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How to Make Locks on a Blacksmith Forge

Blacksmiths were once the only place to go when you wanted something fabricated from metal. Most blacksmithing now is done in factories working to mass produce iron and steel items. Some blacksmiths still work independently selling wrought iron crafts and tools. Blacksmithing has also become a hobby for people who like working with their hands and setting up a small anvil and forge in the backyard. Iron locks are one item that can be made with a small forge.

Things You'll Need

Metal
Forge
Anvil
Hammer
Chisel
Tongs
Hacksaw
File
Water barrel
Drill
Bolts

Instructions

- 1
  Design the lock on paper before you work the metal. The lock can be simple or complex but needs to consist of the following parts: key, bolt, strike plate, spacers and wards. The key enters the front of the lock case through the keyhole. The key bit is cut to fit the shape of the wards inside the lock. A simple ward is just a thin sheet of metal that the key bit will hit when the key is turned, preventing keys not cut to allow the key to move past the ward from turning the lock. The key is turned, moving the bolt, which hits a notch in the strike plate and slides the plate out of the case locking the door. Turning the key the other direction slides the plate back in the case allowing the door to be opened.
- 2
  Heat the metal in the forge until it is hot enough to work with. Hold the metal in place with the tongs. The metal will be gripped by the tongs through the whole process; it is too hot to touch.
- 3
  Hammer the metal into the shape you need. Reheat the metal as needed and continue shaping it with the hammer and cutting it with the chisel until it is the correct shape for the lock. Some pieces such as plate wards will be cut from thin metal sheets using a saw.
- 4
  Hold the end of the tongs with the metal in the water barrel to cool it.
- 5
  File the finished pieces to the exact dimensions of your template. The dimensions will depend on where you are placing the lock, but a common dimension would be 4 inches across the inner workings of the lock, with the strike plate slightly longer and about an inch wide and 1/4 inch thick. Saw the key bit to match up with the wards.
- 6
  Assemble the lock. Layer the wards, spacers and bolt. The spacers are simple the thicker plates of metal that separate the wards. The spacers will have a hole in the center to allow the key to turn. On the key bit, the width of the bit between cuts for the wards would be the width of the spacers in the lock. Drill holes through the stack to bolt them together. Use small metal strips to make the guides for the strike plate and screw or solder them in place. Slide the strike plate into the guides. It should move freely, but not be too loose. Check that the key properly turns the bolt and moves the strike plate, and the lock is ready for use.

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