Whether a farmer can afford a forge and anvil will depend upon
the distance to a blacksmith shop, the amount of machinery repair
work he needs to do or have done, and his ability as a mechanic.
Although not every farmer can profitably own blacksmithing
equipment, many farmers can. If a farmer cannot, he should
remember that a great deal of repair work can be done with cold
metal, if he has a few simple tools like a vise, a hack saw,
files, cold chisels, and drills.
Although blacksmithing under many conditions should occupy a
minor place in a farm shop course, no such course can be
considered complete without at least some instruction in this
work. Blacksmithing is generally more difficult than woodwork.
Almost any high school boy with average mechanical ability,
however, can soon learn to do simple blacksmithing and feel well
repaid for his efforts, if he will set himself diligently to the
task. In all mechanical work, much more rapid and satisfactory
progress can be made if the student will carefully study the
theory and principles along with his practice. This is
particularly true of blacksmithing.
