Chapter 6The Medieval Blacksmith and the Oliver1300 CE
Before the Industrial Revolution, most smaller cities and towns depended on local blacksmiths to make the iron tools and fasteners needed for daily life. Without a doubt, blacksmithing was hot, hard work. But the invention of the foot-operated hammer, or Oliver, made it possible for the smith to produce more items faster and with a bit less effort.
Constructing the Big Hammer of the Middle Ages
If you examine the nails that hold medieval European buildings together, you’ll find they are very different from the nails available at today’s hardware stores. Believe it or not, in many ...
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