Borntoolate Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I was looking for a listing of modern day sayings that originated from Blacksmithing. I did not find a list on the net readily. Perhaps we could make our own. When you post put the saying by itself for potential easy compilation later. I'll start with the easy ones. Numbering them from the previous post would be a plus. So whoever posts next start with 3. If the saying needs an explanation include it. I assume averyone knows the two below. If you have a saying that is perhaps not used much these days that is ok. Also, I think nails were sized and priced in regard to how easy they were to smith? ie 10 penny nails?... So if someone knows that bit go for it. 1. Strike While the Iron is hot. 2. Too many irons in the fire. Others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maillemaker Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 3. "To go at something hammer and tongs"- you're really working hard. 4. "That's got a nice ring to it"- reference to the bell-like ring of an anvil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 this has already been covered here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maillemaker Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Enhhhh..... The previous topic did have many bits of wisdom, but I think that Borntoolate is looking for only blacksmithing specific ones. Having said that, there are quite a few of those in there. 5. There are no mistakes in blacksmithing, only rapid design modifications- Adlai Stein and others (I was surprised not to see this one earlier) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Don't lose your temper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Beat the daylights out of it When truing a ring on a cone mandrel you drop the ring on the cone and Beat the daylights out of it. Applies when straightening on the anvil too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 On 3/21/2011 at 3:36 PM, arftist said: Don't lose your temper. Is this from blacksmithing? Does referring to ones composure as temper refer back to blacksmithing? Maybe it just refers to temperament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmangeler Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I think that the reference to nails is how many penny weight they weigh per nail. I am sure that it does not completely corrolate now as it seems to only be a reference to length now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
son_of_bluegrass Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I had always heard it was a set number of nails of that size for that many pennies. I think it was 100 nails. So 100 3-penny nails would cost 3 pennies. It came to be associated with the size of the nail and lives on today as such. Pennyweight was originally the weight of a penny in silver and is equal to 1/240 pound troy, if memory serves. ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 On 3/21/2011 at 3:36 PM, arftist said: Don't lose your temper. Stay with the numbers. The above is #6. Yes let's keep it blacksmithing. Keep em coming. Can we hit 50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 On 3/22/2011 at 4:37 PM, son_of_bluegrass said: Pennyweight was originally the weight of a penny in silver and is equal to 1/240 pound troy, if memory serves. Doesn't need to correlate now. Fact is that the phrase is still used. 10 penny nail etc. Sounds like it came from blacksmithing even if it's the sales side of it. May be a bit of a stretch.... But I heard that the apprentices had to make nails at night to make their pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Stay with the numbers. The above is #6. Yes let's keep it blacksmithing. Keep em coming. Can we hit 50. It is blacksmithing. Temper was used to refer to hardness in the past. If you got a section of hardened steel to hot, you would "lose your temper". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 What about, #7 Don't lose your cool I would assume this came about after cool became a 'in' word, but maybe it was around before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 “You normal peaple are the reason ai need to be medicated” Cody Cove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel OF Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 My milkshake brings all the smiths to the forge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 8. Cut to the quick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Geist Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 9. To run roughshod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exo313 Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 10. "Don't use force, get a bigger hammer!" -- among other sources, from a shop tech/welder-fitter at trade school; his go-to "encouraging device" was a 20lb sledge on a short handle. Applies to smithing as well. (Though power hammers laugh at a 20lb hand hammer...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 Strike while the iron is hot. But I like the spanish version better because it rimes. Hierro candente golpear de repente. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 I heard On "Wait Wait don't tell me" To many irons in the fire came from the Laundry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 On 3/21/2011 at 9:47 AM, Maillemaker said: 3. "To go at something hammer and tongs"- you're really working hard. 4. "That's got a nice ring to it"- reference to the bell-like ring of an anvil. Nice thought but not. "A nice ring to it" refers to the sound of silver alloy when rapped on the stone. The more silver the nicer the ring. Probably the laundry where the blacksmiths got their britches washed, Francis. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 22 hours ago, Francis Trez Cole said: I heard On "Wait Wait don't tell me" To many irons in the fire came from the Laundry. Have ye never had too many irons in the fire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 All that glitters is not gold - and all that's black is not cold. (I live by that one every day!!) The cobbler's wife and the blacksmith's horse are the last to receive shoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will W. Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Those are some good ones, Aus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 Arftist Nope I know just how many I can deal with at one time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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