Even the automated captions gave up about halfway through the outtro. 🤣🤣 Much love to your channel and to your goal of getting people to try stuff! My life motto is that the best way to get good at stuff is to let myself be bad at stuff, and I love that you're so ready to be open about the process it takes to learn. 💜💜
Adding on to this: even a good glove is not going to protect you past a certain point. Use tongs (or the like) unless you are SURE the metal is cool enough to handle
@@OutlandStationIf you're quenching with water, just dip your finger in some water and drip a little of it onto the metal, if the water evaporates, it's hot, if it sits there peacefully, it's still hot, dip your finger in a protective layer of water and give it a couple test taps.
As a full time blacksmith here, I will tell you great job! Safety rule #1 : EVERYTHING in the shop is hot! Treat it as such. The most dangerous color steel isn't yellow orange or red. Its GRAY steel that is the most dangerous color. One thing i learned a long time ago about rebar is that its a hodge podge of different grades of steel. So that being said, after forging into what you want, if it is to be struck for say, driving into the ground, be aware that it shouldn't be quenched from red hot into water or even oil at that point. it will become brittle. just let it air cool. personally I use a mix 50/50 bees wax and linseed oil for coating. using this mix its better to heat the metal to around 300-400 degrees and brush it on. being as the metal is hot it will absorb better and will make it a nice water proof blacken. But anyway good job. I get asked to make these all the time for customers. Rob
From a Blacksmith perspective your work is good. Just starting is the best teacher! I may have some tips for you: You should leave the Steel inside of the forge until its glowing yellow/white, it makes the work much more easier. Don't strike the Steel when it is not yet red glowing, espacially when you Round the Endings. You will crack the structure of the Steel. For extensions of the steel you may use the horn of the Anvil. Use the Edge of the Anvil to form the Tips of your Steel at the edge of your anvil, the angle of the hammer in relation to the edge of the anvil creates the tip and you only need a few strokes to shape it. The temperature of the gas is regulated by the oxygen supply. If you reduce it correct, the steel will not burn and you can heat 4-6 steels at the same time.
Additional tip; make yourself a shaded space near the forge/anvil, just something to dip the hot tip of your work piece in. You'll get a better indication of the colour of your steel if it's not in direct sunlight. (noticed this around 13:56 )
I'd honestly recommend instead of beeswax using cooking oil and basically seasoning the various pieces. The oil will mostly waterproof it and also make it good to cook on directly.
Beeswax will just melt off, and even good high temp seasoning can burn off if the temp is high enough/length of time in the fire is long enough. High smoke point oil like grapeseed is good for seasoning all kinds of iron cookware and will last well if you take care of it. One trick if you have a pot or skillet that you are going to set in the coals or suspend close to the fire is to put a light coat of soap on the exterior or the base. The soot and ash will wash right off, even in cold water. (I don't have to tell you not to do this with a grill, right?)
I absolutely disagree. Use the wax while the metal is hot and it will burn itself into the surface of the metal, blueing it. You can do the same thing with oil, but the fumes are a bit more agreeable and (in my mind) it tends to hold better. This will burn off over time, but so will oil and you will just have to reapply it from time to time while the metal is still hot.
Exactly! I work in Galvanizing and dealing with other grown toddlers I've learned slot a out employee safety. We use massive hooks to lift and transport black steel through out the plant. So.stones ppl can "point hook" a n empty top to then fall in them.
I started making noise hammering metal at 15, 41 years ago. You've learned a valuable lesson regarding hammering - let the tool do the work. Also, having your anvil face, the part you hit on, at the correct height will really help. Holding your hammer as in striking, the face should lie flat on the anvil when your arm is at full length hanging down. The handle should be horizontal. Bury your stump if you can't cut it. Striking hot metal at these sizes with the edge/corner is ill advised. It will upset a far greater dent that will require more work to dress. Use the face of your hammer to draw the metal out with directional strikes. All metal is HOT. Live by that. A glowing red piece loses that color quickly, but remains hot enough to put you in ER. Always check before picking up. Use the back of your hand and hover it over the metal to confirm. If you stupidly burn the back, you can still keep holding work. When I was really spending entire days at the forge, my hands became so desensitized and calloused that a few times I grabbed hot metal and didn't know it. Couple times I smelled myself burning. The result is a white colored temporary scar. Don't do that. It hurts. Building your chain like that, with the s and the closed hook is correct. The hook remains attached, and that is what you hang your bail on. The s attaches to varying supports and you can also shorten the chain on the s to raise it from the fire to reduce heat. Adjustable heat. You have followed the principles of cooking fire set ups very well. Good job. It's a long path, but rewarding.
Great job. 2 suggestions. 1) Put a spike on the other end, this will help you get them in the ground. 2) Make a bag to carry all of them, I suggest leather and canvas inside.
I implore you to make a set or 2 of tongs. There is a lot you learn by making them, and it's something that should be one of the first things any smith should make. Eventually you will start making more because you think if you just had a pair of things with a particular shape it would make this one thing you need to do easier, so you just make a set of tongs in that particular shape.
I love that this is the very first leveling up for the archetype, and due to the overshirt and lapel mic, the T-shirt simply reads, "LEVEL 0". Accident or seriously subtle wit? Don't care. It's perfect. Also, thank goodness for Maddy. People like her are invaluable. Also, that's the way I got my anvil, too. Bless the old chap who gave it to me.
So many comments since you are discussing my art…! 1. Study metallurgy. The UK Bladeshow on RUclips is AMAZING. Knowing the how and why will put you years ahead of just heating and beating. 2. EVERYTHING around the forge is hot. No one gets burned on red hot metal. It’s the black metal that is 200 degrees and NOT glowing that gets you. And me. I still burn myself. 3. Draw out metal from the middle and with out to the taper. That pushes the middle out; if you start hitting the end, it will make a hollow on your taper that is really evident on your close ups. It looks like foreskin (I teach blacksmithing to veterans, do that is how I explain it). I used to do it to. Not busting balls, just sharing lessons learned. 4. Keep going! I love your channel and am totally pumped to see forging here! My channel has some old videos from my early smithing days that are sorta tutorial-like.
I bought my husband a small forge, but apparently i am now going to use it before him. I love this project SOOO much! We are trying to do a lot of camping, and this setup will fix some issues.
anvils for maximum efficiency Should be at least 10x the weight of the hammer and secured down. Basically the bigger the mass and the harder the surface the better the energy rebound and therefore less work for your arm 😉, edit. Start with the point and work back when forging tapers, (Alec isn't the best example), you get a better view of the heat in a dark environment, ideally you should work the metal at a bright orange or just before it starts burning for maximum efficiency of the heat. cheers J
They would be easier to carry along with all your other camp builds if you had a Wagon of the Wanderer hiking trailer to match your Bag of the Wanderer that also broke down and reconfigured into a camp cot...
Merch idea. One the left side of the chest do your tree with skill at the top and tree below in pretty calligraphy then the archetypes shields big on the back. Maybe allow them to custom what level is depicted
Long time watcher, first time commenter. Super heat all of the pieces of your cooking station and then quench them in Olive oil. Repeat process 8 or 9 times until you see a nice black coating on the outside. It waterproofs your cooking station and makes it food safe to cook directly on. If any part starts to rust then you can clean it off with a wire brush super heat it again and douse in more Olive oil. Love your work and thanks for getting me into crafting!
@@davidalbus8089 The smoke does in fact become carcinogenic, along with any large chunks that are left behind. But the smoke of olive oil is no more carcinogenic than a campfire. As long as you avoid sticking your face in the smoke and breathing deeply the risk is minimal at best. Thank you for the reply, I appreciate your concern.
Cl3ver, you glorious bastard! You haven't done a metalwork video in forever. How on earth did you know that I *just* got my brand new forge set up, acquired an anvil and a stump, and my next free weekend is going to be my first foray into blacksmithing! With free rebar I have laying around no less!
A rounded face as opposed to a flat face hammer helps with drawing out steel, it prevents dents and pushes the metal around better.And damn, those are some good results for it being some of your first work.😮
Merch idea: skill tree tool kits for folks who are leveling up skills. :) "What can I say except you're welcome" Edit: Yes that is a prichle hole (I am actually uncetain about the spelling of "prichle") Edit number 2: 21:09 I think you will find that the spit contraption here will require some sort of fork that will prevent the spit from turning inside the meat while the meat remains stationary. Or I guess you could wrap your meat in some sort of bailing wire that also connects to the spit?
Good looking project. You should look up a video on hammer ergonomics. The way you hold and swing your hammer is part of why you got so tired. Having your thumb on the hammer handle like that puts strain on muscles and tendons that can lead to repetitive stress injuries.
If you have not checked out Dave Canterbury on here, highly recommend. He is like a bushcraft guru essentially. But he has a nice small cook setup like this he makes, and a video on how he makes it. Love this one though, really makes me want to get back into some blacksmithing projects. Side note, that end music is a little on the high side, kind of can't hear you at all. Just incase it was missed in editing
Just a tiny little technique suggestion from a former hobby smith. Wrap your thumb around the hammer instead of laying it on top of it. Less of the impact will be transferred through your bones and your joints will thank you.
I was worrying cause Clever was working some pieces “cold” from what I can see of the color until I remembered that. Cause catastrophic stress fractures are worthy of tears even if they don’t cause pain and blood loss.
I just started learning how to blacksmith as well, so I love this project! I've been watching a lot of videos by Black Bear Forge on RUclips to learn some of the basics. I have also done the dumb of grabbing the wrong end of the metal with my hand, so I feel your pain there.
What you said is very true, "Learn more by doing than watching." When I was getting started on the leather work journey, I spent so many hours watching stuff to prepare mentally for it and make sure I knew the theory behind it but nothing was better than actually doing it though. That's truly where the education is. Good stuff, brother!
Outro feeling like Helldivers 2, keep forgetting to turn my music down and this is what every drop sounds like when teammates are talking :D :D also, rebar fire tools coming next? ;)
Blacksmith tips: 1. Don't wear gloves, if you grab something hot with gloves on they could melt it catch fire. And it takes longer to rip the glove off than it does to drop the hot things burning your hand 2. The small decorative scrolls are best being made before your larger bends. 3. A better finish is paste wax applied to low red heat. 4. The clay analogy is great, clay is a great practice tool for hammer control.
At a live demonstration at a renaissance festival, the master smith said they give new people clay. It acts nearly identical to clay. Not your imagination. You can weatherproof them by heating them and dipping in oil. Then it soaks into the metal. I think you can even use food safe oils that are high temp like sesame oil kind of like seasoning a pan.
A big tip I can give you to save your arms and reduce pain or injury is to use your whole arm when swinging. It will generate more force with less effort and will save your wrist and forearm in the long run. I would also see about making your anvil stand more sturdy, the shaking when you hit it from the side reduces how much force is actually hitting the metal. Last tip is that the dents you see in the metal is because the hammer isn't hitting the metal flat. Only way to change that is practice hitting the anvil and feeling the hammer hit it flat. Awesome project, and I would love to see some kind of leather bag or long pouch to carry this in.
Metal is like skin in a way. It has pours in it, and when heated those pours will open. If you heat your metal a bit, just enough to open those pours, then melt the beeswax onto it while hot, that bees was will soak into the metal
The best way to apply beeswax for outdoor use (that I know of) is when the metal is around 400 Fahrenheit to 500 Fahrenheit. You also could treat them like a cast iron/carbon steel pan and season them to prevent rust.
you can also dig a hole in the ground with a small tunnel for ventilation for the fire - and then the small setup only needs to be barely off the ground for larger pots too
I'm not sure if this would work or not, but what if you treated it like cast iron to keep it from rusting? Coat it with a thin layer of oil or fat and then put it over a fire and let it carbonize? That might work better than the beeswax. Again, I'm not a professional, so I don't really know.
Something my mentor taught me as your warmup project is making nails you can get into the rhythm practice tapering and peening/upsetting the metal as well as cutting it off
Definitely use ear protection. If you don't want tinnitus for the rest of your life. Its always good to wear a glove on the hand holding the metal - even just a leather glove, it gives you more grip without blisters and a bit more protection from heat if you grab too close to the live area.
Congratulations on the Merch, just ordered some things. Might I humbly suggest/request your Alchemical "caffeine " sigil on a garment? Tees, hoodies, aprons etc. You need a sigil for alcohol...really. Lol. As for this video ,Damn Son...for a newbie blacksmith you rocked it! That first rod with the curly bit was spot on. It would make gorgeous tent stakes.
heres a amatuer tip for anyone who wants an half decent anvil type thing without spending a penny cause legit ones are CRAZY expensive. RAILROAD track, find a chunk about 12 inchs or less thats laying off to the side. typically easy to find on less used track. its got a flat side to bolt down to a wood table. and a flat top with curved edges.
Blacksmith tip: Let the weight of the hammer do most of the work for you and ride the bounce. Just control the direction, rather than fight the momentum. Similar to riding the recoil of a gun when shooting. Don't fight it, let it do what it's gonna do and you won't tire out as quickly. Doesn't take much to move hot metal. Not experienced enough to answer your question about pushing it in the direction, but it SEEMS to work for me as well.
To help minimize the bottle and sponge on looking for leaks, just get a cheap dollar spray bottle and put a little bit of soap in water in it and spray it pressurize it same situation.
I absolutely love smithing, cant wait to give this a shot when I get a new forge going ❤ (also cool that you can use them for exercise 😂 truly multi purpose)
I prefer using beeswax on hot metal so it sears into the surface. It something called bueing and actually changes the top layer of the metal to make it more rust resistant. And it won`t burn of as easily as a coating would.
Alec moved back to England so that might be difficult. Will Stelter is still in Montana though. There’s a bunch of RUclips blacksmiths though, any number of which might be interested in a collab and might be closer to Our Hero.
Hey just a word of advice from someone who had a welding class one time. No expert but I have expert advice. Never put any kind of sealant on the joints of the Smith piping. That means joint compound or pipe d*pe, Teflon tape. None of it the sealant can actually cause fires in the line and create an explosion that way. I don't know if this translates to propane but it's a really bad idea on oxyacetalene torches.
The end splitting is from the metal cooling, if you hit it when it cools down it will split. Take some time and sand the face of your anvil it will help with the finish of your work.
Instead of beeswax, consider seasoning the pieces with oil like you would with cast iron cookware. Basically, if you spray it with avacado oil every so often, it should be fine.
Instead of bee's wax, you can use used motor oil. Heat the iron/steel up to a dull red heat and then either do a quick quench or a rag soaked in oil to wipe it down. Assuming that the light isn't too bright making to look colder than it is, the oil will carbonize in the micro pits of the metal. This is blackening. Wipe off the excess oil an the finish will keep for years to decades. Just don't over heat the metal afterward or you have to reapply. You want to make sure you work in the shade so you can better read the heat of the metal based on the color of the glow. In too bright a light, the metal will have to be hotter to compete with the sun light. This will cause you to make a torch instead of blackening. If you've not done it before, keep a bed of sand and toss the flaming bits on the sand so it doesn't spread or a fire extinguisher handy. My first job was as a blacksmith in an open air museum. This is how we made reproductions. To sell, we used rustoleum as people didn't like the slight oily feel. A light degreaser will make it less oily but still durable.
Motor oil!? Not if you want your camp area to smell like the inside of an engine all the time when the metal gets heated. Repulsive odour. And you can potentially use the eight rebar pieces as a kind of grill if you wanted to (though it might be difficult to do--spacing them properly might be hard), or one of the long pieces as a spit, so using a food-safe coating would be best, so motor oil is a bad idea. Why do people keep wanting to use toxic coatings? It's so stupid.
If done correctly, it leaves not oily residue. Also, That is a item that is NOT coming into contact with food. It is a support structure. Also, it won't smell like oil as you already burned it. It is a carbonized coating that is in the pores of the metal. Why do people who haven't done something think they know it all. It's so stupid...
You say about getting proper blacksmithing hammers, but seriously consider a couple of episodes on forging hammer heads, making handles and hanging them. That would be epic ...once your arms stop aching!
Well it isnt really that it is delaminating because of different metals just that it is pretty much filled with impurities like scaling when they make the rebar and soft steel like carbon steel tends to be a bit more finneki and prone to cracks. So lower heat and longer soaks in the heat definetly is the better way to avoid cracks, I would sugest next time to use a coal forge for rebar so you can get a even heat and a slower heat which benefits greatly and a bit of a plus you give it more carbon too.
This is your most ambitious project yet & it was amazing. Loved every minute of it! But holy heck, the outro music's volume was ear-blasting. Someone goofed. Yeah, I know you know, but ouch. Also, since the the rebar is cold-forged, I'd suggest "seasoning" it with high-temp cooking oil: basically baking it with cooling oil on it in layers like you do cast iron pans. Better than beeswax, & will keep it from rusting & you can cook on it directly, too, like a grill.
very cool; only suggestion is to stay away from anything galvanised when working hot metal. The zinc coating on galvanised iron or steel will mess your lungs up.
and it also importent how you hold you hammer and how you stand at anvil to not get sholder elbow or back problem think of it like ergonomic office chair if you sitt al day in bad chair you will get problems if stad at anvil bad you will get problems
3:45 as an aspiring blacksmith, the first one was a cross peen hammer which is very useful for spreading metal in a certain direction, and the other was a double headed sledgehammer, and I will suggest to round one of those faces for spreading metal in all directions like a large ball peen hammer. But keep the other side of both hammers fairly flat for evening and flattening out your metal after it has been stretched/ shaped, oh and also have the edges of the faces slightly rounded to keep your work smoother. Also your trick with leather crafting and letting the hammer fall instead of swinging the hammer will also help here. ...I am such a blacksmithing bookworm, sorry. On with the rest of the video! Edit 24:30 you already figured out letting the hammer do tha work, I spoke to soon!
Another blacksmithing project that I suggest is a miners spike/ candle holder or something similar for the aesthete of the time period/ world of your larps. Living Anachronisms has a video on one he got, and Black Bear Forge has a video (maybe 2) on making one, if you are interested of course!
Not entirely sure why the ending music is so loud... .but I'm curious what you THINK I'm saying at the end 🤣🤣
I hope this means we will see more blacksmithing in the future.
@@benkayvfalsifier3817 chainmail?
What Merch? Give me that Flannel Shirt and Youve got me sold!
Even the automated captions gave up about halfway through the outtro. 🤣🤣
Much love to your channel and to your goal of getting people to try stuff! My life motto is that the best way to get good at stuff is to let myself be bad at stuff, and I love that you're so ready to be open about the process it takes to learn. 💜💜
I think you're confessing your most egregious sins, things like "I've eaten babies" or "I like to kick puppies" or "I talk in the theater".
The first rule of the blacksmith's shop: everything is hot until proven otherwise.
Adding on to this: even a good glove is not going to protect you past a certain point. Use tongs (or the like) unless you are SURE the metal is cool enough to handle
"... until proven otherwise." Usually by grabbing it...
Proving otherwise is how you get thicker skin.😂
True story
@@OutlandStationIf you're quenching with water, just dip your finger in some water and drip a little of it onto the metal, if the water evaporates, it's hot, if it sits there peacefully, it's still hot, dip your finger in a protective layer of water and give it a couple test taps.
As a full time blacksmith here, I will tell you great job! Safety rule #1 : EVERYTHING in the shop is hot! Treat it as such. The most dangerous color steel isn't yellow orange or red. Its GRAY steel that is the most dangerous color.
One thing i learned a long time ago about rebar is that its a hodge podge of different grades of steel. So that being said, after forging into what you want, if it is to be struck for say, driving into the ground, be aware that it shouldn't be quenched from red hot into water or even oil at that point. it will become brittle. just let it air cool.
personally I use a mix 50/50 bees wax and linseed oil for coating. using this mix its better to heat the metal to around 300-400 degrees and brush it on. being as the metal is hot it will absorb better and will make it a nice water proof blacken.
But anyway good job. I get asked to make these all the time for customers.
Rob
From a Blacksmith perspective your work is good. Just starting is the best teacher! I may have some tips for you: You should leave the Steel inside of the forge until its glowing yellow/white, it makes the work much more easier.
Don't strike the Steel when it is not yet red glowing, espacially when you Round the Endings. You will crack the structure of the Steel.
For extensions of the steel you may use the horn of the Anvil.
Use the Edge of the Anvil to form the Tips of your Steel at the edge of your anvil, the angle of the hammer in relation to the edge of the anvil creates the tip and you only need a few strokes to shape it.
The temperature of the gas is regulated by the oxygen supply. If you reduce it correct, the steel will not burn and you can heat 4-6 steels at the same time.
Additional tip; make yourself a shaded space near the forge/anvil, just something to dip the hot tip of your work piece in. You'll get a better indication of the colour of your steel if it's not in direct sunlight. (noticed this around 13:56 )
I'd honestly recommend instead of beeswax using cooking oil and basically seasoning the various pieces. The oil will mostly waterproof it and also make it good to cook on directly.
This is the way!
Beeswax will just melt off, and even good high temp seasoning can burn off if the temp is high enough/length of time in the fire is long enough. High smoke point oil like grapeseed is good for seasoning all kinds of iron cookware and will last well if you take care of it. One trick if you have a pot or skillet that you are going to set in the coals or suspend close to the fire is to put a light coat of soap on the exterior or the base. The soot and ash will wash right off, even in cold water. (I don't have to tell you not to do this with a grill, right?)
I probably woud have just hit it with a coat of rustoleum.
I absolutely disagree. Use the wax while the metal is hot and it will burn itself into the surface of the metal, blueing it. You can do the same thing with oil, but the fumes are a bit more agreeable and (in my mind) it tends to hold better. This will burn off over time, but so will oil and you will just have to reapply it from time to time while the metal is still hot.
as a blacksmith this is exactly what i was gonna comment lol!
As a construction safety manager, I can confirm most of my day is spent telling full-grown toddlers that very thing - don't be dumb!
So bloody true
I know your pain. That is also my job
best advice you get in the military as well
Exactly! I work in Galvanizing and dealing with other grown toddlers I've learned slot a out employee safety. We use massive hooks to lift and transport black steel through out the plant. So.stones ppl can "point hook" a n empty top to then fall in them.
I feel all of your pain as a mom of 4😂
I started making noise hammering metal at 15, 41 years ago.
You've learned a valuable lesson regarding hammering - let the tool do the work.
Also, having your anvil face, the part you hit on, at the correct height will really help. Holding your hammer as in striking, the face should lie flat on the anvil when your arm is at full length hanging down. The handle should be horizontal. Bury your stump if you can't cut it.
Striking hot metal at these sizes with the edge/corner is ill advised. It will upset a far greater dent that will require more work to dress. Use the face of your hammer to draw the metal out with directional strikes.
All metal is HOT. Live by that. A glowing red piece loses that color quickly, but remains hot enough to put you in ER. Always check before picking up. Use the back of your hand and hover it over the metal to confirm. If you stupidly burn the back, you can still keep holding work. When I was really spending entire days at the forge, my hands became so desensitized and calloused that a few times I grabbed hot metal and didn't know it. Couple times I smelled myself burning. The result is a white colored temporary scar. Don't do that. It hurts.
Building your chain like that, with the s and the closed hook is correct. The hook remains attached, and that is what you hang your bail on. The s attaches to varying supports and you can also shorten the chain on the s to raise it from the fire to reduce heat. Adjustable heat.
You have followed the principles of cooking fire set ups very well. Good job. It's a long path, but rewarding.
Great job. 2 suggestions. 1) Put a spike on the other end, this will help you get them in the ground. 2) Make a bag to carry all of them, I suggest leather and canvas inside.
Merch idea: if it hasn't been suggested, patches both of your emblem and the archetypes you work on. I think those would be amazing!
Yes, this. And vinyl stickers of same
Those have been talked about in the discord a couple of times and I like the idea
I'm a fan of this.
Or maybe pins!
Canvas and or leather yeah
I implore you to make a set or 2 of tongs. There is a lot you learn by making them, and it's something that should be one of the first things any smith should make. Eventually you will start making more because you think if you just had a pair of things with a particular shape it would make this one thing you need to do easier, so you just make a set of tongs in that particular shape.
I love that this is the very first leveling up for the archetype, and due to the overshirt and lapel mic, the T-shirt simply reads, "LEVEL 0".
Accident or seriously subtle wit? Don't care. It's perfect.
Also, thank goodness for Maddy. People like her are invaluable.
Also, that's the way I got my anvil, too. Bless the old chap who gave it to me.
So many comments since you are discussing my art…!
1. Study metallurgy. The UK Bladeshow on RUclips is AMAZING. Knowing the how and why will put you years ahead of just heating and beating.
2. EVERYTHING around the forge is hot. No one gets burned on red hot metal. It’s the black metal that is 200 degrees and NOT glowing that gets you. And me. I still burn myself.
3. Draw out metal from the middle and with out to the taper. That pushes the middle out; if you start hitting the end, it will make a hollow on your taper that is really evident on your close ups. It looks like foreskin (I teach blacksmithing to veterans, do that is how I explain it). I used to do it to. Not busting balls, just sharing lessons learned.
4. Keep going! I love your channel and am totally pumped to see forging here! My channel has some old videos from my early smithing days that are sorta tutorial-like.
I bought my husband a small forge, but apparently i am now going to use it before him. I love this project SOOO much! We are trying to do a lot of camping, and this setup will fix some issues.
YES! I would love to see your version of it. When you finish, make sure to send it to us over on the Discord!
Black Bear Forge is a channel I like teaching blacksmithing.
Let's face it, you wanted to practice the sharpened hook for your next pirate character.
Merch idea: skill tree aprons for crafting. With lots of pockets and little fantasy designs.
anvils for maximum efficiency Should be at least 10x the weight of the hammer and secured down. Basically the bigger the mass and the harder the surface the better the energy rebound and therefore less work for your arm 😉, edit. Start with the point and work back when forging tapers, (Alec isn't the best example), you get a better view of the heat in a dark environment, ideally you should work the metal at a bright orange or just before it starts burning for maximum efficiency of the heat. cheers J
I appreciate the knowledge! Thanks for helping me learn. Also, love your content!
@@SkillTree Thank you so much. All the very best you did a great job. Cheers J
They would be easier to carry along with all your other camp builds if you had a Wagon of the Wanderer hiking trailer to match your Bag of the Wanderer that also broke down and reconfigured into a camp cot...
You know, it WOULD be useful to have a lil rolling wagon in some of the events we go to....
Definitely a video I would love to see!
...crap. now I'm mentally designing one.
@@SkillTreecame to the same conclusion, although after last year's Mudodea, it might need to be able to convert into a sleigh.
Merch idea. One the left side of the chest do your tree with skill at the top and tree below in pretty calligraphy then the archetypes shields big on the back. Maybe allow them to custom what level is depicted
Long time watcher, first time commenter.
Super heat all of the pieces of your cooking station and then quench them in Olive oil.
Repeat process 8 or 9 times until you see a nice black coating on the outside. It waterproofs your cooking station and makes it food safe to cook directly on.
If any part starts to rust then you can clean it off with a wire brush super heat it again and douse in more Olive oil.
Love your work and thanks for getting me into crafting!
Olive oil becomes carcinogenic when heated to the point of smoking.
@@davidalbus8089 The smoke does in fact become carcinogenic, along with any large chunks that are left behind. But the smoke of olive oil is no more carcinogenic than a campfire. As long as you avoid sticking your face in the smoke and breathing deeply the risk is minimal at best. Thank you for the reply, I appreciate your concern.
@tenjobadule1085 I should have clarified my concern being in a shop setting. Doing what you say outside I would think would be fine.
Cl3ver, you glorious bastard! You haven't done a metalwork video in forever. How on earth did you know that I *just* got my brand new forge set up, acquired an anvil and a stump, and my next free weekend is going to be my first foray into blacksmithing! With free rebar I have laying around no less!
I too have only last week begun heating and smacking metal, and this could not be any more perfect timing.
A rounded face as opposed to a flat face hammer helps with drawing out steel, it prevents dents and pushes the metal around better.And damn, those are some good results for it being some of your first work.😮
Merch idea: skill tree tool kits for folks who are leveling up skills. :) "What can I say except you're welcome"
Edit: Yes that is a prichle hole (I am actually uncetain about the spelling of "prichle")
Edit number 2: 21:09 I think you will find that the spit contraption here will require some sort of fork that will prevent the spit from turning inside the meat while the meat remains stationary. Or I guess you could wrap your meat in some sort of bailing wire that also connects to the spit?
Good looking project. You should look up a video on hammer ergonomics. The way you hold and swing your hammer is part of why you got so tired. Having your thumb on the hammer handle like that puts strain on muscles and tendons that can lead to repetitive stress injuries.
What you should do is heat up the re-bar to a grey heat and then brush on the bee's wax so you get a patina .
i'm so glad this happened. Ive wanted to see Cl3ver do this ever since the backpack tent.
If you have not checked out Dave Canterbury on here, highly recommend. He is like a bushcraft guru essentially. But he has a nice small cook setup like this he makes, and a video on how he makes it. Love this one though, really makes me want to get back into some blacksmithing projects.
Side note, that end music is a little on the high side, kind of can't hear you at all. Just incase it was missed in editing
Just a tiny little technique suggestion from a former hobby smith. Wrap your thumb around the hammer instead of laying it on top of it. Less of the impact will be transferred through your bones and your joints will thank you.
Rebar is not hardenable . Carbon content to low. But it is perfect fir what you are doing
I was worrying cause Clever was working some pieces “cold” from what I can see of the color until I remembered that. Cause catastrophic stress fractures are worthy of tears even if they don’t cause pain and blood loss.
I love watching this channel just get bigger and better. Can’t believe I was here in the hundreds. Go Skill Tree Go!
I just started learning how to blacksmith as well, so I love this project! I've been watching a lot of videos by Black Bear Forge on RUclips to learn some of the basics.
I have also done the dumb of grabbing the wrong end of the metal with my hand, so I feel your pain there.
Now I can't wait for the forge welding episode.
This is as cool as that big green tent you made and will pair aestheticaly as well as the pieces would go with the small adventure tent backpack
Let you hammer do the work. Otherwise it'll tire you out waay to fast.
Awesome kit! Thanks!
What you said is very true, "Learn more by doing than watching." When I was getting started on the leather work journey, I spent so many hours watching stuff to prepare mentally for it and make sure I knew the theory behind it but nothing was better than actually doing it though. That's truly where the education is. Good stuff, brother!
Im kinesthetic visual, show me once or twice, let me do it and once I do it right I know it for life.
Oh, brother! I did a weekend blacksmith course, and my arm was destoyed! Swinging that hammer is no joke.
Outro feeling like Helldivers 2, keep forgetting to turn my music down and this is what every drop sounds like when teammates are talking :D :D also, rebar fire tools coming next? ;)
Just learning how to taper is the best start point. The chain would be a good first project.
Blacksmith tips:
1. Don't wear gloves, if you grab something hot with gloves on they could melt it catch fire. And it takes longer to rip the glove off than it does to drop the hot things burning your hand
2. The small decorative scrolls are best being made before your larger bends.
3. A better finish is paste wax applied to low red heat.
4. The clay analogy is great, clay is a great practice tool for hammer control.
At a live demonstration at a renaissance festival, the master smith said they give new people clay. It acts nearly identical to clay. Not your imagination.
You can weatherproof them by heating them and dipping in oil. Then it soaks into the metal. I think you can even use food safe oils that are high temp like sesame oil kind of like seasoning a pan.
5:48
Leveling up sneak too I see
I vote your next smithing tool you get should be a hot cut tool that you set into the hardy hole. Hope it helps :D
I was just thinking that as he was bend breaking the chain pieces.
Just playing the music at the appropriate level for a blacksmith😂
A big tip I can give you to save your arms and reduce pain or injury is to use your whole arm when swinging. It will generate more force with less effort and will save your wrist and forearm in the long run.
I would also see about making your anvil stand more sturdy, the shaking when you hit it from the side reduces how much force is actually hitting the metal.
Last tip is that the dents you see in the metal is because the hammer isn't hitting the metal flat. Only way to change that is practice hitting the anvil and feeling the hammer hit it flat.
Awesome project, and I would love to see some kind of leather bag or long pouch to carry this in.
The irony that when Clever wears a flannel over his merch shirt, it says Level 0 lol
I didn't notice that!!! Good eye! the fates have SPOKEN
😆 that really was a good one!
Metal is like skin in a way. It has pours in it, and when heated those pours will open. If you heat your metal a bit, just enough to open those pours, then melt the beeswax onto it while hot, that bees was will soak into the metal
The best way to apply beeswax for outdoor use (that I know of) is when the metal is around 400 Fahrenheit to 500 Fahrenheit. You also could treat them like a cast iron/carbon steel pan and season them to prevent rust.
Loving where this is going. Great planning Madie.
You can get a tiny anvil at most hardware stores for super cheap
Those tend to be sand cast and inferior anvils, but still a great tool for a beginner. Especially if you get one with both hardy and pritchel holes.
@@Blahutv0 Sand casting isn't going to make an inferior anvil...what does is them being cast iron. You want a proper steel, which also can be cast.
you can also dig a hole in the ground with a small tunnel for ventilation for the fire - and then the small setup only needs to be barely off the ground for larger pots too
Time to level up your camp cooking skill
We actually HAVE a video on camp cooking! ruclips.net/video/gk4RR9kmkHc/видео.html
All you need now is the addition of a bushcraft hand auger and this set up would be mint ..
I'm not sure if this would work or not, but what if you treated it like cast iron to keep it from rusting? Coat it with a thin layer of oil or fat and then put it over a fire and let it carbonize? That might work better than the beeswax. Again, I'm not a professional, so I don't really know.
Something my mentor taught me as your warmup project is making nails you can get into the rhythm practice tapering and peening/upsetting the metal as well as cutting it off
Definitely use ear protection. If you don't want tinnitus for the rest of your life.
Its always good to wear a glove on the hand holding the metal - even just a leather glove, it gives you more grip without blisters and a bit more protection from heat if you grab too close to the live area.
Save this video for a bad day so I could cheer myself up. Thanks for making the best content y'all!
You said early in the video that you plan on "getting" proper blacksmithing hammers. I recommend you forge them. It's great practice.
I always loved the medieval setups like these that are made of wood with a bed of sand in the cooking box. :3
End screen deafened me. DX
Someone show Alec he'd be so proud 😭❤️
13:25 To prevent this in the future, what about potholders? They make pot handle versions as well so it can at least indicate what’s hot and what isnt
This is my favorite video now for this. I’ve wanted to make something like for a while but never liked the other videos and ideas lol. Thanks!
Closing music was loud for me.
project was awesome. going to share with my friends.
Yeah I could barely hear what he was saying.
Even the subtitles gave up
🤣
Congratulations on the Merch, just ordered some things. Might I humbly suggest/request your Alchemical "caffeine " sigil on a garment? Tees, hoodies, aprons etc. You need a sigil for alcohol...really. Lol. As for this video ,Damn Son...for a newbie blacksmith you rocked it! That first rod with the curly bit was spot on. It would make gorgeous tent stakes.
heres a amatuer tip for anyone who wants an half decent anvil type thing without spending a penny cause legit ones are CRAZY expensive. RAILROAD track, find a chunk about 12 inchs or less thats laying off to the side. typically easy to find on less used track. its got a flat side to bolt down to a wood table. and a flat top with curved edges.
Blacksmith tip: Let the weight of the hammer do most of the work for you and ride the bounce. Just control the direction, rather than fight the momentum. Similar to riding the recoil of a gun when shooting. Don't fight it, let it do what it's gonna do and you won't tire out as quickly. Doesn't take much to move hot metal.
Not experienced enough to answer your question about pushing it in the direction, but it SEEMS to work for me as well.
As a future project you could make your own tongs
I would recomend applying beeswax to black hot metal so that it immediately smokes.
You make it look easy so I guess you are doing it right.
yaay! My knife was featured first at 25:01!
When hammering, keep your thumb wrapped around the hammer it'll save your elbow from tendinitis
To help minimize the bottle and sponge on looking for leaks, just get a cheap dollar spray bottle and put a little bit of soap in water in it and spray it pressurize it same situation.
for weatherproofing: look into how cast iron is seasoned: I read that blacksmiths used to use a similar method for any ironwork that would be outside
I absolutely love smithing, cant wait to give this a shot when I get a new forge going ❤ (also cool that you can use them for exercise 😂 truly multi purpose)
I prefer using beeswax on hot metal so it sears into the surface. It something called bueing and actually changes the top layer of the metal to make it more rust resistant. And it won`t burn of as easily as a coating would.
I'm hoping to see the work up to full metal armor!
These things are great. I love them for bushcraft trips.
An @AlecSteele collaboration would be amazing. Maybe something to look forward to?
Alec moved back to England so that might be difficult. Will Stelter is still in Montana though.
There’s a bunch of RUclips blacksmiths though, any number of which might be interested in a collab and might be closer to Our Hero.
Hey just a word of advice from someone who had a welding class one time. No expert but I have expert advice. Never put any kind of sealant on the joints of the Smith piping. That means joint compound or pipe d*pe, Teflon tape. None of it the sealant can actually cause fires in the line and create an explosion that way. I don't know if this translates to propane but it's a really bad idea on oxyacetalene torches.
Cool! Like Lego for grown-ups. So versatile and flexible.
Yeeeees, love me some adult lego!!
@SkillTree if you burn in a wood handle it works great as a spindle for a spit to roast meats
Very cool I want im probably gonna make this at some point
Hoodies please, love the designs and need all of them in hoodie form 😂
The end splitting is from the metal cooling, if you hit it when it cools down it will split. Take some time and sand the face of your anvil it will help with the finish of your work.
Fantastic project and video! I was wondering how you were going to manage a cooking grate. You did not disappoint!
I learned the hard way if you need to make a lot of little pieces ie chain links a jig is your best friend
Instead of beeswax, consider seasoning the pieces with oil like you would with cast iron cookware. Basically, if you spray it with avacado oil every so often, it should be fine.
I saw the arrowhead in one of your patron picks. Have you ever thought about trying to learn flint knapping? I would love to see a video about that!
Instead of bee's wax, you can use used motor oil. Heat the iron/steel up to a dull red heat and then either do a quick quench or a rag soaked in oil to wipe it down. Assuming that the light isn't too bright making to look colder than it is, the oil will carbonize in the micro pits of the metal. This is blackening. Wipe off the excess oil an the finish will keep for years to decades. Just don't over heat the metal afterward or you have to reapply.
You want to make sure you work in the shade so you can better read the heat of the metal based on the color of the glow. In too bright a light, the metal will have to be hotter to compete with the sun light. This will cause you to make a torch instead of blackening. If you've not done it before, keep a bed of sand and toss the flaming bits on the sand so it doesn't spread or a fire extinguisher handy.
My first job was as a blacksmith in an open air museum. This is how we made reproductions. To sell, we used rustoleum as people didn't like the slight oily feel. A light degreaser will make it less oily but still durable.
Motor oil!? Not if you want your camp area to smell like the inside of an engine all the time when the metal gets heated. Repulsive odour. And you can potentially use the eight rebar pieces as a kind of grill if you wanted to (though it might be difficult to do--spacing them properly might be hard), or one of the long pieces as a spit, so using a food-safe coating would be best, so motor oil is a bad idea. Why do people keep wanting to use toxic coatings? It's so stupid.
If done correctly, it leaves not oily residue. Also, That is a item that is NOT coming into contact with food. It is a support structure. Also, it won't smell like oil as you already burned it. It is a carbonized coating that is in the pores of the metal. Why do people who haven't done something think they know it all. It's so stupid...
You say about getting proper blacksmithing hammers, but seriously consider a couple of episodes on forging hammer heads, making handles and hanging them. That would be epic ...once your arms stop aching!
Awww poor hammers, making their replacement 🤣
I love this channel 💖Please make a video using the things you've created in your videos!
Well it isnt really that it is delaminating because of different metals just that it is pretty much filled with impurities like scaling when they make the rebar and soft steel like carbon steel tends to be a bit more finneki and prone to cracks. So lower heat and longer soaks in the heat definetly is the better way to avoid cracks, I would sugest next time to use a coal forge for rebar so you can get a even heat and a slower heat which benefits greatly and a bit of a plus you give it more carbon too.
I bought a fum... I hope it helps me quit vaping thanks for the discount code!
Also I love the "Lego"esk way it can be assembled
This is your most ambitious project yet & it was amazing. Loved every minute of it! But holy heck, the outro music's volume was ear-blasting. Someone goofed. Yeah, I know you know, but ouch. Also, since the the rebar is cold-forged, I'd suggest "seasoning" it with high-temp cooking oil: basically baking it with cooling oil on it in layers like you do cast iron pans. Better than beeswax, & will keep it from rusting & you can cook on it directly, too, like a grill.
It would be great to get a list of how long the pieces were before you starting forming. I want to make this set for use in our family camping.
That came out really good, thanks
very cool; only suggestion is to stay away from anything galvanised when working hot metal. The zinc coating on galvanised iron or steel will mess your lungs up.
I maaaaaay have learned that early on in the channel. Three guesses what video THAT was lol
Now you need to make a cooking kit to hold this set up and some pots and pans. Next episode maybe?
and it also importent how you hold you hammer and how you stand at anvil to not get sholder elbow or back problem think of it like ergonomic office chair if you sitt al day in bad chair you will get problems if stad at anvil bad you will get problems
3:45 as an aspiring blacksmith, the first one was a cross peen hammer which is very useful for spreading metal in a certain direction, and the other was a double headed sledgehammer, and I will suggest to round one of those faces for spreading metal in all directions like a large ball peen hammer. But keep the other side of both hammers fairly flat for evening and flattening out your metal after it has been stretched/ shaped, oh and also have the edges of the faces slightly rounded to keep your work smoother. Also your trick with leather crafting and letting the hammer fall instead of swinging the hammer will also help here.
...I am such a blacksmithing bookworm, sorry. On with the rest of the video!
Edit 24:30 you already figured out letting the hammer do tha work, I spoke to soon!
Another blacksmithing project that I suggest is a miners spike/ candle holder or something similar for the aesthete of the time period/ world of your larps. Living Anachronisms has a video on one he got, and Black Bear Forge has a video (maybe 2) on making one, if you are interested of course!
This is such an exciting new skill!