Thursday, October 13, 2016

Swaging


We just learned about Upsetting in blacksmithing.

Another thing blacksmiths do is called swaging.

When a blacksmith needs to make a shape, a mark or a bend on a piece of metal that they can't do using just their hammer and anvil, they can use something called a swage block.

The swage block may have shapes on it, like a rounded cave that the metal can be pounded into, when they need to make a spoon.



Some swage blocks have rounded edges for helping to make a wheel, or half hexagon shapes for making a rod that is hexagon shaped.


(from: wikipedia - swage block)


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