I Don't Know Why the Article Says "Hand Forged"

[Subdeacon Joe]

But it does.   A rather impressive chunk of metal. 

 

From a FB page 

 

"Titanic's anchors held the distinction of being the largest hand-forged anchor in the world at the time, and for a significant period thereafter.

Measuring an impressive 18 feet 6 inches in length, the anchor boasted a forged steel head spanning 10 feet 9 inches in width, with a staggering weight of 15 tons and 16 hundredweights.

Harland & Wolff placed the order for both the side and center anchors in late 1910 with Noah Hingley & Sons Ltd, a historic forging company located in Netherton, near Dudley, United Kingdom. However, not all components of the anchors were produced by Hingley’s.

The head of the anchor was cast by John Rogerson and Co. in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, as per Hingley's request, and crafted to the 1910 Hall’s Patent. Meanwhile, the steel drop-forged anchor shank was entrusted to the nearby West Midlands company, Walter Somers Ltd, based in Halesowen, just a short distance from Hingley's works.

Somers secured the job from Hingley's due to their advanced techniques in producing large-scale ingots and possessing more powerful steam-powered drop forge hammers compared to those available at Hingley's at the time.

Nonetheless, Noah Hingley & Sons Ltd proceeded to manufacture the anchor shackle and pin, anchor head locking pins and retaining blocks, anchor attachment links, anchor chains (for the side anchors), mooring swivel chains, and anchor chains deck stoppers for the Titanic.

The casting of the anchor head took place in a bed of fine grey casting sand, a process typical of the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras but conducted on a grander scale. Once cooled, the entire cast head was lifted from the mold and cleaned.

The ‘Black Country,’ renowned for its ironworking foundries and forges, earned its name from the smoke emitted by its numerous industrial facilities and the notable coal seam reaching the surface.

After rough assembly at the Hingley works, Titanic’s anchor parts underwent rigorous testing at the Lloyds Proving House, following standards set by Lloyds Register of Shipping.

Tests included the 'drop test,' where the assembled anchor was raised to a height of 12 to 15 feet and then dropped onto a solid concrete and steel-topped base to determine its drop load at sea.

The ‘hammer test’ involved elevating the anchor and striking its head and shank. A ringing sound indicated the absence of imperfections, while failure necessitated the shank's return to the drop forge shops.

Upon approval from the proving house, the anchor shank and head were stamped with proving house registration, date, superintendent's initials, weight, drop test results, and materials used.

#Titanic #RMSTitanic:

 

[Alpo]

Good point. Drop forged using steam hammers, and sandcast, does not sound like "hand forged" to me.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I looked up hand forged it said “beaten by hammers”. Did not say hand held hammers.  I don’t know if that even answers the question.

[Eyesa Horg]

I always took it to mean by "hand". Thanks

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

Quote

The ‘hammer test’ involved elevating the anchor and striking its head and shank. A ringing sound indicated the absence of imperfections, while failure necessitated the shank's return to the drop forge shops.

 

??

[John Kloehr]

Hand versus machine forging. Swinging the hammer yourself or controlling a power hammer.

 

Hand versus die forging. Shaping as one goes or stuffing it into a die (mold) forging it all at once.

 

The shank was probably machine forged and the chain links were probably die forged.

 

As noted in the article, the head was cast

 

It is not an anchor until assembled, so there are other problems with the sentence claiming "hand" forged. But there was certainly a lot of labor expended on them.

 

 

Edited March 13 by John Kloehr

[John Kloehr]

Found the source:

 

https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-the-hingley-anchors.html

 

The original author did write "hand." The author is a historian of all things Titanic, including the companies and the local area at the time. The link was a fun skim.

[Alpo]

1 hour ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

??

You didn't know about that?

 

You can take a solid piece of iron or steel and hit it with a hammer, and if it is solid and homogeneous, it will ring like a bell. But if there's a void in it - an air pocket - it just kind of goes WHAP!

 

One of the early methods of non-destructive testing.

 

I've read of colonial gunsmiths doing the hammer test on a barrel to make sure that their welds were good.

 

It's similar to bouncing a silver quarter on the countertop and listening to it ring. A clad quarter will not bring the same as a silver quarter. And a counterfeit coin will not ring like a silver coin or a gold coin.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

@Alpo

Yes...I know about that. 

I was referring to the definition of "hand forged" posted earlier as “beaten by hammers”