Roo Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Hello all, Are there any Blacksmiths out there who know about the processes involved in forging traditional 'fishermen' anchors? I am studying for a PhD in Art History, and am focusing on a specific painter who produced at least three paintings of men at work in forges during the nineteenth century. One of these paintings shows a group of Blacksmiths forging at the the anvil, a large anchor which glows white hot, and is the brightest part of the painting. In my research, I have not yet come across any text that talks about the forging of traditional anchors (or anchors in general really), the techniques employed, or what it might have meant to local/village Blacksmiths to make such a large and heavy item. Can anyone help, or perhaps direct me to somewhere which might yield more information? Many thank yous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Bruce Wilcox is the man to ask on this, he led a team of 'smiths forging an anchor and a DVD was made at the time, there are some vids on the web somewhere. I believe copie of the DVD are available through BABA and the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths who sponsored (I think) the exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 I know several groups that have done anchors; but Bruce is the only one who I would say was in a direct line of traditional forgers of such stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Emig Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 You might want to look at youtube. There is a video I think titled forging an anchor. There is a crew of industrial smiths forging a 14,000 pound single arch anchor from the early 1900's. It give a great idea of how the big ones were done. Take care, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 to make a anchor ,you need a good gang, a good fire ,and dont take your shirt of ,thats it . I dont know what you want to know ,but if i can help , ask away.Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanWillman Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Roo - what date do you think is portrayed in the paintings of interest? And how literally are they to be taken? Various kinds of power assists (water hammers, etc.) have been used for quite a long time. to make a anchor ,you need a good gang, a good fire ,and dont take your shirt of ,thats it . I dont know what you want to know ,but if i can help , ask away.Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanWillman Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Bruce - what's the easiest way to order a copy of the DVD to be sent to America? I don't know how to write a check in pounds. Is there somebody in the US selling them? thx bmw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Bruce, Is there a way for us underneath the world to get a copy as well? Thanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadetoz Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Below are the links to the youtube videos that show the forging of the big anchors and chains. Trevor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 We made a small one like the ones sponge divers use in tarpon springs fl. About 2' long it was a great excersize in forge welding. The meeting before that we watched a artis make a copper diving helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 there were several anchors forged one each year and one of the dvds was sent to Glenn to copy and sell to raise funds for the site , se if Glenn still has one ,or can copy one for you ,i think there was one forging a hammer as well.Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 John B, Gerald Boggs, Thomas Powers, Mark Emig, Bruce Wilcock, Bryan Willman, Rob Browne, Gadetoz, Francis Cole - Thank you all for your posts and helpful suggestions (I will acknowledge you in my thesis on completion in three years). I can see this forum is going to be very useful in the future, and I will definitely get a copy of that DVD! To answer Bryan's question a little, the artist I am exploring is Stanhope Forbes, a painter from Newlyn in Cornwall, who produced oil paintings of local people engaged in work - fishing, smithing, farriery, farming etc. There are three paintings that I am looking at , one of which is called Forging the Anchor, and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1892. It shows 4 workman forging a 'fisherman' anchor (I believe), two with sledges, two holding the anchor in place on the anvil. Ipswich Museum currently have the painting but have no image archive at present. Once this is up and running, which they are doing at the moment but could take months, I will post a link on this forum to show you the painting. the painting shows a very active scene, with sledges held high, and workmen in positions showing strain and effort. The brightest part of the painting is the hot white arm of the anchor, where the strikers are forging. I am trying to upload the image I have but it isn't working. If I have any more questions, I'll be sure to post, You've all been really helpful - Thank you. Roo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 So, Roo, have you thought of trying to get a crew together to replicate that scene, purely as research of course! A picture of the crew in the same moment *with* someone portraying the artist in the background would make a nice frontispiece for your thesis... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 I have a video of a 7 ton moring anchor by hand silent movie Ican copy it for you if you like . fmforge@optusnet.com.au Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted February 4, 2010 Author Share Posted February 4, 2010 So, Roo, have you thought of trying to get a crew together to replicate that scene, purely as research of course! A picture of the crew in the same moment *with* someone portraying the artist in the background would make a nice frontispiece for your thesis... It is a very tempting idea to get a team of people together to replicate the picture, but it might be impossible! I can imagine it would be a lot of fun. I'd need to get hold of a lot of willing blacksmiths/anchorsmiths and Victorian clothing from somewhere... Good idea though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Roo try getting a hold of Ian he is at stepney stone farm there in london he is close to you and can help you with a visual methods of blacksmithing. He dose demo's there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 A lot of smiths are a sucker for this sort of things---some may even have appropriate clothing already as they do demo's at historical locations. Others will work for beer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukellos Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 It is a very tempting idea to get a team of people together to replicate the picture, but it might be impossible! I can imagine it would be a lot of fun. I'd need to get hold of a lot of willing blacksmiths/anchorsmiths and Victorian clothing from somewhere... Good idea though. Victorian clothing can be had from the Wild West Emporium and other such places online. I doubt that WWE will float it across the pond for you, but just GOOGLE victorian clothing and you'll find lots of places that cater to hysterica...oops, historical re-enactors. I have clothes from that era. I also have an outfit just like the one Zapata is wearing in my avatar photo. I'd swim over in a heartbeat if I could afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiphile Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Just thought that I would help out here. I think that I found an image of the painting in question here. Thought that this might assist with the discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gabriel Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 You may have this information allready if you got a copy of Charles silent video of a 7 ton moring anchor being forged by hand. If not, here is the link to the youtube video. The anchor forging part starts at 2min 50 seconds. Good luck, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 Thank you archiphile - this is indeed the painting I am working with. Currently sitting in Ipswich Museums and Galleries if anyone wanted to view it in person. Thanks also to the suggestion about contacting Ian at Stepney farm - I will get on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Thank you archiphile - this is indeed the painting I am working with. Currently sitting in Ipswich Museums and Galleries if anyone wanted to view it in person. Thanks also to the suggestion about contacting Ian at Stepney farm - I will get on it. two photos working on a anchor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 I have been watching a real cool anchor that is right around the corner from me for some time now, I asked the guy if he would sell it to me and he declined. I did get a good story out of the old timer, he found this anchor at the bottom of the Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove and he said they used this type of anchor to hold barges back in the sardine era when there were lots of canaries here. He was a scuba diver in the 1960's and found this anchor when diving, he used 55 gallon drums to bring it up, by floating them down then filling them with air (brilliant). This thing is at least 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide it is huge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 I love watching that video. Those guys sure can swing a sledge! I have hammered with a sledge in a four man gang before, I couldn't imagine it with 10 or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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