Nautical Term: Swage
Definition of Swage
Swage refers to the action of forcing or pressing down on an object. An essential tool used for this purpose is called a swage block or swage stove. This tool features a groove on its underside, designed to give shape to any piece subjected to it when receiving a blow from a hammer. For example, when shaping a piece of metal for a ship’s rigging, the blacksmith would use a swage block to apply the desired shape to the metal with each hammer blow.
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