Renaissaunce forge.

[Daswulf]

I have been invited to demo at a highschool renaissance fair.  While it doesn't have to be period work, what items might peak interest other than blades? Any useful reference materials are welcome.  

[George N. M.]

KItchen ware such as cooking forks, trammel hooks, spatulas, firesteels, skewers, spoons, etc..  Simple things that take a few minutes will engage an audience more than a long, involved project.  Yes, you can forge a blade but you probably don't have time to do the hilt, etc..  Blacksmith knives where the tang is bent around to form the grip might have possibilities.  Anything that takes bench work to finish is probably not a good choice.

Will you be selling or just demonstrating?

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Daswulf]

All good suggestions George. Only demonstrating on this one. No plans of selling. How bout penannulars? Were they popular then?

[George N. M.]

Penannulars had pretty much passed out of use by the late middle ages and rennaisance.  However, they are still a cool project and it wouldn't be hard to say that they might still have been in use in remote areas (e.g. rural Scandinavia or the Highlands of Scotland) while everyone was scuplting and painting in Italy.  (My medieval history professor father in law used to joke that the common belief was  that on January 1st, 1400 everyone woke up smart and artistic and set up an easel in the kitchen and started to paint and turned the cow shed into a sculpture studio.) 

In actual fashion brooches were mostly plate type with the pin and catch on the back.

Fancy hinges and latches would have been in vogue but they are a longer and more complex project than is good for a demonstration.

GNM 

[Scott NC]

  Simple candle holders are timeless. 

  If you are only demonstrating mayby making a token, hook, leaf, candle holder or any such thing and then asking for a volunteer from the kids to do something simple like hand you a piece of barstock and then giving them the token/item in return for the help might be nice.  Might teach them other things too.

[Daswulf]

Thanks for the insight George. Lol, I can picture it. Better than waking up one day dancing till you die from that fungal infection. Ergot?

Candle holder might be nice Scott. I have no idea how this will go and might bring caution tape to make a distance barrier just in case. Don't need a lawsuit of someone getting burned. Think I will keep it show and educate rather than letting any try it there. Sad but a reality today.

Maybe forge a large spoon and continually call it the reinasauce. Make a sauce spoon. 

[Frosty]

Ergot is a mold that prefers rye.

I put barriers to keep the audience at least 6' away from the anvil, hot scale can travel a ways but rarely farther. I hot cut facing away, the pinch offs can go quite a ways and are hot enough to cause injuries and fires. That last 1/4" of 1/4" rnd. trimmed off is a serious threat to spectators. If you have a piece of plexiglass you can make a screen from you can safely let people get closer looks at some things.

The REAL HITS at demos are twists. You can do those in a leg vise up front where everybody can see and the scale falls straight down, what doesn't won't have enough energy to go far, maybe an inch sideways so folks can get reasonably close. The black scale falling off the orange HOT stock always draws oohs and aaahs from the audience. 

Drive "cloak" hooks are fast and in period. Taper to a point on both ends, , bend tight about 1" from one end and open the bend 90* leaving maybe 1/4" still hairpin tight. The OD of the bend is the drive head. The middle is the shank, a decorative twist looks well and the far end taper gets a finial scroll (or?) then gets turned into the hook, brush and finish. One heat with practice. I explained my knob of beeswax too, in period beeswax was a valuable commodity that the local nobles claimed. However blacksmiths were generally pretty prosperous and under the table trading was the norm.

A noble who gave a blacksmith a hard time about using beeswax might find all his ironwork finished with less than fully rendered and a bit smelly tallow. Of course the general philosophy about bathing would disguise any smell but visible stains might not be welcome. 

Fire tools were common as were utensils. The way I handled multiple step forgings was to do them a step at a time while doing little quicky projects as fillers. 

You can "sneak" in zipper pull type rings, there were lots of small metal rings used as cord pulls, tiedowns, etc. Same for small S hooks, you don't want to hang a lamp from a string, you really need a hook or ring between them. 

When I was practiced up I could knock out a leaf finial coat hook in under 7 minutes and 2-3 heats W/ veined leaf, twist and a bit of brass brushed highlights. I'd put a reverse scroll/fish tail finial on the hook for heavy coats, parkas, etc. so the hook wouldn't punch holes.

MAN I miss Thomas about now. <sigh>

How is your patter Das? Can you work while you work? It really makes a difference if you can describe what and why you're doing what you're doing and how it makes the steel go where you want. An occasional joke is good, people, kids especially learn more faster if they're smiling and having a good time.

And be prepared for some darned hard to answer questions from the kids. Kit's ask THE BEST questions, they don't know enough to ask bad questions. Dad might think what he saw on TV 20 years ago is true but kids just see what they see.  

Have a good time, it is IMPORTANT to enjoy demoing. It's like smiling when you talk to someone on the phone, they'll know it and respond in kind.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[Daswulf]

Thanks Frosty. I miss Thomas as well. 

Good suggestions. 

My patter isn't great but I can talk about what I'm doing while doing it. I honestly wasn't born with the gift of gab but I can talk about subjects like blacksmithing that interest me. 

Before hand I will make some items and see which ones I can do in a quicker time as to keep interest.

 I still need to get the details of how this will work, whether there are classes stopping by the forge tent or if it is an open event for students to freely walk around.  I do know if the weather is bad I will just be inside showing some tools and items and explaining the process.  

Speaking of that I really need to work on some step by step boards "story boards?" They would really help show the process of how things are forged out. I've seen many from other blacksmiths but never made one. 

[Frosty]

My pleasure Das.

Yes, do the "blacksmith's knife"  or something more period but do it as a story board, piece of cut stock, first step, second, etc. All pinned to a display board. The audience will be able to see you do the basic forging techniques and (just thought of this one) you can have labels with technique names on the story board with arrows pointing to examples. 

It's a decent way to show products too complex for a quick demo project.

School age kids have a pretty short attention span and adult audiences start wandering off if the item takes much more than 7-8 minutes. Make a pair of tongs and you'll see people wandering up and off in a steady stream. Very few will stick around for the whole project.

Pocket scribes are quick, two heats typically. one for the shank and point and one for the pocket clip. Oh wait, not so medieval are they? (sigh)

Welded chain has been around since iron. A courting lamp would work if you can make it fast enough. 

I'm really reaching for possible products, it isn't my period. I should shut up and see what other folk say. 

Oh, one last thought, you hit close. When you talk to the folk putting this on about where you'll be working, etc. find out what they expect for products. Ask specific questions, there was a LOT of iron being worked during the Ren. they should have ideas. (Like people putting on SCA events have a good handle on things Ren.) Still, their show their rules.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Shainarue]

I actually have a list of stuff for a similar purpose. I was asked to help demo at a Heritage Days event this coming October and they focus on period accuracy as close as possible. So I looked up what sort of stuff I should practice on for the 1700-1900s. (side note: 1900s make me chuckle since technically *I* was born and raised in the 1900s  - but I know they mean the first couple decades.)

I realize the Renaissance era is a few hundred years earlier but I think most of these would still apply.

Anyway, here's my list:

• tongs from 1/4" bar (have audience vote: should you make each side the same or mirror image?)
• screwdrivers
• spoon
• S-hooks
• nails
• branding iron (this isn't so much a demo as a pull to see your booth. Check ahead of time to see if there's a way to incorporate a brand into the event and "stamp" something they get from another booth. Since this is a highschool, maybe it could be their mascot or school letters.)

Toys (I know these are highschool kids but even adults enjoy old timey toys, lol)

• nail puzzle
• ring puzzle
• mouse

[Daswulf]

Thanks Frosty. A blacksmith knife would make a good storyboard rather than making one there. We are where we are in this time and age and it is what it is with how schools are. 

The teacher putting this on teaches a career class and got an idea from a student mentioning farriers being around for a long time and that gave her the idea lol. 

I explained that I know little of actual farrier work and explained how there are different trades and types of blacksmiths. I explained how some in period time would be either more focused or broad in what they do. 

Then she admitted to knowing very little of it and that she watched fif and was amazed what blacksmiths could do. Another lol. But hey, I would Love to go and explain a little reality and what I do know about the trade. Hopefully if nothing else educate a bit and dispel some falsehoods. Sure, no doubt be asked to make a sword a hundred times and hear all about how they watch fif. If I inspire one kid or even make a lasting good memory it is all worth it. 

Need to make a story board of the skulls I've more recently been making too. People from shows often ask how they are made. It would be a good visual explanation of how much goes into them. World even probably help with sales seeing the process and progression. 

As far as attention spans I see all spectrums when out forging. Depends on the person. I have seen both child and adult watch a whole longer demo intently. Most move on and a couple start watching, ask what I'm making then move along but come back asking to see the finished product.  It is a wide spectrum. Those really interested and patient I might often reward or they insist on buying the item. Depends. One event I forge at the items go to the museum gift shop. 

Thanks for the ideas Shainarue. Some I know how and some I would have to research on how to do. 

[Daswulf]

Started the skull storyboard. At some places in the process it is hard to tell where to stop. 

Also a better picture could be had but they are hot at the moment. Maybe tomorrow. They range from fullering for the jaw line to initial punching eyes and nose to teeth and deepening the eyes. 

[George N. M.]

One more thing to consider:  Some schools are pretty restrictive about anything that could be construed as a "weapon" which may well include knives of any sort.  If you are going to be doing anything that is sharp and pokey or cutty I suggest a discussion with the teacher and/or the school administration.  You don't want any unpleasant surprises.  I've brought firearms and large knives into schools when doing presentations on Viet Nam but always with trigger locks and prior approval.  But these were schools in rural Colorado and Wyoming which have more realistic attitudes.

GNM

[Daswulf]

Just wanted to say that the fair went well. It was trickles of students out to the area. The rain did set things back a little but with it off and on didnt stop anything. There were a few pretty curious but most reminded me of the trivial things we thought were important back at that time. 

I was glad to share what I could with those that had questions or seemed remotely interested. 

Didn't even get asked if I could make a sword. Lol. 

The teachers and administration were happy and impressed and I was openly invited back if  when they do it again. This was their first go at it. 

 

[Frosty]

Good show Das! Demoing at school fairs might branch out into more lucrative demos. Maybe a permanent teaching position. It'd sure be nice to see industrial arts back in schools.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Daswulf]

Thanks Frosty. Sure would be nice to see the hands on trades back in schools. Funny the "Librarian/career counseler " that invited me there put money in my hand about halfway through. I insisted I didn't want/need it and that I was there to inspire and educate and that I wasn't out anything being there. (Using a vacation day from work. Have enough to spare.) But she insisted.  Anyway, all trades needed or led back to blacksmithing. Like I said, if one kid was inspired that is payment enough. Most kids that even payed attention had no idea how simple it was to start.