highlander Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 (edited) On my boss's farm, there is an old falling down blacksmith shop in the woods. He has no interest in it's contents, so he has let me pick through it a few times. It is full of leaves, dirt, trash, ect. This was my haul today, and should be my last, save for when he decides to tear it down and clean up the mess, then i'll be there to pick through the debris. Instead of attaching thumbnails to the post, i will just give you a link to the gallery. Enjoy.Findings in an old blacksmith shop - Blacksmith Photo Gallery If anyone knows what some of the odd items are, please speak up. Irnsrgn informed me that the hooks with the right angles are for hanging meat on in smoke houses. Also, anyone know what the huge hardy tool is for? its about 3 foot tall. i'd have to set my anvil on the floor to use it! Edit: I know what the chain vise is. its going to sit in wd40 for a while to loosen up, and i'l try refurbishing it. if its too far gone, no big. Edited September 19, 2008 by highlander additional thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrynjr Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 I didn't recognise any of the unusual items, are you sure that is a hardy tool and not a pry bar of some sort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Hey highlander, Nice haul! Always great to pick through yesteryear . . . . Your hardy tool does look to be a pry bar - I've got one identical to it. The unit with the crank handle on the side is a bench mounted hand grinder. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Suggestion on the chain vise, soak it in diesel will give better results. IMO. I agree with Larrynjr on the 'hardie tool'. There is no shoulder for it to stop once placed in the hardie hole. I think it is more of a 'work in progress' that the original smith was either working on or a special tool he needed. My computer is too slow (dial up) for my patience tonight to wait to see all of the pictures, just the thumbnails. I will take a closer look in the a.m. at work as what the other stuff is. Anyway you go looks like fun. Wish I had the opportunity to do that! I suppose there are none of the big tools, i.e.; anvil, vise, forge, etc. They probably were sold yrs ago or worse, stolen. Here's to your future success in that old shop. (wonder if you listened real close you could hear the walls tell tales of what went on inside there;) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 You do have a hand crank grinder, - the stone. I have one just like it that I use out on demos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayco Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Highlander,looks like you found some blacksmithing history! One thing I noticed years ago while exploring old barns and sheds is that if the dirt is soft........heavy stuff may have sank in the dirt so much as to be completely covered. I try to have a little hand rake or trowel with me on these kind of archaelogical 'digs'. I've never found, say, an anvil that way.........but you never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highlander Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 ah ok thanks guys. I think this bar was hand made by the smith who owned the shop, as well as the hardy tools i found, and he just used the same shank on them. pry bar it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highlander Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 Highlander,looks like you found some blacksmithing history! One thing I noticed years ago while exploring old barns and sheds is that if the dirt is soft........heavy stuff may have sank in the dirt so much as to be completely covered. I try to have a little hand rake or trowel with me on these kind of archaelogical 'digs'. I've never found, say, an anvil that way.........but you never know! thats how i found all the hammer heads and whatnot... i stepped on one, dug it out, then realized there could be more buried below the soft dirt so i started digging with one of those meat hooks till i hit hard ground. found lots more that way, and wouldnt have found most of whats in the pics if it wasnt for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdalcher Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 My original set of tongs were found buried in the dirt floor of a 100+ year old barn on my dads old place. I found 26 sets as I recall... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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