What are the superstitions related to blacksmithing you have encountered.

Such as:
Hang a horse shoe heels down to let the good luck pour out onto the anvil.

Cross your long handle fire tools over the fire pot after putting out the fire for the day to keep the devil out of your forge.

ringing the anvil keeps the devil at bay

A penny on the floor when using another mans tools or fire, since in would be less than honorable to use another's tools without payment, and less than gracious to accept payment from a friend for the use of the tool. A penny on the floor settles the debt and at one time could have been used to make a "penny" weld.

And Never build a fire in the forge on a day that does not end in Y

when the blacksmith removes the horseshoe the luck remains with the shoe,if the horse throws the shoe the luck is gone.

A horse shoe used above the door of a house or barn must be a new shoe purchased directly from the Smith. Because a thrown shoe found along the road has had it luck used up. It should be installed with the heels up to hold the luck. (edit) unless you are a smith then it should be heels down so the luck drains into the forge. (i knew that) ;-)

And Never build a fire in the forge on a day that does not end in Y

i guess us frenchies are out of luck!

Keep a hand forged nail in your coin purse and that purse will never be empty

There are two ways for a blacksmith to go to hell.... pounding cold iron and not charging enough....

A horse shoe used above the door of a house or barn must be a new shoe purchased directly from the Smith. Because a thrown shoe found along the road has had it luck used up. It should be installed with the heels up to hold the luck.

But,
If the shoe is used in your Blacksmith Shop, it should be hung heels down so that the luck pours into your shop....

I Can Do This Full Time W/out A Power Hammer & Make A Profit!:D

At a barn raising or building of a house, the village smith drove the last nail where it would catch the rising sun - this assured good fortune for every new day.

The smith and the carpenter have a tradition of not setting horse shoes or handling nails on Good Friday in respect for how they were used on that day

It's supposed to be bad luck to leave your hammer on the anvil........probably has to do with broken toes...........
James

A Blacksmith's first sale (usually a coin of some denomination) is kept under his anvil to remind him that only when he is hammering at the anvil is he making money.

Hmmmm. I haven't heard anything I'd call a superstition yet.

Frosty

That's 'cause they ain't superstitions Frosty. It's all true!!!
Finnr

a blacksmith must get drunk on st-eloi, athorwise he'l do bad work for a year

ok who is st-eloi and do ya barf on him or????

Saint Eligius is the patron saint of goldsmiths and other metalworkers

Can't remember his feast day. Does it count if ya get drunk every day just in case?
Finnr

I like a man who's careful like that. :cool:

Frosty

These aren't exactly superstitions, but seemed like they might fit here.

• Strike while the iron is hot, but don't put too many irons in the fire.
• Have nerves of steel and an iron will, but don't have a lead bottom or lead in your feet!
• Have a heart of gold, but don't be a silver tongued devil.
• A chain is as strong as its weakest link.
  

I Can Do This Full Time W/out A Power Hammer & Make A Profit!

I've certainly managed to bust that myth!


Don

- Stealing water from the slack tub (then washing with it), or dipping body parts into it while the smith isn't looking has curative effects. But the water must be "stolen" for the water to cure.