Forging a trade axe or tomahawk part 1 - blacksmithing for beginners

The simple wrapped eye axe is one of the oldest axe designs. Similar axes were made all over Europe at one time. In the US these were a common trade item and are now often simply called a tomahawk.
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The following list provides just a few resources to help you find supplies and equipment for blacksmithing.
These first links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you buy from these dealers.
My blacksmiths apron www.Forge-Aprons.com use code BBF
My favorite cordless angle grinder - www.anrdoezrs.net/links/885600...
My cordless die grinder - www.anrdoezrs.net/links/885600...
To find more information in blacksmithing in the US or to search for your local ABANA affiliate group visit.
www.abana.org/
Other suppliers of blacksmithing tools and supplies
Self contained air hammers - www.saymakhammers.com/
General blacksmithing supplies - www.oleoacresfarriersupply.com/
General blacksmithing supplies - www.piehtoolco.com/
General blacksmithing supplies - www.centaurforge.com/
General blacksmithing supplies - www.blacksmithsdepot.com/
General blacksmithing supplies - www.blacksmithsupply.com/
Square head bolts and lags - www.blacksmithbolt.com/
New anvils - www.oldworldanvils.com/
New anvils - www.nimbaanvils.com/
New anvils -
Industrial supplier - www.mcmaster.com
Tong blanks and tools - kensironstore.com/
Fire brick and refractory - refwest.com
Blacksmithing and related activities can be hazardous. These videos are not a substitute for competent professional instruction. Your safety is your sole responsibility. Always use appropriate safety equipment including eye and ear protection when working in the shop. Follow manufactures safety guidelines for the use of all equipment. In the event something shown in one of these videos seems unsafe, it is up to you to make the appropriate changes to protect yourself.

Пікірлер: 92

  • @Little_River_Forge
    @Little_River_Forge10 ай бұрын

    If you have a forge and have ever swing a hammer or even want to learn, this is the best channel on KZread, if you’re not subscribed to johns channel you are missing out on a ocean of knowledge

  • @caleblandry1780
    @caleblandry17802 ай бұрын

    I’ve already turned a claw hammer into a hachet as a twist on your ballpeen hammer video and and since then learned how to forge weld steel and wrought iron gonna give this a shot tomorrow on a smaller scale incase I mess up and if I get it right will scale it up and give it my best, thank you john your a amazing teacher/blacksmith and explain unlike any other thanks to you I’ve got way more comfortable and started my own shop recently!!

  • @RojasCarpentry
    @RojasCarpentry5 жыл бұрын

    I get more and more jittery wanting to swing a hammer here at college. Back home my anvils await me!!

  • @Puppybreth242

    @Puppybreth242

    3 жыл бұрын

    Same

  • @countryboy4383
    @countryboy43832 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video sir

  • @garygraham2974
    @garygraham29742 жыл бұрын

    Awesome job bro

  • @moretimethanmoney8611
    @moretimethanmoney86115 жыл бұрын

    I like that you point out the delicate nature of the weld. Many people don't realize that no matter what you do, there will always be impurities in a weld that make it weaker than the parent metal. I've seen a few x-rays of welds on piping and the difference between weld and parent metal is obvious.

  • @williambeshearssr3958
    @williambeshearssr39584 жыл бұрын

    Nice another project for me thanks

  • @BigWillSD
    @BigWillSD5 жыл бұрын

    Keep the primitive coming!! I love it!!

  • @frankgaletzka8477
    @frankgaletzka84773 жыл бұрын

    Hello John This Video is very teachfull You show in a very good way how to forge a Axe I like that Have a good week all the best Yours Frank

  • @stanervin6108
    @stanervin61085 жыл бұрын

    My two favorite topics: forge welding and edged weapons! 🐾🔥⚒

  • @3870TheDad
    @3870TheDad5 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video, John!!!

  • @heinoobermeyer7566
    @heinoobermeyer75665 жыл бұрын

    I have been fighting with this style for ages! Thank you for the great advice

  • @lenblacksmith8559
    @lenblacksmith85595 жыл бұрын

    Love seeing you forge weld things like these axes.

  • @marcusstarnes8760
    @marcusstarnes87605 жыл бұрын

    Hey john thanks for the video we have a customer asking for a tomahawk and was not sure how to do it , but there you go right on time with the answer. keep it up great work

  • @mikejeffers6371
    @mikejeffers63715 жыл бұрын

    Great Hawk John can't wait to see it finished.

  • @mustang198626
    @mustang1986265 жыл бұрын

    Nice little axe. Can't wait to finish my forge up and start making them myself

  • @larryking606
    @larryking6065 жыл бұрын

    Wonderful project ! I have been very tempted to do this project , but now you have given me much more confidence to jump into it Thank you for the Inspiration ! Take Care

  • @Vic1943_
    @Vic1943_5 жыл бұрын

    thanks john nice work great looking trade axe. have a great day blessing to you and yours

  • @dsmasynergy
    @dsmasynergy5 жыл бұрын

    Outstanding! I look forward to your videos every day!!

  • @workwithnature
    @workwithnature5 жыл бұрын

    Makes sense to get the eye in the right shape before welding and having the bit cold so it does not burn, hoo and well with the teeth it really looks like it stops the bit from popping out. Must give all that a try. Thanks.

  • @hannemannironworks1651
    @hannemannironworks16515 жыл бұрын

    I look forward to the next videos this is a project I’ve been wanting to do for a while!

  • @silvergoldking
    @silvergoldking5 жыл бұрын

    Wow you whipped that right up.Great job.

  • @grandadz_forge
    @grandadz_forge5 жыл бұрын

    You made it look soooooooo easy. Fun to watch

  • @Pseud0rand0m
    @Pseud0rand0m5 жыл бұрын

    Great video, I liked the voiceover. I make these using large farrier rasps and they will definitely chop! Often times I add another piece to the end to give the axe more of a beard.

  • @adampablodayc
    @adampablodayc5 жыл бұрын

    Great job,nice Hammer from Daniel Moss.I just found some 1/4 × 1 1/2 about 20 in long and an old 2ft piece of leaf spring ,down by the river while fly fishing .I will be trying this project soon.

  • @robertmartin7643
    @robertmartin76435 жыл бұрын

    Great work John!! Thanks for the inspiration!

  • @gabrielnavarro8721
    @gabrielnavarro87215 жыл бұрын

    Great work !

  • @ronthacker211
    @ronthacker2115 жыл бұрын

    Great video. Loved it.

  • @schmiedepeter3881
    @schmiedepeter38815 жыл бұрын

    This is another wonderful Video from you - THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

  • @richardsolomon8076
    @richardsolomon80765 жыл бұрын

    Lovely piece of work, well done John

  • @MP_Single_Coil
    @MP_Single_Coil5 жыл бұрын

    Great timing! I just bought a tomahawk drift today for tomorrow's project. You answered quite a few questions.

  • @jls191
    @jls1915 жыл бұрын

    Thanks John.

  • @BIGDOGFORGE
    @BIGDOGFORGE5 жыл бұрын

    Great project Good job.

  • @NeilGraham.I.M.F
    @NeilGraham.I.M.F5 жыл бұрын

    Good work as always. Liked the vioce over narration

  • @mikechapple2363
    @mikechapple23635 жыл бұрын

    I think that may have given me the confidence to try a weld that big. Thanks

  • @danielrogers32
    @danielrogers325 жыл бұрын

    I really like the voiceover narration. It is easier to hear what you’re saying.

  • @brettsayers7768
    @brettsayers77685 жыл бұрын

    I have been thinking of making something similar and this has really helped, thanks John.

  • @jjppres
    @jjppres5 жыл бұрын

    Nice John! Seems you just kind of knocked that right out very quickly. Looks good.

  • @steelpennyforge5152
    @steelpennyforge51525 жыл бұрын

    Awesome job. I need to make a few of these. I love to throw them !

  • @dadegroot
    @dadegroot5 жыл бұрын

    I made one of these from an old farrier rasp. Worked brilliantly and I've even used it to fell small sapplings. (a rasp doesn't get you a large cutting area).

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    The rasps look good, but as you say aren't a lot of material.

  • @blackdeath4u
    @blackdeath4u5 жыл бұрын

    Great video! My next project is a small axe, but I've been struggling with trying to figure out how to make the axe eye. I'm not confident in my ability to drift it in yet, so this is perfect for me! I'll be using 5160 for the cutting edge, so I'll reference your other axe videos on hardening and tempering. Thanks again! You make it look so easy!

  • @johnjude2677
    @johnjude26775 жыл бұрын

    Good timing for I have started mine but putting coil steel in mine only still got to forge it down to .5 in. .then find the time after a first job to do next. Thanks John Have a drawing for to have a beginer come and work under you for a prpject.

  • @gurvinderkau1e5w18
    @gurvinderkau1e5w185 жыл бұрын

    Nice video. Waiting for hardening and tempering video

  • @e.lworkshop5832
    @e.lworkshop58325 жыл бұрын

    I watch it well ~

  • @lut5ch3r
    @lut5ch3r Жыл бұрын

    That is a nice piece! Btw. I think you were a bit hungry at the end of the video :)

  • @Zogg1281
    @Zogg12815 жыл бұрын

    That's a brilliant little axe! I was having a bit of a laugh at your "flux addiction" (your words, not mine 😂) after watching a load of Roy @Christcenteredblacksmith video's about forge welding with "correct" amounts of flux 😂 I think your flux addiction should probably be called "recovering" as you don't use as much as you used to 👍👍😋

  • @johnkotlarchick4191
    @johnkotlarchick41915 жыл бұрын

    Did u see Paul pinto made a 4 sided hammer. How practical do you think that is?

  • @AlbiesProductsOnline
    @AlbiesProductsOnline5 жыл бұрын

    I have never had a problem hearing you the few times the gas forge was on and you talking the mice is close enough to your mouth to make your voice loud enough to hear no problem I can only speak for myself but it’s not a problem to keep it on in my opinion it’s all good

  • @Cubic5
    @Cubic55 жыл бұрын

    Nice video. Is it possible at the end of the video to put up the time it took you to make something. It will give us amateurs a good time to shoot for if we attempt something like that.

  • @Frie_Jemi
    @Frie_Jemi5 жыл бұрын

    ever considered painting one side of your touch mark punches for faster orientation?

  • @TheLoneWolfForge
    @TheLoneWolfForge5 жыл бұрын

    Another good one John! You may have answered this before, but where do you get your drifts? Looks cast.

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    This one is cast. I don't have the name for who I bought it from, it was many years ago. But they are on ebay most of the time. Cast ductile iron instead of regular cast iron, so they stand up to the abuse.

  • @danielcrawford7315
    @danielcrawford73155 жыл бұрын

    Neat item. And the 1075 bit should make it pretty dog gone useable. Large forge weld for sure. May i ask, have you an oppinion on the practice of adding 1080 powder steel to the flux? Thanks for having us out to the shop today. Blessed day sirSir, Crawford out

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    Many fluxes have some iron powder. But I don't know about steel. It moght burn off before the weld is ready. worth trying if you have the powder on hand

  • @danielcrawford7315

    @danielcrawford7315

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@BlackBearForge thank you. Tim at big dog uses it i think. Just curious on your take.

  • @18tblacksmithingstarttofin82
    @18tblacksmithingstarttofin825 жыл бұрын

    Beginner Smith here and I'd like to send you a few things I've made

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    I appreciate the thought. There is a mailing address in the video description

  • @bunyanforgings7849
    @bunyanforgings78495 жыл бұрын

    With the drifting proceedure it sounds like forge welds aren't quite as strong as fusion or even brazed welds. That's not to say that they're weak. At what point do you know when it's time to stop bringing the piece up to welding heat?

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    They can be, but the section near the eye needs to remain as thick as possible. Which means you have minimum opportunity to refine the weld. As you get further down the blade the areas that received mire forging and refinement have much stronger welds.

  • @yandiwa4707
    @yandiwa47075 жыл бұрын

    Make a wood bowl adze one of those days, another tool to HT !!

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    I have several videos on the subject.

  • @yandiwa4707

    @yandiwa4707

    5 жыл бұрын

    Thxi did check them out. Do you know how to forge a wood gimlet? Don t see that around... but it s a very cool tool. Thx for all your exceptional video and knowledge content!

  • @fiorevitola880
    @fiorevitola8805 жыл бұрын

    John: How do I get you to make me an Axe-Like the one you are making? Thanks

  • @megadwood18
    @megadwood185 жыл бұрын

    I like your ruler can that style still be bought .

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    That one os shop made from a square

  • @codyironworks307
    @codyironworks3075 жыл бұрын

    Do you have a good place to get that style of foundry gloves... I haven't had any luck finding them on eBay... does amy at piehs sell them? I got several pairs for Christmas but I used them up

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    They are from Pieh Tool

  • @lenblacksmith8559
    @lenblacksmith85595 жыл бұрын

    I'm wanting to make an adze for a friend but I don't have any carbon square steel, I have some fairly big round spring steel from an axel from a 4x4 any Idea's how to go about it, have tried punching a hole but boy it's hard stuff.

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    I'm afraid that punching the hole is still a must. However if you are comfortable forge welding, I prefer to make the body from mild steel with a welded on edge. I have a few videos on the subject. The mild steel is much easier to punch

  • @hosiercraft9675
    @hosiercraft96755 жыл бұрын

    Is 4140 a good axe steel do you think?

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    Lots of people make axes from 4140. It would be good for hard use axes but perhaps not able to hold an edge well enough for carving axes

  • @Earth-bornGraffics
    @Earth-bornGraffics2 жыл бұрын

    Where can one get tomahawk and traditional axe drifts?

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    2 жыл бұрын

    Try Pieh Tool

  • @nathanstrunk7673
    @nathanstrunk76735 жыл бұрын

    Using the flux as glue? We all do it at times

  • @sirkai007
    @sirkai007 Жыл бұрын

    My attempt to replicate this project has not yielded the same results. If I'm using O1 for the cutting edge, does that present any challenges?

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    Жыл бұрын

    I have always had trouble forge welding O1. 1075 or 5160 are good options for the bit.

  • @johnwalker5938
    @johnwalker59385 жыл бұрын

    Another great instructional video...and timely as I'm about to forge a small axe for a friends 65th birthday. I usually avoid welding in my gas forge as the flux instantly destroys my refractory! Just wondering if you have the same problem or have you found a way minimize this problem. Thanks again for the terrific videos.

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    You can use a sacrificial tile or kiln shelf but even those don't last long. My forge now has a hard fire brick floor that seems to be holding up way better than most forge lining material. James Austin adds coke to his forge floor as a consumable floor that gets refreshed throughout the day.

  • @yourredcomrade717
    @yourredcomrade7175 жыл бұрын

    next video do a forging job dressed like dr phil! lol

  • @donaldbayes6235
    @donaldbayes62355 жыл бұрын

    Have you ever thought about making a smoking pipe axe or Hatchet.. it's a Native American I believe from the Plains Indian where they were traded with them don't quote me on that

  • @charleswainwright2095
    @charleswainwright20955 жыл бұрын

    L

  • @fiorevitola880
    @fiorevitola8805 жыл бұрын

    John: How do I get you to make me an Axe-Like the one you are making? Thanks

  • @BlackBearForge

    @BlackBearForge

    5 жыл бұрын

    This one will probably be available once it is completed

  • @fiorevitola880

    @fiorevitola880

    5 жыл бұрын

    Do you have a storefront or a site I can go to?

  • @fiorevitola880

    @fiorevitola880

    5 жыл бұрын

    Do you have a storefront or a site I can go to?

  • @fiorevitola880

    @fiorevitola880

    5 жыл бұрын

    Do you have a storefront or a site I can go to?

  • @fiorevitola880

    @fiorevitola880

    5 жыл бұрын

    Do you have a storefront or a site I can go to?

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