Ateneo de Davao University E. Jacinto St.

, Davao City

HUM 1

Blacksmithing

BSA 2B/ TTh 1:00-2:30PM/ 09174853143/0946426057

Cabardo, Ronelyn P. Cutamora, Cristylou B.

Video Coverage/Video Editting/Dubbing Interview/Paperwork

Title: The Blacksmiths: A Procedural Analysis of Their Works Objectives: 1. To trace the history of blacksmithing in the Philippines 2. To determine the foreign influences to Philippine blacksmithing 3. To identify blacksmithing tools, raw materials and equipment and their uses especially in rural areas 4. To understand the basic techniques or procedures in blacksmithing The objectives will help the readers and users to understand what blacksmithing is and its significant contribution to the rich past and present eras of the Philippines. Moreover, this will probably lead to further enrichment of tool-making not only in Mindanao but also in the rest of the Philippines.

Definition of Blacksmithing Blacksmithing is an art of creating things out of metal or iron steel and comes up with products such as hoes, hinges, sickles, hammers, knives, axes, wood-craving tools, and the like. This is done through the process of forging which simply differs from the modernized variety of itself wherein metal is put into its molten state and then poured into a mold. In blacksmithing, forging involves heating the metal until it is partially melted and then by using blacksmithing techniques the metal is being formed to its desired shape. History of Philippine Blacksmithing Since the pre-colonial era in the Philippines, the country has been endowed with skillful blacksmiths or pandays. Among them was Panday Pira who lived between the years 1483 and 1576. This blacksmith had an exemplary skill in his field that the Spaniards commissioned him to open their first artillery foundry in the country. Panday Pira was credited for having invented several weapons such as the lantaka, a portable cannon that could be wheeled at any angle during battle. It is easy to hypothesize that it was because of Panday Pira that Pampanga has become the home of olden Filipino blacksmithing methods like pukpuk (heat and hammer method) and pituklip at subu (folding and forging of hard and soft steel).

Iron could already be produced in the Philippines during those prehistoric times but ores from foreign regions became more satisfying for Filipino metallurgists and this was made possible through trade. In fact, the Song merchants from China were the ones who brought Chinese cauldrons to the country. Aside from being skillful metallurgists, pre-colonial Filipino blacksmiths, specifically those who specialized in sword making practiced mysticism and spirituality. Using their knowledge of astrology, they observed certain positions of the planets before embarking in their sword making rituals. One of the weapons that won the attention of foreign colonizers was the kris. Victor Hurley in his book, Swish of the Kris, wrote, Instead of the rude obsidian knives of the Aztecs, the Spaniards at Lamitan found themselves opposed by a flashing kris which was the equal of their Toledo blade. Major O. J. Sweet, an officer of the United States Armys 22nd Infantry Division, in the course of the American colonization of the Philippines described Philippine kris as, may be of any length and two or three inches wide. All of the knives, no matter what shape, are encased in wooden scabbards, and have a keenness of edge equalling that of a Damascus blade." A more meticulous description was given by William Henry Scott regarding the blades made in the Visayas and Mindanao, in his book Barangay: Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture. According to him, there were two kinds of swords
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kris (Visayan kalis) and kampilan, both words of Malay origin. The kris was a long double-edged blade which can be either straight or wavy but characterized by an asymmetrical hornlike flare at the hilt end, called kalaw-kalaw after the kalaw hornbill. The wavy kris was called kiwo-kiwo, and so was an astute, devious man whose movement could not be predicted. Hilts were carved of any solid material hardwood, bone, antler, even shell and great datu warriors had them of solid gold or encrusted with precious stones. Blades were forged from layers of different grade of steel, which gave them a veined or mottled surface damascened or watered. Scott also expounds on the unique position of blacksmiths in pre-colonial Philippines. He pointed out that blacksmiths were pandays or, more accurately, panday sa puthaw (smiths of steel or workers in iron), to differentiate them from other craftsmen like goldsmiths, master carpenters, and boat builders, all of whom are so-called panday. Smithing was considered the noblest profession, probably because only the wealthiest datus had the means to import raw materials that could be used in metal crafts. The landasan (anvil), palo (sledgehammer), kipit (a pair of tongs) and an array of bolos for cutting the hot metal were the common tools used in blacksmithing during the those pre-colonial times. A blacksmith usually has in his employ an apprentice called masaop who operates the hasohas (furnace). Scott also wrote that it was the bolo which is the most important tool manufactured, repaired, or tempered by the blacksmith. Dohong or dayopak was

the conventional one; tuwad, a heavier one and used in woodcutting; bako or bantok, one with a bent blade appropriate for weeding or cultivating; and pisaw, which has a short blade and long handle to be pressed under the arm or against the ground with the foot to leave both hands free for stripping rattan. Considerably, traditional blacksmithing is still present in the Philippines nowadays. It is for the reason that there are still many who want to have their metal tools custom-made and/or reshaped or tempered by a smith. Also, Philippine metal crafts and blacksmithing skills has been renowned to the world because there are certain Hollywood films wherein Philippine swords were used. These are the swords used in The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, and Batman Begins supplied by the Philippines very own Hernando de Guzman. Truly, it is remarkable for the Philippines to be blessed with people skilled in blacksmithing and for having been recognized internationally because of its wide array of high-quality, creative, and distinct Philippine-made products. Foreign Influences to Philippine Blacksmithing As aforementioned, Philippine blacksmithing has long been present even before colonizers and foreign invaders came to the shores of the Philippines. Iron ore was already available in the country. However, through trade between the Philippines and its neighboring foreign regions, Philippine blacksmithing flourished even more. Chinese and Malay

merchants brought varied metal ores which can be used in making blades and weapons. Furthermore, during the Spanish colonization, the invaders commissioned Panday Pira of Pampanga to establish the countrys first artillery. Common Tools and Equipment Used in Blacksmithing There are several tools and equipment used in blacksmithing. Some are commonly used in urban blacksmithing while others are commonly used in rural blacksmithing. In this study, tools which are usually used in rural blacksmithing are being focused on. Below are a list of rural blacksmithing tools and equipment and the corresponding description of each of their use. 1. Bellows A bellows is used to drive air into the fire so that the fuel will burn at high temperatures necessary for forging steel. 2. Hearth A hearth is where the blacksmith creates fire. 3. Anvil An anvil is a block where the blacksmith hammers metal into shape. 4. Forge

It is the whole area where the blacksmith works. It can also be referred to just the bellows and the hearth. 5. Sledgehammer A sledgehammer is a heavy hammer used by the blacksmith or his assistant in forming metal to shape. It is usually held two-handed by the user. 6. Cross-peen hammer A cross-peen hammer is usually used by the blacksmith in most forging operations. It has one flat face and a peen. 7. Round Punch It is used to create holes in a metal instead of using drill. 8. Hot chisel It is normally used to cut metal. This should never be used to cut cold metal. 9. Cold chisel A cold chisel is used to cut cold metal. This tool is hardened and, in contrary to hot chisel, should never be used to cut hot metal. 10. Hot set A hot set is a type of hot chisel which usually has a long handle and struck by sledgehammer. This is used to cut hot metal.
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11. Cold set A cold set is a type of cold chisel which has a long handle for weighty cutting. It shall never be used in hot metal. A cold set is somewhat similar to a hot set however; a cold set is substantially thick and is ground to a different angle. 12. Tongs Tongs are tools with long handles that are used in holding hot metal while it is being worked upon. 13. Top fuller A top fuller is used to make furrows in hot metal. 14. Bottom Fuller It is used to form furrows on the underside of the metal. This is usually used with a top fuller. 15. File A file is used to clean up and sharpen the products of the blacksmith. 16. Water trough

A water trough is used to quench metal during the hardening and tempering process.

Raw Materials Used The main sources of raw materials in blacksmithing are scraps from vehicles or scraps from construction sites. For sources of mild steel, a car body panel, a truck chassis, or an oil drum can be used to make hoes and hinges, or from reinforcing rods from construction sites in order to make tongs, set handles, or sickles. For sources of medium-carbon steel, a vehicle half-shaft, a tractor plough disc, plough mould board in order to create hammers, hot chisels, hoes, and punches. For sources of high-carbon steel, a suspension coil spring, a torsion bar (used on the front suspension of some cars), a vehicle leaf spring, an anti-roll bar (a sprung bar running between two front suspension arms on some cars), a wood saw, and a large hacksaw blade may be used to make cold chisels, cold sets, knives, wood chisels, plane blades, axes, adzes, wood- and stone-carving tools, and tinsnips. For the fuel, it is more common to traditional blacksmithing to use charcoal.

Blacksmithing Techniques A part of this analysis is apportioned to basic blacksmithing techniques which would provide procedural illustration on how the whole forging system goes. According to Harries, et al. (1993) the basic techniques in blacksmithing are bending, drawing down, cutting, upsetting, punching and drifting, and firewelding. Bending. Minor bends can be made to cold steel. However, major bending can easily be made when the steel is hot and if it in its semi-melted state at its normal forging temperature. Mark the surface of the metal or the rounded area before bending. Slightly strike the metal continually in front of where you want the bend to be. Keep the metal from crushing between the hammer and the anvil for this will draw the metal down rather than bend it. The metal tends to bend where it is hottest, thus, it should be assured that the metal is heated in exactly the right place. Drawing down. It is the process wherein the thickness of the steel is reduced by means of forging. This process can be used to make a pointed tip on a piece of steel like that of the tang of an axe. It can also be used to thin out a central part of the bar. The angles between the hammer face, the metal and the anvil will decide the shape of the completed work.

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Cutting. Small section mild steel can be cut through either a cold chisel or a cold set. Meanwhile, large section mild steel and carbon steel are cut hot through the use of either a hot chisel or a hot set.

In cutting small section mild steel, the metal is primarily cut about a quarter of the way through from one side, then turned over to the other side. Then, it is broken off by means of bending back and forth over the edge of the anvil. In the process of cutting large section and carbon steel, the help of an assistant will make the whole thing easier to do. The metal is brought up to a red heat and marked using the chisel or a hot set which is required in order to make an accurate cut. Then, the metal is brought up to its normal working temperature and cut almost all the way through. Upsetting. It is a process wherein the thickness of the metal is increased by means of two (2) upsetting methods. In both cases, these should be done at near welding heat. The first method involves holding the metal vertically with the heated end resting on the anvil and striking the top of the metal as if trying to drive it into the anvil. The second method is fit for large pieces of metal. It involves holding the metal vertically with the heated head resting on the anvil and bouncing the metal and the weight of the bar will force the heated end to swell out in all directions.
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Punching. Punching is the process wherein the blacksmith is allowed to make holes of different sizes and shapes. To punch a hole, heat up a metal to the correct forging temperature. Drive the punch into the metal , working on the flat part of the anvil. In every few blows, cool the punch down to prevent it from overheating and losing shape. When the punch is almost done, turn the metal to its other side. It will then be observed that the punch will have left a mark on this side. Then, quickly move the workpiece so that the mark is over the whole in the anvil and drive the punch through. Fire-welding. In performing a weld, flatten a length of mild steel bar. Next, shape the tip into a one-sided point. Then, cut about halfway through the metal in the middle of the flattened part. Fold the metal in half along the cut line. Next is to put the metal in the fire with the folded area in the center of the fire, a little above the point where the air enters. Lastly, as soon as the welding heat is reached, lay the meatal across the anvil and weld the folded section together with quick firm blows. The same procedure is repeated until the two metals have been attached. Conclusion It is never easy to do what blacksmiths do unless you are skilled and experience enough to make blades and metal crafts. Blacksmithing involves inexhaustible strength and quick firm movements by the one who is doing it. It also involves process and methods wherein we can actually say that blacksmiths are truly artists in their field.

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Also, blacksmithing is a skill or a blessing for the Filipinos to be proud of. Our country has already known for its quality and creative swords and blades which are used in several Hollywood film as aforementioned.

References: Harries, D. & Heer, B. 1993. Basic Blacksmithing. London. International Technology Publications Ltd. Mallari, Perry Gil. 2009. FMA CORNER: The Panday of Pre-colonial Philippines. http://www.fmapulse.com/content/fma-corner-panday-precolonial-philippines http://www.ehow.com/about_4596277_what-is-blacksmithing.html http://www.asianjournal.com/dateline-philippines/across-the-islands/6507blacksmith-from-pangasinan-is-famed-hollywood-swordsmith.html

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