A Textbook of horseshoeing for horseshoers and veterinarians |A. Lungwitz

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... as desired by heating and slowly cooling. By heating to a high temperature in a forge wrought iron will become doughy, and may then be intimately united (welded) with another piece at the same temperature by pressure or hammering. This property is called weldability; it is of great importance in making horseshoes. The heating of iron until it reaches the welding stage is called getting a "heat." The act of welding wrought iron with steel is called " steeling." Regarding the tools, the following hints are sufficient: The anvil should have a level, smooth, flat steel face. Likewise, the round head and flat face of both turning-hammer and sledge should be smooth. On the fullering-hammer (Fig. 78) one side is flat, the other convex, and both sides have slightly rounded corners, which causes the edge to lose its corners. The hardy, fullering-hammer, and cold chisel should be flawless on the edge. The punch (Fig. 79), used to make the nail-holes in the shoe, has a dull point, which should correspond in size with the head of the horseshoe-nail and have slightly rounded corners. The pritchel (Fig. 80) should not taper to a point, but should end in a rectangular surface whose length is twice its width, in order to punch iron through the shoe under the blow of the hammer. The best method of making a shoe is that originated by Count Einsiedel. It may be followed with but slight alterations in making all ordinary shoes, whether heavy or light, and has this advantage, that it enables the one who practises it for a time to do rapid, neat, and elegant work. To make a flat shoe, take the length of the hoof from the point of the toe to the buttress and the greatest width of the hoof; these two measurements, when added together, give the...