Prosthetic forging arm?

[Dave Budd]

Here's an interesting one for the amassed minds. I've a friend who has been wanting to do a course with me for ages but isn't sure he would be able to forge on account of only having one hand!

His left hand was basically taken off by a motorcycle accident years ago and he has been left with about half of his thumb being the only semblance of a digit on his left hand. In day to day life he gets by by using the digit to pinch things between it and what would be his palm, so he can grasp small (less than maybe 1" round) items in an awkward but effective enough way. The rest of his arm (and presumably the rest of his body) is fine and fully functional.

I'm sure that some smith, at some stage, somewhere in the world must've come up with an interesting solution to holding work or a hammer to forge with? I've searched around online for prosthetics that might work, but nothing that I can find and the only reference to smiths and prosthetics is the fact that they would often make them.

My thought is to make a pair of tongs that are built into a sleeve he can strap to his forearm. Using a ring to lock the tongs it should work like holding a pair of tongs, if a deal less dextrous and would definately need to be kept cool. I suggested strapping a hammer to his arm (after a few beers), but he said he is very right handed and would likely hit his head instead!

So, has anybody come across a solution to this, or any new ideas?

[leighwill]

one of my students is missing his left hand, and he has a host of attachments, from a claw hammer to a stanley knife. but the one he uses most is a clamp like contraption, its basicly two bits of 20 mm angle facing each on linkages with a screw tightener like on a set of adjustables. and he is very adapt at using it even with this attachment he can still plaster better than me.

[JNewman]

Small pneumatic cylinder on the tongs? Using a pair of tongs like Brian Brazel's universal tongs you could hold several sizes of material.

[SoCal Dave]

I would also check and see what the military is doing these days with prosthetics. They might give you an idea for something you can modify for blacksmithing.

[GNJC]

Interesting topic. My father lost his left leg and, oddly, had a friend who had lost his left hand. One of the best bits of my childhood was when this chap visited and I got to play with his prosthetics. When I saw this thread I had a quick look through some old photo's, but he has an artificial hand in all visible shots. Nonetheless, two relevant attachments are pretty clear in my memory.

One was like a big drill chuck - no recall of a key, so presumably just hand tightened - with, at a right angle to it, a clamp similar to those you used to get in school science lab's for holding test tubes etc. Anything cylindrical, not necesarily round, could be held in the chuck and, if it needed a bit of support the clamp would swivel and give it or stop the object moving in an unwanted direction.

The other fitting was a bit like a jeweller's ring clamp; it had two gripping jaws at the front and wedge that he could move back and forth at the rear, thus tightening the jaws. He used that a lot because it was by far the quickest way of adjusting / tightening grip.

Having given this some thought, I'd say that he has to stay using a hammer in his right hand - crazy to effectively disable himself by using his less dominant hand to hammer. I think that whatever is chosen has to have a rapid release / tightening method; two ways come to mind, a lever with a cam or a wedge similar to the above. Attaching to the arm? Whatever is secure and comfortable.

Please keep us informed of what happens.

[pkrankow]

This is his off hand? Devise a set of tongs that have easy to use tong rings that stay somewhat attached. One rein can be longer if necessary, Bring him into your shop and see what he can use, do some cold work with him, see if he can handle longish sticks. What can he do without specific assistance?

I bet he is much more capable than you think he is.

Phil

[dan_m]

I'd recommend this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLkDQUOu_Y0

[ThomasPowers]

Sounds like he has enough left to twist his wrist to rotate tongs. When I taught a guy with only one hand; his was missing above the elbow. I used a good fitting set of tongs and a good tong ring and he could hold it in his armpit and forge with his other hand. A strapped leather forearm guard with a place to rigidly attach tongs might suit him fine. We had to figure out different ways to do things and he did get scale all over his clothing but he was so tickled that someone wasn't saying "No---you might hurt yourself!" but rather "let's figure out what will work" that even his SO didn't complain. (Actually she later stopped by and told me what a difference it made to him to be included *in* activities instead as regulated to be a watcher.)

May I suggest you watch "How to Train your Dragon" for some suggestions on blacksmithing prosthesis!

[Bentiron1946]

If I remember right you forge in the squatting or kneeling position. Some of the more primitive smith used their foot to hold down the metal or as some smiths use a chain strap to hold the metal tight against the anvil while forging. I taught a fellow how to pour small crucibles with one hand, very strong arm, I was amazed at his dexterity at pouring ten pounds of bronze with just the tongs and not using the cradle to hold the crucible and not spill any. I think the best thing you can do is to just let him have a go at it and work the problems out along the way as you go.

[Dave Budd]

thanks for the suggestions so far folk. :)

my friend is a bushcrafter, so I've seen him whittling spoons and tying/untying knots. He's certainly capable of getting around the problems caused by lack of fingers and isn't afraid to try things. I've thought about holding the workpiece down with a hold down of some sort, simply holding the work between his legs like when cutting/punching and holding the tongs under his arm. I quickly dismissed the under arm approach, thinking it wouldl be a bit of a saftey problem having the hot metal and scale that close to his face? I plan to try a few approaches with conventinal kit when I light the forgelater this week.

[John McPherson]

I have seen a lot of blacksmiths use a tong ring and hold the tongs with their crotch (!!!), so the armpit/ribs idea seems safe by comparison. It's all a matter of anvil height.

There was an article in Blade magazine @ 10 years ago about a special blade/tool attachment made for someone who lost both hands at the wrist. Maybe someone could find it?

[Francis Trez Cole]

there is a knife maker here in florida who only has one arm have not had the opportunity to see him work but they say he has no problem at all

[John B]

Hi Dave, you could bring him along to a forge in and see what we can do for him,

[Dave Budd]

i might well do that John :)

[McIntyre Knives]

What about looking at it from the other direction? It may be easier to manipulate the work with his "good" hand and modify the hammer. There are some extremely simple Oliver type hammer set ups out there. If you are replacing a hand hammer the rig could be light construction and use an existing anvil.

[Bentiron1946]

Get him a full face shield so he doesn't get burned and yes, that is a good idea about the Oliver hammer. I worked with a one handed gunsmith and there wasn't anything he couldn't do to a gun at the lathe, drill press or mill. He started life as a right handed man, lost his right arm at the shoulder on Iwo Jima and could still out shoot most everyone with a Model 1911-A1 Colt .45 with his left hand. He sure taught me a lot about guns.

[a62rambler]

Is he by chance a veteran. If he is he can get a prosthetic built specifically for blacksmithing from the VA. If not he can purchase a prosthetic. A good prosthetist is second only to a blacksmith in their resourcefulness in building items to suit the task. I am a right BK (below knee) amputee myself. Also, let him decide how to adapt. Most people don't know I even have a prosthetic leg until I tell them. I ride a motorcycle as my only source of transportation and have no special adaptation to the bike. I don't let a little thing like a missing foot and ankle slow me down at all!

Edited to add this:

Contact a prosthetist and get suggestions from him. You might find them willing to work with you to assist your student. They can also do a much better job of suggesting a solution to the problem. No offense but often well meaning people put more limitations on us amputees than actually exist!

[Ten Hammers]

Well said Rambler, well said.

[John McPherson]

Just for grins.

[a62rambler]

I've worked out how to do it using standard tongs and using only my palm and the web of my hand between the base of my thumb and palm. It will require slightly longer tongs and may require adjustment to the ends for square stock but allows a quick twist of 90 degrees. I'm simply bracing one side of the tong against my hip and using my palm to hold pressure. I hold the tongs at a 45 degree angle instead of 90 degree. Harder to explain than to do. If I had a video camera I'd make a video and show you. Right hand brings tongs and metal to anvil then I switch and pound away. I release the metal and switch the tongs back to right hand to return it to the fire. No big deal and no alteration except for changing the tongs slitghtly for holding square stock.

Much ado about nothing! Get him forging metal! Note too that I'm not even forging myself as I haven't gotten my anvil, so if a newbie can figure out how to do it... You better report back that you can teach him!(just a friendly jab to get you motivated)

Oh and John McP, too funny. I'm going to have to get somebody to take a picture of me standing on one leg and pounding on my peg leg! LOL

More sick humor...
As you age you get shorter. It's true! Two years ago I lost a foot.
I was going to sue the army for losing my leg but the judge threw the case out. He said I didn't have a leg to stand on!
I tried out for the NBA but didn't make it. They said I was a foot short.

[Alan Evans]

Thought provoking thread.

I reckon the stock holding hand contributes more to the form than the hammer hand. A hammer attached to the damaged hand and retrain the muscles and coordination was my initial response. But then I am strangely ambidextrous; left eye dominant, write left handed, hammer and most other tools right handed, the result of having to learn to live in a right handed world.

Using legs and or feet to supplement would appear to be favourite. The Oliver or Tommy hammer or better yet a power hammer or hydraulic press for direct forging.

A motorbike chain anchored on the far side of the anvil with a stirrup which incorporates a stand off so you can get your foot in would be good. The anchor in hook form so you can alter the length of the chain / height of stirrup for the bars size. Some angles could be achieved with blocks. The chain and stirrup could also be adapted to work with a trestle or stand to hold stuff on the Oliver, power hammer or press so one could manage punches or top tools.

A sky hook supporting the back end of the tongs or workpiece could be rigged so that only downward pressure was required to hold the piece in place on the anvil. A hook hanging off a belt or Sam Browne on the hip to hitch the tong reins or stock in could also help.

I look forward to hearing the outcome.

ps @ a62rambler..."your right leg is fine, it is a very nice right leg, I have nothing against your right leg....the problem is neither do you!" Peter Cook and Dudley Moore from a long time ago!

[a62rambler]

In day to day life he gets by by using the digit to pinch things between it and what would be his palm, so he can grasp small (less than maybe 1" round) items in an awkward but effective enough way. The rest of his arm (and presumably the rest of his body) is fine and fully functional.

I had a really embarrassing thought. If he can hold small things up to 1", then why not simply weld a piece of mild onto whatever he needs to work on. Start small. Then he only has to grasp the suitably sized mild to turn whatever piece he is working on. He can either use a welder or become adept at forge welding. Maybe I should have considered Occums Razor as the guiding principle and suggested this simple solution first. Then, it can be tweaked with any of the excellent suggestions that others more experienced and intelligent than I have suggested.

I hope you keep us informed as to what occurs. Having spent the last two years having people tell me I couldn't ride a bicycle and couldn't ride a motorcycle without adaptation and then having to prove those people wrong, I am determined to assist this gentelman if he has a desire. I would also suggest tough love. Tell him if he wants to learn to forge steel to get over his limitations and learn to forge! He has to adapt to forging. Forging isn't going to adapt to him. Two months after getting my temporary leg, I took work doing roofing and siding. When I went to see my surgeon at six months he said I could go back to light work as a correctional officer. When I told him I had been working for 4 months in roofing, he said that he didn't tell me I could start working. I replied that he also didn't tell me I couldn't! Life isn't safe and it isn't fair! The only regrets in life are from the chances we didn't take! If he is willing to take a chance and you are willing to assist, he will either succeed or fail on his own courage and desire. Who knows I might end up taking a class from him someday!

[Francis Trez Cole]

you could find a tredle hammer. not to funny but make a screw on hammer to replace a hook

[Dave Budd]

I've still not got around to trying any of these ideas myself yet, but when he is passing my way next my friend is going to pop in for a play. I'm sure we will find a way of working a bar into a blade. The problem isn't so much holding a piece on the anvil, its the manipulating of it and holding it firmly on the anvil whilst striking it. I know its not always a problem with beginners who hardly move the metal around when they hit it, but when I'm forging I need to hold the meta very firmly in place so it doesn't move under the force of a blow.

a62, he can hold a small bar, but it is awkwardly balanced and across his body so may not put it in a useful forging position, let alone offer sufficient grip and dexterity. I'll certainly give it a go with him though, you never know it may well work! I wouldn't say he has any problems getting on a trying things that folk think he shouldnt be able to do, he's not that sort. I had a below-the-knee amputee on a course last year and he nearly didn't make it because he was due for back surgery. Apparently he had recently done his back in while skate boarding! That guy was never put off; he lost his lower leg through an ice cliimbing accident about 10 years before and after that he got into skating and cycling rather than the cold weather sports.

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

The blacksmith in Florida is Ron. He makes tomahawks but is actually a general blacksmith. He demonstrated at the Southeastern Blacksmith's Conference in Madison Georgia several years ago. He has also demonstrated all around. We had him at a Alex Bealer Blacksmith Association several years ago. I sent him an e-mail with a link to this thread so I think we can look for a post from him soon. Ron will tell you right quick that it is not a handicap but a chalenge. Ron is missing his right hand up to the middle of his forearm. I have watched him and wished that I could do the work that he does.