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Tiebacks > Historic Examples > Overview
The tiebacks shown here are a good representation of early hand forged hardware. Each pattern is based on one or more documented historic examples and each is hand made in our forge shop. The early smiths were pursuing their livelihood. The faster they could produce a given piece, the more competitive their product in the marketplace. A well designed piece flows naturally from the hammered bar, the metal moves easily to form in the hands of a skilled smith. Credit must be given to the early craftsmen who developed these lovely functional forms literally by the sweat of their brows. Sizes are approximate; each is hand made, each is different. Click image for more information
Many of our historic tieback patterns are “forged from the bar”. While somehow romantic, blacksmith tongs are in fact a pain in the neck. Your arm arches from the constant squeezing, the tongs get heavy fast, the work piece is tough to get a hold of and is always slipping or flat-out getting away from the tongs as you hammer – which can be dangerous when a yellow-hot piece heads your way. So, whenever possible we hammer a piece on the end of a bar long enough to heat and still hold in your hand. Once the form has evolved, the work piece is cut from the bar. Additional heats require tongs, but the bulk of the hammering is done while the piece is still on the bar. That’s how the old boys did it and still the best way to accurately reproduce their efforts. |
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