I recently had the opportunity to bid on and buy this Fisher made swage block.  It was the one block I had the pattern for in the Fisher & Norris Factory Museum, but did not have an actual block.  As you can see, the pattern matches exactly the finished block.  The block is 18" x 18" x 4", and weighs around 200 lbs. 

The pattern is made from wood, probably clear pine.  The black projections are the core ends.

You can learn all about the history of Fisher & Norris from my book.  Details are in the "About Me" part of my profile.

 

That's very cool, Josh. Do you also have the patterns for making the cores?

I have a few core patterns.  They are relatively easy to make.

Edited November 17, 20223 yr by Mod30
Remove excessive quote.

Ever consider having one cast, Josh? 

Frosty The Lucky.

Possibly.  I am exploring several options.

 

It must be tough having all those forms and not having something cast. Finding a foundry that understood the process that was affordable to cast an anvil would be prohibitive but a swage block is doable.

I'd love to be present when it was broke out of the mold.

Frosty The Lucky.

Ever thought of doing a collaboration/licensing arrangement with Holland Anvil?

That would be cool! They make some cool stuff, and the owner is on here as Foundry Guy or something 

It would also plug into an existing sales and distribution network. 

I know Greg very well, and perhaps we can make something happen.  Right now we are both in a crazy, busy time of the year.  Stay tuned.

I most definitely will! That’s the style swage block I’d love to have! Not sure if I could justify the cost though…

Time to start saving pennies!

On 11/20/2022 at 4:31 PM, njanvilman said:

I know Greg very well, and perhaps we can make something happen.  Right now we are both in a crazy, busy time of the year.  Stay tuned.

Hey Josh, hope you have a fine Thanksgiving. Its time to pay you a visit and hit NYC. Lets make a plan for after New Years. On this block, I would scan the pattern and make iron core boxes, the boxes would be a ton of work. The pattern would stay exactly in its current condition. Too much going on to run air set cores on that one. We need to revisit that other project we have talked about as well. Cheers my friend 

 

So Fisher may come to life again? Cool the "Fisher Phoenix" line of anvils and swage blocks!

Frosty The Lucky.

More like Fisher/Holland line of items.  I hope we can make it happen.

 

Me too, whatever you call it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

On 11/26/2022 at 7:59 PM, Frosty said:

Me too, whatever you call it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Holland/Fisher.... hahaha, kidding on that!!! Josh and I have been talking for a couple years about getting something going, time to get to NJ. I hope everyone has a fine holiday season. 

njanvilman, where in NJ are you located?  I’m in Bordentown — just south of Trenton, NJ.

I looked for many years before I found the first block to match this pattern.  Alas, three month later, I found another.  Not in as good of shape as the first one, but no broken parts.  Weighs in at 220 lb.  18" x 18" x 4".

Please do not hijack this thread with tales of driving distances.  Please start your own thread.  This posting concerns this Fisher & Norris swage block, not how far you all drive.

I've brought this up before and it is more a general swage block question rather than just a Fisher and Norris issue.  Do you have an opinion on how the various shaped holes in the middle of the larger swage blacks were used?  I can see them being used for punching large holes and few of them for holding bottom tools or a stake anvil but I have always thought their main purpose was just to lighten the block.  Many modern swage blocks have various shaped depressions for forming items rather than holes which leads me to suspect that there may have been a shop use for them that isn't common in most modern blacksmithing.

BTW, I don't see any harm in drift in threads.  Sometimes there is some pretty good info there that may be very different from the original subject but good none the less.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

George, I was looking at the photo earlier and noticed on the more pristine swage block on the right you can clearly see wear around some of the more commonly used holes. So obviously they were used for something, like you say perhaps holding bottoms tools or the like. But clearly there were are few that were used quite a bit and some that don't look used at all.

On 1/13/2023 at 6:47 PM, George N. M. said:

BTW, I don't see any harm in drift in threads

Watch out George! you’re drifting from the FN topic at hand!!!! Anvil man already “drove” that point home!!