The Sordid Blacksmith

Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... MORE THAN 40 MILLION PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEIR CARS AND HOMES CHOOSE STATE FARM FOR THEIR INSURANCE.

STATE FARM.

A PROUD SUPPORTER OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

Man: "I SEE NO REASON WHY THE SORDIDNESS OF SOME WORKMEN SHOULD BE THE CAUSE OF CONTEMPT UPON MANUAL OPERATIONS AND THOUGH THE MECHANICS BE, BY SOME, ACCOUNTED IGNOBLE AND SCANDALOUS, YET IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT MANY GENTLEMEN OF OUR NATION, OF GOOD RANK AND HIGH QUALITY, ARE CONVERSANT IN THE HANDIWORKS."

YES, INDEED.

QUALITY I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT, BUT RANK WE HAVE IN ABUNDANCE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, ROY.

ALL RIGHT.

KEN SCHWARTZ.

EXCELLENT.

FOLKS, WE GOT KEN SCHWARTZ, WE'RE HERE AT THE BLACKSMITH'S SHOP AT COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING FROM... AND YOU'RE QUOTING FROM JOSEPH MOXON, A FAVORITE OF OURS.

HE'S ONE OF THE FEW ENGLISH WRITERS OF THE 17th OR 18th CENTURY THAT DOCUMENTED TRADES.

YEAH.

GRANDDADDY OF ALL HOW-TO BOOKS, I GUESS.

THAT'S CORRECT, AND HE LISTS THE TRADES THAT HE WRITES ABOUT HERE.

I LOVE IT.

SMITHING, JOINERY, CARPENTRY, TURNING, BRICKLAYERY, AND THIS IS THE 1703 EDITION, SO IT HAS THIS SECTION ON SUNDIAL REPAIR.

THAT'S RIGHT.

MY POCKET WATCH IS IN THE SHOP, SO I'LL NEED THAT.

EXCELLENT.

WELL, WE'RE GOING TO WORK A LITTLE BIT ON HINGE-MAKING, IS THAT [INDISTINCT] SECTION?

YEAH.

LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HE HAS TO SAY ON HINGES.

EXCELLENT.

RIGHT OUT OF MOXON.

SO WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE 1703 INSTRUCTIONS.

AND THIS IS THE PLATE, I GUESS, THAT BEGINS?

YEAH.

MOXON WRITES ABOUT 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF HINGES-- THE CROSS GARNET HERE, A DOVETAIL, AND A SIDE HINGE, A SIDE HINGE BEING MUCH LIKE AN H OR AN HL HINGE.

WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE CROSS GARNET RIGHT HERE, THOUGH.

AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER LOOKING THAN HIS DRAWING, I GOT TO SAY.

I LOVE THIS.

THIS IS A FINISHED ONE.

THIS IS A REPRODUCTION THAT WAS MADE BASED ON AN ORIGINAL THAT WAS FOUND IN A HOUSE ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA, SO THE ORIGINAL 18th-CENTURY HINGE IS EXACTLY WHAT MOXON DESCRIBED IN HIS WORK.

NOW, THAT BEGINS, THOUGH, AS A PLATE OF IRON, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE-- LET'S GO THROUGH THE STEPS HERE.

WE START WITH THIS.

GOT A RECTANGULAR PLATE, AND IT'S GONNA BE CUT ON A DIAGONAL, AS YOU SEE HERE.

AND I KNOW MOXON GOES ON AND ON ABOUT THAT, SO I HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.

AND THEN YOU TRIM IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT THERE.

THAT ROUGHS OUT THE TAPER OF THE HINGE VERY QUICKLY, SO IT MINIMIZES THE AMOUNT OF FORGE WORK THAT GOES INTO IT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN HE DOESN'T WRITE ABOUT IT, BUT WE'LL BE MAKING THE FINIAL AND WE'LL BE TAPERING THE EDGE TO BE WELDED.

ALL RIGHT, AND HERE WE SEE IT WELDED WITH THE EYE THROUGH IT.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YES.

YOU CAN SEE THAT'S BEEN DOUBLED OVER TO CREATE A TUBE RIGHT HERE.

THE BARREL OF THE HINGE.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WELDED, SO WE WRAP IT AROUND A ROD WHEN WE DO THAT.

AND THEN HERE'S, I GUESS, THE--PUNCHED.

YEAH.

HE DESCRIBES PUNCHING THE HOLES, SO WE'LL GO THROUGH HOW THE HOLES ARE CREATED IN THIN METAL LIKE THIS.

ALL RIGHT, AND THEN I'VE GOT ONE MORE HERE.

HERE'S THE OTHER PIECE.

NOW, THE LEAF AND--I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CALL THESE PIECES HERE, BUT-- HE REFERS TO THEM AS THE CROSS AND THE TAIL, SO THE CROSS AND THE TAIL GET JOINED TOGETHER IN A 3-KNUCKLE HINGE JOINT.

THAT GETS A PIN AND THEN WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FILING FOR MORE CURIOUS WORK, AS HE PUTS IT, WE'RE DOWN TO THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE RIGHT HERE.

IT IS CURIOUS TO THE MODERN MIND THAT YOU'D BOTHER FILING A HINGE LIKE THIS, BUT THE POLISH WAS VERY POPULAR, AS ARE THE ORNAMENTS YOU SEE ON THE END HERE.

VERY POPULAR 17th-CENTURY STYLE.

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL STUFF.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S SEE.

WANT TO LAY THIS OUT, I GUESS.

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR PIECE, YOUR PLATE?

I'VE GOT THE RECTANGULAR PLATE HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND AS MOXON DESCRIBES, I'M GOING TO USE A PIECE OF SOAPSTONE OR CHALK.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE SAYS--, EITHER WITH CHALK OR ELSE RACE UPON THE PLATE WITH THE CORNER OF A COLD CHISEL OR ANY OTHER HARDENED STEEL THAT WILL SCRATCH A BRIGHT STROKE UPON THE PLATE.

AND I'M JUST LOOSELY SKETCHING IN HERE THE DIAGONAL THAT I'M GOING TO WANT.

AND THIS IS, AGAIN-- THIS IS IRON NOW.

PLATE IRON.

IF YOU LOOK ON THE EDGES HERE, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE IRON.

THERE'S SOME CRACKS.

IRON HAS A FIBROUS NATURE TO IT, AND SOMETIMES AS YOU HAMMER IT VERY, VERY THIN LIKE THIS, THE FIBERS BEGIN TO SEPARATE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S CARRY ON, I GUESS NOW WE'RE GOING TO SAY, "AND THEN LAYING THE PLATE FLAT UPON THE ANVIL "IF THE PLATE BE LARGE "OR THE STAKE AT THE PLATE BE SMALL, "TAKE THE COLD CHISEL IN YOUR LEFT HAND AND SET"--OH, MY GOSH-- "AND SET IT ON THE EDGE OF THAT MARK OR RACE WITH THE HAND HAMMER IN YOUR RIGHT HAND."

OH, MY GOSH.

"STRIKE THE HEAD OF THE COLD CHISEL., "BUT HAVING CUT ONE BREADTH OF THE COLD CHISEL, "REMOVE THE EDGE OF IT FORWARD IN THE RACE "AND CUT ANOTHER BREADTH, "AND SO MOVE IT SUCCESSIVELY "UNTIL YOUR WHOLE INTENDED SHAPE BE CUT OUT OF THE PLATE."

BOY, HE USES A LOT OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE THAT, BUT-- ONE OF THE LONGEST DESCRIPTIONS OF USING A COLD CHISEL I'VE EVER SEEN.

[LAUGHS] THAT'S GREAT.

WELL, IT GOES ON.

HE SAYS, "YOU SHALL CUT OR RATHER PUNCH "THE EDGE OF THE COLD CHISEL ALMOST THROUGH, "BECAUSE SHOULD YOU STRIKE IT QUITE THROUGH, "THE EDGE OF THE COLD CHISEL "WILL BE IN DANGER OF BATTERING, OR ELSE BREAKING, "FOR THE FACE OF THE ANVIL IS HARDENED STEEL, "AND A LIGHT BLOW UPON ITS FACE WOULD WRONG THE EDGE OF THE COLD CHISEL."

AND HE GOES-- MAN, OH, MAN, HE SAYS, "SOMETIMES, YOU'LL DAMAGE THE ANVIL.

"THEREFORE, WHEN IT COMES PRETTY NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE PLATE, YOU MUST LAY LIGHT BLOWS UPON THE COLD CHISEL."

SO.

NOW, ONCE THE PLATE IS CHISELED, MM-HMM.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE'RE GONNA WRIGGLE IT ASUNDER.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT HE SAID RIGHT HERE.

"WITH YOUR FINGERS OR THUMB, WRIGGLE IT ASUNDER."

I'M GOING TO USE-- YEAH, I'M GOING TO USE 2 SETS OF TONGS.

I'LL LET YOU HOLD ON TO ONE ALL RIGHT.

AND WE'LL WRIGGLE IT ASUNDER.

THAT'S--OK.

SO YOU CUT IT.

THERE IT IS.

VERY EASY.

SO YOU JUST CUT ALMOST ALL THE WAY THROUGH BUT NOT ALL THE WAY AND THEN JUST WRIGGLE IT LIKE THAT.

RIGHT.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF IRON.

BECAUSE WE'RE MAKING A CUT ALONG THE FIBER OF THE IRON, IT WILL BREAK QUITE EASILY.

[INDISTINCT] SO YOU'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT PIECE.

I'LL PUT THIS ONE AWAY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE'LL GO TO THE FIRE, ALL RIGHT.

AND WE WANT TO BEGIN MAKING THE FINIAL.

AH.

THE MOXON GOES INTO GREAT DETAIL ON HOW TO USE A COLD...

HE SURE AS HECK DOES, YEAH.

YEAH.

BUT HE DOESN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THE MORE COMPLEX ART OF SHAPING A FINIAL, IN THIS CASE KIND OF A SPADE SHAPE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA-- WELL, THIS HAS GOT TO HEAT UP NOW TO A RED HEAT?

RIGHT.

WE'LL GET IT A LITTLE BIT HOTTER THAN THAT.

WE'RE USING A COAL FIRE.

COAL IS A PRETTY COMMON FUEL, OR CHARCOAL COULD ALSO BE USED.

UH-HUH.

AND THEN BY FANNING THAT WITH A BELLOWS, YOU CAN ALMOST DOUBLE THE TEMPERATURE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT UP THERE--THE BELLOWS.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT BELLOWS NOW.

THAT'S A-- BELLOWS TYPICALLY HAS TWO CHAMBERS, SO AS I PULL ON THE LEVER, THE LOWER CHAMBER INFLATES THE UPPER CHAMBER, AND THE UPPER CHAMBER BLOWS THE AIR TO THE FIRE.

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S A STEADY FLOW INSTEAD OF PUFF-PUFF...

I GET A CONSTANT AIR BLAST THAT BUILDS A HIGHER TEMPERATURE.

SO I'M LOOKING FOR TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO 3,000 DEGREES IN THE FIRE.

WELL, HOW DO YOU KNOW?

I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE COLOR OF THE METAL TO JUDGE THE TEMPERATURE THERE.

I'LL BRING THE METAL UP TO A BRIGHT YELLOW COLOR, WHICH IS ABOUT 2,500 OR 2,600 DEGREES, JUST BELOW THE MELTING TEMPERATURE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS IS JUST FOR THAT SMALL END, SO THAT GOES A LITTLE QUICKER.

RIGHT.

SO LET'S GO TO THE ANVIL, I'M READY.

AND... WHOA.

IT'S SPARKING.

YEAH.

I'M GETTING CLOSE TO THAT WELDING OR BURNING TEMPERATURE.

I DON'T WANT TO OVERHEAT IT.

BUT TO MAKE THIS FINIAL, I'M GOING TO TAPER THE POINT ON THE END, THEN USE THE HAMMER AND THE CORNER OF THE ANVIL TO SQUEEZE A NECK, FORM A NECK.

LOOK AT THAT.

OK, SO YOU'RE-- ACTUALLY, THE CORNER OF THE ANVIL BECOMES THE SHAPING TOOL.

YEAH.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THE HOT METAL REACTS A LOT LIKE CLAY UNDER PRESSURE.

I SQUEEZE IT WITH THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL TO CREATE THESE SHAPES.

NOW, I KNOW YOU GOTTA STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT, BUT WHEN YOU GET IT JUST--DONE, COULD YOU SHOW US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HAMMER, BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE A REGULAR HAMMER WE THINK OF.

YEAH, THE SMITH'S HAMMER HAS 2 FACES, AND I WORK BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THOSE FACES, SO I START WITH THE SQUARE FACE AND SWITCH TO THE PEEN.

THE SQUARE FACE I CAN USE WITH THE ANVIL TO CREATE A TAPER.

THE SQUARE FACE WILL PUSH THE METAL OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS EQUALLY.

BUT IF I NEED MORE CONTROL, I CAN TURN TO THE PEEN, AND IN THIS CASE, USING THE PEEN OF THE HAMMER THIS WAY STRETCHES THE METAL IN THIS DIRECTION MORE THAN IN THIS DIRECTION, SO IT GIVES ME DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND I CAN TURN THE HAMMER IN ORDER TO DIRECT THE METAL WHERE I WANT IT TO GO.

THERE YOU GO.

IN THIS CASE, THEN, I'VE CREATED THE-- ROUGHED OUT THE SPADE-SHAPED FINIAL.

ALL RIGHT.

STARTED ON THE NECK.

I'LL TURN THIS AROUND NOW ALL RIGHT.

AND START PREPARING THE OPPOSITE END TO CREATE THE SCAR FOR WELDING.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET ME SEE NOW.

I'VE GOT TO GET TO THAT STAGE.

IN MOXON, "ONCE YOU'VE CUT OUT THE HINGE, "LEAVE THE LENGTH OF IT LONG, ENOUGH TO LAP OVER FOR THE JOINTS.

"SO YOU TURN IT AROUND TO PIN, SO BIG AS YOU INTEND THE PIN OF YOUR HINGE SHALL BE..." RIGHT.

"AND ALSO PLATE ENOUGH TO WELD UPON THE INSIDE OF THE HINGE."

SO HE GOES RIGHT TO THE WELDING, BUT THERE'S A PRELIMINARY STEP?

...WE'VE GOT TO SCARF THAT FIRST.

BY THINNING OUT THE EDGE, I'LL BE ABLE TO GET A CLEANER WELD.

IF I LEAVE THE EDGE VERY, VERY THICK, THERE'LL BE A VISIBLE LINE AT THE END OF THE WELD.

I REALLY DON'T WANT THAT.

I'D LIKE IT TO BLEND TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT.

SO BY... THINNING THE END OR SCARFING THE BAR, THAT'S THE PREPARATION FOR WELDING.

ALL RIGHT.

AND READY TO GO...

I'LL COME OVER HERE AND JUST COME RIGHT ALONG THE EDGE.

AND USING THE FLAT FACE OF YOUR HAMMER THERE.

RIGHT.

JUST THIN IT DOWN.

THIS IS PREPARATORY TO WELDING JUST ABOUT ANY KIND OF JOINT.

AND THAT'S IT.

IT GOES FROM A THICKER BAR UP HERE DOWN TO ALMOST A PAPER-THIN EDGE.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT WOULD BE EASY TO BLEND THOSE TOGETHER.

AH.

BUT NOW YOU'VE GOT TO PUT THE-- BEND IT OVER THE ROD FOR THE HINGE PIN.

CORRECT.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M GETTING THIS.

ONLY TOOK 300 YEARS, BUT I THINK I'M...[LAUGHS] WHEN MOXON TALKS ABOUT THE PIN, HE ALSO DEFINES THE SIZE AS TYPICAL.

HE SAYS THAT YOU USE A PIN THAT'S TWICE THE THICKNESS OF THE METAL THAT YOU START WITH.

OH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'VE GOT A PIN PREPARED FOR WRAPPING AND WELDING.

WHAT DOES HE SAY ABOUT-- HE SAYS EXACTLY THAT.

"LAY IT OF SUCH A DIAMETER "TOWARDS THE END ON THE TAIL PIECE ATHWART THE PLATE "AND DOUBLE THE END OF THE PLATE OVER THE WIRE "TO LAP OVER IT AND REACH "AS FAR AS IT CAN ON THE OTHER END, AND THEN HAMMER IT CLOSE TO THE WIRE."

SO THAT'S THE STEP THAT WOULD [INDISTINCT]-- HE CALLS IT THE WIRE, BUT I GUESS IT'S THE PIN.

YEAH, WE CALL IT A DRIFT PIN, SO I'LL FIRST DOUBLE THE METAL OVER ONTO ITSELF, UH-HUH.

AND BEFORE I CLOSE THAT ALL THE WAY, [INDISTINCT] I'LL LAY THE PIN IN HERE.

I WAS GOING TO SAY, YEAH, MAKE SURE THE PIN IS COLD WHEN YOU DO THAT.

RIGHT.

AND THEN BY SETTING IT RIGHT OVER THE CORNER OF THE ANVIL, I CAN MAKE THE OFFSET FOR THE EYE.

YOU'RE HITTING OVER NOTHING RIGHT NOW.

YEAH.

HALF ON AND HALF OFF, SO WE CALL THAT A HALF-FACED HAMMER BLOW WHEN THE HAMMER'S HALFWAY ON THE ANVIL AND HALF OFF, AND THE EFFECT THAT HAS IS TO OFFSET THE EXTRA THICKNESS TO ONE SIDE.

I GOT YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS, AGAIN, ALL PREPARATORY TO THE WELD.

NOW, ARE WE READY FOR THE WELDING PART?

ALL PREPARED TO WELD.

WELL, MOXON SAYS TO KNOCK OUT THE PIN FIRST, SO... OK. WELL, THAT'S GOOD...

I'LL FOLLOW HIS ADVICE.

ALL RIGHT.

SEE IF I CAN CATCH UP HERE.

NO, YOU'VE ALREADY GOT EVERYTHING HE SAYS ABOUT MAKING THE PIN.

"SO NOW PUT THE JOINT END OF THE HINGE "INTO THE FIRE TO MAKE A WELDING HEAT, "WHICH, WHEN IT HATH, "SNATCH IT QUICKLY OUT OF THE FIRE "AND HAMMER OR WELD THE END OF THE TAILPIECE TILL THEY HAVE INCORPORATED TOGETHER."

ONE SENTENCE ON WELDING.

RIGHT.

ALL THAT ON A COLD CHISEL.

AND 3 PAGES ON THE COLD CHISEL--OK.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WELDING'S AN EASY TASK.

SO TELL US ABOUT IT.

YEAH.

WELDING IS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE IN THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE MATERIAL HOT ENOUGH WITHOUT OVERHEATING IT.

SO IF IT'S NOT HOT ENOUGH, THE PIECES WON'T STICK TOGETHER.

IF YOU GO JUST BEYOND THE WELDING TEMPERATURE, YOU'LL BURN AND DAMAGE THE MATERIAL.

THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS THAT IRON IS AN UNSTABLE METAL, SO IT'LL OXIDIZE AS YOU HEAT IT UP, AND SO WE HAVE TO APPLY A FLUX, AND MOXON CONVENIENTLY LEAVES THAT OUT, BUT I'LL OPEN UP THE MATERIAL HERE, SPRINKLE A LITTLE BIT OF BORAX INTO THE OPENING.

AND SO WHAT THAT'LL DO IS MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF OXIDATION THAT OCCURS.

YOU SEE THE BLACK FLAKES ON THE SURFACE.

YEAH, IT'S FORMING, LIKE A--, MELTING AND FORMING A GLASSY COATING ON THE IRON.

RIGHT.

SO THE BORAX LIQUEFIES AND THE LIQUID WILL THEN KEEP THE OXYGEN AWAY FROM THE SURFACE AH.

AND MINIMIZE THE OXIDATION.

THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF A FLUX.

AND THAT'S--ALL RIGHT.

AND THE OXIDATION WOULD, AGAIN, GET IN THE WAY OF THE MOLECULAR IRON TOUCHING ITSELF, AND AS SOON AS IT TOUCHES IT, THAT HEAT, IT BONDS.

IT'S A WELD.

THAT'S RIGHT.

UNDER PRESSURE, I'LL HAVE TO HAMMER IT IN ORDER TO GET IT FUSED PROPERLY.

YEAH.

SO, UNDER HEAT AND PRESSURE, WE ARE WELDED TOGETHER.

NOW, YOU'VE GOTTA WATCH THIS CAREFULLY, I KNOW.

[INDISTINCT] VERY CAREFUL TEMPERATURE, SO I'LL WATCH IN THE FIRE.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS A BRIGHT YELLOW COLOR, ALMOST WHITE, AND I MAY SEE SOME SPARKS IN THE TOP OF THE FLAME AS THE THINNER PART BEGINS TO BURN JUST A LITTLE BIT.

SO SPARKS LIKE A SPARKLER, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

RIGHT, RIGHT, AND I'LL HAVE TO GET IT A VERY EVEN TEMPERATURE OVER THAT BROAD AREA THAT I'M GOING TO BE WELDING.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, WE HAVE TO STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT, BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME... [INDISTINCT] THIN PIECE LIKE THIS.

DOESN'T THAT COOL VERY QUICKLY?

YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S THIN AND HAS A LOT OF SURFACE AREA, IT'LL LOSE THE HEAT VERY QUICKLY.

SO YOU'RE READY?

ARE YOU READY TO GO?

SO LET'S GO OVER TO THE ANVIL.

OK, AND YOUR HAMMER'S THERE WAITING?

AND...AND SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE FLUX FLYING OUT.

[INDISTINCT] PRIMARILY LOSING THE FLUX IN THE WELDING TEMPERATURE.

AND SO IT'S OXIDIZING AS WE LOOK AT IT, BUT THE AREA THAT JOINED TOGETHER... WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED THE WELD, SO WE DON'T CARE ABOUT...

SO IT'S ONE PIECE OF IRON NOW.

RIGHT, IN THAT OVERLAPPED JOINT.

ONE OF THE WAYS YOU CAN TELL THAT IS BY LOOKING AT THE COLOR.

BECAUSE THE COLOR OF THE MATERIAL IS UNIFORM THROUGHOUT, THAT GIVES YOU A GOOD INDICATION THAT THE TWO ARE FUSED TOGETHER.

OH, BECAUSE IF IT'S DARK, A LITTLE DARKER, IT WAS A COOLER SPOT.

RIGHT.

IF IT'S THINNER, IT'LL COOL OFF MORE QUICKLY.

IF IT'S THIN AND NOT WELDED, IT'LL COOL OFF MORE QUICKLY AND LEAVE A DARK SPOT ON THE SURFACE.

BUT THIS EVEN TEMPERATURE LOSS INDICATES A GOOD WELD.

WELL, GREAT.

NOW, LET'S SEE.

THEN I GUESS THE NEXT STEP IS YOU GOTTA HEAT IT AGAIN.

YEAH... AND NOW THIS IS-- THIS IS WROUGHT IRON, KEN, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

THAT'S THE OLD TYPE OF IRON THAT HAS SILICA INCLUSIONS AND GRAIN IN IT.

IS THAT EASIER TO WORK THAN THE MILD STEEL THAT WE HAVE MORE ABUNDANTLY?

I'LL SAY IT'S DIFFERENT.

IT'S EASIER IN SOME WAYS.

IT'S SOFTER BUT IT HAS THIS GRAIN STRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE TO CONTEND WITH, SO MILD STEELS DON'T HAVE THAT SAME GRAIN STRUCTURE AND THEY WON'T SPLIT AS READILY.

IT GIVES YOU A LITTLE TASTE OF WOODWORKING WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WROUGHT IRON.

I MEAN...

THERE ARE SOME REAL SIMILARITIES.

THAT'S RIGHT.

LET'S SEE.

I'M LOOKING AGAIN HERE IN THE BOOK.

PINHOLE.

WELD IT... THEN WE GOT TO RUN THE DRIFT IN AGAIN.

YOU'RE WAY AHEAD OF ME HERE.

THAT'S WHAT HE SAYS TO DO.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN EXAMINE IT.

MAKE SURE THERE'S NO FAULT IN THE JOINT.

SO, LET'S SEE.

WHERE'S YOUR PIN?

FIND MY PIN HERE.

DID YOU INTEND FOR IT TO LAND RIGHT THERE, IN EASY REACH?

TAKES A LOT OF PRACTICE TO ACHIEVE THAT.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU'RE JUST REDRIFTING AGAIN THE EYE OF THE HINGE.

RIGHT, AND THEN I'LL USE THAT AS AN INTERNAL ANVIL.

UH-HUH.

AS I GO BACK AND ROUND UP THE HINGE JOINT.

YEAH.

SO YOU CAN SEE I'M HAMMERING HERE AGAINST THE PIN AND ROUNDING UP THAT JOINT.

SO THE JOINT, THE BARREL, WILL TAKE THE SHAPE OF THE PIN.

OK. AND THEN WITH THE PIN BEING TAPERED, I CAN KNOCK THAT BACK OUT AGAIN.

AH.

NICE.

SO THERE'S ONE LEAF OF IT.

AND THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S READY TO GO NOW.

YEAH, THAT'S THE FORGING.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN HE SAYS, "RED HEAT TO FINISH IT UP.

"FORCE THE PIN INTO THE PINHOLE "TILL YOU FIND THE PINHOLE IS AGAIN ROUND WITHIN, AND THAT THE PIN WILL TURN EVENLY WITHIN IT."

YOU'VE DONE THAT, I GUESS.

AND IT SAYS, "AFTERWARDS, WITH A PUNCH OF HARDENED STEEL, PUNCH THE NAIL HOLES IN THE PLATE," SO-- RIGHT.

SO THAT'S DONE COLD.

I'M GOING TO GO OVER HERE TO THE QUENCH TUB ALL RIGHT.

AND I'LL COOL THIS OFF.

WHEW.

BRING IT BACK DOWN TO ROOM TEMPERATURE.

AND THEN THE NAIL HOLES ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY EASY TO MAKE.

IN WOODWORKING, YOU THINK OF DRILLING THE HOLE.

YOU COULD DRILL THE HOLE IN IRON ALSO, BUT IRON BEING MUCH MORE RESISTANT, USING A HAND DRILL WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TIME.

I'VE GOT A PUNCH AND A DIE HERE.

WHAT I'LL DO IS DECIDE WHERE I WANT THE HOLE TO FALL.

I'VE GOT TO LINE THE PUNCH UP WITH THE DIE AND THEN PUNCH IT THROUGH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'LL PUT A HOLE RIGHT HERE.

AND YOU SET IT ON THE IRON FIRST.

RIGHT.

I LOCATE THE HOLE, THEN SET THAT OVER THE DIE.

WHOA.

AND IT GOES RIGHT THROUGH.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT--AND YOU CAN COME BACK.

IT'S PERFECT.

IT JUST CLEARED IT RIGHT OUT.

NOW, IF THAT'S HOT, THOSE ARE LYING AROUND ON THE FLOOR TO BURN A HOLE IN YOUR FOOT, IS THAT RIGHT?

I CAN DO 2 OR 3 OF THESE HOLES IN RAPID SUCCESSION JUST WITH A PUNCH.

"IT SAYS, "PUNCH THEM WITH A COLD PUNCH "IF THE PLATE BE VERY THIN, AND AFTERWARDS SMOOTH IT WITH YOUR HAND HAMMER."

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A... YEAH, KIND OF BURR THERE.

YEAH, THE PUNCHED-OUT SLUG IS STILL THERE, AND THEN THAT LEAVES A SHARP BURR ON THE BACKSIDE AND WHAT MOXON DESCRIBES IS JUST SMOOTHING THAT OFF WITH A HAMMER.

THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

IT SAYS-- "OR TAKE A BLOOD-RED HEAT IF YOUR WORK REQUIRE IT.

IF NOT, SMOOTH IT COLD."

SO BLOOD-RED HEAT IF IT LOOKS LIKE YOU NEED A HEAVIER HAND.

THICKER MATERIAL, YEAH.

YOU'D WANT TO DO THAT AT A RED HEAT.

WITH THIS THIN MATERIAL, YOU CAN DO IT VERY QUICKLY COLD.

THIS IS, LIKE, FOR A CABINET DOOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR A LIGHTER DOOR.

IF YOU WERE DOING A BARN DOOR, THEN YOU'D WANT TO BE REHEATING IT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT MOXON SAYS HERE.

"TAKE A BLOOD HEAT.

IF NOT, SMOOTH IT COLD SO THAT THE TAIL PIECE WILL BE FIT FOR THE FILE."

NOW, KEN, I MUST ASK YOU, IS THIS FIT FOR THE FILE?

I THINK WE'RE FIT FOR THE FILE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S HEAD ON OVER AND GO TO WORK., I LOVE THAT-- "FIT FOR THE FILE."

THAT'S A GREAT EXPRESSION.

INDEED.

MOST PEOPLE THINK OF A BLACKSMITH AS WORKING AT THE ANVIL AND RIGHT OUT OF THE FIRE, BUT HALF THE WORK'S DONE AT THE VISE AT THE BENCH, WHERE YOU'RE FITTING PIECES TOGETHER, FILING AND POLISHING AND DECORATING THEM.

I'VE GOT A CROSS-PIECE HERE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN NOTCHED.

I'M GOING TO USE THAT AS MY REFERENCE FOR MARKING THE HINGE.

UH-HUH.

I'LL COME IN HERE WITH A SCRIBE AND SCRATCH LINES WHERE I WANT TO MAKE THE CUT.

OK.

I'M GONNA SET IT UPRIGHT IN THE VISE AND I'M GONNA DOUBLE-CHECK MY MARKS HERE WITH A SHARP SCRIBE LINE.

GOOD.

AND NOW I'LL COME IN HERE WITH A HACKSAW.

NOW, THAT SEEMS AWFULLY MODERN FOR 18th-CENTURY WORK.

WELL, YOU'D THINK SO.

HERE'S A CATALOG, THOUGH, FROM THE 1760s... OH, RIGHT.

LOOK AT THAT.

[INDISTINCT] SAWS.

HA HA.

THAT'S GREAT.

SO THIS IS-- A COLONIAL IRON WORKER COULD JUST BUY THEIR HACKSAWS OUT OF A CATALOG.

RIGHT, OR MERCHANTS USED THOSE TO ORDER MATERIAL TO STOCK THEIR STORES, SO THE SMITH WOULD BUY THE SAW RIGHT OFF THE SHELF IN A STORE IN A TOWN LIKE THIS.

I GOT YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU COULD JUST PICK THEM UP, AND OF COURSE THEY WERE MADE BY SPECIALIST... THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

THERE WERE SAW MAKERS THAT DID THAT KIND OF WORK.

LISTEN, WHILE YOU'VE GOT THAT SECOND CUT, LET ME JUST TALK ABOUT BLACKSMITHS HERE, BECAUSE "SOME WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT MORE PROPER "TO HAVE INTRODUCED THESE EXERCISES WITH A MORE CURIOUS, LESS VULGAR ART THAN BLACKSMITHING."

SO SAYS MOXON.

BUT THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY, "BUT IT IS A CURIOUS HANDICRAFT "AS ANY AND ALL THE OTHER TRADES "ARE DEPENDENT ON THE SMITH, AND THE SMITH DEPENDED ON NONE OF THEM."

AM I RIGHT?

I THINK MOXON'S RIGHT, THAT IRON IS THE MOST UTILITARIAN METAL.

HA HA.

WELL, MAYBE THE MOST UTILITARIAN METAL, BUT ALL THE TRADES DEPEND UPON EACH OTHER, AM I RIGHT?

THAT'S TRUE.

SO WE'VE GOT-- I'VE MADE THE TWO SAW CUTS.

NOW WHAT I WANT TO DO IS LINE THE SAW CUT UP WITH THE CORNER OF THE ANVIL, AND I'M GOING TO SQUASH THE WASTE MATERIAL WITH THE HAMMER AND PRESERVE WHAT I WANT TO KEEP AS A ROUND BARREL.

HE'S SQUASHING IT.

I DON'T REMEMBER THIS FROM MOXON'S DESCRIPTION OF MAKING THE HINGES...

DOESN'T SHOW UP IN MOXON, BUT WE FIND THESE LITTLE CUT-OFF BITS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIGS... OH, SO EVEN THE-- ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S GREAT.

SO THE WASTE PIECES GIVE YOU A CLUE AS TO HOW THINGS WERE MADE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND I'LL BRING THE CHISEL BACK IN HERE, THE COLD CHISEL, AND CUT RIGHT ALONG THAT EDGE.

UNLESS--YOU WOULDN'T REALIZE IT, BUT A COLD CHISEL COMES FROM WORKING COLD METAL.

IT'S THE KIND OF-- THE ANGLE ON THE CUTTER THERE IS BROAD ENOUGH TO DO THE COLD.

AND WE ALSO USE HOT CHISELS WHEN WE'RE CUTTING THE METAL AT TEMPERATURE.

YOU WOULDN'T REALIZE THAT UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN IN A BLACKSMITH'S SHOP TO UNDERSTAND IT, AND I SEE AGAIN YOU'VE GOT BE CAREFUL NOT TO GO DOWN TO HIT THE HARDENED FACE OF THE ANVIL.

AS I GET CLOSE, I WANT TO AVOID MARKING THE ANVIL FACE, SO I'LL PUT IT UP HERE ON THIS SOFT BLOCK AND THEN I'LL CUT THE REST OF THE WAY THROUGH RIGHT ON THE SOFT BLOCK.

THERE'S A PIECE OF WROUGHT IRON THERE OR SOMETHING, YEAH., ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT WAY I WON'T MAR THE CHISEL FACE AND I WON'T MAR THE ANVIL FACE, EITHER.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT, SO AGAIN, STILL DON'T CUT QUITE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

AND THEN I'LL JUST BREAK THOSE OFF... YEAH.

REND THEM ASUNDER.

WRIGGLE THEM ASUNDER.

[LAUGHS] ALL RIGHT.

WONDERFUL.

AND NOW I GUESS-- NOW IT'S BACK TO THE FIRE?

NOW THAT I'VE REMOVED THAT, BACK TO THE VISE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'LL CHECK THAT AGAINST THE NOTCH IN THE HINGE.

OOH.

YEAH.

OOH, THAT'S A GREAT FIT.

SO I'VE GOT TO CLEAN UP THE CORNERS JUST A BIT, SO I'LL GRAB THE FILE HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN THAT'S, AGAIN, A FILE IS SOMETHING YOU COULD BUY FROM ENGLAND OR SO FORTH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

FILE CUTTERS WERE PRODUCING FILES LIKE THIS, AND THEY'RE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE IN STORES IN TOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

DO THE SAME THING ON THE OTHER CORNER.

MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAN RIGHT UP INTO THE EDGE.

WONDERFUL.

AND THEN YOU'VE ALREADY MADE THE PIN, I GUESS, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WRAPPED AROUND.

[INDISTINCT] ALIGN THOSE UP.

WE'LL SET THE PIN IN PLACE.

YEAH.

AND THEN I'LL TURN THAT UP AND TAP THE PIN IN PLACE WITH A HAMMER.

THEN THAT'S LEFT A LITTLE BIT LONG, I GUESS SO YOU CAN PEEN IT OVER.

I'LL TRIM THE ENDS AND THEN WE'LL PEEN OVER THE EXCESS.

I SEE.

WE'LL WORK THE JOINT COLD.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU GOT TO LOOSEN UP, OR I'LL FILE TO ADJUST IT.

OK.

IT'S LOOSENED UP ALREADY.

THAT'S GREAT.

BOY, THAT'S LIKE MAGIC.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THIS'LL GET A LITTLE BIT OF ADJUSTING, BUT--THEN A LOT OF ADJUSTING, AM I RIGHT?

YEAH, THE SURFACES ARE ALL POLISHED WITH THE FILE.

YOU SEE THE ORDINATES ADDED AT THE TERMINUS.

AND THIS IS CALLED FOLIATION, THESE DECORATIONS WE HAVE HERE?, SO IT'S LIKE LEAVES HERE.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

BOY, I CAN IMAGINE WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE ON A PIECE OF FURNITURE THERE OR A DOOR.

...POLISHED SURFACE WAS QUITE FASHIONABLE.

YEAH.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

NOW HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AFTER A FEW YEARS OF OXIDATION, AND WHAT IS THIS NOW?

THIS IS AN "H" HINGE, OR MOXON REALLY REFERS TO THEM AS SIDE HINGES.

SO, "H"s WERE USED AND SOMETIMES THEY HAVE AN EXTENSION ON THE LOWER PART... OH, "HL"s WE CALL THEM, SO--YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT GOES ON THE RAIL OF A PANEL DOOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO STRENGTHEN IT.

THAT'S GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE GOT HINGES, AND HERE'S ONE, AND THIS--OH, ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS A CHEST HINGE, IS THAT RIGHT?

YEAH.

THE OFFSET HERE ALLOWS YOU TO ATTACH IT TO THE BACK OF THE CHEST, AND THEN THE TOP RECEIVES THE HINGE.

SO THIS IS ALL ON THE INSIDE.

THIS WOULD BE ON THE BACKBOARD AND HERE'S THE LID LIKE THAT.

AND ALL THE FASTENERS, THEN, ARE CONCEALED ON THE INSIDE.

...LITTLE BIT RIGHT THERE.

AND SO THIS IS REALLY ALL YOU NEED IN YOUR SHOP HERE.

IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO SET UP, THEY'D GET A FORGE AND ANVIL, A VISE, AND SO FORTH.

TOOLING'S PRETTY SIMPLE.

AND THEN YOU CAN START MAKING YOUR OWN TOOLS, I GUESS, LIKE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO MAKING YOUR PLIERS AND TONGS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF TOOLS THAT THE SMITH MAKES FOR HIMSELF, INCLUDING TONGS, PUNCHES AND CHISELS, AND THE LIKE.

AND EVEN DIVIDERS, WHICH YOU HAVE MADE MANY TIMES FOR ME.

THIS IS IS GREAT.

WELL, SO MUCH WE HAVE LEARNED FROM JOSEPH MOXON, BUT EVEN MORE FROM WORKING WITH YOU, KEN.

THANKS SO MUCH.

I SURE APPRECIATE IT.

MY PLEASURE.

ALL RIGHT.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME, ROY UNDERHILL, HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

Announcer: LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEB SITE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT... Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... Man, voice-over: WE ARE PBS.

Announcer: ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND OTHER BOOKS ABOUT TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.