Materials
A modern blacksmith generally works with mild steel, which is almost the same as wrought iron. Using the techniques and the heat from the fire mild steel becomes malleable and the blacksmith becomes free to do what he likes.
Legs for a table. The material has been shaped and bent to look as though the metal has been held into shape by the balls and rivets.
I work with wrought iron and cast iron for restoration projects or if they are requested by the client for a design. Other materials can also be incorporated into a design to add colour, texture, contrast, reflect light/images or to help the function of the piece. Other materials include coloured and plain glass, wood, stone, mozaic tiling, copper, stainless steel and bronze.
Techniques
Blacksmiths, over the past 2000 years, have invented various techniques to work the material in different ways. The techniques are performed when the material is hot and malleable and include forging [spreading, drawing down and upsetting], splitting, punching, twisting, bending, dishing, fire welding, heat treating [normalising, annealing, hardening and tempering] and joining [rivets, collars and mortise and tenon joints]. All these techniques can be used individually or combined together to create a rich and infinite variety of functional and decorative items.
This bit of sheet metal has been fullered, dished and bent.
This bird has been made out of one piece of 60 x 10mm bar. It has been forged into shape, split, bent and chiseled to create the feathers.