A piece of advice from a retired smith saved my last commission

I was working on a set of fireplace tools for a client, and the scrolls on the poker just would not hold their shape after the final heat. I was about ready to scrap the whole thing. An old smith named Frank, who used to run a shop in Toledo, told me once, 'If your iron won't listen, let it sleep.' I thought it was just a saying. He meant to let it cool fully, then bring it back up to a low orange heat, not a full welding heat, and work it then. I tried it, letting the piece sit overnight. The next morning, I heated it slow and steady, and the metal moved like butter. It held the perfect curve. I guess the grain structure needed that reset. Has anyone else had a simple trick like that turn a frustrating piece around?

2 comments

2 Comments

nora53527d ago

My buddy in Vermont fixed a warped anvil with a wet towel trick.

troy_hill27d ago

Sounds like your buddy found the one thing in Vermont softer than the anvil. I've heard of that trick but always figured it was for minor issues, not a real warp. You'd need some serious heat to move that much metal back into shape. Maybe it was just a small dip on the face and the towel steamed it out. Still, I wouldn't trust it for real precision work afterwards.