A blacksmiths "Steady".

[damsafteylways]

I am researching/reading an inscription on a distant relative's (Great-great-great grandfather's) gravestone. On the stone, there is a small poem about blacksmithing (He was a blacksmith), about his forge / himself no longer forging. In the poem (first line) it reads "My steady and hammer lyes reclined,". Is a steady a tool?, is it an old name for a holdfast or something of the like?, is it something else used in a forge? Google doesn't give anything (aside from a lathe tool, and I thought this wouldn't be that). If anyone has any idea of what this is please do tell.

 

Thank you!

[JHCC]

I think that's either misspelled or misread. Here's an image of an 18th century blacksmith's tombstone from Wales with what appears to be the same poem:

(The image is from the website of a medieval historian who researches Welsh tombs; the specific entry is HERE.)

[Nobody Special]

Good morning, 

It varies a bit from version to version, and is sometimes known as the blacksmith's epitaph. It appears on a number of tombstones in England, Wales, and occasionally the US, usually early-19th century. It was used on this site to remember the passing of Paw-paw Wilson. I've seen the version with "steady" before, but couldn't tell you what it is, maybe a holdfast, playing on the word steadfast? One version I've seen from 1792 goes like this:

My Anvil and Hammer lies declind
My Bellows have quite lost their wind
My Fires extinct my Forge decayd
My Vice is in the dust all laid
My Coals is spent my Iron gone
My Nails are drove my Work is done
My Mortal part lies nigh this stone
My Soul to Heaven I hope is gone.

I dunno, I've spent way too much of my life googling obscure bits of doggerel and trying to find out who streets and bridges and such are named after.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

My thought is if the inscription is actually "steady" it could be referring to a tool most Blacksmith's use to hold long stock in the forge and on the anvil. It has many names like "third hand", "stock support", "stock rest" and a couple others that don't come to mind right now. The term steady rest usually used with a metal or wood lathe though.  Possible he used a lathe as many smiths do have and use one. So I could see that inscribed on an old tombstone.

One that I made can be seen next to the anvil in this picture and is portable and adjustable for height.

Another one connected to the propane forge.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

[damsafteylways]

5 hours ago, Nobody Special said:

My Anvil and Hammer lies declind

Yes! This is very similar to the one on the tombstone I'm looking at, I didn't realise it was a whole "Thing". Aside from the first and last 2 lines, it's the same (With some different word order but yea). Thank you!

[Frosty]

I think in this context "steady" is most likely a term for tongs. You Can forge by laying hot iron on the anvil and hitting it but if you can't hold it steady it'll move before you can hit it again.

Probably the most common issue beginners have is keeping the work in one spot on the anvil so they're chasing it all over with the hammer. Hold it STEADY is something I say pretty often, sometimes loudly.

Frosty The Lucky.