If you have been lucky enough to see a master blacksmith at work whether in person or in a video you might have wondered “could I do that?” Maybe you thought, “that doesn’t look too hard, just get it hot and hit it with a hammer.”
I’ve asked myself that question and decided yes, I can blacksmith. I have a can-do attitude after all. And yes, I thought it couldn’t be that difficult. Just get it hot and hit it.
The truth it turns out has me respecting (even more) the men and women smiths who make it look so easy.
My First Project
This isn’t the first time I’ve fired up the forge and made something. I made some Tank proof curtain rod brackets and I made a bracket and stand for a butterfly house. But for some reason, this hook feels like my first glimpse into true blacksmithing.
To make this hook I had to combine a few techniques that blacksmiths need to know like drawing out metal, rounding an end to a point, and making a decorative twist. I felt great when I was finished and I admit that I am proud of my crappy little hook.
The quality isn’t there, but my heart is in the work none the less. Making something so tangible as metal is therapeutic for me. When I pick the hook up that I made with my own hands I’m impressed at the permanence of the object and I’m pleased about its usefulness.
Getting Started
Since I made the stand for the butterfly house I’ve tried to fire up the forge every day and practiced hitting hot metal.
I haven’t focused on anything in particular. Ironically, I just picked up different pieces of metal, got them hot and hit them. I followed this process and just enjoyed being creative and imaginative.
I tried (and failed) to turn an old metal wedge into a hot cut hardy tool. Through this “temporary” failure I learned that I needed to get my metal hotter before hitting it and damn, my forearms are really starting to get a workout!
Custom Blacksmithing tools are expensive!
Blacksmithing isn’t for the weak of heart (or arms)! My hands, arms, and back are getting a great workout.
I also learned that I needed to start at the beginning and try something a little more doable for my skill and experience level.
Looking for inspiration I pulled The Backyard Blacksmith off the shelf and started rereading Lorelei Sims’ advice and projects.
In her chapter on projects page 125 of her book you will find a page titled Drive Hook, J-Hook, and S-Hook. I found my inspiration there and decided to make a drive hook.
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Forging a Drive Hook
Forging a hook was a nice change to trying to make a hot cut hardy tool. For starters, holding the much lighter metal in the tongs was much easier and I didn’t have hot steel flying off the anvil and onto the floor.
The instructions call for ¼” square mild steel which I don’t have.
I do have a couple of buckets worth of scraps that I’ve been collecting over the past year. You see, I don’t have easy access to steel suppliers so I keep my eye out for metal and it has been adding up nicely.
So, instead of ¼” square stock, I grabbed a small headless railroad spike and used it instead.
I drew it out to almost double its original length and kept it square as best I could. Next, I forged a ribbon taper at one end and scrolled the tip.
Following the book’s advice, I went on to hook that end and the piece looked like the letter J when I was done.
Next, I tapered the other end into a point, reheated and used my vise and a wrench to put a couple of twists in the middle between the hook and the tip.
The last step was bending the tip 90-degrees and for the most part, I was done. I cleaned the work up with a wire brush and sealed it with boiled linseed oil.
Conclusion
Forging a Drive Hook was a great first project. I plan on making many more until I feel that I have the techniques under control. And, I’m going to find some ¼” mild steel so that I can work on consistency between hooks.
I love the way my hands and arms feel right now. Blacksmithing is much more physical than I thought it would be.
Oddly enough, the soreness in each hand is different. My right hand aches from holding and manipulating the tongs. My left hand is hot from using the hammer and the forearm is tender from picking it up the 1000 times required to make a little hook.
Now, after finishing what is arguably my first blacksmithing project, I’m hooked. Hooked on the hobby of backyard blacksmithing and I can’t wait for the next project.
Thanks for reading!
