Hi all. My first time striking hot iron! All advice and suggestions welcome. You can check the subtitles and description for much more detail. Thanks for watching! If you like what I do and want to support me further, consider becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/gesithasgewissa/

@westholdforge539

19 күн бұрын

I have some videos using my Anglo Saxon/viking age tools. I unfortunately don’t have bellows yet but the tools I have are not to bad. It’s to hot to forge right now but I’ll do more videos this fall. I am extremely jealous of what you’re doing. Awesome job.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@westholdforge539 Hey, cool videos! I'm looking forward to checking those out. Thank you

@westholdforge539

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa don’t get very excited. They are not very good. I’m not computer or video savvy.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@westholdforge539 I'm more interested in the things I can learn from them ☺ I'm sure they'll be some good knowledge in there

@jeanladoire4141

19 күн бұрын

Hello, french blacksmith here ! I do a lot of primitive or at least medieval/old world technique stuff (making damascus using sand as a flux instead of borax, turning iron into steel with charcoal dust, stuff like that). I now work only with charcoal, as it's clean, burns decently hot (enough for welding and damascus), and is easy to get. I would advise you don't put your iron in the hottest part of the fire, AKA right in front of the tuyère. Where the coals glow, that means there's oxygen to burn and create heat, and while you would think it's a good idea to stick your iron there, the result is you're just burning your iron, wich you saw with disgsuting crust all over it. You cannot forge anything clean with crust, pitting and oxidation everywhere, let alone forge weld anything, even if you use sand to clean it up. So, leave some room between where the air goes in, and your iron. For a forge weld, leave at least the width of your palm (so it requires a bigger fire than that), but for common forging you will get away with a bit more oxygen, but not as much as in this video. This much oxygen also removes carbon from steel, so you would find it quite difficult to make a good knife. Perhaps you would get more stability and power in your anvil if you firmly buried the wood in the ground ? The more mass you can attach to the anvil, the better it will work. I see you have a nice looking knife with some kind of black/ebony wood, and a pattern welded blade. I'm 100% sure you can make such a knife with primitive tools, but of course there will be a steep learning curve, and everything will take a lot of time to adapt techniques to a more primitive setting. i've already tried making my own iron with a dirt furnace, folding the iron to make a solid bar, forging a blade, adding carbon, heat treating... It's definitely possible, i made a video on that. But it's a tedious process that requires a very good understanding of forge welding, chemistry, fire and steel. here's a link to my video of the making of iron, if you're interested : kzread.info/dash/bejne/rKSdl9aQeMXIgbA.html It's all in french, sadly in the 600's the normans haven't brought french to england yet, so you won't understand much. Feel free to check my youtube channel, if you can set the subtitles to english you would understand what i explain. If you need help on primitive/medieval blacksmithing, don't hesitate to send me an email (forgedulys@gmail.com). And perhaps we could do a collab some day, forging the old way is always fun ! I sometimes do it in medieval festivals, with a lil' charcoal fire, a few stones to hold them in place, a small anvil in a log, just like you did, and a homemade bellow for the air. Thanks for all your videos, they are always so fun to watch !

When the hammer fell apart I thought "well, nothing has changed in thousands of years!" Wonderful video!!!!

@gesithasgewissa

9 күн бұрын

Haha, exactly, just typical!

@joshschneider9766

Күн бұрын

lol right? i felt every saxon smith screaming in heaven right there LOL

I cant fully describe how happy it makes me to watch a Primitive Technology video except it’s Anglo-Saxon

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Very glad to hear it!!

@petbird19

17 күн бұрын

YES. Totally agree 👍

So much work for a simple nail. We really take things for granted.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Indeed! Though, keep in mind I'm a complete novice and a skilled blacksmith could make this in about 10 minutes 😆

@razgon14

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa From nail to a sword

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@razgon14 Don't tempt me!

@stephanieguarino2870

19 күн бұрын

Thinking the exact same thing! Had the same thought when you were creating a plank of wood in a previous video…so much effort for something so simple.

@MidtownSkyport

19 күн бұрын

The first nail will be a lot of work, but every nail from here on will be easier

This reminds me of the old saying: For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, For want of the shoe, the horse was lost, For want of a horse, the rider was lost, For want of a rider, the battle was lost, For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. And now we realize how much went into those horseshoe nails. Super well done!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

There's a reason why blacksmiths were so highly prized! Thank you

@angelcollina

19 күн бұрын

I remember that saying! I learned in ever so long ago in one of my books of nursery rhymes! I’m a linguist and one day I want to study nursery rhymes to do linguistic archeology! These little rhymes have been passed down for so long! I’m not even from the British Isles! I’m an American mutt from the deep south singing nursery rhymes that were first coined hundreds of years ago in another country! It boggles and fascinates my mind!

@nymcopeland6037

17 күн бұрын

@@angelcollinain case you’re not familiar, there’s a podcast called 20 thousand hertz that just did an episode about nursery rhymes and their origins.

@angelcollina

17 күн бұрын

@@nymcopeland6037 Oooooooh! Thank you!

@joshschneider9766

Күн бұрын

equine smiths still hand hammer nails in many parts of the world along with the horse shoes. the real world truth of this saying never truly died off.

This channel is so atmospheric. Even the shots of the plants look like their quivering in the distant past.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thanks, I'm glad you think so!

Goes to show how much time and work went into making nails. Nails were valuable back then because of this and so were often reused, with the exception of nails that were used to make doors. These nails were often hammered and curled over to stop thieves easily removing them to get access to the door's lock. Since these nails could not be reused they were considered 'dead'. Hence the expression "as dead as a door nail".

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

That's fascinating, I didn't know the origin of the phrase. Thanks for sharing!

@angelcollina

19 күн бұрын

Omg, really?!?

@ironcladranchandforge7292

17 күн бұрын

Another fact, some people would burn down an old unused building just to collect the nails afterwards. Making handmade nails is something I know a lot about considering I've made thousands of them for the National Park Service here in the US.

@DreadX10

16 күн бұрын

These doornails were still usable. 'Dead' referred to 'without any movement' and "Dead as a Doornail" makes for a nice alliteration so it stuck. You can still burn down the door; recoup the nails; straighten them and give them a heat-treatment so they become useful again. Many people come to the wrong conclusion because they listen to writers like Langland, Shakespeare and Dickens while standing on the corpse of common sense. Do they also believe that 'blind as a bat' means that bats are blind ..... (hint: they are not)

@angelcollina

16 күн бұрын

@@DreadX10 Well, I guess not “easily” usable.

Your filming and editing are getting ever better. You are very successful at getting more people interested in history, heritage. Thank You Sir !

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you David, I really appreciate that! I really love the filming and story telling aspects of making these videos.

My brother is (was) a blacksmith. He only brought me into his shop once. We forged a coathook out of a railroad tie. The thing I remember most about striking the hot iron was, how much work it was! It was simultaneously more *and* less malleable than I expected. It was like striking a rock that was made out of clay. Great content, by the way. I have been enjoying these videos ever since finding them.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

That's an excellent description; simultaneously malleable and immovable a the same time!

@joshschneider9766

Күн бұрын

its called the plasticine nature of hot metal. when hot metal behaves in a plastic way. look up the term "plastic deformation of metal". its the physics behind why hot forging works. iron is unique among metals in that it stays mostly hard. as opposed to so called "soft metals" that get way MORE plasticine and dont retain an edge nearly as well.

These videos are such a breath of fresh air

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Glad to hear it!

I am simply amazed at how much patience you have when you’re getting things set up and your attention to detail is very impressive and I’ve often wondered how people so long ago would have done this and the way you have handled it is amazing!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Wow, thank you for such kind words. I really enjoy researching the tiny details and bringing them together.

I know old timey Anglo-Saxon didn't have no sunscreen but they didn't have as many carcinogenics as we do, so protect your skin!! We want this content to keep coming!

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Thanks, you're definitely right! Usually I always put a shirt on, I just got caught up in the excitement of forging for the day haha

@paulstrickler5684

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissaNo shirt, no problem 😉

@andreacook7431

19 күн бұрын

I keep worrying about that too. You're very pale and I worry you'll turn bright red.

@jeanladoire4141

19 күн бұрын

When your skin tans, you can take quite a bit of sun. Tell black africans that they need sunscreen 😅😂

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@andreacook7431 I'm very pale because I am usually very careful and wear a shirt 😉

That's a good-looking nail! Reminds me of my first one. If you can, I'd recommend covering the ground or floor of your workspace with sand, as it mitigates the possibility of accidental fires and provides a ready source of material for abrading the surface of your finished work if you want it to have a smoother finish.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thanks, and cool, nice idea. When I have a proper designated smithing area I'll go for that!

This guy does EVERYTHING!! He builds & makes Reed Baskets & Bee Hives....is a Leather Worker, a Ceramicist, a Woodworker, a Toolmaker, builds Forges & is a Blacksmith!!!!! What CAN'T he do????

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Jack of all trades, Master of none 😄 thank you, you're very kind

@DreadX10

17 күн бұрын

You forgot 'content-creator' ... And what interesting content it is!

@lpeterman

16 күн бұрын

Cryso, he's ALSO a Shipwright; he may not brag on himself, but he was part of the building of the Saxon ship for Sutton Hoo! How many can claim that?!?

@gesithasgewissa

16 күн бұрын

@@lpeterman and very grateful to have been a part of it!

Great material! When the hammer flew appart, man, I felt your sigh in my bones. 😂 If I may suggest something: red hot metal, hammers and bare feet don't go so well together! If that hammer head had landed on your toes... 😅

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

I was all excited to get forging...typical! Hmmm, you know you might be onto something there 😉

This fine man needs to build his own saxon village ❤

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

One day!!!

@joshschneider9766

Күн бұрын

i volunteer to be a full time smith in it.

@joshschneider9766

Күн бұрын

you better be the bellows boy though, im way too far along the career path to be doing apprentice work hehehehe

The BBC shoulr really resurrect their experimental archaeologist Farm Series or something similar featuring yourself and the time period you are showing here. Thanks for sharing all your hard work with us Alec. Its a pleasure both for the building work and craftmanship as well as the nature shots and sounds. Cheers from Germany

@gesithasgewissa

9 күн бұрын

That would be amazing! I always wanted to see one set in the Iron Age or Medieval period

Awesome stuff. I really thought you'd struggle, but in the end, YOU NAILED IT. I want to come and live for a while

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Haha, very punny! Thanks for watching

@terryteed1903

19 күн бұрын

@gesithasgewissa I'd love to see you and Bartrum do something together. Like a kind of the Viking settlers and the Saxons. But no fighting lol.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@terryteed1903 That would be cool, his earlier videos were a big inspiration for me!

@mademoisellekaya1438

18 күн бұрын

Who is Bartrum if I may be so nosey to ask?

@terryteed1903

18 күн бұрын

@@mademoisellekaya1438 kzread.info/dash/bejne/dH96mdF9o9jNicY.htmlsi=CGSyxxCoMd8DYknq

As a lover and student of antiquity, the content of your videos feels like home. I adore seeing aspects of antiquity in a natural, everyday context for those of the times. It feels much different than a general demonstration, when you're putting together a home and providing for it through each of the new tasks you accomplish. Every new branching idea has a purpose that the average person living in the times might have shared. Gotta get rid of this grass for my garden, might as well make a beehive. Broke my tool, gotta make a new one. Missed the chance to get nails from the traveling blacksmith this season, time to set up a forge. It's refreshing and humanizing and gives people in times long past a lot more respect and intelligence than they're often given

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

I love this description, it's exactly the atmosphere I'm trying to create, and show the every day intimacy of historical life with all its nuance, trials and ingenuity! Thank you for the kind words

You’re brilliant! I’m absolutely delighted and amazed at your skills. I’m fearful for your feet without any protection from flying hot flames!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you very much! Yes, I should really wear shoes next time haha

I love how much heat that was able to generate. It is the most low tech forge I have ever seen.

@gesithasgewissa

17 күн бұрын

Pretty impressive for such a tiny little thing!

@joshschneider9766

Күн бұрын

the only thing that really changed in the next thousand years was the bellows and the invention of water wheel powered trip hammers, insofar as european smithing is concerned. bellows became much larger and wood framed with leather sidings, and as iron deposits became more known the anvils got bigger than these "stump anvils" as theyre called. but even today, you can put a smaller stump anvil type lump into the hardy hole (square hole) of a modern anvil for particular types of working techniques. only the equipment has evolved. a saxon smith would easily be able to adjust to a modern shop. and hed laugh at how soft we are in comparison to his work. like the video maker they were doing all of it for the purposes of practical self sufficiency. my art work would make them laugh hysterically LOL

This channel is actually super important, Anglo Saxon heritage, and the tools they used. Beautiful, subscribed and bell on. Keep it up

@gesithasgewissa

17 күн бұрын

Welcome, and thank you so much, I appreciate the support

One of the things a member of my reenactment group who's an old blacksmith told me once, was to keep a bucket of water next to the stump to soak the hammers in, it swells the wood and keeps the heads on better even if they're wedged properly, fantastic vid mate, love it being nice and simple, I can imagine this being really handy with a team of 2 for public events

@gesithasgewissa

16 күн бұрын

Thanks! Yes, having an extra person to keep the forge running would be really helpful

These recordings - simply beautiful.🤩👍

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Thank you!

Smashed it out of the park. For your first time hammering iron, you did a pretty good job of that nail. It's crazy how long it takes for something so small to be made.

@gesithasgewissa

12 күн бұрын

Thank you Axalon, this was so fun, I can't wait to get back to it!

Unintended voice reveal! 😂 And despite the broken hammer handle, for your first time embarking on a whole new trade that people usually TRAIN for, I think that's amazing! You successfully made a nail on your first try!

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Haha that's true! Thank you so much, it was so fun and I can't wait to practice some more

@fallonfireblade4404

17 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa Are you sure some time traveler didn't just bring you here and hand you a camera?

@gesithasgewissa

17 күн бұрын

@@fallonfireblade4404 ...by Gods...no...no I'm not sure...😳

Well I am most definetly going to need a lot more blacksmithing videos now

@gesithasgewissa

16 күн бұрын

No need to fear, that's definitely happening!😆

Brilliant demonstration, just love this channel, one of the very best on KZread

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Thank you so much!

Wow. I never thought that you could use so small piece of metal as an anvil. Well, i think it is probably better if you do not want to make something more complex in metalworking. That's brilliant! It is much, much easier to transport, better for someone who will start their journey with smithing, maybe even longer, since getting full size one might be difficult and it might cost much more. Also i like that bellows that are in shape of lungs in some way. Simply fascinating.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Yes, the only archaeological finds of Early Medieval anvils are small stump or stake anvils, between 5 and 10cm square at the face. Iron was hugely expensive, and difficult to make in quantity, not to mention that many blacksmiths were itinerant, travelling between settlements. This meant that smaller was generally preferred! You can imagine the skill of a smith having to forge a sword on something like this. The fire in the forge does tend to feel like a breathing dragon!

@stonyjupiter1481

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa thanks. I've never thought about the fact that blacksmiths would move between settlements from time to time with their gear.

Blessed with another video! Always a joy to see what you create next

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Thank you, always a joy to share it with you!

@paulstrickler5684

19 күн бұрын

And that was how Play Doh was invented

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@paulstrickler5684 😃

Friday, just finished work. Get comfy on the sofa and see this latest upload. Cosy.

@bouledegomme9335

20 күн бұрын

Almost the same about me. Smoking a cigar on my Hamac outside after a hard week of work 🎉

@longone844

20 күн бұрын

@@bouledegomme9335 have a great weekend 🙌

@bouledegomme9335

20 күн бұрын

@@longone844 you too mate

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

So happy to hear it, enjoy the weekend!

As a fellow woodworker/timber framer and novice blacksmith (forging 18th C. musket tools for re-enactors) I can only give you one piece of advice: Practice. (Even the simplest of repetitive tasks can have great benefits eventually.) Practice forge work, as much you're able to, whenever you can. (Watch other 'smiths, even novices, as they've had to have learned from someone!) Cheers from a distant "cousin" in the Oregon Country, with both DEEP Saxon and (gasp!) Norman roots, really enjoying the content.

@gesithasgewissa

16 күн бұрын

Thank you! Yes, I can't wait to just have a play around and practice and really start understanding the basics of the craft. Cheers to you too, I suppose I have Norman roots too, being in the South-West of Britain (gasp!) I always manage to conveniently forget haha

I love your channel. I’d love to see more from inside your house, how you keep warm in the evening, cook and stuff like that.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thanks, yes I'd really like to show that - I have plans to start putting in a wooden floor and finishing the interior walls very soon.

Great video! All that effort for 1 nail! It certainly makes you appreciate all the accomplishments from the past! Also with patience and dedication what 1 person can achieve!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you. Yes you can see why iron and forged objects were so valued!

You do look very good without a shirt on, and a little sunshine on the skin is fine for a while

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Hah! Thank you ☺

easily becoming one of my favorite creators!! a suggestion: what about creating and fireing a ceramic tuyere pipe? so that you dont have to recreate one and keep it damp every time you want to forge something. creating one with grog should circumvent it cracking. excited to see what you make next!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you!! Yes, it's a great idea. And now I have the bellows to fire the kiln too

Это прекрасно, обожаю примитивные и ранние технологии. Тут однозначно лайк и подписка.

@gesithasgewissa

8 күн бұрын

Welcome, and thank you so much!

I was a smith. Don't work the Iron cold. Only work it from orange to red after it looses color reheat it and then go again. Saves ALOT of effort and stress on the metal. Pick up a book called Edge of the Anvil.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thanks for the advice and book suggestion!

Awesome to see! I have been forging and re-enacting separately for a few years now, and am currently working on a similar setup to combine the two hobby's... If I may be so bold to give a few tips, try positioning your anvil closer to your fire so you can avoid having to run a long distance with your hot iron. Once you have made the iron nice and hot (you are forging at a relatively cold temperature, don't be afraid to let the metal get to a lighter orange or yellow colour!), it is a shame to waste time by allowing your metal to cool down while you move to your anvil. This also tires you out quite unnecessarily. Another thing I recommend is you want to do this more often, is to get a standing set up. Put your forge on a table with some sand (and maybe an iron plate) on it, and get an anvil stump. A setup like that is not seen commonly in re-enacting, usually because ground based setups like this are more portable and convenient to transport and use for a single day. However, if you plan on doing this more often I really recommend making your working position more agronomical. Trust me, your knees and back will thank you.

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Cool! And thank you for the advice, that's really helpful. I can't wait to do some more practicing and start working on all the suggestions I've had.

Excelente trabajo, es impactante ver como el hombre antiguo trabajaba tanto para hacer pequeñas cosas que hoy compramos en gran cantidad a bajo precio

@gesithasgewissa

2 күн бұрын

Absolutely! Thank you

I have often wondered why we know so little about the early Anglo-Saxons in England. The answer was staring me in the face! Reused Roman wrought iron? The small blacksmith burn pits? I truly hope you continue your work, good sir; your channel is what I needed.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Yes, almost every Early Medieval technology was on such a small scale to be very difficult to find archaeologically! Thank you, I certainly will.

Always look forward to your videos. Thank you for showing the construction and having so many shots of how the bellows worked.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Glad you found it interesting!

Interesting. You literally can use in on the go in some wood camp. First time I see this forging kit. Can be good for adventuring

@gesithasgewissa

12 күн бұрын

Yeah it's really portable!

I'm a blacksmith and dude that must've been some work with the equipment, I hope you keep doing more forging stuff like this, I love the medieval times and I love your content keep it up man!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you! I absolutely loved this, so there will be more to come, for sure.

@wildwanderer6025

19 күн бұрын

Is it just me (no experience in forging) or was there a lot more flake than usual forming on the iron?

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@wildwanderer6025 Yes, because the bars are so rusty, all the layers of oxide had to come off first. They are very ancient wrought iron bars (Pre-20th century)

@wildwanderer6025

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa Wow, you even took the efford to use old iron, like the old iron from roman times in the video.

I love the simplicity of this forge, thanks for sharing! Very enjoyable video

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Your videos are always amazing. I love all the detail and how true to form you stay, both historically and through a sort of Kinesthetic process

@gesithasgewissa

16 күн бұрын

Thank you so much. Staying true to the historical detail is very important to me

This really brings it home how valuable nails were and how they were saved and re-used over and over - so time consuming to make! I would be interested to see what research resources you use for your projects each time.

@gesithasgewissa

16 күн бұрын

Absolutely! I was very lucky to have been at university during Covid, where most of the archaeology books and journals were put digitally online. I may have downloaded the entire academic library 😅 I can try and include more references in the description in future videos if you're interested

Fascinating! Hope we get to see the forge more often.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

I loved this, so you definitely will!

Wonderful video and outstanding bellows. 2 minor suggestions. Round off the edges of your hammer face and hit the the wide flat face of the iron more often to mitigate fish mouthing on the edges

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Great, thank you, I'll do that!

Like that primitive tech guy but in medieval. Unreal! Keep it up my man!

@gesithasgewissa

17 күн бұрын

Thanks, I love his videos!

This is sop cool! Just the other day, I saw of video from someone visiting indigenous tribes in Tanzania, some of the oldest tribes in the world that still maintain their traditional practices and way of life, and they used a very similar sort of two-handed bellows system. So cool to see such an ancient practice twice in one week! Also, love the chuckle and sigh when the hammer broke. Keep up the good work!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you. I think I saw that too, fascinating! Haha, you gotta just laugh sometimes...

This just goes to show how important blacksmiths were/are. Anyone one can understand how many nails are needed in day to day life. It would be someone's job to just make nails all day but they'd be so crucial to the whole society that they were in.

@gesithasgewissa

17 күн бұрын

Absolutely agree!

I like that you left the blooper with your hammer in lol. Square nails are better than modern round ones

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Couldn't leave it out hah!

@angelcollina

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissaHey I’m sure you’re in good company! That exasperated sigh I’m sure has been uttered many a time by blacksmiths (or any tool user) of old.

Wélandes bearn ⚒ (Weland's son). Fascinating video, thank you.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

I wish! Thanks for watching

Wonderful video, very evocative! I wish you the best on your journey into blacksmithing, and hope you'll enjoy it! Thank you for sharing with us.

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Thank you so much!

nothing like a good day crafting outide ! great video

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

It was such a great day! Thank you

I live in Surrey, Such a rich history in this Island. From the bronze ages till the Anglo Saxon periods , thank you for keeping the ancestors of these Islands alive!

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

It's my pleasure, thanks for watching!

This is exactly the content I've been looking for. Sorry to draw comparisons, but I do like the quiet style with text description, much like primitive technology's channel. But his locations and resources are wildly different to Europe's. New subscribers and Bell rung 😊

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Welcome! That's great to hear. No need to apologise, I absolutely love Primitive Technology's videos and he was one of the main inspirations for this project and the style.

Well done newbie, That is a good looking nail!

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Thank you!

You are giving John Plant a run for his money XD

@gesithasgewissa

8 күн бұрын

Haha, ahhh but I'm cheating a little bit with my iron bars and bought charcoal 😉 nothing near as difficult as drawing out iron from the earth with ancient technology. That's real magic!

Your videos truly are a phenomenal work of art.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you so much!

Well done! Just a few thousand more and you can build yourself a ship. I’m sure you’ll get faster 😊

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Hah, yeah! I've done my fair share of shipbuilding already though

I am really enjoying all your vidoes- watching you breath life into the past for us to experience is such a treat. Thank you for sharing!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

You are welcome!!

New subscriber loving the atmosphere and attention to history. This is delightful and I'm glad i found your channel!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Welcome! Very happy to have you along for the journey.

I just happened to be watching the Sutton Hoo rebuild last night and nearly choked on my dinner when I recognized you there! And then YT recommends me to this video - nails galore!

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Haha, that's me! I worked as shipwright there for a year before starting this project

I recall being told, years ago, that smithing should not be done in sunlight because you cannot see the heat colour of the iron as you work it. I have seen the "double bag" method of blowing being used by smiths in sub-Saharan Africa (there's a YT video somewhere) but they put loose skins over 2 pots.

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Yes, I'll definitely be doing it in the shade next time! Cool, I'll try and find the video

When we look at the quality of tools needed to make a simple nail, we, I think can see partly why these cultures would have a tendency to richly decorate items to emphasise their importance. It would also go along with the Anglo-Saxon and similar cultures tendency to use hidden symbols in the decoration, not just to fit in with the general arts like a love of poetry with multiple meanings, but also in giving personal importance to significant items..

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Absolutely. I agree. The writhing beasts and knotwork on all the high status metalwork is absolutely phenomenal and speaks to the ever-presence of the magical and mythical in the Anglo-Saxon outlook.

@newprimitiveart

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa I would go a little further the wish to personalise depict importance of items is even testified in writing the runes for 'comb' on a comb, or the the stamping of dots and circles on even the smallest items we now may see as mundane, PS love your work! Thankyou.

Totally nailed it!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Haha!

Another great video. Looks like you've nailed it nicely! 😂

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Heheheh 😄 thank you

You nailed it!

@gesithasgewissa

16 күн бұрын

Hah!

Good work! Very inspiring. Amazing what one can achieve with knowledge and I must say skill. You are very good with your hands sir. Love it.

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Thank you very much!

I could see you getting more confident hitting the iron as you went on. Keep practicing! Wrought iron tends to get very brittle and splits when not glowing, so be sure to keep it hot! (Hotter than working modern steels.) Im pretty sure there are resources in the UK where you can learn blacksmithing if you want to glean more hands-on knowledge. Mark Aspery is a fine blacksmith from over there, not sure where he's at nowadays. Rowan Taylor has done many Anglo-Saxon pieces found at Sutton Hoo. All in all, good luck! Really hope to see more soon.

@gesithasgewissa

12 күн бұрын

I did start to feel a little more confident, I'm going to keep practicing as I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the advice!

Real living history fantastic, you can't overestimate the importance of the humble nail, pioneers on the American west would burn down their cabins to collect all the nails before they moved on, I wonder if they wore their boots in the 7th century when forging, I've had a lump of hot slag go down my modern work boots.

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Very true! Yes I thought about wearing my shoes, but your anecdote doesn't sound encouraging! Maybe bare feet is better...or tying my trousers over the tops of my shoes.

@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa Foundry boots have a flap of leather over the laces, I wouldn't be surprised if some form of protection wasn't fashioned from the earliest times of smithing.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo Thanks, maybe I'll make something like that

Great video as always!

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Thank you!

As per usual a relaxing watch, and it really puts in perspective the time consuming nature of getting a simple thing like nails would have been, can't just pop to B&Q in 662ad oh you handled the hammer falling apart alot better than i would have 😂. until the next video all the best from East Anglia

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you! And yes, everything was that much more precious, painstakingly wrought from rock, earth and tree! Hah, you gotta laugh sometimes. All the best to you too

Unbelievably meditative thank you ✌️😎🇿🇦🌹

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Glad you think so!

Nice work!

@gesithasgewissa

14 күн бұрын

Thank you!

It's mesmerizing 😮

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you!

As an Anglo Saxon demonstrator, great. As a smith, a little less. There is a huge amount of practice and experience to get to a mid level of smithing. I have over 600 hours, and I consider myself an apprentice. Not to take away from your videos. The history and research is far beyond me. That's why I subscribe.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you, and don't get me wrong, this is hour one for me and I'm not sharing this as an example of good blacksmithing by any means, but as the beginning of the journey for me in developing the skill. Looking forward to practicing more and hopefully showing some improvement. Glad you enjoy the historical research aspect of the videos!

Awesome video as usual. Love your content

@gesithasgewissa

12 күн бұрын

Thank you!!

Fascinating!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thanks!

@SebastienFortin07

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa you're very handsome, by the way 🥰

Great video you are bringing history to life. Thank you for taking the time and sharing.

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Thank you Peter!

Very nice video! Shows you dont have to have a huge shop to blacksmith, just good skills

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you, I'm still working on the skills haha!

Great video.

@gesithasgewissa

4 күн бұрын

Thanks!

Well done!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you!

Yes! Another video! I was thinking is it going to be a nail

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Nice and simple for now! Thanks for watching

We all have to have a first time striking hot iron if your going to do any smithing. Great Video. Most of the videos of forging nails makes it look easy, I can certainly state that it’s not. You did a good job seeing how it’s your first iron working while using what would have been considered, even in 662, an “improvised set up” Thanks for the video.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you David, I appreciate the support!

And here I was literally just the other day wondering how Germanic tribes may have constructed ironworking forges... now I know! Time to step into the iron age myself :)

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Sounds like this video came just at the right time!

Fantastic!

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you! Got a lot to learn but will be watching your videos for guidance

@RowanTaylor

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa would you like to come over to my forge to do some Anglo Saxon stuff? I can give you some pointers for forging as well

Yeah, making nails is actually hard work. I think it's why so many different building methods used alrernatives like lashing and pegs.

@gesithasgewissa

17 күн бұрын

Exactly! Not a single nail in my house 😆

You've been pumping these out without a dip in quality, crazy impressive. Do you have editors?

@gesithasgewissa

20 күн бұрын

Thank you! Nope, just me ☺ I do everything myself but I am working nearly full time on the project now

@hawks9142

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa that's awesome. Keep up the great work

Well done Sir :) Thank you

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Beautiful content

@gesithasgewissa

15 күн бұрын

Thank you!

I was just thinking to myself that it’s awfully brave of you to be doing that barefoot with all those hot metal shards around, when you flinched your foot away at 10:05. Hope you’re ok! 😊

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

I know...brave and foolish! Luckily I have good reflexes 😉

Cutting garnets to fit gold filigree next ;-)

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Gods, I might need a few years...but let's not rule it out!

Another great video. I really enjoy watching you make things. After watching this, i was thinking that i can see why wooden construction was fastened with pegs and or cordage.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Thank you. Exactly, nails were saved for the absolutely necessary

This was next level! Learning how the bellows were made was very interesting, and I have such an appreciation for how ingenious our ancestors were. Thank you for sharing this with us. Any plans to try pottery and making a kiln from this era?

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Me too, their patience, dedication and skills are almost unfathomable to me sometimes. It's always a pleasure to share my adventures (or misadventures!). I would like to do pottery, it will definitely happen at some point. The bellows could work well for a kiln too

I’m very impressed with the bellows and tuyere construction! But if I may, I have some advice with the blacksmithing. You need to take more care to strike the hammer face flat to the anvil especially with such a sharp cornered hammer; you can see that it’s tilted rather than coming down perpendicular to the edge you’re working on (actually tilted away from conforming to the face you're striking, the worst of all worlds), decreasing your efficiency and leaving extra marks in the iron. That said, it would also help to dress the hammer; that is lightly round the edges and slightly round the face. This also helps move the metal faster, at the cost of not leaving a perfectly flat finish that you’re probably not getting right now anyway. Similarly with dressing the anvil though you want it flat (you don’t want the face to be uneven if you can help it, and while a sharp overhanging edge can in theory be good you also want at least some straight radiused edges to not cut into the bottom of the work; small cracks in the edges of striking or struck faces like that can also be dangerous and lead to chips flying off), though the worst of the imperfections on such a small anvil could be cured by filing out cracks, forging them down at heat, and then filing it flat. The edge of the hammer eye being too sharp similarly may be what caused the handle to break while working too cold. Also make sure to round the peen before you use it, it doesn’t really do any good flat and sharp; you want a fairly broad radius on it, again with no sharp corners. As for the work, it’s less than ideal to work in direct sunlight (you want a shaded but well lit area to work just to accurately tell the steel colors) but it looked like you may be working the piece too long when it gets cold by the type of oxidation and the sound it made. Unless you want to do specific things like affect the surface finish you need to go heat it up again when the metal stops moving. I’m also guessing this by the cold shuts in the piece, where the iron folds together while you work it. These are to be avoided for a variety of structural reasons, though they don’t really matter on a nail. If the edges are getting thicker and folding over the center and about to form cold shuts, it’s probably not hot enough and not being struck with enough force (speed or hammer weight increase works to an extent). But make sure to beat those upset edges back down unless you specifically want them to avoid those cold shuts, working back and forth. Now increasing the heat probably has less to do with your fire/ forge construction than with the depth of your fire and where you place the iron; generally you probably need to fill up that little forge to the brim with charcoal, keep it raked back up on top, and have the iron be above the tuyere rather than in front of it at the bottom due to heat rising and to hit the sweet spot with oxidation. That will decrease oxidation and increase efficiency and heat because the charcoal on the edges that isn’t burning is also the insulator that keeps heat from escaping. Generally charcoal forges need to be deeper than coal forges anyway because of the lack of fossil fuel volatiles supercharging the fire, so keep that in mind. Also in future, you’ll want to set up for a quicker transition between bellows/ forge/ anvil to maintain that heat and strike while the iron is hot. As a historical note, I believe most nail stock was initially cut into a square from a larger sheet with a chisel for ease of forging rather than forging one large piece into something so small, but it’s good exercise; you'll probably want to work down your nail even more than you did here in future (see that where it went into the nail header it conformed to the header rather than going through it and resting on the lump left for the head, and how the tip is still a bit blunt). You seem to do quite well with avoiding some other common beginner mistakes like not turning the piece enough (just remember it's in 3 dimensions, so the sides need to be dressed over time too, rotate by 90* quickly back and forth) and keeping the piece level with the anvil face (rather than raising or lowering the piece too much over time to compensate for other things)

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

Awesome, thanks a load for the all the advice. This is my first time ever blacksmithing so I know I have lots to learn and improve on. This is really helpful!

@farmerboy916

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa I may have gone back and edited it like 16 times for clarity, so it's in its final state now. Make no mistake, for a first time and likely without instruction you're doing really well. Your overall craftsmanship comes through. Just gotta be aware of a few beginner pitfalls. Probably best to choose that shaded spot and mount your stump anvil in a vertically buried stump as well. If you're interested in continuing with blacksmithing, you'll want to make yourself some basic tools (both good practice and necessary in future projects) that I could recommend videos for. Most basic is probably a hot chisel. Then you can make your fire tools; you'll want some sort of cup on a stick to douse parts of the fire as necessary (though in your case, perhaps making that out of iron isn't necessary because nowadays you'd literally use a can), and some sort of fire poker/rake to make adjustments to the fire. You can probably do without an iron shovel in this case as well, but something better than your hands would be good. Then a cold chisel, round and square punch, centerpunch, and you can make your own pair of tongs and go from there. Eventually maybe even make your own files or the like. Don't be afraid to stick your current pair of tongs in the fire and modify it by the way; if you're working with something for any length of time, you ideally want to make the pair of tongs grip it well by changing the bit on it.

@gesithasgewissa

19 күн бұрын

@@farmerboy916 I appreciate you taking the time to write it out. Thank you. I'm definitely interested in making my own tools, and it would be good practice. I did think about modifying those tongs, they are really just glorified pliers and are pretty crap for gripping with just the tips touching. I will do that.

@farmerboy916

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa For an example of inspiration/ what’s possible using a setup like what you’re currently using, I’d go with “Bertram craft and wilderness.” My go to for basic blacksmithing instruction on YT is “Black Bear Forge,” and he has a number of instructional videos for beginners including the making of basic tools though the ones I’m thinking of are older videos and harder to find just because they’re buried underneath new ones made for the modern budget smith. Another invaluable resource, especially for more classic blacksmith work, is “DF in the shop.” His chisel work is what you want to aspire towards (with not having power tools) and also has good instructional videos. And weirdly enough, “Clickspring” for his videos on making the tools for his recreation of the Antikythera mechanism has great information on case hardening, carburization, and file making with basic tools; his benchwork with minimal tooling is impeccable. Now one skill you’ll need to focus on later if you want to be honest to the period, is forge welding. Nowadays it’s seen as fairly difficult unreliable and finnicky, but for historical blacksmiths it was an essental skill, and for those of the period you’re focused on was both absolutely everyday routine and taken to a fine art. Part of this is the use of modern steels (and modern standards) rather than wrought iron and steels based on it which were easier to forge weld. Most smiths now seem to treat a single forge weld as a task, whereas for instance swordsmiths of the era you’re portraying were folding iron together many times to refine it into good wrought iron, plaiting together rods and welding them into a larger piece, then welding pieces onto the edges of those to make the base for a sword. With minimal tooling.

@farmerboy916

19 күн бұрын

@@gesithasgewissa For an example of inspiration/ what’s possible using a setup like what you’re currently using, I’d go with “Bertram craft and wilderness.” My go to for basic blacksmithing instruction on YT is “Black Bear Forge,” and he has a number of instructional videos for beginners including the making of basic tools though the ones I’m thinking of are older videos and harder to find just because they’re buried underneath new ones made for the modern budget smith. Also he has some videos recreating items from the Mastermyr chest, and things like how to dress your tools and forge those fire tools. Another invaluable resource, especially for more classic blacksmith work, is “DF in the shop.” His chisel work is what you want to aspire towards (with not having power tools) and also has good instructional videos, as well as stuff of how to work in a coal forge. And weirdly enough, “Clickspring” for his videos on making the tools for his recreation of the Antikythera mechanism has great information on case hardening, carburization, and file making with basic tools; his benchwork with minimal tooling is impeccable. Now one skill you’ll need to focus on later if you want to be honest to the period, is forge welding. Nowadays it’s seen as fairly difficult unreliable and finnicky, but for historical blacksmiths it was an essental skill, and for those of the period you’re focused on was both absolutely everyday routine and taken to a fine art. Part of this is the use of modern steels (and modern standards) rather than wrought iron and steels based on it which were easier to forge weld. Most smiths now seem to treat a single forge weld as a task, whereas for instance swordsmiths of the era you’re portraying were folding iron together many times to refine it into good wrought iron, plaiting together rods and welding them into a larger piece, then welding pieces onto the edges of those to make the base for a sword. With minimal tooling.

good job sir

@gesithasgewissa

18 күн бұрын

Thank you!

Nice work son 👍

@gesithasgewissa

15 күн бұрын

Thanks!