Visited a small forge in rural Ohio and noticed they were still using a hand-crank blower from the 1800s

Saw this old setup at Miller's Forge near Chillicothe last weekend. Anybody else run into older tools that just work better than modern stuff, or was I just impressed by the nostalgia?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_charlie9d ago

Drove past that place a few years ago and almost stopped. Did you ask them why they still use it? Because I bet there's a reason beyond just keeping old traditions alive. Hand crank blowers give you a feel for the fire that electric ones just don't. You can hear the coal breathing and adjust your rhythm to match the metal. Most modern blowers are way too powerful for small jobs anyways. What kind of work did you see them doing with it?

barnes.shane9d agoTop Commenter

Bet they never have to worry about extension cords in the rain.