I appreciate your videos so much, John. You have no idea how rare it is to find a content creator who is consistently amazing. Thank you so much!

@BlackBearForge

3 жыл бұрын

I appreciate that!

I feel like a nerd telling you this but.. I am so happy you are teaching us all so much. I actually take notes when I watch your videos.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Taking notes is always a good odea

@bostonmass7679

5 жыл бұрын

Why did you steal my comments?!?! Lol

@bostonmass7679

5 жыл бұрын

@@BlackBearForge I was gonna say that first! Just joking BBF but again thank you so much for helping another generation learn how to create a piece of history.

@scramptha5949

5 жыл бұрын

@@BlackBearForge hey there was someting you said that im not clear on, is a press a good choice for drifting? i thought you had said in another video that it tends to split?

@J-B876

5 жыл бұрын

You’re not the only one Kevin Hansen. Came back inside to see how he made a coat hook then went back out with notes. ( turned forge off first of course!)

Nice message of encouragement at the end, thanks! :-)

That's an awesome idea flipping the bar 180 degrees while using the punch, just shows little tricks of the trade from such experienced smiths. I always learn so much from your videos. Thanks for all your knowledge!

I love the sound of the hammer clicking on the anvil

Love that axe! Beautiful piece . Thanks!

When i close my eyes I hear Ron Swanson.

Great video! Im eagerly awaiting the wrapped style video!!!

Just starting to learn forging. Thank you for these videos. They are hugely informative and comprehensive.

Hello John This is great i made a axe eye drift last weekend and this weekend im making an axe thanks so much john have a good day oh and thanks for the great videos.

Really neat build. It's definately one of my goals to ultimately be able to forge axes at some point when i develop the skill to.

I love your tool making video's we all need tools very satisfying when you can make them . Thanks for showing me how

Thank you for your work and giving of the great talent that you have I’ve been hot shoeing as a farrier for the past 60 years and appreciate your videos!

Awesome work! Can't wait for the axe with forge welded edge.

Really appreciate that you are taking the time to do comparison videos of the two styles of ax. Thank you.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

You are welcome

Sir you are awesome! I'm just beginning and all the projects you create are very doable for me. Great videos! Thank you

I have watched quite a few videos most of them are like watching a silent movie. Thank You for teaching/showing us the trade. I would like to give it a try but with bad shoulders they hurt just watching you.

I wished I had a dad growing up to teach me these things. However, 30 years later, hear I am trying to learn them myself. If my dad wanted to be a dad, I’d imagine he’d be something like this guy.

It is always a pleasure to watch and listen to you work Mr Bear.

Very informative.

That is an amazing ax I want to find one that size for hiking nice job thanks for sharing 👍

19:00 human power hammer :) great video, thanks for showing the process

You are the man...Enjoy your videos....Keep up the good work...

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you

Thanks for another good video tutorial.

Love your videos. I’m learning a lot . Thanks!

Just subscribed after watching a couple videos. These are great for someone like me just starting our own forge, thank you!

Learning a lot. Thank you for all the effort just to help people like me! Great video!

Sir, thank you so much for making these videos in an instructional format. You are an outstanding teacher. I also very much appreciate you showing with hammer and anvil, as many hobby and beginner smiths do not have a power hammer and press.

It's always a pleasure to watch you work John you make it look so easy.👍👍🔨on

I was glad you had a change of heart in handle nice vid

I really like that axe! it is the perfect size to go on my black powder shooting bag.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I was thinking of a bag axe as well. But chose not to use the term, since most people would have a clue what I was talking about.

Thank you for the demo, I am making hatches for everyone for Christmas this year. It really helps to see all the different techniques.

Fantastic video. Really learned a lot. Thanks.

Loved this video.

Love the content! learned quite alot, thanks!

I think it would be cool if you made a vintage double bit fellers axe. The thinner longer type(redwood type).

Another nice video, keep up the good work John

You can probably push out one or two of those in an hour, i guess i will be more in the reigns of one every one or two days if at all xD always a joy to watch you being an awesome smith

I've watched a bunch of guys forge a multitude of axes and hammers and just really didn't care much. This, like all your work, is interesting and it is good teaching, so now I think I might end up forging a little hatchet some day. Thanks, John.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it.

Wonderful video!

Thanks! This video was made for me, for sure

Thank you sir that was a great informational lesson

Great video as always John , I'm looking forward to the others in this series..I enjoy making small axes I'm a bit to old and broken to do larges ones by hand these days . Maybe if I had a press and power hammer it would be different but I still get a lot of satisfaction out of doing smaller projects with a hand hammer . I'm sitting here looking at one of the two small axes I started before finding myself back in the hospital again this week.I need to get it finished and sent on to my friend in Norway , he wanted an Axe to go with the Saex that he asked me to make for him already.Keep up the great work and great videos, this is an awesome resource not just for beginners but some of us old guys too that never had youtube or even the internet when we first started.If there is anything that I have learned in my life is that there is always more to learn....I can come inside from a hard day forging or teaching students and the first thing I want to do to relax is watch other smiths working on youtube.....

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I am glad that you are finding the videos helpful. I wonder how KZread would have changed my early evolution in blacksmithing.

@renegadescout

6 жыл бұрын

I do believe that for me it would have made a considerable and quite valuable difference...Such vast amounts of information right at our fingertips....it's a wonderful thing....Keep up the good work my friend.

@arlenestanton9955

5 жыл бұрын

Beowulf something’s you have to see to understand. It is like vocational training. When I was in high school, vocational training was looked down on..

Thanks John I’ve been wanting to make axes and hammers and you’ve enlightened me on the drifts more in this video than I’ve seen in any other video that I’ve seen

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I suppose I should do a video just on drifts

@truegeekified

6 жыл бұрын

I would love to see how long the list is now of future video ideas. I know we saw a glimpse of it quite a while back. Is it much longer or shorter? I’m thinking a lot longer.

Your awesome man!! Please keep videos coming!!

interesting and very relevant, nice work, take as long as you want!

Very good John.

very nice ... obrigado

Nice!

I need to asorb every wise word the best I can...Thanks Sir you might be the best teacher I have Thanks John

Senhor muito inteligente, sua tomahawk elas lindas parabéns.

Thanks John, makes me want to make one!

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Good. that is part of the idea.

i forged my first axe after this video ,thanks for your knowledge. i m a bladesmith the name of my business is black cat cutlery.

@danandreinicoara1872

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks teacher, slowly and verry detayling your, project have a good price for us he is my remember history with my father...All the best.

this man looks competant!

I'd love to make a hatchet like this, but with real heavy leaf springs.

I'm new to blacksmithing your videos are amazing!!! You explain so much. I'm so happy that I found your videos and refer my friends to you as well.

@BlackBearForge

5 жыл бұрын

Glad you're enjoying them

Thats the sound of freedom.Nice little chopper,looking foward to the next one,great comparison of approaches.I almost bought a round drift at the flea market this weekend,going to make a pair of tongs today,then its on ,tool making is my ultimate goal.Finally got all my fittings for the blower to forge and forged a fire tending tool ,will be doing the tongs with no tongs method you shared with us,but with round bar for this pair . Thanks again.

you are a great instructor sir

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you

This makes me want to try my hand at forging an axe again. Nice project and great video.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I really enjoy making them

@ericcartrette6118

6 жыл бұрын

Black Bear Forge I always have trouble with the eye wanting to go to one side and be thin there while the other side is thick. You may have addressed that issue in the video. I'll watch it again to see.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

If not in this one I my have in part two. It starts with a good layout and then rotating the piece 180 degrees frequently as the hole is punched. A good even heat is also important or the punch moves toward the hotter side.

@ericcartrette6118

6 жыл бұрын

Okay, great. Also, your video on reshaping hammer handles has helped me immensely! I mentioned you in a video. When I post it, I'll link to yours.

Thanks

lol "if i get 2 inches ill be happy" ....same

It's kinda soothing

This is excellent; I look forward to seeing you work with the tool steel bit on the mild steel axe. By the way, received your sticker yesterday. I appreciate that too! :)

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I hope to have the welded version posted this evening

such a friendly looking fella but DAMN those arms and hands :D btw. i have been binge watching your videos for the pat 3 hours since that anvil silencing video popped up on me :D

Really really been looking forward to you doing axes. Since you make so many for work I've always felt it's your specialty. My end goal is to make my own small splitting axe one day. But I have an axe this size and there really useful, will give this one a go soon. Thanks so much! Look forward to the next one!

That's a nice little axe! Great for a kid's axe. I want to start getting some drifts together so I can begin making a few axes here and there. Great video. I especially like how you taught us the method of drop forging at 27:26.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Axes can be hard to hold onto sometimes

@jamesmcmillen4828

6 жыл бұрын

The bent-knee tongs looked like they work great for holding on to the eye, but I was wracking my brain as to what type of tongs would do well with holding on to the blade end. Fitted flat jaws would probably work, or purpose-built wide jaw tongs might be better. Regardless, I'll probably end up making a set of tongs when I start working on axes.

@loul7239

6 жыл бұрын

Making the tools to make the project is the best part. When I give away the item I make (I’m a hobby smith and generally don’t sell stuff) I still have all the tools I made sitting in the shop. They are my reward.

Thank you for a good video . I could really use more education on heat treating and hardening.

Axes and hammers are my goal

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

They are a lot of fun to forge

Enjoy watching you work great stuff this is a little off topic but I’ve been wondering what tools are needed to form an I beam shape into steel for some square stock thanks

Thank you for your video,perhaps you can do a video on how to determine the proper width and length for a drift for a hammer or axe.thank you again ,very good video.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I will add that to my list

Great video. What other tools were you going to make from the 3/4 x 1. Blanks? I have a lot of 01 around that size. I am definitely going to make a little axe.

I have an old Kelly axe and it is cracked in the front of the eye so you know the best way to get it reattached and solid.

I really enjoy your content!! I am very interested in making axes but I'm not sure what i need to do to make a axe drift or any drift for that matter. If you would make a video on this matter I would greatly appreciate it!!

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I am sure that I will be doing a video on axe drifts soon. There is a video on a hammer eye drift here kzread.info/dash/bejne/m4GFzbtwmK2sYLA.html

What would it take to have you forge a large Japanese wood chisel? I am primarily a woodworker but I have taken up blade making and watching your channel has helped me a lot but if you would make a Japanese chisel I’d appreciate it if I could buy it after Sincerely Tyler

@BlackBearForge

2 жыл бұрын

I'm afraid I am no longer taking custom orders.

Would love an explanation of the steel types/designations/grades/numbers you used and those you know about.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I will try to put something together. there are so many different steels out there that it would only be scratching the surface

Really great video John. Thanks learned quite a few new things.

I love tomahawks!!

Hey from Richard @ Big Bear Forge. I would like to see how to make a Viking broed ax or a stander brod ax with a large drop down. I have been wanting one for a long time, I could purchase one but I wont to make it. I not shure how to firger the amount of steel I need can you help. I am going to build a log cabin up in Alaska all by hand no power. Thanks

Does the punch have to be flat or can it have a sharp edge

Is Volkswagen torsion bar steel good forge metal

You seemed to imply punching the eye was going to be easier than chiseling. This called to mind a nail driven head-first through a piece of wood. Can please you elaborate? It makes sense to me that the pointy end of the nail (chisel) would move through easier. (I understand that wood and steel are have material properties, but I hope the metaphor holds up otherwise) Great video, cute axe. I look forward to the next axe and that Rocky Mountain video.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I sure didn't mean to imply that. At least not on the surface. While a chisel will get through the material faster, there is a bit more to it than that. I like the slot punch because it tends to make a cleaner hole that results in less fussing in the long run. A punch also tends to hold its shape better with prolonged contact in the hot material than a chisel does. But it sounds like a good comparison video at some point.

@LolitasGarden

6 жыл бұрын

Yes. Just recently I had two chisel paths meet _nearly_ in the center of an eye. It was ragged and required a lot of file work. I understand. Thank you for the response.

I have a question what is the best grade of tool steel is the best for making tools and hammers And axes

I see a hardy hole tool in the future.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Something similar at least

Hi love your vids my son is 15 we are getting into forging. Oh i saw a guy drill 2 holes all way thru on center punch. If that a good idea

@BlackBearForge

4 жыл бұрын

Pre drilling helps guarantee a centered eye and can help as you learn to punch through larger material.

Where could I get a hook rule like you use? I love watching your videos!

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

While I sometimes have them on my etsy shop, I describe how ai make them in this video kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZZOO08ODaZbKoMY.html

Hmm might make this along with you. What do you think you are best at forging?

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Hard to say for sure. I like making axes, but I don't know if they are the best thing I make or not.

@shifty3453

6 жыл бұрын

Black Bear Forge hmm you are already making one of those. Hmmm

I hear Ron Swanson but I am looking at Wilford Brimley....

you need a bolster for drifting the eye

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Actually due to the odd shape of the axe it needs to be something more than just a bolster plate.

@Theodinsson

6 жыл бұрын

an axe making bolster, that's already an idea for your next video!

Would these axes make a good throwing axe

@BlackBearForge

5 жыл бұрын

They would be fine for throwing, although I usually make a tomahawk style for use as a throwing axe.

John. Can I use an old spud wrench to make an axe swedge? I thought about using the tapered handle part.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Do you mean drift? It sounds like a great place to start

@cogpastorc

6 жыл бұрын

Black Bear Forge yes, a drift.

If I want an axe head of a specific weight, for example 1 3/4 pounds, how far over that weight should I start? Is there a typical percebtage of material loss for this type of project?

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I m afraid I don't have an exact figure. Lots of it depends on how close to final shape you can forge it to vs how much you have to trim to clean up the shape.

John, how do you feel an hatch/axe blade comprised of 1045 with (.43-.50) carbon hold up for general camp use?

@BlackBearForge

5 жыл бұрын

Probably pretty good for a camp axe, but perhaps a bit soft for a carving axe

John one of those adzes that are heat treating in the new oven wouldn't happen to be the one I ordered?

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Sorry, but no. These are a batch of specialty adzes for a chair making class. They were ordered back in January. So I am still aways out on the March orders.

@robbullis5025

6 жыл бұрын

Black Bear Forge Interesting I have not seen a adz specifically for chair making.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

Very similar to the bowl adzes but with a shallow sweep.

so do you re-quench the punch?

@BlackBearForge

5 жыл бұрын

It does get quenched in use to keep it from getting to hot.

I have a question, what tool steels are more forgiving under the hammer? I ask because on some of the higher carbon grades, like O1, the forging temperatures must be strictly adhered to. Especially around the eye where cracks could form. Thanks in advance.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

That is one reason I like the mild steel with welded in edge more and more. But I think the simpler steels forge easier. 1085 - 1095 or W1 But they are hard to come by in large sections.

@rafaellastracom6411

6 жыл бұрын

I agree completely, more work involved but it must be much more satisfying in the end.

Hello I watch your videos from France I think you are an excellent blacksmith and you share your knowledge what is your honor. I do not understand English but I look at the pictures I would like to know what steel you use to make your tools? thank you again for the good times you share with us DIDIER a 66 year old from France

@CNT12696

6 жыл бұрын

plusdier Je m'excuse si ce n'est pas une bonne traduction. Dans cette vidéo, John utilise l'acier O1. C'est un acier commun pour fabriquer des outils.

@BlackBearForge

6 жыл бұрын

I use different steel for different tools. For punches and chisels I like S7 for anvil tools like swages and fullers I like 4140.

@plusdier

6 жыл бұрын

merci

@plusdier

6 жыл бұрын

merci

@jetblackstar

6 жыл бұрын

For this axe he used O1 tool steel. He also said ANSI 1045 or 1085 would work.

I see I found this 3 years after you made it. so which and how do I follow this set of videos?

@BlackBearForge

2 жыл бұрын

If there is a part two, KZread usually recommends it. But you can also search KZread by the topic. But I think this is the next one kzread.info/dash/bejne/YpZsrZZ-oZisg5c.html

Why did you aneal it vs oil tempering? Thanks

@BlackBearForge

Жыл бұрын

Heat treating has four general steps. 1) Annealing - Leaves the material as soft as possible for easier filing, grinding or machining 2)Normalizing - De stresses the material and reduces the risk of warpage when hardening 3)Hardening - Material is brought up to s specific temperature and quenched in a specific medium to cool rapidly (air, oil, water or brine depending on the steel). This leaves the material as hard as possible but also makes it brittle. 4)Tempering - Controlled heating to remove some of the hardness which reduces the risk of chipping or cracking and also makes a tool easier to sharpen. So in this case once the forging is completed, I anneal the steel before grinding. Hardening will take place after grinding and tempering after hardening. Check out part two for more details.

@mattthomas1369

Жыл бұрын

@@BlackBearForge will do thank you so much! So much to learn . I love your videos have watched about 20 of them this week!

Mr.black bear forge, when I forge a ax, I normally forge the blade first because I'm concerned about screwing up the eye, is this a reasonable concern ?

@BlackBearForge

5 жыл бұрын

I feel the eye is easier to punch in a rectangular block that sits well on the anvil and gets harder is the blade is forged first. But I still go back and drift the eye a final time to make sure it is right after forging the blade section

@zacharycase584

5 жыл бұрын

@@BlackBearForge Thank you sir

I have blades off of a 15 foot batting mower. I wonder the kind of steel they are made from.

@BlackBearForge

4 жыл бұрын

Hard to say, you will need to do some testing to find out how to treat it

@MrThenry1988

4 жыл бұрын

@@BlackBearForge I'm with ya. I was hoping someone would know better. It is case hardened. I've cut a few up for welding projects. I do have a pile of them. Lol