Detail
Bending using holes:
The holes are useful for supporting a bar while making a bend in round, square or rectangular bar.
A block securly attached to the bed or tailgate of a truck can be very useful in making field bends such as for adjusting a railing to fit.
A block resting on the ground can also be threaded onto a long bar and the leverage of the bar and the block together can be applied for the same purpose.
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Figure 13
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Dishing over Holes:
Dishing can be performed over the holes in the block. The large holes that are almost useless for other purposes should have large smooth edge radii for dishing.
Modern smiths often make tools for doing this from sections of pipe welding them to a flange or a flange and shank to fit a hardy hole.
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Figure 14
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Dishing over Special Depressions:
One of the earliest uses of blocks was dishing of ladles and spoons. Larger depressions are useful for armours to make a helm. Most raising is started with a dishing operation but not too much as this thins the metal. Artist blacksmiths use these depressions for everything from the curvature of leaves to bodies of animals.
Large radii on the edges of the depression reduce maring or cutting of the work.
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Figure 16
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Support for rounds and squares on edge:
When starting a chisel cut on the corner of a bar a swage block is very handy. The same applies for incising, stamping or splitting rounds that tend to roll away otherwise.
Hex grooves will also support rounds quite well for this purpose and tend to lock them in place if a proper fit.
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Figure 7
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