What smithing related tools are used for forging blades?

Eddie Mullins

Eddie Mullins

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I am asking this correctly, but I was wondering if there are any smithing tools being used for forging blades? and if so, how? For example I have seen Godzilla posted on a thread somewhere on here, it was I believe a swing arm fuller, but couldn't tell what it was being used for. Part of this curiosty for me stems back to seeing the Sheffield knife makers anvils and the multiple hardy tools they used, plusI like making tools as much as anything : ) .

So are you guys using swing arm fullers, spring fullers, guillotines, hardy tools of some type, etc., and if so what are they and how are they being used?
 
You don't really need that much to forge blades, I get by nicely with a guillotine for drawing tangs, a hot cut, and 3 pairs of tongs...:) Everything else is just a luxury for a pure bladesmith....
 
I have a hot cut hardie, a drawing hardie, a 3x3x1 raised block hardie (I use to square ricasos), a spring fuller (used to start and define narrow tangs mainly), and recently I started on a smithing magician project, frame completed dies next. Do you need all of this no but, it makes life a lot easier when you got tools.

Oh, not to mention a collection of hammers and tongs. With new ones on the way. I also have jigs I use in order to produce the same knife over again without having to reinvent the wheel.

Can I make a knife without all of this? Sure but, life would not be as much fun. Do I use all of this on every knife? No, I have knives that only see fire, hammer, and a file that I hand finish with sandpaper.

It's nice to have the tool for that job on hand when you feel you need it.
 
Thanks for the replies, hope to see more and pics would be great :) .

I fully understand these are not "needed" , I just like to make tools. I am working on a guillotine now which I thought might be helpful to try my hand at integrals ??, but was not my primary purpose for making it. I like smith and to make things other than knives so many of my tools will likely get multipurpose use.

What type of die are you using in a gullotine for drawing material? I'm still learning the use of these tools and had considered them to be basically for fullering or swaging small areas. I'd love to learn how to capitalize on their use.

What is a drawing hardy?
 
It's like a cutting hardie except it is rounded instead of sharp. As you hammer the steel it draws out the metal. A couple of hits per side. Simple and easy to use.
 
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