Connect with journalists seeking sources in Sweden.
Really old anvil Verification Hello, I’m looking for expert input on the dating and origin of an old anvil found on a historic farm in Skåne, Sweden. The farm has been settled since at least the 1200s, and of course Skåne was part of Denmark until 1658, so both Danish and early Swedish origins are possible. After careful examination and comparison with museum pieces, the anvil appears to be significantly older than typical 18th–19th century farm anvils. I will summarize all observed construction features below. Estimated weight: 124kg (very heavy for pre-industrial rural anvils) Forge-welded steel face plate The top surface is clearly a separate steel plate welded onto a wrought-iron body. The weld line is visible and irregular — a classic pre-industrial forge weld, not a machined seam. The body shows multiple vertical and horizontal weld seams.The feet and sidewalls were formed by welding together several billets of wrought iron. the legs On both legs there are long rows of chisel-like notches running vertically along the billet seams. These appear to be the weld-preparation grooves used to score the iron to help the billets bite together during forge welding the hole Only a hardy hole is present. The absence of a pritchel is a strong early indicator, as pritchels become common in most of Europe around 1780–1820, and universal by the mid-19th century. The hardy hole is: Irregular Not squarely aligned Punched from the top and drifted out the bottom This early style is seen before industrial punching tooling became standardized. the Horn. The horn is: Short Irregular Massively forged Blends abruptly into the body Bottom part The bottom is: Rounded Uneven Shows heavy slag content Clearly not milled or flattened. I’m looking for confirmation or correction of this dating from specialists familiar with: Early Scandinavian anvils Danish ironwork pre-1658 North German/Hanseatic smithing tools Renaissance-period blacksmith equipment Any input or reference comparisons would be greatly appreciated.
tips for a documentary film about milsim Hi everyone, I’m developing a documentary film about the milsim community in Sweden (and possibly Europe), and I’m looking for insights, experiences, and contacts from people who are active in this world. The idea is to explore why people do milsim: What draws you in? What do you get out of it? How is it to live for several days as a soldier in a fictional conflict? But also, how does milsim relate to broader questions about war, preparedness, and masculinity in our time? The idea came from a documentary short film I shot earlier this year, about crisis preparedness, where I met several milsim players. Now I want to go deeper and follow a few participants at larger events. The film will have an observational style but also play with the line between realism and fiction, much like milsim itself. I’d be super grateful for tips on: major milsim events (in Sweden, the Nordics, or Europe) people or groups that could be interesting to talk to advice on how to approach the community respectfully as a filmmaker Thanks!
If anyone has any clients in Dublin, Scotland, London, Sweden, or Norway, I’d love to check them out! I’m all set on hotels for this trip, but attractions or restaurants I’m all ears! Guidelines: Please send information about local attractions or restaurants only, not hotels.
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