Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:26 pm Post subject: historical hand operated forge(pic heavy)
I have always had a yearning to make my own custom knives and been looking at how to build a cheap forge
Well today on a trip into swansea by chance i spotted a small antique shop up a side street in one of the quiter areas on the outskirts ,we decided to have a mooch in the window and when we strolled up we noticed that they mostly did renevated cast iron fire places ,but then we spotteg the gates opening into the yard next door we looked in and saw this !!!!!!!!
Hand operated antique forge i was flying we went in and then an elderley chap appeared from no where and greeted us and starting chatting he showed us around lots of old cast iron ware and fire places and old country machinery that he was renovating and selling on he seemed delighted that we had recognised it as a forge and said it had been his possesion for about thirty years and had only just decided to put it on display the yard was a mish mash of fire grates and cast kitchen ranges chimney pots, tiles and old paraphernalia
Jen spotted an old wooden horse yoke with the metal work still attached she wants to buy it and renovate ,well to be honest we were like two kids in a sweetshop ,he showed us around and produced an antique ransomes hand operated lawn edger with the original paint still on it we were gob smacked and like I said our eyes were every where
When we mentioned we were looking for a forge to actually use he was very interested and told us that he thinks it was exmilitary and still inperfect working order Then came the big question "How much for the forge" after showing me it still worked perfectly and saying he had put a new plate in the bottom of the fire box ,he looked at me pushed his flat cap back scratched his head and said "hows about £60 " I was expecting it to be a lot more and unaffordable
So it seems me and jen are the proud owners of an antique leather bellows operated forge I was so excited I forgot to ask if he had any other related equipment tongs hammers etc It seems he has a large storage area elsewhere so we will be picking it up the weekend and I,m looking forward to cleaning it up and renovating it as much as using it
We want to go see his real storage area all we saw today was the tip of the iceberg I think !!!!!
The way he was talking he has lots more goodies stashed like I said he reckons that he has had the forge tucked away for about 30 years
Hi, 55 years ago i used to watch the blacksmith hot shoe the two horses that were left on the farm we lived on, he always used the forge that was on the farm ,it looked much the same except that it had a handle on the back conected to a fan , i always wanted to be allowed to turn the handle for the smith but each time i got the same answer - "when your older !" by the time i was old enough ---- we had no horses on the farm ! just my luck.
God I,m so excited cant wait to pick this up and start workimg to bring it back to its former glory jens all revvved up to polish the nails in the bellows and We saw a cast irom plate with a deer on it that we think we,ll buy to add as a weight to the top of the bellows after i,v e polished the wood
thats what we thought when he gave us the price ,but i think he was swayed when i started saying i wanted it to use it for what it was intended for he seemed quite excited at the prospect of it being resurected and once more doing the job it was designed for
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