The Village Blacksmith, the Anvil, the Hammer (& Me)

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH,

THE ANVIL, THE HAMMER

(& ME)

Back in the day in the 1950's in Goa - the nostalgic days of my childhood - passing through my village during the day, either on foot or bicycle, in the distance I would hear the distinct sound of a blacksmith beating on a piece of red hot iron with a hammer - the rhythmic staccato beat of the hammer on the anvil. The even and constant rhythm grew louder as I passed by the house of our village iron smith, hammering out the shapes of common household tools, in a hut attached to his house.. This type of forging was interesting to watch - from the first rough-outs to the finished work - the intended tool being given a shape with the hammer and the anvil. The best part was the blower which the hardy smith would kindly sometimes let me turn. It seemed to be the simplest type of forging, but I often wondered whether the blacksmith ever got tired, constantly striking a piece of hot metal to attain the final desired shape to his liking - until finally he would be satisfied with the result, and call a spade a spade! Here are some of my line-art drawings of the tools that I remember - the tools of the trade.

The Goan 'Picaas' (Pick-axe)

The Goan 'Picaas' (Pick-axe)
Line Drawing by Tony Fernandes

A mid-sized implement for a lot of jobs.

Forged by professional local master craftsmen and iron-smiths of yesteryear, the pick-axe is a handy tool used in many village households, and also in the construction and agricultural sector in Goa. Mainly used in stone quarries for cutting out and shaping the initial rough form of commonly used laterite stones. for building houses, schools, churches, temples, bridges, river-side embankments, forts, government and commercial buildings, compound walls, and especially for wedged shapes and circular segments used for arches and round wells by professional masons.

The shape of this tool is generally T-shaped. Its head is typically metal, attached perpendicularly to a longer handle, traditionally made of wood. It has a pointed end on one side of its head and a broad flat blade opposite. A gradual curve characteristically spans the length of the head which gives it the advantage and leverage both for breaking and prying from both ends. The axe is used for hoeing, skimming, and chopping through roots.It is also used in mining and digging in hard rocky terrain and other tough earth surfaces

TOOLS & IMPLEMENTS, Goa, India.

CLEAVER - (Konkani: Koito) 2

Dot & Cross-hatch - Line Artwork by Tony Fernandes

TOOLS & IMPLEMENTS, Goa, India

CLEAVER - Konkani : 'Koito'

TOOLS & IMPLEMENTS - Goa, India

TOOLS & IMPLEMENTS, Goa, India.

The Scythe (Konkani: Kathi) of the Toddy-tapper,

(Konkani: Render)

TOOLS and IMPLEMENTS - Goa, India

TOOLS and IMPLEMENTS - Goa, India

The Hoe - (Khorem)

Line Artwork by Tony Fernandes

TOOLS & IMPLEMENTS - Goa, India

The Goan 'Picaas' (Pick-axe)
Line Drawing by Tony Fernandes

A mid-sized implement for a lot of jobs.

Forged by professional local master craftsmen and iron-smiths of yesteryear, the pick-axe is a handy tool used in many village households, and also in the construction and agricultural sector in Goa. Mainly used in stone quarries for cutting out and shaping the initial rough form of commonly used laterite stones. for building houses, schools, churches, temples, bridges, river-side embankments, forts, government and commercial buildings, compound walls, and especially for wedged shapes and circular segments used for arches and round wells by professional masons.

The shape of this tool is generally T-shaped. Its head is typically metal, attached perpendicularly to a longer handle, traditionally made of wood. It has a pointed end on one side of its head and a broad flat blade opposite. A gradual curve characteristically spans the length of the head which gives it the advantage and leverage both for breaking and prying from both ends. The axe is used for hoeing, skimming, and chopping through roots.It is also used in mining and digging in hard rocky terrain and other tough earth surfaces.

TOOL & IMPLEMENTS, Goa, India

SICKLE (Konkani: Koiti)

Goa - Tools & Implements