History Help - Blacksmithing

[CChartreux]

All -

Thanks again very much for the info. I'll go ahead and contact the BGOP directly and see what I can put together.

Thanks again,
CC

[ThomasPowers]

He *might* be a "general smith" but he more likely will specialize being in the big city. May I suggest you read the papers from those times and see how smithing was advertised---they exist!

He definitely will not be working "alone"---that's as likely as a surgeon today being in the operating room with nobody else to hand.

Note that there are changes from modern smithing to those times---real wrought iron works differently than modern mild steel (switch came after the American Civil War) and the bellows would be used as well as a side draft forge.

Anvils from that time period tended to s "squat" looking and not have a pritchel hole, the hardy hole is generally pretty small as well.

There are some blacksmith's day books preserved from those times---especially in Pennsylvania countryside that will list *everything* that smith did and what they charged. You may find info on tracking them down in "To Forge Upset and Weld" put out by the Historical Society of Penn.

Hold everything went to their website and there is a search function:

Advanced Search

put in "blacksmith" and enjoy!

Thomas

[CChartreux]

"May I suggest you read the papers from those times and see how smithing was advertised---they exist!" [ThomasPowers/#723]

Wow - what an excellent idea....I never even thought of that.

Thanks also for your other comments as well. The link to the PA Historical Society is very helpful - they have a 'daybook' from a blacksmith from 1825-1839 (the exact timeframe I'm looking for). This is most helpful.

Thanks again!!

CC

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

CC:
If you are interested, I'll offer help in the technical proofing when you get something down on paper. I graduated with a Bachelors of Writing and am myself currently working on a children's story based on blacksmithing. It's gonna kind of be in the vain of Wind in the Willows with a little bit of other children's stories mixed in for flavor. If you need any help, feel free to drop me a message on here.
-Aaron @ the SCF

[habu68]

CC

You might want to google Master Smith Peter Ross. He was the master smith at Williamsberg for many years. He is a gentleman an a scholar and a fair hand with a hammer. ;-)

[CChartreux]

Habu68 - thank you for the suggestion!

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"If you are interested, I'll offer help in the technical proofing when you get something down on paper." (Sandy Creek Forge/#150)

This might be very helpful to me; thank you for offering. It'll be a while before I actually have words on paper; however, I'll PM you in the next couple days on this.

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For Ed Thomas - I sent a letter to the BGOP, so hopefully I'll hear something from them in the next couple of days or so. Thanks again for your assistance.

CC