Question about the forge setup at the historical village in Williamsburg

I visited the blacksmith shop at Colonial Williamsburg last month, and I have to disagree with the common praise for their 'authentic' coal forge. The firepot was only about 10 inches across, which seems way too small for any serious production work, even for the period. It felt more like a demonstration piece than a functional shop. Has anyone else worked with a firepot that size and found it practical?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_ben2d ago

Hold up, that size is totally legit for a village smithy. They weren't running a factory. A small, hot fire is way more efficient for most day-to-day repair jobs and making nails or hooks. You can work a surprising amount of iron in a 10-inch pot if you know how to manage your fire.

thomas.river2d ago

I saw a working smithy in Williamsburg using a firepot twice that size. You can't properly heat a plowshare or wagon tire in something so small.

ruby_bell472d ago

My grandpa ran a blacksmith shop in Boone with a firepot just like that. He fixed plows and wagon wheels all day long in it. You just have to know how to stack the coal right to get a good heat.