Forging Nails

When I first learned blacksmithing, I took a class through the local Folk School.  I spent two hours with 3 other students and we each left with 3 nails and a hook.  It was worth the $150.  Not for the nails.  But for the empowerment of knowing that I can actually do this.

Historically, before there were machines that make nails out of wire, every nail that was used to put a house together had to be made by hand.  This is really something amazing to consider.  Blacksmiths with no other jobs to do would be banging out nails.  All day.

I once decided I wanted to see how many nails I could make in an hour.  31.  I can make 31 hand-forged nails in an hour.  Just under 2 minutes per nail.  That's actually pretty good.  Search YouTube for hand forged nail and see how many people there are who proudly show how they can bang one out in 3-4 minutes.  I was really moving fast, I figured.  There are rumors I've heard of smiths being able to make a nail a minute.  That seemed like the upper limit to me, though.  I know I was working fast and really in the zone when I did my 31 nails.

Then I found this video:

Just skip forward a bit if you don't want to watch the smith walk out to his shed and light the forge.  Now watch him make a nail.  One heat, no wasted motion, precise work, and he makes these things in under 30 seconds!  I think he really could be knocking out 100 or more in an hour, even taking into account the time he has to spend maintaining his fire and taking a stretch break now and then.  Economy of motion is something truly elegant.

This man sets a bar I might never even approach, let alone beat.