Make Your Own Traditional Hardware
An iron furniture lock seems like a complicated mechanism—until you look inside at the individual parts. Then the process to make a classic chest lock (or crab lock) is simple and logical. Blacksmith Peter Ross walks you through each step of crafting, assembling, finetuning and decorating this lock. Learn how the key works against the spring mechanism to release the jaws; discover what needs to be “pretty” and what is left rough; and find out how to add your own personal decorative touches to make the lock your own.
About the Host: Peter Ross was introduced to blacksmith work while in high school, then attended the Rhode Island School of Design. After his schooling, Ross worked under Dick Everett, an accomplished smith specializing in the reproduction of 18th century work. In 1979 Ross became a journeyman blacksmith at Colonial Williamsburg, and three years later was made master of the shop. For the next 25 years Ross studied surviving artifacts and worked to re-discover forgotten historic methods. Today, Ross operates his own company making holdfasts, compasses and other tools for woodworkers.