[TheForge] fire steels

[Peter Hirst]

I finally saw one that was made at the site and is used in their education 
program.  There is a thin strip of steel, perhaps .010" set into the 1/4" 
striking edge.  It is impossible to tell how deep the steel goes, as the 
insert is sealed by the iron at each end.  I can tell you however, that it 
works, and that this particuar steel has been used hundreds of times in 
demonstrations, with apparently plenty of steel left. I was able to 
duplicate the effect by forging 1/8" music wire almost  flat, slightly 
tapered to one edge, and inserting it thick edge first into a slit in 3/8 
square.  Closing the slit -- no welding -- holds the steel tight and forges 
the finished size to 1/4 x 1/2.  The LH  museum explains that they are 
reproducing a VERY early colonial period, when it was against  British law 
for the colonists to make any finished goods of commercial value and 
therefore they were alloted no materials -- steel in particualr -- in any 
quantity. They were expected to trade furs to England for virtually 
everything they needed.   Iron had not yet been produced in the New World. 
The forge was almost exclusively a repair shop, and only a few necessities 
could be squeaked out around the law.  The Williamsburg of today is of a 
much later period, by 125 years or more.  Tariffs were in effect and imports 
were taxed, but the manufacture and trade in many crafts was well 
established.  AN all steel striker would not have been the extravagance of 
the earlier period.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lynn Emrich" <theatre_weapons at yahoo.com>
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 8:28 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] fire steels


> When I first read this post my thought was that someone had learned a term 
> and saw a place to use it. Not that they knew 'of what they speak'. A 
> little knowledge is a dangerous thing. (?)
> Lynn
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Phil <mobjak at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 7:21:57 AM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] fire steels
>
> Didn't I say that a month ago?  Is there an echo in
> here?  =8-)
>
> --- Bob Ehrenberger <eforge at centurytel.net> wrote:
>
>> I know this ran it's course a month or so ago, but
>> at the BAM conference we
>> had a couple smiths from colonial Williamsburg
>> demonstrating so I asked them
>> about fire steels.  They said that as far as they
>> knew they were made from
>> solid steel and not steel welded to wrought iron.
>>
>> I guess there is always a chance that it could have
>> been done the other way,
>> but that would not have been common.
>>
>> Robert Ehrenberger
>> Shelbyville, Mo.
>> eforge at centurytel.net
>
>
> 
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