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Hypercon
Cutting and Splitting
Determining the Direction of the Grain
Prior to any cut or split, the smith must first determine the direction of the grain of the iron. Like wood, iron and steel have a grain that consists of the direction of the fibers. The grain in a properly formed rod or bar generally runs along the length of the rod or bar. The grain direction for plate on the other hand must be independently determined. Sometimes this grain is visible to the naked eye, however in those cases when it is not, a simple method is take a small piece of the plate that will not be used and to heat the plate to a blue heat. After heating, the plate is struck lightly with the hammer. Because the plate was hammered near cold, the silica fibers will distort and the direction of the grain should then become apparent to the naked eye.
Cutting
There are two basic cuts used in blacksmithing. The first is a cutoff where the end cut is a "clean" cut, e.g. the remaining end is square with the piece. The second is a directional cut where the remaining end is angular in relation to the piece.
A clean cut is accomplished with a cutoff hardy and the cut is usually made perpendicular to the grain. A cutoff hardy is shaped so that one side is flat up to the blade surface while the other side is angled. The metal is heated to near welding temperature and then placed over the cutoff hardy. The smith then hammers the outside of the piece to be cut off until the hardy cuts through as shown below. The remaining piece will be squarely cut.
A directional cut is accomplished using a cutting hardy. This hardy has equally sloping sides up to the point as shown below. The direction of the slope determines the angle at which the cut is made. A directional cut is helpful when preparing an end to be lap welded.
Splitting
To maintain the strength of the metal and to prevent distortion, metal is traditionally split along the grain. There are two types of splits that can be made - open and enclosed. An open or true split divides a piece of metal from an open end such as when making a fork. A closed split occurs in the body of a piece such as when a slit is needed in an otherwise solid piece.
Making an Open Split
There are a variety of ways of making an open split. The end may be placed on a hardy in line with the direction of the split sought and then hammered through. This method may be fine for thin pieces or where precision is not mandatory, On larger pieces, the split can be started by laying the hot end on the edge of the hardy and making a short cut. The piece is then re-heated and placed in the vise and a thin cutting chisel slowly tapped along the line of the cut. Most smiths make their own cutting chisels for this purpose. At the proper temperature, this method yields a precision cut of 1 inch length in a 1/2" square rod in a single heat. Care must be taken not to heavily pack the iron ahead of the chisel blade. To avoid this, keep the chisel cool during the splitting process. Many smiths keep a small water bucket next to the vise to cool their chisels and other tools while working.
Making a Closed Split
To make a closed split, the smith either drills or punches a hole at either end of where the split is to terminate in the piece. The diameter of the hole should be slightly larger than the width of the cut or slit desired. After the holes are made, the smith heats the piece to near welding temperature and then uses either the hardy or a chisel to cut the desired opening between the holes.