Forge

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A blacksmith's coal forge
Wooden smithy in Opole, Upper Silesia

A forge is both the workplace and hearth of a smith or a blacksmith. The workplace is sometimes referred to as a smithy.

The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals. The forge heats the workpiece to a malleable temperature (a temperature where the metal becomes easier to shape) or to the point where work hardening no longer occurs. The workpiece is transported to and from the forge using tongs. The tongs are also used to hold the workpiece on the smithy's anvil while the smith works it with a hammer. Finally the workpiece is transported to the slack tub, which rapidly cools the workpiece in a large body of water. The slack tub also provides water to control the fire in the forge.


External links

Making a Simple and Easy Charcoal/ Coal Forge (instructables)