Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
what would have been possible in the pre-industrial past. Modern mater-
ials used in tools even of traditional form often lead to modern work habits
that do not reflect period practice. If we are interested in how the old trades-
men worked, the experimentation must be done with period appropriate tools
of period appropriate materials. We may find it makes no difference and that
the old tool works just like the modern one; but that is knowledge, too.
Nothing I state should be construed to suggest that historical tools were infer-
ior. Yes, the materials were relatively unsophisticated, but the finest edge tools in
the world, the exquisite Japanese temple carpenter chisels and plane blades, are
still made of the same basic materials: wrought iron bodies with forge welded
simple carbon steel edges. It is possible to abuse a tool and stress it beyond its
limits; any tool used unskilfully is vulnerable. Presumably, the time-served trades-
man of the past was sensitive to the limitations of his tools and adapted his work
practice to accommodate them. Bear in mind that the cost of hand tools, even
within the past century, was a much greater percentage of wages than today.
A careful tradesman husbands the tools that provide his living.
I have examined at some length two period brick axes from the collection
of Richard Filmer. I have even attempted my own reproduction using wrought
iron and a relatively simple, high carbon steel. Being in the employ of the
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for over 13 years, I focused on eighteenth
century work, primarily woodworking tools of English or Anglo-American
manufacture. I have made bench chisels, mortising chisels, plane blades, carv-
ing tools, carpenters' claw hammers, hatchets, felling axes, broad axes, draw
knives, center bits and probably a host of other stuff I no longer recall. All
were put to use, so I have had good opportunity to observe how they held up,
how they wore, how they endured use both skilful and otherwise. The degree
to which my speculations apply to prior centuries and the technology of mason
work is an open question. I suspect that the technology between 1500 and 1700
was little altered. I may be sticking my neck out, but I am pretty confident in
the broad accuracy of my observations.
There is much misinformation about the nature of ferrous metals in an his-
torical context. It would be good to sort some of this out at the beginning.
By the time period you are interested in, there were three iron-based, or
'ferrous' metals: (1) what was commonly called 'bar iron' or 'wrought iron';
(2) steel; and (3) cast iron. By way of definition, cast iron, is iron with between
2% and 6% carbon in it. The carbon makes the material brittle, easily cast but
unforgeable. It is of little interest to us.
Cast iron came into it's own with the development of artillery. It was the
availability of cast iron that enabled England to lead the way in the production
of cast iron canon for a century from the time of Henry VIII.
'Bar iron' or 'wrought iron' was of greatest importance. This was an
almost pure iron bar stock that had significant silica content. That silica was
