This image is one showing the magic of a traditional charcoal fire, used to heat steel in the professional set-up at Red Anvil Forge, where Red Anvil School of Blacksmithing is hosted.  

Richard Bent FWCB is an award winning Master Blacksmith who is your Tutor at Red Anvil School of Blacksmithing.  

PROCESS

Charcoal fired forges and gas fired furnaces are used to heat the steel to yellow/orange colour.  

Once the metal has reached the required state of heat, it enables the Blacksmith to hammer the relatively soft metal into shape.  

The hot metal is hammered on an anvil, a heavy piece of equipment with various round and flat faces to help shape the metal.

Hand hammers of different weights and shapes, are used to great effect to turn the hot metal into a huge variety of items of metalwork.

It’s not all hand hammering though as students will find when they use our Power Hammer, which eases the continuous effort of hand hammering. 

THE OUTCOME

Some of the shaped pieces of metal may be representative of traditional ways of working - Historic Entrance Gates and Railings. 

Other shapes may be pure invention on the spur of the moment and a contemporary sculpture is the outcome.   Pure Art! 

Red Anvil School of Blacksmithing offers students opportunities to be creative are plentiful.

SEE SOME OF Richard’s Commissions by clicking HERE