Bloom Iron being made and sold here in Virginia

[Dennis Glazener]

I was doing some research on early iron furnaces circa 1780's and happened to run across this website. It is owned by Lee Sauder of Lexington VA. He runs Germinal Ironworks and offers Bloom Iron for sale to artists and any others that might be interested in trying their hand at forging iron in its earliest form.

I called Lee to make sure he still offered his iron for sale on the open market. We had a good conversation regarding early iron making and he was ok with me putting his contact information on ALR. In fact he said he would monitor this post and if anyone had questions regarding bloom iron he would be glad to answer questions regarding the process. I thought some of you might be interested.

Here is a link to his website ordering page that shows photos of a bloom of iron : http://www.leesauder.com/maxpages/Prices_and_Ordering

Dennis

[smylee grouch]

Thanks for the research Dennis, this might be an interesting find.

[Curtis]

Thanks for sharing the info Dennis.  A great deal of info there and on the linked site Rockbridge Bloomery.   I haven't read all the info yet but have already learned bundle!  I will be interested to see how questions develop from those more knowledgeable than myself....

Curtis

[Rasch Chronicles]

It's a fascinating activity.

The kids and I tried our hand at it several years ago. I collected about 80lbs of bog iron, (Free iron precipitates out of water to make large nodules of iron oxide.) and we heated it and broke it up. We then made charcoal out of pine lumber scraps inside a retort made of a 35 gallon drum which was inside a 55 gallon drum. The foundry itself was concrete column sections which we coated inside and out with clay. We used a forge bellows to supply air, and pretty soon everyone was exhausted so we switched to a shop vac!

Long and short of it was that we ended up with about a 5 lb bloom that when smacked with a hammer, squirted out molten glasslike slag. It was awesome how we hopped around! Luckily no one lost any appendages. It was truly a lot of work and really great fun.

Unfortunately this was all in the days before I had a digital camera... The pictures of the superheated gases burning alone would have been great to show.

Best Regards,
Albert “Afghanus” Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
Custom Gunsmith Student, J Chan Interview

[A.Merrill]

    Thanks Dennis for the info.    AL

[LURCHWV@BJS]

Yes Dennis thank you,  since I saw a couple of old furnaces  it has been of interest to me.  Forging has become kind of a hobby.  This info could be useful.


Rich

[JCKelly]

Great to hear. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, like real wrought iron. Doesn't rust away very fast, certainly much better than mild steel.

The last iron puddled in the USA had been about 1961 in Pennsylvania. I believe that would have been the A.M.Byers Co. They published a little book Wrought Iron its manufacture, characteristics and applications. This book went through nine printings, last in 1952. I found my copy on abebooks.com

[Dennis Glazener]

Here is a link to photos/video's of a group of blacksmith/ironworkers at a Germinal Ironworks function.
http://picasaweb.google.com/WilliamRoySr/2010313ODBSAGerminalIronworks#
The last 4 are video's (91-95)

It is my understanding that most of the iron made in the south prior to the Rev War came from small bloom operations similar to this. Can you imagine the work necessary to produce enough iron for a complete rifle!
Dennis

[James Rogers]

Since this is on Virginia iron, I thought I would share this information I found some time ago from the Va. Gazette about an iron furnace very close to my home. This furnace was locted in what is now Appomattox Co.


As the success of the Buckingham Furnace, lately erected on Phelps' Creek near James River is of such consequence to this state, we have thought it necessary to inform the publik that the pig iron from the said furnace is not only fine for bars, but of an excellent quality for castings, which may be seen at the foundry below Westham. To prove it's good quality in bar iron, &c., we sent a ton of pig to Mr. hunter's forge, which has be wrought into bars, and yielded well. The bars have likewise been manufactured into gun barrels, horse shoes, axes, chains, nails, coarse and fine wire, as by certificate from Mr. John Stroud, manager of the said works, together with his letter, dated the second instant as follows,  "I congratulate you on the success of your Buckingham Furnace. With the utmost precision and nicety, the workmen made a fair trial of the iron, and found it's quality to exceed our most sanquine expectations; which, from the long course of uninterrupted friendship subsisting between us made me happy on the occasion. Mr. George Revely, your manager, has my opinion of the iron in writing, which I cautiously kept within the bonds of right, thought am fully convinced much more might be said in favor  thereof. But it will soon speak for itself, and I doubt not will be ranked among the very best of iron America has produced; and from it's fine grain and close contexture, is doubtless excellency well adopted for the purpose of steel for which we shall give it a trial ere long, and inform you how it turns out in that respect."
John Ballendine
John Revely
The furnace continues in blast, and, n application, SALT PANS, of all sizes, KETTLES, &c., &c. may be had.

Virginia Gazette , Dixon and Hunter, July 10, 1778, page 3, column 1



Here is a link to the CW website with the Gazette information pertaining to iron. Some very interesting information, much of which will surprise.
http://research.history.org/DigitalLibrary/VirginiaGazette/VGPPDetail.cfm?FileName=Iron.htm&First=Iron&Last=Iron%20works

[Acer Saccharum]

Near me, there is 'The Age of Iron' event at Hancock Shaker Village. It's a blacksmith rondy-vous at a historic Shaker community.

Last year, a guy there made blooms from Adirondack swamp ore, using clay, a vacuum cleaner motor, charcoal and ore. The year before, he took a pallets, cut them up small, burned them, nails and all in his on-the-spot furnace. The nails melted and collected in a bloom at the bottom of the furnace.

Needless to say, he's a total nut-job, like anybody playing around with fire and metal. Not like us saner folk who play with recreating an obsolete firearm of questionable purpose.

http://www.hancockshakervillage.org/

[Glenn]

Very interesting and useful information.  Thanks for sharing this.

[Dennis Glazener]

Since this is on Virginia iron, I thought I would share this information I found some time ago from the Va. Gazette about an iron furnace very close to my home. This furnace was locted in what is now Appomattox Co.

James,
Do you happen to know where the Buckingham furnace was located? Is it still there? There is/was a complete stone iron furnace at the base of Lake Sherando just across the Blue Ridge. I saw it years ago. As well as I remember it was pretty much still intact.
Dennis
 

[James Rogers]

Dennis, I dont know the exact location. I do live across the creek from an old copper/silver mine that was pre-rev. Still remnants of the furnace and other structures.