7th grade "Hands on activity" and medieval blacksmithing

[dankgus]

I am not a blacksmith, but I do enjoy a good metalworking video on youtube now and again!  The reason I am posting here is because my son is working on a report/project for his 7th grade history class.  His topic is "medieval blacksmithing".  Part of the project is a hands on activity for other students to take part in. My son seems to think I know everything and asked what ideas I might have for his hands on activity.  I have zero ideas.  I mean, they can't exactly pound on some red hot iron at school!

I figured a metalworking forum would be a good place to ask.  Does anybody have any ideas?  The scope is pretty broad.  We appreciate any input you might have!

 

Thanks!

--Dan

[MrDarkNebulah]

Modeling clay can move like hot metal.

[ThomasPowers]

What sources is he using?  There are ton's more sources for renaissance blacksmithing; but may I commend to his attention "Cathedral Forge and Waterwheel" Gies & Gies as a fairly common and easy to read book that has a lot on medieval smithing in it---pictures too.  For a more primary source there is "Divers Arts", Theophilus.  1120 AD mainly not about smithing but it does contain the famous suggestion to quench steel in the urine of a small red head boy or that of a goat fed ferns for 3 days.  The stave church at Heylstadt  has nice carvings of medieval smithing. (If he's interested in swords "The Sword in Anglo Saxon England" is pretty readable. I assume he doesn't read German? Which lets out the Double Edged Sword of the German Migration Period at least that's how I translate it.  Has he watched Secrets of the Viking Sword?)  BUT PLEASE have him mention that almost all smiths NEVER MADE SWORDS AND ARMOUR; I mean how many mechanics do you know that work on Maseratis???? It was a very specialized field though Hollywood would have you believe every smith was making swords all the time!

If you are local and would like to use my library let me know

For a class project I would get several colours of plasticine clay and make a multi bar twist damascus sword section---in clay.

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Dan glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the Ifi gang live within visiting distance.

Using modeling clay to mimic hot iron is a method we use to model new projects, processes, etc.

I'm thinking perhaps as a class project, models of blacksmith equipment may be in order. Say a water powered blacksmith shop. It could start at the dam, show the flume to the pen stock if an undershot wheel or the gate if an overshot wheel. Peg cog wheels driving a line shop. A line shop is one where all the power equipment is run with flat belt pullies from a common, usually overhead, drive shaft.

A "tilt hammer" would make a very nice moving component powered by the water wheel, shaft and pullies.

Things like anvils, vises, mandrel cones, stone forge, etc. can be formed with air dry modeling clay. There are lots of colors so various tools objects and effects can be colored, I believe it's also paintable. You DO want a yellow fire yes?

Frosty The Lucky.

[dankgus]

I have been meaning to post back here and thank everyone for their suggestions.  We ended up going with the clay suggestion and it was great.  My son brought a bunch of clay and a couple of hammers made out of wooden dowel so the kids could pound the clay into some shapes.  It went over well.

Thanks!

--Dan

[DSW]

Thanks for the update. Now we just have to get him working with hot iron at some point!

[ThomasPowers]

So how is his evil laugh coming along?   Nothing like holding up a piece of white hot steel and going "BWAhahahahahahahahahaha!"