Manish YadavDIY Blacksmithing tools are tools made primarily from wrought iron, steel, or sometimes from other metals. The process of making blacksmithing tolls usually involve forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend and cut. Most Blacksmiths can make most of their tools. There are various DIY Blacksmithing tools as discussed below.
Hammers:-
The ball-peen hammer is the most used hammer by blacksmiths. It weighs between750 to 1250g. This weight suits well blacksmiths. A good hammer should have a long shaft than is usual. It should be well balanced. Blacksmiths tend to make hammers as the need for them arises. The best material to make a hammer shaft is the old car axle.
Other hammers for example sledgehammers can be double-faced, others are straight or cross-peen. They are heavy weighing between 3 to 5kg. The shafts are long to make sure both hands can be used. These hammers heads are firmly fastened to the shafts.
The wedges can be made of either wood or metal. Blacksmiths make these hammers in such a way that the center lines of the hammerheads and their shaft are at right angles. Hammers should be polished and kept free of marks.
Chisels:-
Chisels are needed for cutting both hot and cold metal. The chisels for cutting hot metals are comparatively short and thick. The ones for cutting hot metals are thinner and longer. Blacksmiths make chisels of different shapes and sizes.
They make specialized chisels for facilitating the work at hand. The best material to make chisels from is steel which contains some percentages of carbon. Again, motor vehicle coils and leaf springs are alternatives in case steel is not available.
Sets:-
Sometimes, sets act like chisels. They are used to cut hot and cold metals. They have handles and shafts. The most preferred handles are the wooden ones since they are easy to handle. But, blacksmiths prefer metal –rods to make these handles. The main advantage of sets is that they are cheap and easy to make. Sets for cutting cold metals are thick and short as with chisels while the ones for cutting hot metals are longer and thinner. Sets can be made of different shapes for doing various purposes.
Hardy:-
This is a chisel that is designed to fit the tool whole anvil. Together with a hand hammer, they are used in cutting hot and cold metal.
Tongs:-
Tongs are of different types and styles. A tong should hold a workpiece firmly without slipping. Tongs are made by blacksmiths for a specific job. Tongs can be adapted for holding a particular workpiece. This makes Tongs vary in length, size, and weight since the metal sizes also vary. Blacksmiths tend to make their tongs from mild steel.
Punches for Hot Work:-
Punches can be round, square, or even any shape that suits any job. They should belong to keep hands away from reflected heat. Large punches can be fitted with handles. This designation of punches ensures that it removes the minimum amount of metal from the job. It also helps in swelling the hole to size and shape. There are so many custom punches made and here are some of them;
- Blacksmith drift
- Slitting chisel
- Slot punch
- Square punch
- Ball punch
- Eye punch
- Decorative punches
Drifts:-
These are like short punches. They are made of carbon tool steel. Drifts are of exact size and shape. Some drifts are round, hexagonal, octagonal, and other shapes. Drifts are hammered to finish a hole to size and shape when the metal is red hot. Greasing can be added to make the work easier and finish better.
Fullers:-
Fullers are DIY Blacksmithing tools that resemble chisels or sets that vary in sizes and have round edges .small fullers can be handheld while the larger size fullers require shafts and handles. Fullers are used together with sledgehammers. They are usually made in pairs .fullers are used when setting down shoulders in preparation for forging tenons. Again they are essential for drawing or moving metal in one direction.
Swages:-
Swages are top and bottom tools between which metal is worked. Swages that are commonly used are semicircular and are used for forming round sections to size after forging. Swages are made in a way that the bottom tool fits into the tool hole of the anvil. The top and bottom tools can be hinged and fastened together by a spring strap. This is useful when the smith is working alone. Swages are used in power hammer work.
Flatters and Set Hammers:-
These tools have flat faces with sharp or rounded edges. They are made according to the requirement and are placed on the work and stuck with the Sledgehammer. Set hammer is used for setting in shoulders. The flatter is a good finishing tool and should be used when finishing on flat surfaces.
Hand Mandrel:-
This is a smith tool which is a cone –shaped and it’s fitted with a handle .most of the time it’s used for rounding up small rings or for stretching the rings into sizes. The tool is hand-held on the face or over the edge of the anvil.
Bolster Plates:-
Bolster plates are steel plates with holes drilled or punched into them. They aid in forming neat shoulders at the change of section in the workpiece. They are round and square countersunk holes. This enables countersunk-headed bolts to be made as for ploughshares.
Related Posts:-
Add comment