Gary Darlow RSS/AFCL is seven times National Champion and winner of numerous county show competitions. Gary is based in Cheshire where he runs clinics from his forge - visit the Clinics & Tuition page of the Education and Training section for further details.
"Hunter hind shoe. 14’’ 7/8 x ½
Step one: toe bend.
Make sure the heat is slightly off centre towards the inside, this will help you to keep the outside slightly longer than the inside.
Step two: safe off toe.
Please note the hammer position to knock branches on to form toe (picture on the right).
NOTE: the outside is longer than the inside.
Step three: forging outside heel.
Step four: bending outside branch.
Note position of quarter on the anvil.
Image on the right, outside branch complete, without nail holes.
Step five: nail holes.
Four outside nail holes to take an E7. (Toe nail should line up with heel.)
Step six: inside heel. Narrow inside heel, 1½ hammers width from the end. Safe off inside heel. Close concave more on the end (than normal) to allow the inside heel to be rasped on.
Step seven: bending inside branch.
Note position of branch on anvil.
Step 8: inside nail holes.
Three nail holes on the inside.
Step 9: clips. Inside clip first. Bob punch down a third of the way into the concave.
I, myself, start the clip using the ball of the hammer first. Note the position of the shoe leaning OUT from the anvil.
Finishing clip with the heel of the hammer.
Finished inside clip.
Then repeat on outside clip....
Shoe clipped.
Step ten: rasping inside heel. Note angle of rasp when rasping inside heel, because the concave is well forged together you can shorten the inside of the shoe slightly.
FINISHED PRODUCT:
Note short inside of a hunter hind shoe which makes them much easier to fit to the foot.
I, myself, start the clip using the ball of the hammer first. Note the position of the shoe leaning OUT from the anvil.
