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I Forge Iron

Great Old Catalog


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Once in a while when you're scrounging around looking for one thing you run across a forgotten treasure

I found an old catalog from the J.E. Haseltine & Co of Portland Or that I'd completely forgotten I had. The company was founded in 1856 and the print date on the catalog is 1915.

It's 350 pgs of the most incredible selection of hardware, blacksmithing, wood and metal working equipment. You can rebuild an entire wagon or buggy out of this book. The last few pages are extensive lists of what you should charge for blacksmithing work to make yourself competitive.

I've included a few pics to show the outstanding illustrations and check out those prices . . . I know, they're relative to the era but oh, to have a heavy-hauler time machine!.

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KeyKeeper,
Yeah, it took up a fair amount of my time last evening . . .

Frosty,
hmmm, time machine/shipwrecks, now that's not a bad idea at all!

The whole catalog is really geared toward buggy / wagon making and repair.

Here's a few more - Some of the specialized equipment is really fascinating to look at.

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Oh yeah Frosty,

I took a look at the anvil page again and some brands (P/W - Hay-Budden) of anvils are listed like this:

Base - $......
Advance ....001/2

Not sure what they mean by advance. . .

Swage blocks and cone mandrels were going for 6-7 cents a pound.

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Something else I forgot to add earlier. These catalogs are a great reference for pictures of old equipment when restoring forges, blower, etc. Sometimes a picture goes a long way toward finding what's needed to bring things back to life.


I agree, I'm thinking I'll use some of my (mythical) spare time and scan all of the blacksmithing equipment pages and post them in the gallery so that others have access to them. The detail in some of the illustrations is incredible.

Tom,
Thanks! It's been a real joy "browsing" for equipment!
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I have a reprint of a 1907 Army & Navy stores catalogue from which you could buy anything needed to live anywhere in the then British Empire. That was from "palm to pine" so could have been in chillliest Canada or red hot India so it includes plenty of variety including blacksmiths tools. I think I would have my name down for a pair of London made sidelock ejector double shotguns and possibly a dounle rifle as well as the complete range of blacksmiths tools.

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Printed up the 1st 3 pages on the work printer to A3 size and came up a treat, have some large frames at home that may be put into use very shortly, whoever said this was a addiction was totally right....ps any chance of some more photos????

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Hey Bully,

Don't fill those frames yet - the pics I've posted so far have just been quick shots with my digital camera under a reading lamp.

I'm going to use a friend of mine's scanner to get some much clearer images and put them into a pdf file that I can send out to anyone who's interested.
I'll try and do that in the next couple o' weeks.

But to keep you going, I've attached a few more.

Including of course, the Hot Trimming Shear - Preferred choice of the well-dressed blacksmith . . .

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Hey! Thats my Hammer!!! the 100# er in the First photo in the last group! Nice book!
Remind me, I have one about 3" thick. Haven't looked at it in years. Bought it some 30 years ago. Don't remember the name but it is a tool catalogue...

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