Picked up this antique forge at a garage sale this weekend.

A

amamachinist

Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
136
Hey guys!

Picked up this old forge at a garage sale this weekend and I can't find much info on it.

Anyone have one or used one like it? Would love some tips/tricks

Any idea how old it is?

Any maintenance tips?

Basically anything anyone is willing to share about it would be appreciated!

Thanks!

8Yzl3FO

GsgBFHd

qM2C0no

tC4xc2h

zTCZRXI

tA3nkWf


Here's an album link in case my photos don't load

http://m.imgur.com/8Yzl3FO,GsgBFHd,qM2C0no,tC4xc2h,zTCZRXI,tA3nkWf
 
They are good farrier forges. They will work for knives, too. I think they are best used as front porch art. I have an identical one on mu from veranda. I got a shallow round flower pot and put flowers in it during the summer.
 
If you are into restorations, you might have a lot of work ahead. I'd guess a hundred years give or take.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. My buddy and I will try to get her runningsmooth and I'll update with the results!
 
They are beasts. Most likely a new hickory handle and some oil will make it run like a top. I would only sandblast if you plan on painting it.

I think that one is a good bit newer than 100 years old. My guess is more like 60-70. Yours has the "catch and release clutch" to engagethe flywheel. The older ones had a link arm and no clutch.

Many were used on ships and by military units in WW2. They were dumped by the hundred as surplus and scrap by the mid fifties.
The rail road used them for a long time, too.
In the building boom of big and tall steel frame buildings and the skyscrapers from the 20's through the fifties, these and similar forges were used as rivet forges.

By the late 50's only farriers needed a portable coal forge.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
They are beasts. Most likely a new hickory handle and some oil will make it run like a top. I would only sandblast if you plan on painting it.

I think that one is a good bit newer than 100 years old. My guess is more like 60-70. Yours has the "catch and release clutch" to engagethe flywheel. The older ones had a link arm and no clutch.

Many were used on ships and by military units in WW2. They were dumped by the hundred as surplus and scrap by the mid fifties.
The rail road used them for a long time, too.
In the building boom of big and tall steel frame buildings and the skyscrapers from the 20's through the fifties, these and similar forges were used as rivet forges.

By the late 50's only farriers needed a portable coal forge.
Click to expand...


Awesome! Thanks for the info!

I think we will just start going to town on it with some oil and wire brushes. I doubt we will end up painting it.

It's interesting you put it closer to WWII era. I had another person put it at pre 1880 because of the winding strap/bowdrill style mechanism rather than the sector gear. And then the guy we bought it from said he saw it in a montgomery ward catalog from the early 1900's

Either way it doesn't matter to me I just think its really cool and cant wait to use it!

Thanks again!
 
Glad to see it going to use. Seen too many of these types of things make it to the scrapyard.

Cheers!

-Eric
Overmountain Knife and Tool
Overmountain.us.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top