Mechanics Tools
Primary 6 · Science and Elementary Technology
Mechanics Tools
Lesson 3 of 5
13 min
Let's begin
Long before there were shops selling tools, where did Rwanda's hoes and machetes come from? They came from the blacksmith, the umucuzi.
Even today, in many markets you can find a blacksmith who makes new hoes from scrap metal and repairs and sharpens old ones. A blacksmith is a tool-maker and a tool-mender, so the blacksmith's workshop is a good place to see tool care in action.
A blacksmith heats iron or steel in a fire until it becomes soft enough to shape, then shapes it by hammering. The workshop is called a smithy, and the fire itself is called a forge. The colour of the hot metal tells the smith how hot it is: as iron heats up it glows first red, then orange, then yellow.
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Forge | The fire, usually of charcoal, where metal is heated until it glows. |
| Bellows | Pumps air into the fire. Air contains oxygen, and more oxygen makes the fire burn hotter. |
| Anvil | A heavy iron block. Red-hot metal is laid on it to be hammered, bent and shaped. |
| Hammer | Beats the hot metal into shape on the anvil. |
| Tongs | Long-handled grips for holding red-hot metal, so the smith's hands stay far from the heat. |
| Clamp or vice | Holds cooled metal still while it is cut or filed. |
| File | Smooths the metal and sharpens the edge of a hoe, knife or machete. |
| Water trough | Cools the hot metal quickly. This is called quenching, and it makes steel harder. |
Follow the iron from the fire to the field:
Sparks, flying scale and red-hot metal make the forge dangerous. A careful smith wears a leather apron, gloves, goggles and closed shoes. He treats every piece of metal as hot, because iron can still burn you after it stops glowing. He keeps water or sand nearby in case of fire. Children should watch from a safe distance.
Tip
Follow the iron: the FORGE heats it, the BELLOWS make the fire hotter, the TONGS hold it, the ANVIL and HAMMER shape it, WATER cools it, and the FILE sharpens it.
Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.
Why does the helper pump the bellows harder when the smith wants a hotter fire?
Answer: The bellows push in more air, and the oxygen in the air makes the charcoal burn hotter.
Which tool keeps the smith's hands away from red-hot metal?
Answer: The tongs.
A hoe has become blunt. Which blacksmith tool sharpens its edge?
Answer: A file.
Name two pieces of protective clothing a blacksmith should wear.
Answer: Any two of: a leather apron, gloves, goggles, closed shoes.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Match each blacksmith tool to what it does.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
