BLACKSMITHING
Blacksmithing is as old as civilisation itself and is regarded by some as the oldest form of technology. Blacksmithing, also called metal (Iron) forgery, is the art of forging metal using tools like a hammer and an anvil to make objects, like hinges, nails, hammers, and more. Before the industrial revolution, it was common for most towns to have their own blacksmith shop, also known as a “village smithy”. A person who forges metal is regarded as a “Blacksmith”
History
After seeing internet sources go on about things like Greek history, medieval, Hindu history and Iron age, I decided to switch things up a bit by telling us the history of blacksmithing according to the Yoruba people.
As most Nigerians may know, ‘OGUN” is the god of iron according to Yoruba mythology and is one of the pantheons of orisas still being traditionally worshipped. He was the first to ever master the art of welding and forgery and made weapons and farm tools(knifes, cutlass, hoes and others) not kitchen utensils (apparently the Yoruba people enjoyed using clay pot and calabash then). Putting aside his supernatural powers, Ogun must have been a genius for him to have been able to do that. What remains unclear about this history is the discovery of “Iron Ore”. A blacksmith in Yoruba land is regarded as “AGBEDE”.
Proof of blacksmithing dates back to the sixth century based on the discovered Nok art works however, over the years blacksmithing technology became a widely forgotten skill. This is partly due to the advancement in metal forging and fabrication technologies. Though, recently lots of schools and camps are being made available for people to learn about blacksmithing.
The Blacksmithing Processes
In a blacksmith shop, you may find bellows, forceps, forge, anvil and hammers.
For a blacksmith to make an object, the following processes occur:
Forging and Hammering: These are two foundational and essential processes to start blacksmithing. When you forge metal, you heat it in the forge to hammer and bend it into your desired shape. Forging temperature and hammering processes depend on the type of material you are working with and the object you plan to create.
Drawing: Drawing is an essential technique in blacksmithing and is used to make your metal longer and thinner. It involves using your tongs to hold down your piece on the anvil and hammer both sides to extend the length.
Upsetting: Upsetting is the opposite of drawing, and is used to make your metal thicker, shorter, and narrower. This requires a little more technical skill than many forging techniques. The process can be difficult to control and is used in more advanced stages of blacksmithing. You can heat the specific part of the metal in the forge that you intend to shape, rather than heating the entire piece in the forge.
Bending: To make a bend or curve in the metal, heat it and hold it over the anvil horn and strike it with a hammer to make your desired curve. You can strategically heat sections of your metal in the forge before bending it, rather than heating your entire piece. You can also unbend metals by reheating the metal and reversing your steps.
Punching: Punching utilises a punching tool to make holes in hot metal. Begin by heating the metal, identify where you want to punch a hole and hammer your punching tool softly on the intended spot until you feel resistance from the anvil. Be careful not to hit too hard, so you do not damage the surface of your anvil.
Welding: Welding is done to forge parts together using heat, electrodes or oxyacetylene. Welding was only recently added to the blacksmithing process.
Finishing: As the name implies, the final part of the process includes the treatment of the forged parts and its beautification.
DID YOU KNOW?
“Blacksmithing still exists and its technology is still used to manufacture parts for aircrafts, machines, ships, robots and locomotives”.
Putting aside the decline in blacksmithing over the decades, blacksmithing has gained popularity in recent years. For instance, in the USA, there is a guild for blacksmiths. This guild holds conferences and camps to teach students about the blacksmithing technology and help preserve the knowledge of blacksmithing.
Even more surprising, a new manufacturing method dubbed “Robotic Blacksmithing” is being passed around as possibly what would take over the manufacturing industry (still in developmental stage). The blacksmithing technology has been revived though majority of it has been used for artworks but it has been used to make parts of locomotives and the lots.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article.
Written by: Oluwaremilekun Olawalepade (Mechanical Fabrication Sub-team Member)