After seeing the forge setup at the historical village in Williamsburg, I think we overcomplicate things with modern gear.

I mean, watching them work with a basic stone forge and hand bellows for 8 hours straight to make a simple hinge made me question if all my digital temp gauges and forced-air systems are actually making me a better smith, or just a faster one.

2 comments

2 Comments

reese1245d ago

My great uncle was a farrier who worked until he was 78. His hands were completely wrecked, swollen knuckles and no feeling in three fingers. He said it was from decades of working cold metal because he couldn't feel the subtle heat changes anymore. Speed isn't the only cost. That old way broke bodies in a way we can avoid now. The right tool lets you do the craft for a lifetime, not just until you're used up.

harper6935d ago

But that damage was his choice, not the craft's fault. Plenty of old timers used common sense and knew when to stop or change their grip. We risk losing the real skill if we always swap hands for machines just to save our own comfort.