FORGING TECHNOLOGY

SAFETY
There are risks with any hobby, sport or work environment; forgework or blacksmithing is no
exception. If you don’t work safely you can be exposed to the risk of serious and life-
threatening injury.
In forgework or blacksmithing one is exposed to:
1. Fire in a forge that could reach 1,510 degrees Celsius.
2. Metal that could reach 1,370 degrees Celsius.
Unsafe practices will expose you to the risk of burns from metal, flames, sparks and spatter,
as well as exposure to fumes and gases. You may need to chip or grind metal, which can
produce sparks, flying metal, sharp edges and metal shards.
It is quite possible that you will experience minor burns and cuts and even a few blisters in
forge work or blacksmithing. All of these risks can be greatly reduced or eliminated by
following proper safety procedures. There should be no reason why you can’t work safely,
free from the dangers associated with the forgework or blacksmith trade. To stay safe, it is
critical that you learn about and practice all safety procedures.
You are responsible for your own safety as well as the safety of those around you, so it is
critical that you follow the instructions provided to you. If you follow the safety procedures
outlined, you will avoid injuries.
Safety tips
Be Alert:
 Work only when you are well rested;
 Do not work with tools, equipment or chemicals if you have been drinking alcohol or
using drugs;
 Focus on the job at hand;
 Inspect each tool before you begin;
 Be aware of the movement of others;
 Know where the fire extinguisher and First Aid Kit are located;
 Never smoke or allow anyone else to smoke near your work area.
Stay Hydrated
During forging processes, the blacksmith is exposed to high temperatures which causes loss
of body water or dehydration through sweating, therefore he/she should:
• Keep a water bottle handy to avoid dehydration
o Dehydration occurs when the amount of water leaving the body is greater than
the amount being taken in;
o If you are working beside a fire in an enclosed area, during the summer, it
will get hot!
o Up to 78% of the body's weight is water.
Organize Your Work Area:
 Have a place for your tools;
 Return everything to its proper place;
 Remove any hazards from your work area
o Anything flammable, volatile or explosive
 Store gas cylinders in a separate, protected area;
 Clean your work area and pick up anything on the floor;
 Design your work area to be safe and efficient;
 Ensure you set up your work area where there is good ventilation
o Work outdoors whenever possible;
o Keep a window open;
o Use a portable fan to keep the air moving.

Plan Ahead:
 Think through all of your steps before you begin;
 Have a plan for your finished work
o E.g. know where you will set hot metal to cool
 Never walk around with hot metal;
Safety Gear for the Blacksmith
Clothing:
 Select heat and fire-resistant clothing that will protect you from high temperatures,
sparks and flames
o Choose heavy clothing made of tightly woven natural fibres
o Leather, cotton or wool are good choices because natural fibres are flame
resistant - synthetic fabric such as nylon can melt to your skin
 Wear long sleeved, non-flammable jackets/shop coats/coveralls
 Wear long pants that cover the tops of your shoes or boots
o This prevents coals or hot metal from falling inside your shoes
 Wear long sleeved shirts and tuck your shirt into your pants
 Wear light weight, high top, leather, steel toed shoes or boots with rubber soles
o Avoid synthetic shoes because they can melt
 Wear a cap and make sure your hair is tied back; you can also wear a bandana
 Remove anything flammable from your clothing
o Check your pockets
o Remove things such as lighters and matches
o Check that your clothes are oil free
 Avoid wearing anything that could trap hot metal or sparks
o For example, avoid cuffs, open neck shirts and baggy pockets
 Wear old clothes in case your clothes are damaged
o However, don’t wear anything baggy or frayed
o Save money by shopping at second hand stores
 Remove rings or jewellery before you begin
Protecting others
When you are working near other people, let them know when you are about to start working.
Things to Consider:
 Sparks and molten metal can travel up to 10.7 metres
 Grinders and other tools will produce sparks
 Keep things off the floor, including cords, so others don’t trip
 Let people know when metal and tools are hot
 Never walk away leaving hot metal unattended
o Someone may not realize a piece of metal is hot and try to pick it up
 Clean up whenever you have finished working
The forge is the equipment use to provide heat for the metals to be hot forged. It can be
fuelled by gas or coal. Safety precautions should also be observed when using either gas or
coal.
Safe Use of a Gas or Propane Forge:
 Lift the side port (door) of the forge, using caution.
o Never slam it or let it swing freely.
 Never place anything in the forge other than mild steel or approved fire brick.
 Do not poke, chip or remove interior insulation.
 Use tongs to place metal in the side port of the forge.
 Balance your piece in the door ports to avoid damaging the interior insulation.
 Shut off the gas tank valve if you hear hissing.
Safe Use of a Coal Forge:
 Ensure you have good ventilation and draft.
o A chimney draft, also spelled draught, is created when the hot gasses released
from the fire move up the chimney (hot air rises) and as the hot air moves up
the chimney, it creates space for cooler air to be drawn into the fire.
Avoiding fumes
Precautions:
 Don’t breathe the fumes
o Keep your face out of the “blacksmith zone”
o Wear a respirator if necessary
o Work in a well-ventilated area
 Remove any chemicals from your work area
 Remove any dirt, coatings, paints or oils from the metal
 Know the metal you are heating; some produce poisonous fumes.
 Avoid heating any metal that has a shiny finish e.g. chrome plating
 Never heat coated metals such as galvanized, lead, or cadmium plated steel
 If you must work alone, let someone know you are working
Burn summary chart
You will be working with a hot forge. You will also be working with metal that could reach
temperatures of between 1,000° and 1,260° Celsius. To put that into perspective, water boils
at about 100° Celsius.
Avoid Burns:
 Assume any tool or piece of metal is hot;
o Beginners are often burned by touching black hot metal.
 Metal conducts heat, so only pick up tools by the handles and assume the handles are
hot;
 Work safely around the forge;
 Wear protective clothing.
Degree Identification Healing Treatment
First Red and painful Healed in 3-6 Soak area in cool water, apply
degree days antibiotic ointment and cover with
gauze
Second Red or splotchy, Healed in 2 to 3 Soak in cool water,
degree painful, weeks see your doctor, apply an antibiotic
swollen with cream, leave blisters, cover with
blisters new dressing daily, check your
tetanus record, watch for
infection, protect it from sunlight
and do not scratch
Third White and charred, Long healing Seek Immediate Emergency
degree may process Medical Attention
not be painful
because of
nerve damage

 Never put anything oily on a burn, it will make it worse.

 Seek medical attention if you are in doubt.
BLACKSMITHY OR FORGEWORK
Blacksmithy or Forging is an oldest shaping process used for the producing small articles for
which accuracy in size is not so important. The parts are shaped by heating them in an open
fire or hearth by the blacksmith and shaping them through applying compressive forces using
hammer.
Thus, forging is defined as the plastic deformation of metals at elevated temperatures
into a predetermined size or shape using compressive forces exerted through some
means of hand hammers, small power hammers, die, press or upsetting machine OR
Forging is a manufacturing process involving the shaping in the thickness of a solid metal
billet using localized compressive forces at a temperature below fusion. It consists essentially
of changing or altering the shape and section of metal by hammering at a temperature of
about 980°C, at which the metal is entirely plastic and can be easily deformed or shaped
under pressure. The shop in which the various forging operations are carried out is known as
the smithy or smith’s shop.
Hand forging process is also known as black-smithy work which is commonly employed for
production of small articles using hammers on heated jobs. It is a manual controlled process
even though some machinery such as power hammers can also be sometimes used. Black-
smithy is, therefore, a process by which metal may be heated and shaped to its
requirements by the use of blacksmith tools either by hand or power hammer.
Forging by machine involves the use of forging dies and is generally employed for mass
production of accurate articles. In drop forging, closed impression dies are used and there is
drastic flow of metal in the dies due to repeated blow or impact which compels the plastic
metal to conform to the shape of the dies.
The blacksmith.
A blacksmith is a person who processes iron or steel by forging the metal; i.e., by using tools
to hammer, bend, cut, and otherwise shape it in its non-liquid form.
Blacksmiths make metal objects by hand. They do this by heating metal in a fire (forge) until
it is hot enough to bend and shape. When the metal is removed from the forge, it is hit with a
hammer until it takes on the shape the Blacksmith wants. The metal may need to be reheated
several times during this process.
Blacksmiths produce functional products such as pot racks and tools. They also produce
architectural pieces such as gates and railings. Today blacksmiths are creating artwork and
sculptures. Most modern-day Blacksmiths consider themselves to be artists rather than
toolmakers.
Applications of forging
Almost all metals and alloys can be forged. The low and medium carbon steels are readily hot
forged without difficulty, but the high-carbon and alloy steels are more difficult to forge and
require greater care. Forging is generally carried out on carbon alloy steels, wrought iron,
copper-base alloys, aluminium alloys, and magnesium alloys. Stainless steels, nickel-based
super alloys, and titanium are forged especially for aerospace uses.
FORGEABILITY
The ease with which forging is done is called forgeability. The forgeability of a material can
also be defined as the capacity of a material to undergo deformation under compression
without rupture. Forgeability increases with temperature up to a point at which a second
phase, e.g., from ferrite to austenite in steel, appears or if grain growth becomes excessive.

COMMON HAND FORGING TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

For carrying out forging operations manually, certain common hand forging tools are
employed. These are also called blacksmith’s tools, for a blacksmith is one who works on the
forging of metals in their hot state. The main hand forging tools are as follows.
Smith’s forge or hearth

 It has a robust cast iron or steel structure consisting of 4 leg supports, an iron bottom
known as hearth, a hood at the top and tuyere opening into the hearth either from the
rear or from the bottom.
 The hearth carries the coal and provided with fire bricks lining to withstand the
extensive heat produced due to the combustion of coal. In the absence of this lining
the heat produced, as started above, will directly affect the metal structure of the
hearth, so that the body, particularly the bottom and the surrounding walls, may even
melt.
 With the result, the entire structure will collapse and the hearth will no more be
useful.
 Air, under pressure is supplied by the blower, suitably placed somewhere near the
forge, through the tuyere opening in the hearth.
 This blower can either be hand operated or power driven. The latter is preferable, but
in the absence of availability of power supply choice of the former has no alternative.
 If hand blowers are to be used, they are usually mounted at the rear of the forge itself.
In case the power-driven units are to be employed the blower is suitably placed in one
corner of the shop and all the forges are connected with it by means of a well-laid
pipe running underground all around the hearths.
 At suitable points auxiliary pipes are used to connect the tuyere with the main pipe
line.
 A valve is incorporated in the auxiliary pipe, just before the place where it is
connected with the tuyere, to control the supply of air to the furnace.
 The chimney provided at the top enables as easy escape of smoke and gases produced
due to the burning of coal.
 A water tank is provided, in front of the forge, which carries water for the purpose of
quenching.
 These hearths can also be made to have masonry construction provided with all the
attachments like chimney, tuyere, blower, water tank, etc.

Tongs
The tongs are generally used for holding work while doing a forging operation. Tongs are
usually named after the inside shapes of the jaws. Some common tongs are shown below

a) Straight-lip fluted tongs are commonly used for holding square, circular and
hexagonal bar stock.
b) Rivet or ring tongs are widely used for holding bolts, rivets and other work of circular
section.
c) Flat tongs are used for mainly for holding work of rectangular section.
d) Gad tongs are used for holding general pick-up work, either straight or tapered.
e) Flat tongs are used for gripping thin section and small flat pieces.
f) Round hollow tongs, with curved surface inside, are used for holding round work.
g) Hollow tongs with square jaws are used to hold square or hexagonal work. Pick up
tongs have their jaws so shaped that even small sections can be easily picked up. They
are not used for holding the work.
Flatter
Flatter is shown below
It is commonly used in forging shop to give smoothness and accuracy to articles which have
already been shaped by fullers and swages.

Swage

Swage is used for forging work which has to be reduced or finished to round, square or
hexagonal form. It is made with half grooves of dimensions to suit the work being reduced. It
consists of two parts, the top part having a handle and the bottom part having a square shank
which fits in the hardie hole on the anvil face.
Fuller

Fuller is used in forging shop for necking down a forgeable job. It is made in top and bottom
tools as in the case of swages. Fuller is made in various shapes and sizes according to needs,
the size denoting the width of the fuller edge.
Punch

Punch is used in forging shop for making holes in metal part when it is at forging heat.
Rivet header
Rivet header is used in forging shop for producing rivets heads on parts.
Chisels

Chisels are used for cutting metals and for nicking prior to breaking. They may be hot or cold
depending on whether the metal to be cut is hot or cold. The main difference between the two
is in the edge. The edge of a cold chisel is hardened and tempered with an angle of about 60°,
whilst the edge of a hot chisel is 30° and the hardening is not necessary. The edge is made
slightly rounded for better cutting action.
Hand hammers
There are two major kinds of hammers are used in hand forging:
a. The hand hammer used by the smith himself and
b. The sledge hammer used by the striker.
Hand hammers may further be classified as (a) ball pein, (b) straight pein, (c) cross peen
hammer, (d) square faced.
Sledge hammers may further be classified as (e) cross pein hammer, (b) straight peen
hammer, and (c) double faced hammer.

Hammer heads are made of cast steel and, their ends are hardened and tempered. The striking
face is made slightly convex. The weight of a hand hammer varies from about 0.5 to 2 kg
whereas the weight of a sledge hammer varies from 4 to 10 kg.
Set hammer

It is used for finishing corners in shouldered work where the flatter would be inconvenient. It
is also used for drawing out the gorging job.
Anvil

 To carry out the forging operations successfully, a proper supporting device is needed
which should be capable of withstanding heavy blows rendered to the job.
 An anvil stands as the most appropriate choice for this purpose.
  Its body is generally made of cast steel, wrought iron or mild steel provided with a
hardened top, about 20 to 25 mm thick.
 This hardened plate is welded to the body on the top.
 The horn or beak is used in bending the metal or forming curved shapes. The flat step
provided, between the top and the horn, is used to support jobs during cutting and is
known as chipping block.
 The flat projecting piece at the back of the anvil is known as tail.
 It carries a square hole to accommodate the square shank of the bottom part of various
hand tools like swages, fuller. It is called a hardie hole.
 The circular hole provided near the hardie hole is known as pritchel hole.
 The commonly used size of an anvil weighs approximately 50-150 kg although it is
manufactured in various sizes.
 The top face of the anvil should stand at about 0.75 m from the floor.

Swage block

Swage block generally used in forging shop is shown in figure. It is mainly used for heading,
bending, squaring, sizing, and forming operations on forging jobs. It is 0.25 mt. or even more
wide. It may be used either flat or edgewise in its stand.
FORGING OPERATIONS
The following are the basic operations that may be performed by hand forging:
Drawing-down: Drawing is the process of stretching the stock while reducing its cross-
section locally. Forging the tapered end of a cold is an example of drawing operation.
Upsetting: It is a process of increasing the area of cross-section of a metal piece locally,
with a corresponding reduction in length. In this, only the portion to be upset is heated to
forging temperature and the work is then struck at the end with a hammer. Hammering is
done by the smith (student) himself, if the job is small, or by his helper, in case of big jobs,
when heavy blows are required with a sledge hammer.
A few examples of common part produced using the upset forging process are engine valves,
couplings, bolts, screws, and other fasteners. Upset forging can also be done in special high-
speed machines called crank presses, but upsetting can also be done in a vertical crank press
or a hydraulic press. The machines are usually set up to work in the horizontal plane, to
facilitate the quick exchange of workpieces from one station to the next. The initial
workpiece is usually wire or rod, but some machines can accept bars up to 25 cm (9.8 in) in
diameter and a capacity of over 1000 tons. The standard upsetting machine employs split dies
that contain multiple cavities. The dies open enough to allow the workpiece to move from
one cavity to the next; the dies then close and the heading tool, or ram, then moves
longitudinally against the bar, upsetting it into the cavity. If all of the cavities are utilized on
every cycle, then a finished part will be produced with every cycle, which makes this process
advantageous for mass production.

Fullering: Fullers are used for necking down a piece of work, the reduction often serving as
the starting point for drawing. Fullers are made of high carbon steel in two parts, called the
top and bottom fullers. The bottom tool fits in the hardie hole of the anvil. Fuller size denotes
the width of the fuller edge.
Flattering: Flatters are the tools that are made with a perfectly flat face of about 7.5 cm
square. These are used for finishing flat surfaces. A flatter of small size is known as set-
hammer and is used for finishing near corners and in confined spaces.
Swaging: Swages like fullers are also made of high carbon steel and are made in two parts
called the top and swages. These are used to reduce and finish to round, square or hexagonal
forms. For this, the swages are made with half grooves of dimensions to suit the work.
Bending: Bending of bars, flats, etc., is done to produce different types of bent shapes such
as angles, ovals, circles etc. Sharp bends as well as round bends may be made on the anvil, by
choosing the appropriate place on it for the purpose.
Twisting: It is also one form of bending. Sometimes, it is done to increase the rigidity of the
work piece. Small piece may be twisted by heating and clamping a pair of tongs on each end
of the section to be twisted and applying a turning moment. Larger pieces may be clamped in
a leg vice and twisted with a pair of tongs or a monkey wrench. However, for uniform twist,
it must be noted that the complete twisting operation must be performed in one heating.
Cutting (Hot and Cold Chisels): Chisels are used to cut metals, either in hot or cold state.
The cold chisel is similar to fitter’s chisel, except that it is longer and has a handle. A hot
chisel is used for cutting hot metal and its cutting edge is long and slender when compared to
cold chisel. These chisels are made of tool steel, hardened and tempered
Roll forging
Roll forging is a process where round or flat bar stock is reduced in thickness and increased
in length. Roll forging is performed using two cylindrical or semi-cylindrical rolls, each
containing one or more shaped grooves. A heated bar is inserted into the rolls and when it hits
a stop the rolls rotate and the bar is progressively shaped as it is rolled through the machine.
The piece is then transferred to the next set of grooves or turned around and reinserted into
the same grooves. This continues until the desired shape and size is achieved. The advantage
of this process is there is no flash and it imparts a favourable grain structure into the
workpiece.
Examples of products produced using this method include axles, tapered levers and leaf
springs.
Classification of Forging Operations
Based on Temperature of the work piece:
1. Hot Forging: (most widely used) Forging is carried out at a temperature above the
recrystallization temperature of the metal. most common, due to the significant
deformation and the need to reduce strength and increase ductility of work metal to
produce complex shapes.
Advantages:
a) High strain rates and hence easy flow of the metal
b) Recrystallization and recovery are possible
c) Forces required are less
Disadvantages of Hot Working:
a) Lubrication is difficult at high temperatures
b) Oxidation and scaling occur on the work
c) Poor surface finish
d) Dies must withstand high working temperature

2. Cold Forging: Forging is carried out at a temperature below the recrystallization

temperature of the metal.
Advantages:
a) Less friction between die surface and work piece
b) Lubrication is easy
c) No oxidation or scaling on the work
d) Good surface finish
e) Increased strength that results from strain hardening and minimal machining
Disadvantages of Cold Working:
a) Low strain rates, hence less reduction per pass.
b) Recrystallization and recovery do not occur.
c) Hence, annealing is required for further deformation in subsequent cycles.
d) Forces required are high.
Types of forging
Hand forging
Hand forging involves hammering the heated metal on an anvil - the movement of the
material and the finished form are determined by the smith as the material is moved under the
hammer. Each piece is slightly different.
PRESS FORGING:
Press forging works slowly by applying continuous pressure or force, which differs from the
near instantaneous impact of drop-hammer forging. The amount of time the dies are in
contact with the work piece is measured in seconds (as compared to the milliseconds of drop-
hammer forges). The press forging operation can be done either cold or hot.
The main advantage of press forging, as compared to drop hammer forging, is its ability to
deform the complete work piece. Drop-hammer forging usually only deforms the surfaces of
the work piece in contact with the hammer and anvil; the interior of the work piece will stay
relatively undeformed. Another advantage to the process includes the knowledge of the new
parts strain rate. We specifically know what kind of strain can be put on the part, because the
compression rate of the press forging operation is controlled.
Press forging can be used to perform all types of forging, including open-die and impression-
die forging. Impression-die press forging usually requires less draft than drop forging and has
better dimensional accuracy. Also, press forgings can often be done in one closing of the dies,
allowing for easy automation