When we came down and did a class with Steve, I remember every time we had a few minutes to spare I’d try and make another nail. It was super addictive to try and get it spot on. I think only 1 of the 8 or so I made cake out looking half decent but it was great fun! Amazing quality video chaps and looking forward to the next!
Alex, I can’t thank you enough for posting this tutorial. As I’m just starting in the craft and learning from a friend that’s a Journeyman Smith, this is like you said one of those simple things that can perfect skills you’ll use forever. Please keep it going. Cheers!
I've seen a few different ways making nails and how you put it in the vice and hit the top and its done it a quick and efficient way thanks heaps appreciated the video
It isn't exactly a mold, but there is a specialized tool known as a nail header, it is essentially a domes price of steel with a hole the size and shape of the largest part of the nails shank.
Hi, just found your video and found it really interesting. My ancestors were nail makers from Belper, Derbyshire and from what I have discovered they worked hard and played hard. The local football team are still known as the Nailers.
Tried to balance the "instruction" part of it, so we weren't so much telling you exactly what to do, but giving you enough information verbally and visually to be able to see what the process was
Thanks for this video, it was well done. I’m learning blacksmithing from my dad and just did my first ever project which was, of course, nails. Took 20 heats but didn’t turn out too bad! I’m documenting the learning process on my channel. Now off to forge lot’s more nails and get better!
It was such a STRIKING thumbnail, I had to watch! (Eeeeeeh, soz) But I loved that! It's always a pleasure to hear you talking about the craft Alex; can't wait to get back to the forge!
Like the Vice technique, first I've seen. Just made first nails today, my tool design needs work but first attempt with tools i had already. Making small square hole is difficult
Hello , I wonder how you control the required lenght if you make them like you do?? And i'm very sorry but i don't like the GRINDING part. I use a nailheader i made from scrapspringsteel and i always start with square material.and i FORGE the heads in their correct shape Kind regards Blacksmith F.Ponseele-Belgium
I just watched Alex steele's video where he made 500 nails in just over 12 hours now he did several thing differently to you his nail were smaller about an inch and he used a tool to hold the nail while shaping the head. He showed a film of an old blacksmith making nails they used under 30 or 40 strikes to shape it, the used a tool where after shaping the nail they dropped it into this tool and formed the head and they did it in one heat
That's correct and certainly the most traditional way to forge nails . I haven't watched the film but he probably used a 'nail header' . I have been forging nails in a less traditional way using a leg vice as it was always much easier to teach beginners that way. On average I can make 25-30 an hour of the 3" nails. Thanks for watching and new film coming soon
You mention seven techniques that are essential to/for Blacksmithing. What are the others not described in this video? Do you have videos explaining these? Keep on keep'n on.
Like others, great video.👍👍 Seen other video's on nails, like the way you made yours. Thanks for not playing some music over the video. Maybe let us know what size stock your using, keep up the great work. 👍👍
When I toured Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's estate in Virginia) the guy who gave the tour of the slave quarters painted a horrifying picture of the making of nails. No trip hammer for them, yet they helped make Jefferson a very rich man.
Guuyyyysssss! This was absolutely great! Thanks for this nice sit down and talk Alex! I really like getting into the why and how! Do you think you would be able to go through the same process with a gas forge? You'd probably manually cool off the tip? Would love to hear your thoughts on that! Also - Steve, man that was a great little educational short film! Great cut - great audio and a story well told!
Thanks Kjell!! It's a little more difficult in a gas forge just because of the inability to isolate heat like you can in the Coal forge, but it's certainly possible.
Great video, im trying this out to make nails for a cabin my dad is building. I noticed the grip from the vice creates a thin spot on the nail below the head. Will that compromise the nail?
Great to hear you're trying this out for yourself! We haven't had a nail bend or break on us yet so I don't think there's any worry about compromised strength there.
They worked a lot more than 8 hours a day back then. The 8 hour day was started in the 19th century. I can find it more believable that someone made 150 nails in 12 hours rather than 8. Thats like 12 or 13 nails an hour
💚💚💚💚 bookmark / notes: black smith older thicker Nail or chizel the double sided sword ( time machine ) to make bigger more multi tasking water wheel …..ect…..tbc…..-g-b, bot
Love nail making videos. Shows people that blacksmithing is not always just knife/sword making
Dude, that is some serious cinematography! I'm really looking forward to seeing more from you all!
Thanks mate! Not bad for a 12 year old camera, right?
thanks a lot, there is nowhere near where I live to learn blacksmithing and your videos are a blessing to learn by myself
Where are you located?
In Dorset ,
When we came down and did a class with Steve, I remember every time we had a few minutes to spare I’d try and make another nail. It was super addictive to try and get it spot on. I think only 1 of the 8 or so I made cake out looking half decent but it was great fun! Amazing quality video chaps and looking forward to the next!
Wow, 2 minutes in and you've already answered a lot of my questions, thank you!
So good!! More !!!
Thanks Jim!!
A trick : watch series at Flixzone. Been using it for watching loads of movies during the lockdown.
@Robert Rudy definitely, I've been watching on Flixzone for since december myself :D
@Robert Rudy Yea, been watching on Flixzone for since november myself =)
So cathartic to watch. Blacksmithing truly is a wondrous craft.
Thankyou, very glad you enjoyed it.
Here because of Adam Smith, really a humble and creative art. Well done Alex, quite the blacksmith.
Beautiful craftmanship, a worthy way to make a living
You are a genuine blacksmith.
Nailed it. (Sorry, had to)❤🖤
Haha! Well of course you did..
I came a little late and just had to pile on by hitting the like. This behavior should have a name. I'm going to call it "Pun Thumbing" haha.
Alex, I can’t thank you enough for posting this tutorial. As I’m just starting in the craft and learning from a friend that’s a Journeyman Smith, this is like you said one of those simple things that can perfect skills you’ll use forever. Please keep it going. Cheers!
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
😅😂👍
Really great!! Short sweet and didn’t waste a second of video!!
I never knew there was so much to learn about forging nails. Great video. I really feel like I was there watching a smith at work.
This really shows some of the basics required, it's not all sexy knife making. Fantastic video, beautifully shot and edited.
Thanks! That's what we were going for, to show that it's not all knives fancy stuff.
Stunning video, information and practical skill! Those facets on the nail head! 😍 Cannot wait to see more!
Blacksmith knife next week!
Very well done. Cinematography and narration was great. You can tell you guys love what you do.
Thanks Dennis, we really appreciate that!
I've seen a few different ways making nails and how you put it in the vice and hit the top and its done it a quick and efficient way thanks heaps appreciated the video
Love it guys, well filmed & voiced over!
Nice and easy, thank you for your nice way how to forge nails! Nails! My nightmare!!! Thanks a lot, Tom
Love your channel, thanks for posting
Beautifully done! All of it. The metal work, the narration, the instruction, camera and sound. Bravo!
Thanks Bernie! Hopefully we can keep the quality up!
Fantastic first video gents. Looks forward to more.
Thanks! Hopefully the next one will be up Sunday and the next one will be... soon after hopefully
You make me want to make nails, now. Meditative. I used to think they were pounded into a mold to make the head. Nice technique.
It isn't exactly a mold, but there is a specialized tool known as a nail header, it is essentially a domes price of steel with a hole the size and shape of the largest part of the nails shank.
Hi, just found your video and found it really interesting. My ancestors were nail makers from Belper, Derbyshire and from what I have discovered they worked hard and played hard. The local football team are still known as the Nailers.
Great working rhythm, great video, greater work. Well done Master of nails.
Great vid. Thank you guys. this was a great flip side to the live feed you did.
Great video guys. Can’t wait to see more
Thanks! Next one should be going up in a week and hopefully more not long after
I’ve been thinking about making nails like this for quite some time now. Looks cool as hell!
thanks ... fairly easy. Just takes practice
Beautiful video, very instructive and enjoyable. Thank you.
Tried to balance the "instruction" part of it, so we weren't so much telling you exactly what to do, but giving you enough information verbally and visually to be able to see what the process was
Love the atmosphere in this but also great to be able see some of the details like how Alex forges the faceted head.
Thanks mate, we wanted to be able to show things a little more clearly and let the visual show the process
Excellent first video, I'm looking forward to the next one. 🖖
Cheers mate, hopefully we can keep the momentum going!
This is really interesting and informative, I’ve watched it three times now. Looking forward to more videos. Cheers!👍🏻
Amazing video. Looking forward to the next live stream, the last one was very informative.
Thankyou, hopefully we'll be doing another one very soon.
That was absolutely beautifully done.
Thanks mate, you too kind!
Very enjoyable video to watch & listen to. Looking forward to the next one 👊🏽
Great great video!!!!! Amazing technique!! 💪🏼💪🏼😃🔥
Thankyou!
Beautiful work thank you
Wow…. This whole explanation is sensational.
Thanks for this video, it was well done. I’m learning blacksmithing from my dad and just did my first ever project which was, of course, nails. Took 20 heats but didn’t turn out too bad! I’m documenting the learning process on my channel. Now off to forge lot’s more nails and get better!
This was a great watch. I was looking to learn how to make these in sterling silver, I’m a jeweler. This might help. Thank you!
You really hit the nail on the head with this one.
Haha! Thanks!
Amazing video! Super informative shots and narration, thank you so much!
Great video guys! Its brilliant to see you work and here the stories behind your craft. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Pete!
Any musicians watching this loving the odd time signatures in his hammer strikes??? I'm getting 7/8, 9/8 haha I love it
You have to watch two blacksmiths working together! That's the right music!
Great video, thanks very much for sharing and starting the channel 👍
Thanks for watching!
Absolutely beautiful video gents.
Thanks Jamie, very much appreciated!
Great video and narration! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!
Well done guys great to see you on the big screen 👍
Excellent content and production quality. Well done guys.
Thanks Will, really appreciate it!
It was such a STRIKING thumbnail, I had to watch!
(Eeeeeeh, soz)
But I loved that!
It's always a pleasure to hear you talking about the craft Alex; can't wait to get back to the forge!
Haha! Thanks bud, looking forward to having you back here!
Lovely video guys, keep it up
Cheers!
Beautiful video!
Thanks Franco!
Awesome work! 😃👍🏻🔥🔨👊🏻
Thanks Fred, we had a lot of fun making it!
Like the Vice technique, first I've seen. Just made first nails today, my tool design needs work but first attempt with tools i had already.
Making small square hole is difficult
Fantastic video! Really looking forward to more videos...and making nails at my next forge opportunity!
I’ve watched it now. I liked it.
Watching this while having my hand under cold water. I'm still an absolute rookie 🤕
Thank you for this tutorial!
ouch ... hope you are ok ? Keep on at it
@@alexpoleblacksmith thanks. Yeah I'm fine now and getting better each day! 👍
Fantastic video! Great to watch these being made! 🙌🏼
Thanks guys! Hopefully you'll get to have a go yourselves at the next Makers Central
The Forge That would be amazing! 🙌🏼
Fantastically shot! Wonderfully informative. Looking forward to the future of this channel. Liked & Subscribed 🔥👍🏼🔥
Would you ever do tungsten tipped masonry tools?
Nice job. Informative and entertaining. I have yet to make a nail, might be worth a go. Thanks for sharing... TTYL....
Hello , I wonder how you control the required lenght if you make them like you do?? And i'm very sorry but i don't like the GRINDING part. I use a nailheader i made from scrapspringsteel and i always start with square material.and i FORGE the heads in their correct shape Kind regards Blacksmith F.Ponseele-Belgium
Damn, beaten to the 'Nailed it' pun. Great video! Loved the voice over :)
Thanks! Al wasn't sure about the voiceover so it's good to hear some positive feedback on it
I just watched Alex steele's video where he made 500 nails in just over 12 hours now he did several thing differently to you his nail were smaller about an inch and he used a tool to hold the nail while shaping the head.
He showed a film of an old blacksmith making nails they used under 30 or 40 strikes to shape it, the used a tool where after shaping the nail they dropped it into this tool and formed the head and they did it in one heat
That's correct and certainly the most traditional way to forge nails . I haven't watched the film but he probably used a 'nail header' . I have been forging nails in a less traditional way using a leg vice as it was always much easier to teach beginners that way. On average I can make 25-30 an hour of the 3" nails. Thanks for watching and new film coming soon
You mention seven techniques that are essential to/for Blacksmithing. What are the others not described in this video? Do you have videos explaining these?
Keep on keep'n on.
Nice work 👍🏻
Thanks!
Like others, great video.👍👍
Seen other video's on nails, like the way you made yours.
Thanks for not playing some music over the video.
Maybe let us know what size stock your using, keep up the great work. 👍👍
When I toured Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's estate in Virginia) the guy who gave the tour of the slave quarters painted a horrifying picture of the making of nails. No trip hammer for them, yet they helped make Jefferson a very rich man.
Nice video! Well done!
Thanks!
greetings from Turkey ☺️
So good! Nice choice of thumbNAIL as well ;)
Ha! Punny! Glad you enjoyed it!
He got the nail on the head 🔨
Guuyyyysssss! This was absolutely great! Thanks for this nice sit down and talk Alex! I really like getting into the why and how! Do you think you would be able to go through the same process with a gas forge? You'd probably manually cool off the tip? Would love to hear your thoughts on that!
Also - Steve, man that was a great little educational short film! Great cut - great audio and a story well told!
Thanks Kjell!!
It's a little more difficult in a gas forge just because of the inability to isolate heat like you can in the Coal forge, but it's certainly possible.
I’m using a gas forge for nails, not as pretty, using a nail header as well.
I’ve been thinking about getting into blacksmithing, any tips for a beginner?
💚🤘🏿
do you ever use a nail header?? I never seem to get them just the right size..
Great work! Hey, what size was that starting stock?
Great video, im trying this out to make nails for a cabin my dad is building. I noticed the grip from the vice creates a thin spot on the nail below the head. Will that compromise the nail?
Great to hear you're trying this out for yourself! We haven't had a nail bend or break on us yet so I don't think there's any worry about compromised strength there.
They worked a lot more than 8 hours a day back then. The 8 hour day was started in the 19th century. I can find it more believable that someone made 150 nails in 12 hours rather than 8. Thats like 12 or 13 nails an hour
What kind of steel would you use to make the nail header? It doesn't seem possible to buy them over here in the UK.
Who needs a nail header .this vice method looks a lot easier and no problems with nail's sticking inside the header
Lovely 👍
Cheers!
what size steel are u using?
Oooo I right enjoyed that
I've got a feeling you'll like the next one too!
How are those iron "rods" made that the nails are cut from? Would it just be metal poured into molds for that usage?
💚💚💚💚 bookmark / notes: black smith older thicker Nail or chizel the double sided sword ( time machine ) to make bigger more multi tasking water wheel …..ect…..tbc…..-g-b, bot
Those hammerblows on the anvil before presumably turning the stock a quarter, is that some technique to dissipate built up momentum, or just habit?
Why on the 4th strike do you hit the anvil?
Question, how long should nails be for 3/16, 3/8, and 1/4 for nail headers?
Do you use mild steel?
Can these be pulled out and used again and againnice video I want to be an overgrown dwarf
My question is what function of the nail? Because we can purchase the nail in many materials store
Nice work man!😎👍Greeting #bulatsschmiede
what is the final heat treat? anything special?
I dig that you use a smaller hand hammer ,I use a 2 pound hammer as my Dailey
What’s that about 1.5 hammer
It's actually a 2lb hammer, Al is just VERY large so it looks smaller! We always recommend people use the right size hammer for the task
Would casting a group of nails be faster than this?
One question. . . what did you do with all those nails when you were making 250 per day??
I hope he wears ear protection, although I doubt it. That metal on metal sound x 1 million hits is tough.
Probably has been said......But a dedicated Nail Heading (tool) might speed things up a bit
Do those metal flecks ever pop back in your face mate does it hurt?