Hobbies And Interests
Forge
A large forge was part of any Nordic blacksmith shop. The forge determined what kinds of metal could be forged, the kinds of weaponry and tools that could be made and the quality of the items produced. Forges were large fireplaces that burned wood to extreme temperatures. The forges were designed to allow the heat temperatures to rapidly change, to shape the metal and create different textures and strengths of metal. Forges were kept hot with air blown on them from bellows.
Hammer
The hammer was an essential tool in a Nordic blacksmith shop. The hammers that the Nordic people used were no more than 4 or 5 inches across--smaller than the hammers used by later blacksmiths. Hammers were generally made of iron and attached to a wooden handle.
Anvil
The anvil was the block of metal in the blacksmith used to strike and shape the hot metal. The metal was laid on the anvil, and then struck with the hammer. Anvils used by Nordic people were smaller than future anvils, somewhere between 35 and 60 inches long. The anvils were also just a block of metal, rather than the evolved shape of future anvils.
Tongs
Tongs used by the Vikings were crude and rough. They were also generally made from iron and looked similar to very large pliers. Tongs were used to transport hot metal from one place to another, and were also sometimes used to hold the metal while it was worked on.
Files
Since the Nordic people did not have a shaping area on their anvils for making rounded shapes, much of the finer shaping was done with files. The files were very crude and were basically metal pieces with rough bumps carved or chiseled into the surface.
Slack Tub
The slack tub was a large wooden tub full of water or oil. This was used to rapidly cool metal to harden it, or make it more brittle. Most metal objects were made using several rapid transitions from the hot fire to the slack tub.
Other Tools
Some Vikings also had other tools in their blacksmith shops. Chisels were used to chip away at the metal to make it shaped, smooth and sharp. Shears were blunted scissors used to cut thin pieces of metal. Some Nordic blacksmiths also had a mold for making nails.