Now  I don’t claim to be a blacksmith, my primary skill is as a wheelwright, so I have a Blacksmith’s forge to support that, enabling me to make all manner of little parts and pieces. For example today I needed to make some handmade nails used to hold a steel tyre in place on a carriage wheel. Usually I can get away with modern ones but in this instance I needed to match some existing nails, so out came the forge. It took over an hour to make 8 nails so not something I could make a living at. but then there is a vital blacksmith tool I don’t have which would have cut the time substantially.

I recently visited a Christmas market and came across a stall selling coat hooks, in the form of , four coat hooks screwed to a piece of recycled wood, which rather caught my eye. As the forge was lit I thought I would have a go and make some.

The first one, on the left made from a piece of 16mm solid steel, it took over an hour of solid hammering, at the end of which I was left exhausted. For the one on the right I saw the error of my ways and went for 12mm solid steel, easier to hammer.

I know which one I prefer. Which do you prefer, the left or the right?

The real question you have to ask is why bother trying to make one when you can buy cheap ones for £3 ea and good ones for £10?  Do I really need to answer….

best wishes

Tom