Forging a Torch

[Luke March]

As the torch is a somewhat ubiquitous portable light source in the medieval time period, and I know I have seen torches made of metal, I was curious if any of you have ever forged one, or if anyone happens to have information on how they were made.

I made a torch once, wrapping cotton around a long piece of wood, stapling it in place, and soaking in kerosene. It worked pretty well, though it only burned for about half an hour. Also it was not very re-usable.

So in the construction of metal torches, how is the part to be burned held in? Is there sometimes a container for holding extra fluid to be wicked up into the flame? I have some black iron pipe, which I was thinking might be a good starting place for making one of these....

[John McPherson]

Well, there are oil lamps, which go from kerosene all the way back to pre-biblical examples, and then there are fire baskets for solid fuels. The latter are known as cressets or torchieres, and Google image search will turn up plenty of examples.

Fire baskets burned resinous wood similar to pine knots or fatwood, (often rancid) grease soaked rushes, or split dry wood and sticks. They were smoky, sooty, and dangerous (the small burnt-out bits are supposed to fall thru the cracks), commonly used outdoors, or in large drafty halls. Hollywood loves them in the background.

IIRC, at least one Viking chieftain raided an Irish monastery just to get the beeswax candles for his daughter's wedding, to avoid all that other stuff.

There are several books on lighting devices, ranging from mere pamphlets to weighty tomes. Try inter-library loan if you are serious.

[Larry H]

I made a torch out of 1" pipe, ...pointed one end to a sealed point and flared the other end then ,...and i'm sorry to say....I welded three "L" pieces with a split at the top (looks like a snake tongue ) if I saw this post on wed. morn I would have a pic for you,... if I remember, I'll take a pic on tues., or wed. next week.

[SmoothBore]

A "Corn Shuck" torch is easily fashioned from #6 ( or heavier ) wire, ... or 1/4" round, ... or square bar.

3 or 4 loosely spaced coils, ( like a coil spring ) wrapped around a piece of 1 1/2" pipe, will form the "Shuck Holder" portion, ... and then you can use your imagination for the rest of the "handle" part.

Recycled candles, scrounged from yard sales, and melted down in a tin can, are good for impregnating the Corn Shucks with wax.
2 or 3 wax impregnated Corn Shucks, "screwed" down into the spiral wire "Shuck Holder", will burn for several hours.
Use enough impregnated Corn Shucks, so that they fit fairly snug in the Shuck Holder, and they will last a lot longer than if they fit too loose.



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