Ironwork

Metallic structural elements

Production Of A Traditional Wrought-Iron Object

TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION

We have chosen the kerkeli (door ring) to illustrate the making of a wrought-iron object from start to finish, as it is a fixture that can be used on both old and modern buildings.

First, the smith plans the whole composition, taking into account the use of the kerkeli (handle or both handle and knocker), the size of the door, its purpose (main entrance or other door) etc.

The various parts of the kerkeli – the rosette, ring and shank – are made separately and then mounted together.

The Rosette Or Roundel

1. The circular shape is traced with a pair of compasses on a metal sheet whose thickness is in proportion to its size (usually 1 mm). At the same time are traced all the axes on which the smith will base his pattern. This process is called the koubarisma of the rosette.

2. This is followed by the psalidisma (cutting out with scissors) of the circle, to remove the rosette from the metal sheet.

3. The circumference of the circle is immediately filed carefully, following the predetermined design, into the shape of a daisy.

4. The shapes required by the pattern are cut out of the surface of the rosette, using a tool called a zoubas. This is a kind of punch made by the smith himself, of the size and shape necessary for each pattern. The edge of the punch is sharp and, by the application of pressure, a corresponding shape is removed from the metal sheet.

In order to facilitate this process without damaging the sharp tool, a metal plate (mould) of the corresponding shape is placed under the part of the rosette to be removed. The most common zoubadakia (small punches) found in smiths’ workshops are in the shape of a circle, a keyhole, a “fingernail” etc.

The rosette design is often completed by small stipples produced by lightly hammering a pointed tool called a ponda onto the surface of the metal.

5. Once the rosette design is complete, the smith strikes it with a ballosfyro (round-headed hammer) on the anvil in order to make it slightly convex. The rosette is now finished.

The Ring

1. The appropriate length is cut from a metal bar, square in section.

2. The bar is wrapped around a special metal tool called a rodella to gain the required circular shape.

3. To join the circle, the ends of the bar are heated red-hot and beaten carefully so as not to deform the cross-section. This process is called matissi (“splicing”).

4. The smith then works the surface of the ring with a chisel, incising linear designs. These are completed with stippling by a pointed tool called a ponda. The ring is now finished.

The Shank

1. First, the appropriate metal bar, square in section, is selected for the shank. It is cut to the right length by being struck sharply with the chisel, having been placed in the special notch in the anvil so as not to damage the chisel.

2. The bar is then heated red hot and the ends hammered into points so they can be nailed into the wood. The bar is heated only at the exact point to be worked each time.

3. In order to shape the loop, the middle of the bar is heated and hammered flat. The smith then works the flat part, incising linear designs with the chisel and hammering stipples with the ponda.

4. Once this is done, the flat section of the bar is twisted into a loop, bringing the two ends parallel and touching each other. Now the shank is ready to fix the ring to the door.

Once all the components of the kerkeli are put together, it is finished by being “painted”, i.e. heated and sprinkled with olive oil. This will protect it from rust. Now the kerkeli is ready to be mounted on the door.