortunately, despite being told
> contrary, the museum appeared to be closed for the winter. Peering through
> the old windows, it looks as if he just left it. The hammers were waiting 
> in
> their racks by the window. The wooden plank floor looked well worn.
>
> So- despite being thwarted from the Schmirler museum, I was more than
> satisfied with the Himmelberg smithy.
> All in all an excellent trip and one I'll not soon forget.
>
> Steve Howell
>
>
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