HAMMER SKILLS
Hammer skills are Blacksmithing Courses, run in conjunction with Colin White FWCF of Anvilsring. The courses are run by Bob Pickard RSS and concentrate on the basic skills required to enable students to progress onto more intricate forge work.
THE TUTOR - BOB
Pickard RSS - Now retired. I worked as a Blacksmith and Farrier for over
45 years. I first entered the Blacksmiths shop as a l0 year
old boy and was just fascinated by the works going on. As a
teenager if anybody wanted me I was in the blacksmiths and, on
leaving school at l5, I began my apprenticeship. After completing
my apprenticeship in the army I decided to start my own
business at the age of 22.
The majority of the business was farriery based but always made time to carry out forge work, including gates railings and balustrades.
Over the years I trained several
apprentices, who are all now qualified with not one failing any interim
examinations or tests.
THE TUITION - I
believe that the basic skills in the use of
the hammer and the fire are essential
in the production of any forge work.
The tuition focuses on the use and management of the fire to produce the correct temperature, the heat in the right place and the cleanliness of the metal to be worked.
Hammer work concentrates on the balance and control of the hammer coupled with the creation a rhythm which will assist in the efficiency of the hammer blows. One controlled hammer blow in the right place is far better than three bashes in the wrong place.
The course starts
with hand held metal and moves on to
holding the metal in the tongs. Students
are instructed on how to set a pair of tongs and when your
skills are adequate shown the techniques used in the
production of a pair of tongs.
As an alternative students are encouraged to produce an item of forged work to take away with them. This item may be a poker, a toasting fork or a scrolled bracket. The list is endless but if a student has an idea for a piece of work, if not to complicated, we will work together and try to produce the item.
SUMMARY - If you
are struggling with the pruduction of
forged ironwork
to the standards you require, back to basics
may be the answer. If you are
interested in trying your hand at forge work the basic skills are
essential and give a good grounding in order to move on to the more
technical elements of the blacksmiths work.
The courses are run in a relaxed
manner with easy to follow instruction and techniques with
the objective of instilling confidence in the student’s
ability to progress to more detailed forge work.
Terms and Conditions are as
shown on Colin’s Anvilring's web pages and I may be contacted via
his site.
I can be contacted direct at
hammerskills1@gmail.com
