[TheForge] fire steels

[David E. Smucker]

While it is true that "steel" was valuable and somewhat scarce in the 1600 
and 1700 even harder to come by would be any form of high carbon wire.  So 
if "fire steels" in that time frame were steeled -- then the high carbon 
steel was drawn down to a small form by hammer forging.

The invention of the slitting mill was I believe in 1752 and was the 
precursor to the rolling mill.  It was first used on heave hammer iron plate 
to produce iron bars.  Later used to produce iron nail rod from hammer or 
rolled sheet.  Drawing of wire followed, but when Eli Whitney was working on 
his invention of the cotton gin 1793 he had to make his own draw bench to 
draw high carbon wire because he could not purchase it.  (At least in the 
then USA).

All of this is to say is that getting "small" section steel was a labor of 
love in the 1600's and first half of the 1700's.  High carbon "blister" 
steel had been around for some time at this point and files made from this 
tool steel were very important in the manufacture of all types of equipment. 
Spring steel for clock making also drove technology in this time frame.

One of the most interesting parts about talking to the Williamsburg 
Blacksmiths at the BAM conference was the discussion about the pay and role 
of craft workers in the colonial time period and early USA.  By world 
standards they were highly paid.  They did mostly repair and special work 
that earned them this high pay.  Production work was imported from England 
and the continent were labor costs were much lower.  Why the high pay --  
because in the Americas they could own land, and owning land was the route 
to wealth.  In England there was no land for them to own, no route to 
wealth, a good supply of craftsman's so their earning were lower.

Lesson to be learned -- blacksmiths should charge as much for their work 
today as plumbers and electricians.  It is the story of supply and demand.

Dave

--------------------------------------------------
From: "osan" <osan at netlabs.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 4:16 PM
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [TheForge] fire steels

> Peter Hirst wrote:
>> Sorry , thought the reason was clear:  steel was extremely scarce, using 
>> the wire was a conservation measure.
>
>    OK, I could see this... at least in circumstances anyhow.
>
>    -Andy
>
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