how did they.... | "Traditional" Blacksmithing | Forum

They had a very special tool available that is very rare today.

The tool is called patience. Files can be used to make very accurate shapes if you practice and take your time.
As well I am sure that there were taps and dies sold by those that specialized in making taps and dies just like today, even though there were no standards. There was probably trading done as well, such as you can make a tap from my small die if I can make a tap off your large one.

I looked for some of that patience at the local hardware store. They had very small packages of it. Anyone know where I can get it in larger volumes?

Thought about ordering some online, but delivery takes so long, and I'd have to wait.

My understanding is there is a limited supply and no new "patience" is currently produced... So there are a bunch of old guys someplace in the world, probably Italy and Germany... That are hording the worlds supply, so very little is left for the rest of us. In its place a sutiable subsitiute is often offered called "knowledge", however the problem with knowledge is it only works with some people. Many even if they are offered knowledge seem to have no ability to use it.

Good point.... When its the way its done, its just what you have to do

I can't remember offhand where I read it, but apparently many blacksmiths did use tap-and-die sets, but they were all hand-made. This caused huge problems because you couldn't use the bolt from one blacksmith and the nut from another, you had to make darn sure you kept them separate.

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Keep your stick on the ice,

David Brandow

I, also, am interested in old tools, and have collected a few over the years.

I have a (I think) tap and die tool that I picked up.... I don't remember where (or when). This is old, but I'm not sure how old, or how the small (more perfectly threaded) bolt (and its receiver) that tightens the larger die fits into the picture...

I just watched an episode of the Woodwright's Shop on Sunday and it reminded me of this thread. Peter Ross demos hinge making as well as threading and tapping. The adjustable tool swages the metal, rather than cutting, to create the threads. Here's a link:
http://www.pbs.org/woodwrights...../3013.html

One year I was heading home for xmas and my family wasn't getting along for some petty reasons. I decided I would make everyone a really nice wrought iron toilet plunger. I bought a bunch of hardware store plungers and had to tackle the problem of how to affix the rubber body to my 3/4" metal. The threads on the wood sticks were way to big for any dies I knew about so I just cut them in cold with a somewhat blunt chisel. I remember it being time consuming (there were like 10), but easy. The fact that the plunger head was rubber really helped because they conformed to my less than perfect threads, but man... they were on there good!