Here is a list of items that a Blacksmith uses daily:
1. Forge
The forge may refer to the entire blacksmith shop (also called a smithy) and it may also refer to the actual hearth.
The forge table (hearth) generally needs to be 3' square (or diameter) for most hobby blacksmiths. For example, the mower deck from a riding lawnmower can be turned over and used as forge table. At or near the center of the table is a firepot. Near the bottom of the firepot is a tuyere and a clinker breaker. A hinged ash dump door is at the bottom. Use the biggest and deepest firepot you can find because this is where the coal becomes coke. It is difficult to achieve welding heat in a 4" deep firepot because of volume. A firepot that is 8- 9" deep is good for the average forge. The clinker breaker needs to work properly and the ash dump door must close neatly.
To draft smoke, a side-draft hood is ideal. The side-draft hood pulls smoke from the fire. As the name implies, the hood sits off to the side of the fire. The flue should be 8"x13" (masonry) or 10" (metal) at a minimum and extend a minimum of 3' above the shop roof. To eliminate rainwater, use a California flue cap. This cap is actually just a section of larger diameter pipe spaced equally about the flue and extending 3-4' above the flue. As rain usually falls at an angle, the pipe extension's shadow effectively covers the flue opening but doesn't block the smoke flow. Coal smoke is denser and cooler than wood smoke--size the flue accordingly.
2. Anvil
Never strike an anvil directly with a hammer!! It's damaging to the anvil's face and the recoil might cause the hammer to hit you in the face
An anvil can be any size, shape, or weight. Early anvils were cube-shaped and weighed 50 lbs. or so. The most common anvil has a flat work surface (the face) and a pointed end (the horn). Often, the face will have two holes near the heel; the square one is the Hardie and the round one is the Pritchell. A variety of anvil tools can be made to fit in the Hardie and thus, act as a 3rd hand for the smith. Most generally, the Pritchell hole is used to allow the blacksmith to punch a hole through metal and not damage the face of the anvil or the point of the punch. To protect the anvil face when doing hot and cold cuts, the blacksmith uses an anvil "saddle" made from 1/4" steel plate and lays it on the face.
A good anvil will not have any chips or cuts in the face or the edges of the face. Anvils are either 'forged' or 'cast' and are made from iron or steel. Anvils can have two horns, one, or none. Some anvils "ring" and others don't. Just because an anvil doesn't ring doesn't mean it's cracked. The Fisher anvil earned the nickname "Deaf Anvil". In short, there are too many anvil styles to be general. Books have been written about the history of the anvil. An anvil, however, is a very personal belonging to a smith--probably more than anything else he'll ever own.
3. Hand-Held Hammers
Blacksmiths use a variety of hammers weighing from 1 lb. to 16 lbs. Most often, a 2-2.5 lb. hammer is the preferred choice. The heavier hammers (sledges) require 2 hands for good control and are used mainly by strikers (helpers.) The small hammers are used for detail and finish work, which is generally done on cold metal.
The flat/rounding hammer is popular because its rounded face allows for ease of drawing metal and its flat face allows for finishing surfaces neatly. Some smiths prefer a cross peen hammer which has a slightly rounded hammer face and a horizontal peen, perpendicular to the handle axis. Most blacksmiths do 90% of their work with their favorite hammer.
When selecting a hammer, weight and balance are the keys. Control of the hammer stroke is all-important--much more so than impact force. A blacksmith will grind and polish a hammer face to his liking rather than accept the way it came from the factory. A blacksmith will also shape the handle to fit his hand perfectly rather than make his hand fit the handle.
Blacksmiths of old made all of their hammers and customized them accordingly. Today, some smiths prefer making their own hammers.
** Hammerhead marks are not acceptable in either carpentry or blacksmithing because they indicate a poor craftsman. However, it has become "trendy" since 1980 to leave hammer marks on certain pieces so that the buyer will know that he/she is buying "real wrought iron".
4. Tongs
Tongs are the things that allow a blacksmith to handle hot metal without burning HIS tongs! For cold metal work, pliers are used. A set, or pair, of Tongs consists of two mirror-image pieces, riveted at the fulcrum, or pivot. The handles are referred to as reins and the business ends as bits (also jaws). (As in bridle terms.)
While a blacksmith will generally only use 2 or 3 sets of tongs on a day-to-day basis, he may also have 50 others that he made just for specialty tasks. Starting out, you'll use a ready-made set of tongs. But over time, you will either make your own tongs or customize others to fit your needs and your hands.
5. Vise
A vise is a jawed device that holds the work piece. Every trade has developed specialized vises over the years. Blacksmiths prefer a post vise (also leg vise), so named because it can be strapped to a post or slender stump. The post vise has a single leg that transfers impact force to the bottom of the post and thus, to the ground.
6. Coke/Coal
Coke/Coal is nearly pure carbon and burn the hottest in a forge. When burned in the absence of air, coal becomes coke and wood becomes charcoal (distillation). Wood must be converted to charcoal before using in the forge whereas a good quality coal will make its own coke in the firepot. Coke and charcoal are extremely light as compared to their parents because all moisture and impurities have been burned off.
Charcoal briquettes made for barbeque grills will not fire a forge.
7. Miscellaneous Forge Tools
Three tools are required for maintaining the fire--a pointed poker, a water can, and a rake. The poker is used to clear the air passages through the firepot. The rake is used to pull "green" coal toward the fire. The water can (a sprinkler) is used to dampen the perimeter fire. Making these three tools is often a beginner's project.
