Lime on a gouge

Once the metal has been forged, it is grounded and then filed down by hand to finish it. The lime is made of steel.

Finally the workpiece is transported to theslack tub, which rapidly cools the workpiece in a large body of water.This will help to solidify the piece because metal will contract. The final shape being obtained, the piece will be subjected to heat treatments to control the quality of metal, hardening or softening accordingly .

Sounds: Two types of limes are successively used on metal

A blacksmith, Felix Dawlat has come to this job trough agriculture and the need to use appropriate tools which often have to be created by the farmer himself. He trained at the Farrier school of Anderlecht (Brussels) and as an Apprentice at a private blacksmith. Today, he is working in a collective workshop in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek which he shares with other artisans (two luthiers, two ceramists, a bookbinder,…). Felix sometimes creates some of their tools for them.

Sound recordist : Gaëlle Courtois / La Fonderie, Brussels