[TheForge] Re: Artist-Blacksmith

[Jerry Frost]

I don't know when a particular style replaced another 
but fashion for the working stiff was important until 
very recently.

My Father wore slacks and a "work" shirt all his life. 
50-100(?) years ago workers wore slacks, white "work" 
shirts, ties and hats, a bowler being pretty common.

The welding caps came about (I think) around or just 
after WWII. About the time electric welding was 
becoming common. You needed something to keep the 
spatter out of your hair. Welder's caps were made up 
special, the shape helped keep the shield firmly on 
your head without being overly tight, they absorbed 
sweat and the bill covered the back of your neck. They 
were often treated at home with borax as a fire 
retardant.

The little square top welder's caps have been pretty 
much replaced in the last 30 years or so. They were 
what a "welder" wore when I was in school (late 60's) 
but some of the bolder young turks were wearing paisley 
and flowered caps. (today's "welder's cap") They were 
really quite shocking for the old guard like Dad.

When I was a kid the only people over the age of maybe 
10 wearing a cap backwards were welders. The bill kept 
spatter from going down the back of your shirt. Well, 
there were a few comedians and TV characters but not 
many.

As I said at the start I don't KNOW most of this stuff. 
I'm "remembering" stuff I heard as a kid, saw in old 
pictures and such. The borax trick was told to me by a 
high school metal shop teacher and confirmed by Dad and 
my uncle Frank.

Anyway, to answer your question specifically (as far as 
I know) it's a welder's cap in general use till the mid 
60's. Blacksmiths wore bowlers till the 20's or maybe 
30's. Still, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it was 
what replaced the bowler for smiths till welding/fab 
generally replaced smithing. On that I just don't know.

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

Meadow Lakes, AK.

http://www.artmetalradio.com/

From: "robert hensarling" <rhrocker at hilconet.com>


> Frosty, this is interesting.  Do y ou know if 
> blacksmiths in particular wore that little cap 
> exclusively, or, did it start, like you say, with 
> welders? I don't recall the cap in any of the really 
> old photos of blacksmiths, but up until now I haven't 
> been looking for them.  Where do you get those things 
> anyway, I need one to improve my good looks.