Profession blacksmith: description and history. Eight Interesting Facts About Forging Articles about blacksmiths

No. 1. When and where did it first appear?
The first blacksmith was the ancient Greek god Hephaestus! But seriously, 4-3 thousand. BC. The civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt already forged from iron not only weapons and armor, but also household items and agricultural implements.
No. 2. Hot is not the right word!
Iron can be processed worse than some other metals, so it is heated to 1000 ° C and only then the required shape is smelted. Approximately the same temperature has lava, which is just beginning to descend the slopes of the volcano.
No. 3. The most common surname
One of the most common surnames in the world came from blacksmithing. Each village always had its own blacksmith, he was respected and even feared! Compare, for example: Russian - Kuznetsov, Kovalev, Kovalchuk; Ukrainian - Koval, Kovalenko; Polish - Kowalski; German - Schmidt; English - Smith; Spanish - Herrero; French - Ferrand.
No. 4. "Deceit" from the word "forge"
Surprisingly, the noun "deceit" came from the word "forge". The fact is that the ancient Slavs considered the craft of a blacksmith incomprehensible and mysterious. That is why the phrase "to build coves" was also interpreted as how to intrigue, and "to bind fetters" meant to entangle. Initially, the word "cunning" meant wisdom, skill. Later, it began to imply malicious plans and intentions. At the same time, the expressions “forge your happiness” or “forge your destiny” have a positive meaning.
No. 5. What did the 20th century bring?
The development of heavy industry in the 20th century greatly simplified the forging process. Stamping production almost supplanted the inspiration of hand forging, it was replaced by welded structures. But in the 21st century, people are returning to individuality and creativity, so the traditions of hand forging are gradually being revived.

The material was prepared by the editors of the Turnkey catalog and the Forging Factory company

One of the oldest arts of metalworking is forging. With its help, people created iron products that were necessary and made life easier in ancient times. Smelted devices and tools were especially valued because of their strength and durability. The steel samples of the 5th-6th century AD found in Central Russia speak of the excellent professionalism of blacksmiths.

The excavated artifacts are not only masterfully made, but also skillfully decorated. This is evidenced by the finds of the remains of kitchen utensils and marvelous jewelry.

The advent of iron

The first materials used in forging were natural gold and copper nuggets. Later, experimenting with alloys, blacksmiths smelted bronze. An important discovery and breakthrough in science and weaponry was the processing of meteoric iron. The alloy of iron and carbon gave great prospects for the development of many industries, from agriculture to metalworking.

Since ancient times, people have used steel objects both at home and in other areas of activity. Therefore, blacksmithing was so highly revered in society. No wonder folk wisdom says: "The blacksmith is the father of all affairs."

Smith Gods

From early pagan times, gods, demigods-blacksmiths or their descendants, associated with the elements of fire and the process of iron processing, dominated the hierarchy of the gods. We know such patrons of blacksmithing: Hephaestus - the Greek god, Thor - Scandinavian, Woland - European. In folk beliefs, there are blacksmiths - sorcerers, shamans and masters of the fire elements.

In Ancient Russia, we revere Svarog, the blacksmith god sent to Earth to arrange the human universe. Blacksmith assistants were priests of Svarog. They are endowed in the historical epic positive characteristics heroes: unprecedented strength, excellent courage and incredible endurance. Forged items were highly valued, hence the great authority of the blacksmith in the community and the state of the early period.

The mystery of the transformation of swamp ore

The secrets of ore mining were classified and accessible to a narrow circle, therefore they were overgrown with speculation and rumors. The use of "meteorite iron" in the forges added to this mythicity. He was given a special unearthly origin. The blacksmiths-artisans themselves also caught up with the nebulae. Actions with "unearthly material" were carried out in strict secrecy and were available to units. Even fellow villagers were afraid to show interest in what was going on in the workshops because of fear and superstitious prejudice.

Forges were always erected on the outskirts of the settlement, due to fire safety, as well as not far from the reserves of ore and coal. They were built dug into the ground. There were no windows in the room. In such a structure it is convenient to maintain the desired temperature. The twilight helped the craftsman "by eye" determine the level of heating of the metal, which definitely affected the quality of the forged elements.

Temperature regime

It was required to heat up the iron to a temperature of 800-1200 C. Is it a little or a lot? Now such values ​​surprise no one. But in the old days, to achieve such temperatures, it was necessary to spend more than one hour. Steel was obtained by very hard work. Blacksmith apprentices manually inflated leather furs in a melting furnace, and today a pyrometer or thermocouple is used for this purpose.

Myths about master blacksmiths


Looking at the pictures of the forges and the forge, we usually see the image of an inflated hero with a massive sledgehammer in his hands. The torso, bare to the waist, is covered with a leather apron, strong muscles are visible under it. Burning sparks fly out from under the hammer. The representative of the blacksmith profession looks so pretentious in the illustrations. In fact, a person who has been smithing for many years is often wiry and dried out by the daily heat.

The master supervised the forging process - he held the handbrake and gave commands to the apprentice when and where to hit the red-hot workpiece. The whole cycle should take place quickly and smoothly, until the iron has cooled down. Constant blows not only dried the hands of the hammerer, but also led to diseases and deformities of the joints. All this is the cost of working in a hot shop. The work of a blacksmith was harmful and hazardous to health. But despite this, getting into the apprenticeship of an artisan blacksmith was a huge success.

Evgeny Rodin

Forging is one of the most ancient and widely used methods of metal processing. Back in the 4-3 millennium BC. first cold and then hot forging appeared in ancient Iran, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Some household items, tools, agricultural tools, as well as armor, weapons and horse harnesses were made from iron by means of forging.

Forging is one of the most ancient and widely used methods of metal processing. Back in the 4-3 millennium BC. first cold and then hot forging appeared in ancient Iran, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Some household items, tools, agricultural tools, as well as armor, weapons and horse harnesses were made from iron by means of forging. Artistic forging in Naberezhnye Chelny is done the same way.

Iron It can be processed worse than some other metals, so it must be heated to a high temperature (about 1000 ºС) in order to obtain the desired shape. It is hard to imagine, but lava starting to descend along the slopes of the volcano has approximately the same temperature.

Worldwide one of the most common surnames came from blacksmithing. The blacksmith was a very famous and necessary person in every village, so surnames on this basis appeared everywhere. Russian Kuznetsov, Kovalev, Kovalchuk, Ukrainian Koval, Kovalenko, Polish Kovalsky, German Schmidt, English Smith, Spanish Herrero, French Ferran are some of the most common surnames in different countries.

From the word "forge" there was a noun "deceit". The ancient Slavs considered the craft of a blacksmith incomprehensible and mysterious. The blacksmith or "insidious" forges forgings, fetters. The phrase "to build coves" was also interpreted as how to plot, and "to tie up" means to entangle. Initially, the word "cunning" meant wisdom, skill. Later, the meaning of the word changed, "treachery" began to denote malicious plans, intentions. At the same time, the expressions “forge your own happiness” or “forge your own destiny” have a positive meaning.

In the twentieth century with the development of heavy industry, the forging process became simpler, manual artistic forging was supplanted by rolling and stamping production, it was replaced by welded structures

In our age standard products and their mass production artistic forging is one of the last “living” crafts that have come down to us. Every creation artistic forging is made by hand by a blacksmith, and the quality and flawlessness of the final product largely depends on his skill and imagination.

Every year in Donetsk the International Festival of Blacksmithing. The best works of blacksmith art remain in the park as a gift to the city. More than 70 works have already been collected here, including a glade fairytale heroes, arbors of lovers, alley of signs of the zodiac. Looking at these creations, you understand that only a talented person can breathe life into metal. In Minsk, city parks and squares also have their own forged characters: a grandmother with seeds, a postman, a girl with an umbrella, etc.

With the coming into our life personal computers the production of unique and complex forged products is not complete without computer three-dimensional simulation modeling. This technology allows even before the start of production to select necessary technologies, equipment and blanks for the future forged product.

The art of metalworking by forging is an ancient, if not the oldest, applied art. allowed mankind to create tools and devices that surpass their counterparts from natural material at hand in terms of strength, performance and service life. The first metals to experience cold forging were the native forms of gold and copper. In experiments with alloys, bronze was born. Subsequently, the processing of meteoric iron made a real revolution in the science and weapons business of those times. Steels (alloys of iron and carbon) have opened wide prospects in agriculture and many applied crafts. It is practically impossible to overestimate the importance of the appearance of iron among processed materials for the evolution and progress of mankind. Since ancient times, people have been using certain products or tools made of steel in all branches of activity. A folk saying says that the blacksmith is the father of all crafts.

Now a few facts about forging and forges, which, we think, may be interesting or useful to you.

- Blacksmiths are gods, demigods, descendants of gods. In all early pagan cultures of mankind, the pantheon of the main (supreme) gods included a blacksmith god or a god, one way or another connected with the process of metal processing, the lord of the fire elements and the patron of crafts. Examples: Thor among the Scandinavians, Veland (Woland) among the Europeans, Hephaestus (Volcano) among the Greeks. The secrets of ore mining and metal refining were strictly preserved in the circle of the initiates. And as a result, they were overgrown with rumors and myths. Mysteriousness was added by the use in the first forges, in addition to bronze and copper, of meteoric iron, the unearthly origin of which even then did not cause much doubt. Forging was carried out in secrecy, work was carried out with "heavenly metal", only a few had skills, products were valued incredibly high - these factors are quite enough to raise a blacksmith to the highest level of hierarchy in a tribe or an early state. Further folk art: blacksmiths - shamans, sorcerers, master of the elements, priestesses of fire and so on. The very same forging has become akin to sacred rites. I think the first blacksmiths themselves were not averse to catching up with the fog. In Russia, the blacksmith god was Svarog - a direct descendant of the Family, sent to create the human world and arrange the world order. Blacksmiths were considered priests of Svarog. The undeniable benefit brought to the community has invariably made the forge a positive hero of the epic, myths, and fairy tales. The process of turning brown-red clay (marsh ore) into household items and marvelous decorations seemed like witchcraft to an ignorant public. Forges have always been built on an individual basis, firstly, due to the increased risk of fire during the smelting process, and secondly, for the convenience of supplying ore and coal. Even fellow villagers tried not to show much interest in production because of the many signs and superstitious fear. On the territory of central Russia, during excavations, artifacts of blacksmithing made of steel dating back to the 5th-6th centuries AD were found. The remains of the found weapons and household items testify to the highest skill of artistic forging of the receivers of the Svarog case of that time. Products were not only skillfully forged, but also elegantly decorated. Both poor bog ore and steel made from relatively pure iron were used, which indicates the presence of the science of ore exploration and a high level of smelting. There were also alloys from "heavenly iron". In place of Svarog, Christian saints, blacksmiths Kuzma and Demyan, took patronage over the blacksmith's handicraft.

Why is the forge without windows? The old forge was a log cabin often dug into the ground or having mounds on the walls. Windows were missing. Such a construction served for the convenience of maintaining the temperature regime, and the twilight made it easier for the blacksmith to determine the required temperature for forging by the colors of the metal heat and the nature of the spark produced during forging. Correct Definition forging temperature directly affected the quality of the product. Errors in technology "by eye" were very expensive, because iron and steel were obtained by hard work and in limited quantities.

Steel forging temperature 850 – 1200°C. Is it a lot or not? Today, little surprises us, including these figures. But imagine a rural forge where several apprentices had to spend about an hour working with hand bellows to heat one part on charcoal. For comparison, natural lava flows down the slope of a volcano, having a temperature of about 1000°C. To determine the optimal forging temperatures, today a thermocouple or pyrometer is used, and before everything was based on experience.

Iron is a precious metal. That's right, many people called iron the most precious metal in terms of its usefulness to mankind. famous people, for example: educator V. Pevshin (XVIII century), chemist A. Korenev (XIX century), historian J. Gover (XIX century). It is impossible to argue with this, given the role of "simple" iron in the progress of civilization.

- Stereotypes and myths about blacksmiths and forging. In most of the pictures on the Internet dedicated to the topic of blacksmiths and forging, we find a touching image of a hefty young man, a kind of epic hero with a huge sledgehammer on the backswing. Often: a hammer in one hand and a gigantic sword in the other. The elastic muscles of a naked torso under a leather apron and sheaves of sparks continue the set of stereotypes. So, in these pictures, with special pathos, a hammer fighter is depicted. In fact, the blacksmith, who devoted his entire adult life to the craft, as a rule, was dry and wiry. This is due to the conditions of the hot shop. In fact, it was a "product" of hot smoking. The blacksmith directed the forging process with a small hammer - a handbrake (emphasis on the first syllable), giving instructions to the hammerer where, how and with what force to strike the workpiece. The assistant took out the workpiece from the forge and held it on the anvil during forging with the help of blacksmith tongs. Everything had to happen extremely smoothly and quickly, while the metal retains the forging temperature. Due to the lack of mechanization, one person could only work with small forgings. The hammerer in the forge represented brute force. In essence, he was employee, did not have time to master the heights of blacksmithing. Constant blows to hard surface"dry" the hands of the hammerer, destroyed and deformed the joints. It was very dangerous and unhealthy work. The pupils of the blacksmith, as a rule, were boys from among those working on the blacksmith's bellows and the bellows of the cheese melting furnace. They had the opportunity to observe the forging process at work, gaining knowledge from childhood. Becoming a blacksmith's apprentice was a great success, and the competition was like in modern universities.

Surnames formed from the word "blacksmith". The importance of blacksmiths in society and the prestige of the profession is indirectly evidenced by the surname "Kuznetsov" - one of the most common in Russia. This situation is observed all over the world: Kowalski, Kowalski, Kovacs, Schmidts, Smiths, Ferans, Erreyrs had distant ancestors of representatives of blacksmith dynasties.

– Metamorphoses of semantics Oddly enough, the word "deceit" has in its root basis "forging, forging". It meant "skill, ability, knowledge" and had a purely positive semantic color. Over time, the word and its derivatives changed their linguistic meaning to "two-faced, vile". Such cases are not isolated, as an example of this is the meaning of the words "witch", "witch" (witness, sorcerer), which also meant people who knew, knowledgeable, and later turned into "sorcerers", sat on brooms and began to eat princes. Modern heirs of the fiery blacksmith craft, real masters can safely call themselves "insidious sorcerers" in memory of the ancient representatives of the noble profession.

 

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