The hood _B_ projects over the fire sufficiently to catch the smoke and convey it to the opening of the down-draft pipe _E_. When necessary the hood can be raised out of the way with the lever _F_, which is constructed with cogs and provided with a locking pin to keep the hood in position.
=2. Fire Tools.=—The necessary tools required for maintaining the fire and keeping it in good working condition are shown in Fig. 4. _A_ is the poker with which the coke can be broken loose from the sides. _B_ is the rake with which the coke can be moved over the fire on top of the metal to prevent the air from retarding the heating. The shovel _C_ is used for adding fresh coal, which should always be placed around the fire and not on top. In this way unnecessary smoke will be prevented, and the coal will slowly form into coke. The dipper _D_ is used for cooling parts of the work that cannot be cooled in the water box. The sprinkler _E_ is used for applying water to the coal, or around the fire to prevent its spreading.
_A_, poker; _B_, rake; _C_, shovel; _D_, dipper; _E_, sprinkler.]
=3. Fuels.=—The fuels used for blacksmithing are coal, coke, and charcoal. Most commonly a bituminous coal of superior quality is used. It should be free from sulphur and phosphorus, because the metals will absorb a certain amount of these impurities if they are in the fuel. The best grade of bituminous coal has a very glossy appearance when broken.
Coke is used mostly in furnaces or when heavy pieces of metal are to be heated. It is a solid fuel made by subjecting bituminous coal to heat in an oven until the gases are all driven out.
Charcoal is the best fuel, because it is almost free from impurities. The most satisfactory charcoal for forging purposes is made from maple or other hard woods. It is a very desirable fuel for heating carbon steel, because it has a tendency to impart carbon instead of withdrawing it as the other fuels do to a small extent. It is the most expensive fuel, and on that account, and because the heating progresses much more slowly, it is not used so generally as it should be for heating carbon steel.
=4. The Anvil.=—The anvil (Fig. 5) is indispensable to the smith, for upon it the various shapes and forms of metal can be forged or bent by the skilled workman. Except for a few that have been designed for special purposes, it has a peculiar shape which has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. That the ancient smiths should have designed one to meet all requirements is interesting to note, especially as most other tools have undergone extensive improvements.