HandForged Ironmongery Articles

Ever since man first noticed the blooms of iron formed as a campfire heated some reddish coloured earth several thousand years ago, the blacksmith (literally a “smiter” of black metal) has sought to transform it into things of function and often great beauty. Although it was weaker than bronze, iron in its pure state was easier to produce and the raw materials to make it were more abundant. Iron ore was commonplace across England and in places such as the southern Weald where it occurred in a heavily forested area, there was a ready supply of fuel for smelting. Steel, iron with a higher carbon content, was also excellent for weaponry due to its superior hardness and ability to keep a sharpened edge so bronze was very soon displaced as the metal of choice.

The blacksmith’s workshop became a fixture in every English settlement and town and until the early part of the 20^th century and the rise of mass production, it was an absolutely essential part of the community. Blacksmiths usually worked with wrought iron, that is iron with a very low carbon content and containing about 5% slag, which is the oxides and other by-products of the smelting process. “Wrought” comes from an archaic form of “worked” so wrought iron quite literally means “worked iron”. It was tough yet quite malleable, fairly rust-resistant due to its high slag content and easily forge welded - the process whereby two pieces of iron are hammered together in a join at white heat so it was ideally suited to an endless number of applications. It is hardly found today, the wrought iron we are familiar with almost certainly being mild steel, which is slightly less versatile, harder to work and less rust resistant.

Forging basically involves heating the iron in the fire and beating it into various shapes using a hammer while holding it with tongs on a block of iron or steel, the anvil. The anvil would usually have both flat and rounded surfaces, allowing the metal to be drawn (lengthened), upset (thickened), shrunk, bent and punched (making holes or indentations). None of these processes, bar punching, involved any loss of material, indicating the great precision with which a skilled smith would work as he formed a lump of shapeless iron into rods, sheets, chains and cylinders.

Also the blacksmith’s great luxury was that he was able to craft his own specialised tools for complex or repetitive work. It was a highly skilled craft, even the fire was complex as that could change the quality of the metal if it had too much oxygen in it. The blacksmith forged and repaired farming implements, carts and other domestic tools such as cooking utensils. He made the farmer’s ploughshare and the nails and hinges holding together his barn and the even the fetters and chains for the gaoler. Farriers specialised in shoeing horses and still do to this day.

Today many of the blacksmith’s traditional products are less in demand due to mass production methods and our modern lifestyle. However although there has always been a steady market for the kind of ornamental ironwork often seen in gates and railings, many blacksmiths have returned to producing hand-forged traditional ironmongery items such as latches, handles, nails, studs, hooks and hinges. There’s a growing appreciation of traditional artisan crafts and blacksmithing is no exception and no doubt in no large part due to the fact that hand-forged items combine functionality with exceptional beauty.

Their rustic quality means they are popular with interior or exterior designers looking to create a traditional feel, especially in renovations or rural conversion projects. The range of available styles and finishes is only limited by the ingenuity or skill of the smith and those offering a bespoke service can supply you with a unique product to your own design and finish; a service you won’t receive from your local DIY superstore.

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