[TheForge] Re: Artist-Blacksmith

[robert hensarling]

Thanks Frosty, that's a great story and good info also!!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jerry Frost" <frosty at customcpu.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2006 6:18 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: Artist-Blacksmith


>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.
> 
> 
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