Blacksmith by Indian roadside

In southern India, I became fascinated by this blacksmith at the side of the road. Day after day, hour after hour his disabled assistant pulled that string to work the bellows. They never minded me filming, though thought me a little odd I'm sure! They lived in a shack behind this workplace. The blacksmith welcomed goodies for his children, but refused all monies offered.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• India
• disabled
• blacksmith
• bellows
• disability
• road
• poverty

[MegaHigster]

Thank you so much for uploading this! I am a nerd for traditional blacksmithing and this is right up my alley. As far as people nit-picking his technique.. it looks to me like he know what he's doing.

[poppiesrule]

@Brasilikilt It's easy to take for granted just how much access to information and education those of us living in privileged nations actually have. It's also a common folly of older generations to proclaim years of experience as the only true measure of a craftsman's skill. Don't assume years of experience is all someone needs when you're living in a developed nation where information is all around you, This guy is on the side of a road with no books, no telephone and certainly no internet.

[poppiesrule]

@nakedanvil LOL, judging by his progress in the video? No. And I dont use induction heaters or steam hammers, either.

[nakedanvil]

Bet he gets more done in an hour than you could do in a day. Notice the relaxed manner, there's a guy who's been doing that a long time and knows just what he's doing.

[comicfan21]

@poppiesrule from the how thin it looks, he seems to just be straightening it cold

[warriorofsteel01]

WTF those guys are wearing white pants and there no soot on them how do they do that! I always end up filthy whenever I do my forging like i start out forging looking liek a white man and end looking like a black man.......

[northforge]

Keep in mind he might be working with a crappy steel/iron and he is simply work hardening the piece by working it colder than normal. (By western standards that is.)

[Brasilikilt]

This guy works as a blacksmith all day, every day and has done so for who knows how long......

Just because this guy operates a 3rd world roadside blacksmith shop, don't assume that he "has no idea"

It makes you sound like an ass, and is quite insulting

[poppiesrule]

he could get his work done so much faster if he just kept his pieces hotter. he has no idea.