Forging a French Hinge

[VaughnT]

Once again, a careful hunt of the internet results in an absolute gem of a video.

Nineteen minutes of educational entertainment.  You don't have to understand French so long as you understand 'blacksmith'.

I particularly liked his eye-turning tool and will definitely look to make a variant for myself.  I don't do a lot of hinge work, but it's always nice to have a tool hanging on the wall.

 

 

For me, the best part was seeing the size of the starting stock and how he worked it down.  The thing I like most about blacksmithing is forging in the deep recesses and creating an amazing topographical variance.

 

[JHCC]

Thanks for this, VaughnT. There are some other cool videos on that channel as well, even if they're not smithing-related.

[Frank Turley]

Is it a French style? Questions arise. Do the French ever forge weld the barrels as the Brits did in our Colonial period? My research shows that the Colonial Dutch and Pennsylvania Germans did not weld the barrels. The Dutch nearly always forged the circular shape, but closer to the barrel than the one shown in the video. Also, the Dutch shape was flat without the median ridge. Johathan Nedbor specializes in Dutch hardware and went to Holland to check out their work. The smiths there were still doing the circular shape which they called a "pancake."

[VaughnT]

42 minutes ago, Frank Turley said:

Is it a French style? Questions arise. Do the French ever forge weld the barrels as the Brits did in our Colonial period? My research shows that the Colonial Dutch and Pennsylvania Germans did not weld the barrels. The Dutch nearly always forged the circular shape, but closer to the barrel than the one shown in the video. Also, the Dutch shape was flat without the median ridge. Johathan Nedbor specializes in Dutch hardware and went to Holland to check out their work. The smiths there were still doing the circular shape which they called a "pancake."

Without a transcript, not speaking the language, I think it'd be hard to say if this is a traditional French style, or simply something the French smith came up with.  

For the application, I don't think welding the eye shut is entirely necessary.

[JHCC]

The description on YouTube says "un ferrure pour des volets Flamands", which translates as "a fitting for Flemish shutters". 

[JHCC]

17 hours ago, VaughnT said:

Once again, a careful hunt of the internet results in an absolute gem of a video.

VaughnT, I've created a new IFI page for orphaned blacksmithing videos (i.e., ones on pages/channels that aren't primarily about blacksmithing), with this video at the top of the list. If you have any other similar gems, please add links to them in the comments on that page. Thanks!

[Marc1]

Lovely unassuming explanations from someone who loves what he does. Enjoyed every minute. 

[VaughnT]

1 hour ago, JHCC said:

VaughnT, I've created a new IFI page for orphaned blacksmithing videos (i.e., ones on pages/channels that aren't primarily about blacksmithing), with this video at the top of the list. If you have any other similar gems, please add links to them in the comments on that page. Thanks!

Great Idea.  I love hunting the internet for good smithing videos and will be sure to add what I've found.....

[Bad Creek Blacksmith]

Enjoyed the video. Vaughn you mentioned about making the eye-turning tool, I also liked his quenching dipper. I been using a soup can for years and of coarse they rust out, his looks like it would last a life time and you have better control over the water. Time to get the heater fired up and get down to the shop.....this is the first time in ten years the water in my quench bucket has froze.

[VaughnT]

On December 17, 2016 at 10:08 AM, Bad Creek Blacksmith said:

I also liked his quenching dipper. I been using a soup can for years and of coarse they rust out...

I was thinking the same thing; always found the use of a soup can to be a bit sad when you consider it's a blacksmith's shop and working iron should be relatively easy for them.  I'm just as guilty, but it's one of those things you don't think about until you see someone doing differently.  It's those little details that make these videos worth while.

 

[ThomasPowers]

Well I think it being a blacksmith's shop might be the reason.  As I recall I've tracked down a version of "The cobbler's children go barefoot" in 4 different languages.  I'll ask a Brazilian colleague Tuesday to see if we can get to 5...

One water tool I have seen had 1/2 the base done in small holes and the other half in large holes; depending on how you held it you got a heavy or light watering.

[SLAG]

Soup can rusting out?

I suggest that you paint the new can on the inside and also the outside. It should last longer.

Just saying.

SLAG.

[gote]

14 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Well I think it being a blacksmith's shop might be the reason.  As I recall I've tracked down a version of "The cobbler's children go barefoot" in 4 different languages.  I'll ask a Brazilian colleague Tuesday to see if we can get to 5...

One water tool I have seen had 1/2 the base done in small holes and the other half in large holes; depending on how you held it you got a heavy or light watering.

Smen's häst och skomakarns kärring har de sämsta skorna = The blacksmith's horse and the shoemaker's wench have the worst shoes.

[JHCC]

On 12/17/2016 at 10:08 AM, Bad Creek Blacksmith said:

Enjoyed the video. Vaughn you mentioned about making the eye-turning tool, I also liked his quenching dipper. I been using a soup can for years and of coarse they rust out, his looks like it would last a life time and you have better control over the water. 

Yes, I liked that too. Time to fuller down a piece of pipe!

On 12/17/2016 at 10:08 AM, Bad Creek Blacksmith said:

Time to get the heater fired up and get down to the shop.....this is the first time in ten years the water in my quench bucket has froze.

Mine was a lump of ice over the weekend. Added two gallons of hot tapwater, forgot about it, and was rather startled when a big chunk of ice floated to the top halfway through my forging session.

[ThomasPowers]

5 I'll go for 6 tomorrow; Thanks Gote!

[Pat Roy]

French was my first language but now I could only catch the occasional word. Just the same, I understood the blacksmithing. Thanks.