Making a hook is often one of the first projects a new blacksmith tackles. It is one of the simplest projects you can do. A bend and a flat section with a hole or two in it. In all the years I've been forging, it is this very simplicity that has always troubled me. The hook, with so few design elements, forces you to have a perfect execution of hammer control, design and functionality. It is easy to make a hook, but one of the most difficult projects to do beautifully.
In this video I use the 50# Little Giant hammer to rough forge a hook from 1/2" solid steel. The metal is heated to about 2200 degrees, then stretched. This video only shows the forging part of the process, the finishing part is way too boring to video, but compromises a major part of the process.
In this video I use the 50# Little Giant hammer to rough forge a hook from 1/2" solid steel. The metal is heated to about 2200 degrees, then stretched. This video only shows the forging part of the process, the finishing part is way too boring to video, but compromises a major part of the process.