Drawing out, bending and shaping, twisting, upsetting

Drawing Out

Drawing out refers to the process of lengthening a metal piece by narrowing its cross-section.
This is achieved by applying strategic, repeated hammer strikes along the length of the heated iron or steel, forcing it to extend along the anvil’s face.
It’s essential to maintain even, controlled hammer strikes to ensure the piece’s thickness is uniformly reduced.
Understanding how heat management affects the workability of metal is crucial to successful drawing.
There are a variety of tapers - square, flat, round and octagonal - each with their unique applications and techniques.

Bending and Shaping

Bending and shaping transform a straight, drawn-out piece into various forms and structures fit for purpose.
Most bending is achieved over the edge of an anvil or around a bending fork.
It’s important to heat the metal uniformly and adequately before any bending process to prevent any possible cracking or weakening.
Regular reheating may be necessary to maintain malleability while working the metal.
Shaping often requires the use of several specific tools, including hammers of various sizes, tongs, anvil horns, and swage blocks.

Twisting

Twisting is a fundamental blacksmithing skill to add decorative detail to a piece.
It is typically done by heating a section of a bar evenly and using vises and twisting wrenches to twist the hot metal.
Uniform heat along the section to be twisted is vital as cooler parts of the metal will resist twisting, leading to uneven work.
Once twisting is finished, it’s usually best to immediately cool the piece to stop it from untwisting.

Upsetting

Upsetting is the process of shortening a piece of metal and increasing its cross-section.
Unlike drawing, where the metal is extended, upsetting compresses the metal.
The process can be slow and physically challenging as it involves pushing the metal back onto itself.
Remember always to heat the part of the piece you want to upset and keep the rest cold so that the fire doesn’t spread to other areas.
Upsetting is a great technique for adding extra weight to the end of a piece or for creating a decorative flare.