Out Of Character
Name: Loraine
Age: 14
Why do you want to be a Smith?
Because that's what my parents are doing and I love being in the smithy with them. Mom and Dad have let Aren and me do some little stuff together and we work together great! They tell us we could so some amazing stuff as paired Smiths.
Name one important aspect about a forge or fire.
The most important part of a forge is air - too much and the fire gets too hot, but not enough and it won't get hot enough. Air is blown into the coals in the bottom of the forge.
Name a tool or a section of an anvil and one use for it, or describe the maintenance routine for that tool.
There are two holes in the face on the end opposite the horn: the pritchel hole and the hardy hole. The pritchel hole is used to hold or guide round tools, like punches.
Name one material that can be forged, one use for it, and what temperature (color) it should be to best be forged for that use.
Bronze is forged at 450°C - this is a dark cherry red, only just barely visible to the naked eye. It is used for metal parts in musical instruments, like cymbals.
Describe one aspect of hammering (type of hammer, method of hammering).
A cross peen hammer is used primarily for forging or riveting. The hammer comes in various weights, from 1/4 of a pound up to 4.5 pounds, though most blacksmiths use hammers between 1.75 and 3.5 pounds. The head is cylindrical; one end is flat and the other is tapered horizontally to a point.
Describe a method of quenching or blacking.
The most common method for blacking is to build a fire with green wood to generate a black, sooty smoke. Hold the finished piece over the fire on tongs, allowing the soot to build up on the metal. Once an even coating is applied to all surfaces, remove the piece from the fire and wipe excess soot off while still hot. The end result is a rich black finish.
Describe one method of cutting or punching metal.
When punching a half-inch hole through half-inch stock, you should be able to punch half to two-thirds of the way through on the first heat. Flip the stock over and find the slightly darker spot where the metal has cooled from being punched, then mark that location with the punch. After reheating, drive the punch through from the bottom. This results in a hole tapered from both sides with the narrowest point in the middle; this taper is cleaned out by using a drift.
Age: 14
Why do you want to be a Smith?
Because that's what my parents are doing and I love being in the smithy with them. Mom and Dad have let Aren and me do some little stuff together and we work together great! They tell us we could so some amazing stuff as paired Smiths.
Name one important aspect about a forge or fire.
The most important part of a forge is air - too much and the fire gets too hot, but not enough and it won't get hot enough. Air is blown into the coals in the bottom of the forge.
Name a tool or a section of an anvil and one use for it, or describe the maintenance routine for that tool.
There are two holes in the face on the end opposite the horn: the pritchel hole and the hardy hole. The pritchel hole is used to hold or guide round tools, like punches.
Name one material that can be forged, one use for it, and what temperature (color) it should be to best be forged for that use.
Bronze is forged at 450°C - this is a dark cherry red, only just barely visible to the naked eye. It is used for metal parts in musical instruments, like cymbals.
Describe one aspect of hammering (type of hammer, method of hammering).
A cross peen hammer is used primarily for forging or riveting. The hammer comes in various weights, from 1/4 of a pound up to 4.5 pounds, though most blacksmiths use hammers between 1.75 and 3.5 pounds. The head is cylindrical; one end is flat and the other is tapered horizontally to a point.
Describe a method of quenching or blacking.
The most common method for blacking is to build a fire with green wood to generate a black, sooty smoke. Hold the finished piece over the fire on tongs, allowing the soot to build up on the metal. Once an even coating is applied to all surfaces, remove the piece from the fire and wipe excess soot off while still hot. The end result is a rich black finish.
Describe one method of cutting or punching metal.
When punching a half-inch hole through half-inch stock, you should be able to punch half to two-thirds of the way through on the first heat. Flip the stock over and find the slightly darker spot where the metal has cooled from being punched, then mark that location with the punch. After reheating, drive the punch through from the bottom. This results in a hole tapered from both sides with the narrowest point in the middle; this taper is cleaned out by using a drift.