The Beginning of Blacksmithing

Some of the first formed and shaped pieces of metal date back to 5000 years ago and we only know about this because it was found on an archeological dig. Early man lived by hunting and eating wild crops. The hunting was done using rocks, wooden clubs, large bones and sharpened wooden poles. The problem was that rocks, clubs and bones required both brute strength and close contact with the prey. The sharp pole cold be thrown from a distance but the point would often not be strong enough to pierce the hide of the animal. Farming was an unknown concept because sharpened bones and wood would break in the ground. All this changed with the discovery of metal and the development of the skill of shaping it. The persons who knew how to heat and shape metal into arrow and spear heads and also to make iron implements for tilling the soil were the first technicians of the human race. With the ability to hunt more efficiently and also to farm land for food, life became easier and blacksmiths were in great demand.

The main focus of the first Blacksmith was to make weapons of death. From weapons for hunting it was an easy step to produce weapons of war – the same arrow and spear heads would be used for both animals and humans. Blacksmiths often found out that in times of peace there weren't quite as busy and therefore had to learn to make other products to get them through until the next war. It was during these periods in the ancient past that blacksmiths learned the more sophisticated aspects of their trade and began to make items of everyday use like vases, urns, goblets and the like. Blacksmiths were forced to keep refining their skills to meet the demands of the increasingly more demanding clientele. Of course, through the ages, Blacksmiths continued to produce ever more sophisticated weapons from knives and swords to iron bolts for crossbows to shields and armor and then to cannons along with farming equipment ranging from ploughs to horse shoes.

With the coming of the industrial age, the blacksmith found himself to be the lynchpin of progress. This was the famous man who created the important machine that was used to power the industrial revolution. As the machines became bigger and more sophisticated, so did the blacksmith skills in producing the parts needed for them. Sadly the machines the blacksmith has helping to build would soon replace him. By the end of the 19th century factories could produce metal work in larger numbers and more economically that the blacksmith could. The trade suffered a huge decline and by the time of World War II, the few blacksmiths left were only producing decorative wrought iron work.

However, in the 1960s metal started to be used more and more in architecture and furniture. The demand for artistic iron work also began to grow and the industry underwent a revival and today, while it is no longer a lynchpin of industry, is a viable and growing business.

Through the ages, the tools and equipment used by Blacksmithing have undergone immense change. The first blacksmiths would not know what to make of a modern forge with its electric forges and furnaces and mechanical presses and hammers. The ABC's of blacksmithing have never changed and that is heat the metal and then you can shape it. Perhaps if the ghost from the past saw this, he would feel a kinship with the present.

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Blacksmithing General Overview

Archeological finds show that the art of Blacksmiths has been known to mankind for around 6000 years, making it one of the oldest professions known to man.

If you look back at some of those things that really were important in moving the human race forward, the discovery of metal was exactly one of those. Metal was hard and had immense possibilities, but the problem was how to use it. Once people started to understand that if you could heat metal up to a certain point then it would be moldable and you could shape it as you wish, then blacksmithing was formed. Blacksmiths learned how to heat metal in a fire until it was soft enough to be beaten into shapes like spear and arrow heads and pointed lengths of iron that could be used for tilling the earth.  With the ability to both hunt and grow crops more efficiently than had been done earlier using stones and carved bones, the human race began to prosper.

The modern Blacksmiths has progressed a long way from his simple beginnings. The principle bechind blacksmithing which is the way you head and shape metal as not changed although you will find a lot of new tools, hammers, and presses that will help you work with this very principal. The modern blacksmith now works with complex alloys and is also involved in the heat treatment of metals to make the products stronger and more resilient as well and creating finishes that improve the esthetic appeal of the works he produces.

The modern Blacksmithing is no longer just and artisan but a skilled technician. He must understand the properties of various metals and alloys to know what is best suited for what product. He must also understand associated skills like welding and painting since today’s blacksmith is required to be able to produce a finished product and not something that has be sent to another workshop for someone else to complete.

The modern blacksmith can be either a single person working in his own forge or a workman in a large factory. The single (or sometimes cooperative) blacksmith set up usually produces one off items which are made to order, like specially designed architectural fittings (gates, grills, wall fixtures etc.). If he has an artistic temperament, he may be an artist who produces intricate works of shaped and welded metal art which can range for delicate domestic table decorations to huge works of outdoor sculpture. These blacksmiths will have modern equipment in their workshops to save time, money and ensure that the best qualities are achieved, but a great deal of the molding and shaping work, because of its uniqueness, will still be done by hand.

The blacksmith who works in a large production unit will need to be able to operate the equipment, often very complex, that is used in the mass production process. He needs to be able to understand and follow technical drawings and diagrams that define what the finished product will be.

Whatever be the nature of blacksmithing work being done, a good blacksmith needs to have a keen eye for shapes and sizes, quickness of hand and eye, an understanding of the qualities of the metals be used and the ability to judge a material’s temperature by eye. That means that he must know, by looking at the color of heated metal, whether it is ready to be worked on.

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Blacksmith Anvil Basics

The first anvils were the large, heavy and hard stones that cavemen used a work benches. A piece of bone of flint would be placed atop this stone and a smaller stone held in the hand would be used to chip away at the bone or flint to create a shape, usually an arrow or spear head. In the millennia since then anvils have come a long way, but there basic function remains the same. The modern anvil, as we know it, came into existence in the Middle Ages when metal working was a major activity.

The upper or working area of the anvil, where the heated metal is placed is called the face. What happens is that when the tool is made, there is a process knows as tempered and hardening that takes place so the tool won't loose shape. The constant force of the hammer blows is transferred through the metal being worked to the anvil and a soft face will become misshapen and useless. The hardened face of the anvil will also absorb very little of the impact of a hammer blow so that the effect of each blow on the metal being worked will be both greater and more controllable. The tool is extremely important and you don't want any defects in it or it won't work correctly as well as you must have the tool completely smooth. Marks or scratches on the face will create unwanted impressions on the underside to the metal being worked on. An important aspect of maintaining the integrity of the face is to never let the hammer strike it directly since this will cause damage.

The anvil will normally have rounded edges since squared off ends result in sharp edges that that many cut into the metal that be being worked on. Some anvils have a step with a squared off edge at one end. What is nice about this tool is that its main use it to cut metal where the edge ends up acting like a knife. Many blacksmiths do not use this design as they feel that the hammer force being applied to the edge of the face can, over time, cause it to warp.

If you take a closer look at anvils, you will see that they have more of a cone shaped projection that comes out of one side of the anvil. These are used for hammering the metal into curved shapes and since the hammer blows are around the cone and not directly on it; these do not need to be made out of hardened tempered steel. The cones are also used for stretching the metal by pulling it over the curved surface to make it both longer and thinner.

Some anvils have two holes on the side of the face. The square one is called the Hardy Hole and is designed to hold special forming and cutting tools which are used for bending and punching holes in the metal being worked.

The round hole is called the Pritchel hole which is used for punching holes in the metal. The spot where the hole is to be created is place directly over the Pritchel hole and a punching tool or bit is then hammered over the metal, punching a hole.

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The Many Purposes of Steel Buildings

Steel buildings are looked upon not just for their strength, but more so for their functionality. There are steel buildings that can be used as functional offices. There are some which host households, while some serve as storage areas. More than providing shelter to individuals, steel buildings have evolved according to the particular requirements of people.

It was during the 20th century when construction companies realized how practical it is to build and make use of steel buildings. While most steel buildings have been destroyed during the Second World War, a lot of companies continued to construct steel buildings especially since steel became more available after World War II.

Steel buildings offer a lot of benefits like having great quality as well as low maintenance costs. Steel buildings are likewise non-combustible, not to mention environment friendly. Construction companies can also save a lot when they construct steel buildings.

Most modern Steel buildings are constructed from steel and are made of various segments evolving over time. Steel buildings are also considered safer since they boast of improved bases. Most modern commercial establishments like restaurants, shopping centers, and the like are housed in steel buildings. There are many houses too that are constructed out of steel.

If you are looking to put up your own steel building you should evaluate first the purpose of building one. Are you constructing a steel building to serve as your residence? Are you doing it for extra storage? In fact you can also construct your own steel building at your own backyard. The Internet is a rich resource of how you can go about constructing your own steel building.

What’s more, steel buildings can also be used as a shelter for your animals. You can have steel buildings to place your pigs, horses, or whatever animals you may have. You can also make use of steel buildings for your simple backyard enterprise, or storage of your important materials.

If you have a business wherein you have some materials that you need to be stored, you would be able to have a good stock room with steel buildings.

Steel buildings can also serve as garages. You can place your car, lawn mover, and even the riding toys and bikes of your kids in a steel building. You can save tons of spaces if you use steel buildings.

You can also make your steel buildings as carports that would shelter your vehicles from weather disturbances like rains and even the heat.