Axe forged from steel cable - Blacksmithing
Рет қаралды 163,418
2 жыл бұрынBack to work on Forging a Camp Axe from steel cable aka wire rope.
Sponsored by: Combat Abrasives - bit.ly/3r73P8d
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Anvil provided by; Fontanini Anvil
www.stevefontaniniblacksmith.com
Precut blanks for forging available from:
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Mailing address:
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Below you will find useful links that will help you in your journey as a blacksmith.
To find more information in blacksmithing in the US or to search for your local ABANA affiliate group visit.
www.abana.org/
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.t yourself.
@jamesbarisitz4794 2 жыл бұрын
The photography, lighting, and production were top notch on this episode. You've got a powerful grasp of more than a pair of tongs! 👍 😃
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@spongeorpete7289 2 жыл бұрын
Well said!
@kristinasizemore9569 2 жыл бұрын
Xxvgfxjsgffvfbvc vf what are you doing I love you
@StanErvin-yo9vl 10 ай бұрын
@@BlackBearForge@1:15 sounds like a good solid weld John. I was directed here from the short. Speaking of shorts, I loved the 360° tour yesterday, but could not squeeze in a question about the work bench drawers handles. Was that in a playlist? Link please. Thank you.
@StanErvin-yo9vl 10 ай бұрын
@@BlackBearForgeBack again. My favorite pattern from elevator cable is to cut them short after a solid weld and oriented so that the entire bar shows ends on the faces of the blade sides. Kinda like a starburst effect. And a good etchant substitute for ferric chloride etchant is cheap and environmentally safe. Stronger than normal dark tea bags boiled, not steeped.
@Deaganus 2 жыл бұрын
Facebook wouldn't stop showing me your shorter videos, so I decided to just watch the long stuff. Addicting and fascinating content
@fingerz1245 2 жыл бұрын
When you’re too good at forge welding! Very nice ax! I understand not wanting to be redundant in this video, but admittedly I am one who enjoys your commentary. You are an excellent teacher and your wisdom and experience is greatly appreciated! Thank you again, John!
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks 👍
@warriorwayministries9715 2 жыл бұрын
I concur, too many blacksmith instructional videos have little explanation of the steps. I’ve learned so much and advanced so far in this craft because of instruction John. Much appreciated!!!!
@darinroodman2004 Жыл бұрын
I don't know how to explain the amount of unbridled joy it brought me to see you wearing one of Alec Steele's shirts. Thank you for being awesome sir.
@BlackBearForge Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@steveoppermann7596 2 жыл бұрын
Great video! About the shirt, l love your channel BECAUSE of the 'yak'. You have taught me so much!
@virtusleather 2 жыл бұрын
Editing is unreal! Great vid as always. I puckered up something proper when you stuck your hand in the "glowing" forge. Got me good buddy.
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sticking around till the end to see the gag revealed.
@virtusleather 2 жыл бұрын
@@BlackBearForge 😱🤣
@JosephBall 10 ай бұрын
Found you on Facebook but couldn't find all the parts so I came here. Great channel and amazing presentation work.
@BlackBearForge 10 ай бұрын
Welcome aboard!
@metalmanproductions9267 Жыл бұрын
The lack of pattern is a testament to you forge welding, Looks good
@als8326 2 жыл бұрын
The slow motion was cool 😊👍
@frankgaletzka8477 2 жыл бұрын
Hello John A fine little axe . Well done Thank you for the Video and showing your work Take care have a good new week Greetings Frank Galetzka
@deryiousbarzee627 2 жыл бұрын
Good morning
@Destrosgoldfin 2 жыл бұрын
Morning
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Morning
@Justin-Wood 2 жыл бұрын
adding the 1095 edge into the axe after the first profiling really blew my mind
@trevorcunningham5881 3 ай бұрын
The orange LED flicker in the cold forge was a nice touch!
@scottyboy7462 2 жыл бұрын
Hi John, been a while since i watched. but i'm back. you are the reason I am an abuser of metal and steel. much love from massachusetts 🇺🇸❤️
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Welcome back. lots more to come
@quinn3334 2 жыл бұрын
you just keep getting better and better at production
@TheBrushcutter Жыл бұрын
When you're so good at forge welding that there is no pattern. That speaks volumes to your forge welding knowledge and capabilities. I know the desired result in Damascus making is that the finished product has a visible pattern but damn, this was awesome!
@72151 9 ай бұрын
This man is a library of experience and knowledge. Thank you kindly for sharing with such a pleasant explanation.
@BlackBearForge 9 ай бұрын
So nice of you
@erikcourtney1834 2 жыл бұрын
Information for whom might be interested. Definitely recommend getting some ferric chloride and mix at a 50/50 ratio. Soak for 15min then lightly sand with 2,000 grit to remove oxides. Then do 2 more times. Results may vary depending on acid strength and how polished the piece is. If you want to get a higher contrast, a long soak (I leave 15+ hrs) in some real strong instant coffee after the ferric etch cycles.
@MarkKelly1307 2 жыл бұрын
John - I really do enjoy the channel. I am constantly coming here for guidance (I’m no smith, just a beginning hobbyist). Watching and learning has allowed me to make some very small Christmas gifts and other practical items for my shop. I enjoy your conversation as well as studying your technique. Cheers, Mark
@fn45tacticalsuppressed11 4 ай бұрын
I’m impressed. The execution, of this technique.
@elijahmcgeorge5198 2 жыл бұрын
You have taught me so much about forge welding that I’ve been able to make some Damascus so thank u
@donjorgensen6393 2 жыл бұрын
I'd like to see a cable pipe tomahawk. Always thought that was a really cool tool/ pipe.
@murlimohanrao 7 ай бұрын
What I like the most is the explanation in the background. Most other videos is simply showing us what is done without any explanation around it. For laymen like me who simply love blacksmithy, explanation builds interest.
@cameronflack2254 2 жыл бұрын
You got me with the lights in your forge!! That was a good one! Shame the pattern didnt show, but one trick ive used in the past on cable is getting my acid hot, like near boiling for vinegar, and for my feric, i will put the tank into a 5 gallon bucket of my hottest tap water.
@KarlBunker 2 жыл бұрын
Alec who? Never heard of him. 😁 That's a beautiful little axe!
@chriskelly3678 2 жыл бұрын
NOOOOOO, your Yack Yack is therapeutic... Love your commentary. you are a de-stressor after a long day in the grind.
@ericcartrette6118 2 жыл бұрын
I do wish the pattern would have been more prominent. Regardless, this is a beautiful axe! The two videos from last week and this week have been quite educational. Thanks again John!
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much!
@MrDukaman 2 жыл бұрын
Hey bud try using tasters choice instant coffee. That works when nothing else will. Cable is touch sometimes. I done it hundreds of times it works. Thx again nice job … Paul…..👍🔥🇺🇸⚒
@andrepienaar6459 2 жыл бұрын
Try coffee, as The Waylon and Joe show mentioned below. I see quite a lot of forgers on youtube use it. Nice ax!
@christianwilkerson939 Жыл бұрын
I must say, from a video perspective (I was in video production on an international level for 20 years) I have the utmost respect for you in how you ended this piece. 99% of talent would not have stood in front of the camera and said what you said. Kudos to you. I have been working for a year now on a journey in silver and steel (silver inlay in the handles with steel pieces) and I think your work and videos are great. Can't afford your membership until next month when I get paid. (Working horses, I broke my back twice, so I'm poor boying it until I can start selling something. Thanks so much for what you do! ...Christian
@thewaylonandjoeshow9540 2 жыл бұрын
John, for your next etch, try really cheap, super concentrated instant coffee. I use cafe bustello instant espresso with great results. After you achieve the level of etch you’re happy with, let it dry completely before touching it, then pop it in the oven at 225f for an hour or so. Awesome job on the axe! Love your content!!! Thank you!!!
@stenzeliron6818 2 жыл бұрын
Nice work!!
@TheIdeanator 2 жыл бұрын
Ferric chloride is easy to make if you are so inclined. Hydrochloric acid (aka muriatic) should be available at most hardware stores, and the highest strength hydrogen peroxide you can find (likely at a hydroponic grow store). Mix a bit of the peroxide in and soak a bunch of iron in it. The peroxide will help the iron dissolve and the HCl will convert it to ferric. Another etch you might be interested in is "Nital" which selectively etches the ferrite phase. Its usually 2% nitric acid in ethanol for looking at the pattern under a microscope, but for damscus you could probably up it to 10% or more.
@consultmjp 2 жыл бұрын
Lack of a pattern just means your welds were impeccable. Great job.
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks 👍
@mattn9805 Жыл бұрын
Am I the only person seeing a really nice, subtle pattern on the axe? Looks great IMHO.
@andrewramsay4832 2 жыл бұрын
Well done, sir.. true artisan. Arts like this are dying , art and trade mix together, legend.
@Nanogrip 2 жыл бұрын
18:10 I actually yelled at my screen 😅 Excellent work on that axe, and wow! Your editing is amazing in this video, you've come a long way! Cheers on your channel and I wish you continued success.
@OBXDewey 7 ай бұрын
I appreciate art. I can also appreciate the work my great-grandfather did as a blacksmith.
@michaelhayes1678 2 жыл бұрын
Great video! When you yack it’s relevant and helpful, others just yack. I do like the idea of the phrase and Steele shirt. Thanks for sharing this video with us!
@dalekidd420 2 жыл бұрын
I've often wondered about that patterning under heavy forging. With the steel of the cable strands being identical, I rather guessed that the acid bath probably wouldn't have best effect. The cable "damascus" seems to be at it's best left in an understated, unetched state, where it is visible only upon close inspection. An interesting (though VERY labour intensive) option, I suppose, would be to actually rewind a cable rope of dissimilar wire strands, and forge THAT into a billet.
@homemadetools 2 жыл бұрын
Clever source for an axe. We shared this video on our homemade tools forum this week 😎
@davidwood1923 2 жыл бұрын
It Really Does Look Great... Thanks for Sharing. The Time on the Handle shows too
@mountainwolf1 Жыл бұрын
The beginning is a very similar process to forgeing the japanese katana very beautiful work john and as always thank you for sharing your wisdom.
@wayneheitz8390 2 жыл бұрын
I really like how this one turned out, well done sir. Thank you👏👏
@erikcourtney1834 2 жыл бұрын
That’s pretty cool that you show off a shirt from a fellow KZfaq channel, especially on as large as Alec’s. Axe turned out great. Cable Damascus always looks good but it can be such a pain sometimes to get welded up. Plus it makes a huge mess from all the gunk being cooked out. 🍻
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Even though the style of work Alec does isn't what I'm interested in, I enjoy watching for the entertainment value and I really admire how his hard work has led to such great success at a relatively young age. I think there is much I can learn from him
@erikcourtney1834 2 жыл бұрын
I completely agree. His video content has change over the past year or two, but he’s still very determined and hard working. Very impressive with all he has accomplished. But I do miss the older content he use to put out. Regardless I’ll continue to watch both of you.
@Shoop83 7 ай бұрын
This episode was lovely to listen to. Just the sounds of you forging rough head was relaxing.
@Anderson-HandForged 2 жыл бұрын
the ax is beautiful i love it i hope 1 day i can make something that nice Mark i got a new anvil this past weekend a JHM 200 so far i love it
@chadl5946 2 жыл бұрын
Perfect tongs for this
@superspecialty5169 2 жыл бұрын
I enjoy seeing the many variety of tools that you need and there convenient storage for immediate use!
@zacklothamer9533 Жыл бұрын
I love that you can hear the difference between the first few hammer blows and when the weld takes it goes from a sort of hollow thud to a solid thunk with a little ring from your very quiet anvil
@tomayrscotland6890 Жыл бұрын
Well done Blacksmith a real good job on that axe prior to the previous one.
@zanderjeger 2 жыл бұрын
Hi John! I've been waiting for this movie for 7 long days. Now I can watch your every move. You are a professional in every way. It's nice that you pass on your skills. As an amateur, I need such films. You are making excellent tools. Thanks for the good lesson. All the best. Adam
@jamesfranklyn8547 7 ай бұрын
Beautiful little axe, really interesting video never seen an axe made that way before.
@Apurak 2 жыл бұрын
very well done, it turned out great.
@Boosted98gsx 2 жыл бұрын
FYI, Citric acid does a GREAT job, and you can buy it in granular form to make whatever concentration you need.
@killerchronic9 2 жыл бұрын
awesome slow motion! good video!
@Enigma-Sapiens 2 жыл бұрын
Great video and beautiful axe John! Thank you for sharing its birth with us! Now you can do more hack hack! Lol!
@chriswhatley8880 3 ай бұрын
Instant coffee is the Beat way to go
@Seelenschmiede 2 жыл бұрын
This is a beautifull little hatchet you made there!
@joshschneider9766 2 жыл бұрын
The end result is ironically predictable. Hammered so perfectly it homogenized fully. I'm honestly more impressed by that than I ever would Be with a pattern. Every vid I watch I'm constantly in awe of your economy of movement. Not a single wasted hammer blow. Also I was struck by how many historic anvil parts the guy was able to put on your new gem but man that hefty piece of cable looked tiny on it! Also I too appreciate the visual fx trick.
@ravenridgeforge425 2 жыл бұрын
Great looking axe! 👍
@trevorcunningham5881 2 жыл бұрын
Love the post production technique of fading out the forge roar into the next scene around the 17:30 mark. Excellent auditory transition.
@SchysCraftCo. 2 жыл бұрын
John very nice job this project ended up turning out very well. Hard work pays off in the end. Hopefully you enjoy this for many years to come my friend. Can't wait to see more videos soon John. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work. Forge on. Fab on. Keep making. God bless.
@thecreativecraftingtable8658 2 жыл бұрын
It turned out great! I like the profile of that axe, it is simple and beautiful. Please let us know how the ferric cloride etching looks when you try it out. Thank you for the videos, and have a nice afternoon! 🙂
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Will do!
@olddawgdreaming5715 2 жыл бұрын
Turned out great John, going to be stronger than ever. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.
@josephmaschari1073 2 жыл бұрын
Great looking ax and handle. I'm glad you did not use the burnt method on the handle.
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
I have never been a fan of burnt handles
@timothymoore7890 2 жыл бұрын
Stunning work as always! An easy way to get (mostly) ferric chloride is to react a large amount of forge scale with hydrochloric acid (aka muriatic acid). Beware of all safety issues with handling acid and the gasses released. The resultant solution is a mix of ferric and ferrous chlorides which can be used directly to etch pattern welded steels. The ferrous chloride in the solution will gradually convert to ferric chloride through contact with the air
@eliduttman315 Жыл бұрын
Metallic iron reacts with acid to liberate hydrogen. Generate the ferric chloride in a WELL ventilated area that has no flames or sparks. BTW, the conversion of ferrous to ferric, via air oxidation, can be accelerated by employing an aquarium pump and air stone.
@charlesadcock742 2 жыл бұрын
Looks amazing even without the pattern!
@kevinchristensen9672 11 ай бұрын
Incredible attention to detail and a most interesting technique used to make the axe. The final product was a thing of beauty. I must add that it was the most riveting video I've seen in a long time. It was a pleasure to see every stage of the forging. Thank you!
@Grunt49 2 жыл бұрын
Never would have thought of the form you were hammering into.
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Forging into the V swage really helps keep the cable under control.
@derekbueckert7428 2 жыл бұрын
wow. you nailed it the quality and time that little axe is made of is what dreams are made of. Great work that not many can buy
@paulorchard7960 2 жыл бұрын
Very nice John, finally!😄
@TheJCJexe 7 ай бұрын
Very nice axe!
@salterclan 2 жыл бұрын
You continue to be one of my favorite standard all around blacksmiths along with Joey Van der Steeg. Neither of you are spending all of your time forging knives and axes, but when you do I love it. Continue doing what you enjoy, and don't worry, if you started making more knives and Axes I'd still watch.
@gurvinderkaur6996 2 жыл бұрын
Wow!!! U turned chunk of cable into a beautiful axe. Forge welding i enjoy a lot. Gas forge sound hammer blows typical blacksmith's shop real sounds and forging awesome. Love this type of videos. Ferric chloride and coffee etch are good options for getting the pattern. Great work sir👍👍🔥🔥🔥
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks 👍
@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740 2 жыл бұрын
Strong ferric heated w proper hse/ppe is an option. A couple of trips thru w 2000 2500 grit "massages" between soaks Very cheap instant coffee mixed 10 or 15 x drinkable is another or moreover additional step. However as you stated it is so highly refined at the point you have it. There's a greater than not possiblity there's little if any pattern left. Great video. Loved the little extra but with the forge! And then the reveal! Very well played! Blessings Mr John Crawford out 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼♂️
@lukelofgren4108 2 жыл бұрын
And we definitely need to see you make a cable pipe tomahawk! One that's an actual pipe.
@michaelmarks8954 2 жыл бұрын
The wedge design is neat as usual enjoyed your video.🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸
@walt80915 Жыл бұрын
I'm glad you had difficulty with the first axe and grateful that you showed it. I learned more from that and watching what you did differently than I could from watching a perfect effort five times. Thanks for the great lessons.
@Michaelthorg 2 жыл бұрын
I fully enjoy listening to you as you work. I've learned so much from you and your videos.
@brettthompson5919 2 жыл бұрын
Excellent video! The anthology of the process has been wonderful!
@BarrRunForge 2 жыл бұрын
Beautiful. You continue to inspire. Thank you, sir.
@577bluegrass 2 жыл бұрын
Hi , John that is a beautiful ax!
@moreybandel5560 2 жыл бұрын
Even though the pattern doesn't really show, it turned out great! You do nice work! Enjoyed this video! Thanks, John!
@robertwhitney2232 2 жыл бұрын
Hi John, that is a nice looking ax 👍🔥⚒
@JT-tz5hp 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the videos! Always enjoyable.
@pjamestx 2 жыл бұрын
That turned out AMAZING! I'm glad you took the time to try this again, that's just a stunning piece you've got there!
@landroveraddict2457 2 жыл бұрын
That's a nice looking axe and I love the shape of the handle. Great video and photography.
@Incandescentiron Жыл бұрын
Beautifully made!
@stevenbell1888 2 жыл бұрын
I dont know if you are going to see this but i just wanted to say im glad your channel has been growing and you have been a huge source of inspiration for me for a long time :)
@chrishauff43 2 жыл бұрын
I love your technique and control when you first start to weld the strands together
@cass612t 2 жыл бұрын
I've been a subscriber for about a year now. Your wire rope axe is an excellent piece of work. 👍
@aticuss 2 жыл бұрын
Looks great.
@holyhammerironworks2384 2 жыл бұрын
Very nice clean looking axe!
@andromedajacobson2520 2 жыл бұрын
I was researching metallography, reading the book A History of Metallography, by Cyril Stanley Smith. He has a section describing Wootz damascus. He says referring to damascus blades of the middle east, " ...the blades must have been forged at very low temperature in order to avoid solution and redistribution of the carbide, which would both remove the pattern and render the steel more difficult to forge and give a brittle sword." Essentially, he says that wootz pieces were of a cast steel and that excessive or indelicate forging would destroy the natural pattern of the metal created when it solidifies. Of course, cable is not cast, so this exact mechanism is not at fault. It is interesting, however, to note the similarities. P.S. I really love the "yak yak," and, while I am probably in the minority, I'm sure there are others that share my opinion. Love the videos!
@paulbilodeau9882 2 жыл бұрын
John, FANTASTIC video, as always. That came out to be a really nice blade. I watched the last video and started to wonder why you were welding in the 1095 cutting edge. I guess this isn't the ultra high tensile strength cable that you spoke of on that last video. I was also impressed with the flap wheels that Combat Abrasive sent you, It looked like they really shape steel quickly. THANKS for another GREAT video!!
@BlackBearForge 2 жыл бұрын
The cable is the same 1095 extra improved plow steel as the last little axe. Just like in that previous video i added the single piece cutting edge to avoid any issues with the thousands of little cable ends right at the cutting edge
@J_ismyname48 2 жыл бұрын
Wow, I'd love to be able to make such an axe. Awesome work!
@joec880 Жыл бұрын
Very well produced video. Wow. Just so professional looking. Very good at explaining your process and so forth. Well done sir.
@rosascreativeworks5403 2 жыл бұрын
Nice, that's a cool axe. Love to watch forging. I'll probably never do anything like it, but if I ever had the time I might. LOL! Great work, great channel. 👍😎
@Mike-Oxlong93 Жыл бұрын
Thank God you use metric units aswel as freedom units 🙌 so much easier to follow. 😂
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