Blacksmith Jim Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Howdy folks, I was asked to demo at a local fair this summer. My wife and I are trying to help with local community events, and this happens to literally be in our backyard. Turns out they were hoping to get a blacksmith to be there, so I was sort of coerced and volunteered. I'm usually pretty good about being safe and I'm sure I can answer some general questions, but I have no doubt many others would be better suited for this. I've invited several of my friends to show up / forge / help out etc.. This year will be Oregon's 150th Birthday. So the fair is trying to commemorate that time period and that event. In this regard, I would like to at least have an idea of what a Blacksmith would be doing 150 years ago. I think we're talking wagon trains and gold rush era's. I know some people on here have done a lot of research, so I was hoping to provide you with an opportunity to educate someone that would really appreciate it! What was period 150 years ago in Oregon? What did the smith look like? What kind of tasks did they perform? What kind of forges, bellows or fans were they using? Thank you for any feedback you feel like providing. I appreciate it! R.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keppler Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 In your area in the 1850's both the Applegate trail and the Bohemia mines where in use. So i would think mining supplies and wagon repairs would have been in demand. Logging would have also been going on so axes and saws would have been important. Further west on the coast ship yards and fishing probably needed blacksmiths aswell. And i am sure the fur trappers and fur buying companys needed blacksmiths to. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 A lot is going to depend on how the smith you are portraying got his stuff there in the first place. I would think that if he brought his gear in from the coast, it might be possible to have some pretty decent stuff by 1850's standards. But if he had to haul his rig over-land from the East, I would suspect it would be lean & mean, rough & ready. Also, a lot would depend on the size of his operation... is he a company man? an established master smith? a small-time tinker? Fashion wise, you can find a lot of pre-Civil War pictures of various tradesmen and workmen. Probably pretty straight forward... canvas breeches and galluses, white workman's shirt, brogan-type shoes, and a common period hat of some sort. I would probably go with a bellows for air, but you'll need to investigate the industrial history of the region to see if coal was even in common use by 1859. You are within a decade or two of the popular advent of coal, but I'm not sure what Oregon would have had to offer in 1859. But again, you have the coastal ports to consider. Interesting... keep us posted on what you find out. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Google'd up some early pics to give you some ideas:http://toolemera.com/Trades%20&%20Crafts/Resources/2carpentersTT1.jpghttp://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/298437294_b4084b57dc.jpg?v=0http://www.forensicgenealogy.info/images/blacksmith.JPGhttp://www.co.yamhill.or.us/pics/Yamhill/YamhillJasperCMcKernBlacksmith.jpghttp://www.cliftonohiohistory.org/images/BlacksmithShop.jpg This one is about 1900, but I’ve always liked it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 probably charcoal... but there was quite a bit available it was expencive but with shipping everything available on the east coast was available in oregon...you are a ways away from the shipping hubs tho... figure minimal heavy tools (swage blocks ect..) and bellows for that time and place you would have been the place to get things repaired ..probably not a lot of makeing things but lots of repair! also fairly inportant for the comunity...drain looks to be in a agricultureial area so figure wagon repair and plow work..forged nails were the norm altho cut nails were available. ide use forgeing a nail as a quick demo along with some s hooks or other simple items.. most of the public will be amazed with anything you make..... others will nitpick anything (where is the horse) and have strange ideas (your shop HAS to be dark to see the colors) but the ones i love are the dumb question ones (is that hot? or what ya got there lava rocks ? where is the propane tank?) people can be fun and occasionally you get a good one ... treasure them theyre rare..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 (edited) Mid-1800s clothing shown in this photograph shows the central smith wearing a Mississippi Work Shirt, and the other smiths wearing French Cut shirts, leather aprons, brogans or boots, and period button front pants. The forge is a government issue traveling forge wagon with a sheet-iron fireplace, cast iron fireback and a leather covered bellows. These clothes are readily available from suppliers of clothing to Civil War reenactors and people doing living history, and can be found though lots of web sites selling to reenactors. This photograph lives on the Library of Congress web site: One smith uses his version of a wagon type forge. The wooden wheel shown is period correct for your purposes, the iron spoked wheels are not period correct for your proposed time period. The forge shown is probably late 1800s and not mid-1800s:Cobblestone Forge Hoffman uses a traveling forge that would be fine for either the 1600s, 1700s or the 1800s, and would be especially nice for use at your local museum and/or craftshow:Hoffmans Forge - SERVICES The main technological change, which few if anyone would notice, is that by the 1850s wheels tended to have banded/tired wheels instead of the older straked wheels. But the least expensive option for a period correct blacksmith's forge would be the wooden forge with bellows shown on this web site:Blacksmiths During the Civil War However, I have personal doubts if wooden forges were common, and I really doubt that they would have been commonly moved from site to site, as a portable forge. For a catalog of stuff, I recommend "Early American Wrought Iron" by Albert H. Sonn: # Hardcover: 750 pages, Publisher: Blue Moon (2007), ISBN-10: 0970766467. I hope this information is helpful. Dave Edited January 29, 2009 by UnicornForge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Charcoal, Bellows, side draft forge, Smallish london pattern anvil. postvise. wooden barrel half quench tank---everything was shipped by ship in barrels so lots of them around like we have shipping containers today... You might bring some samples of real wrought iron so you can discuss the differences between that and modern mild steel. Having a piece sawn and then broken to show the greenstick fracture is a good idea. Rough duty clothes---canvas and heavy cloth, buttons, suspenders and a bull hide apron. If you are hard core look into ACW shoes, a bit later but more easily found for sale. Some sort of hat is mandatory! (keeps the sparks out of your hair) If possible wear the clothes multiple times before hand; both to find any place that galls and fix it and to wear it in---wear it doing house hold chores, working on the car, etc. Clothes should look like they are *work* clothes not Sunday go to Meeting clothes. Nails, hinges, latches are all good projects Toolmaking is usually a bit advanced to do as a public demo; but having the steps used to re-steel an axe for display would be nice. Remember steel was much more expensive than wrought iron and was used sparingly (one source stated that at the time of the ACW steel cost 5 times as much as WI) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 RC, what event will you be demoing at? Check in with the folks at the Ft Vancouver National Historic Site. They can steer you to some good local resources/publications for period correct info. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKForge Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Don A, that last photo is my favorite too I have it on my computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Good replies. 1859 is on the cusp of the American Civil War, which is to your advantage, because most everything (excluding weapon advancements) in the 1860's also came from the 1850's. Definitely crank blower forges are out. From what I can tell in the cities some bricks-and-mortar blacksmith shops had blowers, but for mobile or rural forging, all bellows. If you are big on authenticity, there is a thin line to walk in terms of rustic vs. refined. I think some of that depends, as has been mentioned, on your back-story. I see many CW reenactors that are too rustic, and many of their tools and accouterments are more like Revolutionary or even pre-Revolutionary (that is 150 years in the wrong direction) because we think everything old was rustic. Also, common tools, furniture, anything that is often replaced would look new or not-old, because they weren't antiques back then! My non-sourced guess is a Blacksmith at the time did a wide variety of things, from wagon repair, to tool making (particularly lumber related tools), trap repair, probably about anything anyone could need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Thank you all so much for the feedback! chyancarrek, It is the North Douglas County Fair. By no means a huge event, but it seemed like everyone had fun last year, and my wife and I are looking forward to helping out. They have various vendors in, and have had 4H and exotic livestock, as well as a pie eating competition and a greased poll climb. Good stuff! Here is my current plan: Fuel: Charcoal. This seems the most likely fuel for a smith in this region and period. Forge: Not sure about this. I have a large, home built side blast forge with water cooled tuyere. Maybe period for London at that time, but not here. So I'm still up in the air, maybe I will build a small side blast with no water cooled portion, or build just a break drum forge or something... Anvil: I'll be setting up about 200 yards from my house, so I'll just haul over my stump and anvil. Its a 120ish pound P.W. Quench tank: I am going to try and find a wooden barrel, and then mount my post vice off of it. Any ideas on where to find a wooden barrel? Air: I will probably use my friends hand crank blower. I know a bellows would be more period, but I don't see myself having extra time and money to invest in this. Clothes: I'll wear my leather apron, I'll try to find a wide brimmed hat that looks relatively period-ish. I'll be sure to wear my modern safety glasses. I'll probably just wear some cotton pants, either denim or not.. And I'll think I'll get one of those stripped work shirts, and I already have some suspenders. I liked the image that Don A provided. That last one that was linked. Display: I want to put up some information that people can read, and some images. I might make up a poster board or something. I can show in those pictures what the blacksmith was doing in these parts around that time. Maybe provide a few paragraphs of info. Display Table: Have some goods to look at and sell. Maybe have someone to help with selling while I am forging. Forging Items: I will stick to mainly nails and hooks I think. Twists in the vice are always popular. I will keep a hunk of beeswax around so I can finish / sell pieces right there. I need to make a nail header. I have not made nails before, but I'm sure I can figure it out. I'll keep all my stock to some 1/4 round and 1/2 square. Should be simpler that way. Area: I guess I should plan on roping off the forge so people don't get to close... I am inviting some of my friends to help, so may have more people forging / selling.. Critiques of the plan are welcome and encouraged! Thanks again everyone for your input, its been a huge help! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Thank you all so much for the feedback! Quench tank: I am going to try and find a wooden barrel, and then mount my post vice off of it. Any ideas on where to find a wooden barrel? Give me a few months and I'll be making them. Maybe not in time for you. Half a wine barrel isn't really period, but it's pretty darn close. The main difference is general cooperage used any wood on hand. Not the choicest oak seasoned for three years like wine barrels are. Also casks generally varied in size and the wine barrel size was perhaps not the most common. Still, it would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Round these parts they sell whiskey barrel halves at garden stores to use as planters. If they have gone ahead and drilled drainage holes in the bottom a cork or even a stick the right diameter hammered in will swell up and hold water. Note that a barrel will need to soak for several days before becoming water tight. As an alternative: I buy old hand crank icecream coopered "buckets" for a buck or two at the fleamarket and remove the metal fittings on the top and run rope through the holes left, (untwist the ends slightly to get multiple strands of yarn and then put one per hole) I don't need much water when I'm smithing and the wooden buckets look pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 ALWAYS wear eye protection. If someone objects to modern eye protection, tell them you are trying to commemorate that time period of 150 years ago, but are going to do in a manner that is safe for both you and the viewing public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Thanks RC! What are the dates? Maybe the GF and I can break away and stop by to visit. Your plan sounds good to me. Close as you can get without going overboard on prep and cost. The crowds are pretty forgiving - they just really enjoy the show. I remember reading a publication from the mid 1800's regarding blacksmith safety - " for protection of the eyes, the smith should squint mightily" . . . I'm thinking that's not a period correct method you should use As Glenn said, peeper protection is an absolute so don't worry about any comments from the crowd regarding that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-hr Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I got invited to do a 2 day gig at the local Civil War re-enactment in S. Oregon last summer. I told the co-ordinator that my demo set-up was geared to 1890-1920, blower forge, long horn Hay-Budden anvil, etc. They said it would most likely be okay, since I wasn't getting paid off the top, but got to keep all my sales, they were happy to have any carbon based life form burning coal. I wore black Levi jeans (tore the labels off and broke in for a couple weeks around the shop), an old dirty straw cowboy hat that had more than just a little personality, a button-up western shirt like I wear to weddings and funerals, and my old hay chaps cause I don't enjoy aprons. I had my 11 yr old boy set up with a 70# peter wright,sharing the common forge, making S- and drive in hooks out of 5/16 stock. I was fairly nervous the first day, as they have a very tight-knit club, and get verbally abusive if they see any plastics with in 200 yards of the battlefield. Jonny and I drank water out of an old four roses whiskey bottle I found in the desert a while back, and I kept the water cooler under a canvas tarp. An elderly lady in the club, the kind of matriarch that could cut glass with her stare, came up to me on the second day and told me she'd been to many, many re-inactments, including a pilgrimage back east, and I had done the best smithing job she'd seen so far. I think what impressed her was the fact that I kept on task the whole time, didn't talk much, and got to make some fairly nifty items that took time because young Jon was pumping out hooks every 10 minutes to keep the crowd appeased. Bottom line, if you're working hard and sweating, folks give you a break and appreciate your efforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1860cooper Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 ...I wore black Levi jeans (tore the labels off and broke in for a couple weeks around the shop), an old dirty straw cowboy hat that had more than just a little personality, a button-up western shirt like I wear to weddings and funerals, and my old hay chaps cause I don't enjoy aprons. Oh, wow, I can't uncurl my toes! Glad it worked out for you though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 July 24th and 25th. You should stop by! The town of Drain is beautiful, and we'll be in the park right next to a historic covered bridge and a 100 year old Victorian house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 ya dont sweat the othenticy thing too much... when i started in the mountian man groups (1790-1840) they were realls authentic i thought but the blacksmiths were useing riviters forges... ime one of a few that now use bellows and you are still much more likeley to see a riveters forge than bellows at a rondezvous...as long as you are makeing things (just about anything) people will watch after all your WORKING! and expect the " this is a dyeing art" comment ... my answer to that is always " not as long as ime alive!".. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 My reply to the "dying art" comment is "well *all* my friends do it!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 My response to "dying art" is to take my pulse at my neck, and reply with a smile, "not yet".... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul B Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Those pictures are great. I would have expected to see more long beards then clea shaved faces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I noticed that the bottom picture link wasn't working any more. Try this one instead:Blacksmith: c. 1900 | Shorpy Photo Archive And if you just want to look at a bunch (I mean a bunch) of old pictures, check out that main site:Shorpy Photo Archive | History in HD There's a lot of neat stuff on there. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul B Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 I looked through a lot of the pictures. Its nice to see so many women wearing fur. I wish it was still that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I've done a few historical demos the last couple of years in roughly the same time period. I've not had anyone sharpshoot me too badly. They'll occasionally mention the safety glasses and ask if the hand cranked blower is period and I'll explain to them why not. People just enjoy watching you smith. Your list sounds good. I use an old metal bucket for a slack tub on the road. You can always dip water out to cool something if it won't fit in. There's a couple of pics in the gallery of my set up and costumes. I wear an old farrier's apron. The brown shirt and vest are for FT. Vancouver off-site demos i.e., Champoeg State Park. The red long john shirt and suspenders outfit for my own demo at the Oregon Trail Int. Center last year and the two Territorial Express Stage Runs and grade school demos.Gary Gallery - Blacksmith Photo GalleryTerritorial Express Home Page - Tumwater Historical Association Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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