Help on african blacksmiths

[Edster]

Flavio,

Interesting inquiry, although I have only found small fragments myself. Others will not doubt have a wider experience. Hope you can flush out some good info since the technical processes employed greatly influence the product.

As I recall Sir Stanley Baker writing of his travels in Sudan circa. late 1850s mentions local smithing in the borderlands between Sudan and Abassina (sic) in a section on the Hamram Elephant Hunters He also mentions an Italian blacksmith who worked in the area at that time. I wondered how he may have gotten there although Italian colonialism was active in the area for decades. I recall a photograph in a later work, perhaps in "Sudan Notes and Records", that showed a native smelter in the same area.

I would think that their technique and process would be similar to that I report in my Kassala sword paper. Some photos there as well. Three man crew: Goat skin bellows operator to keep the temp up, master smith taps blade where he wants it hit and a hitter giving the spot a good whack. Process repeats continuously and rapidly until correct balde shape is achieved. Great interpersonal coordination between these two. All this takes place with all three sitting before a small circular anvil and the heating coal fire. Must be cultural but in my experience African and Iranian craftsmen usually sit and European smiths stand.

Take care,
Ed