Have you ever made one with a taper hawk eye? I been trying all over the internet to find one but seems to never find the wedge shape ive been looking for like yours. I also want to use it as a wedge to process too. Are you able to make my dream? :)

How wide is your anvil ?

You mean you not a Axbert

This is genius!

Для такого бревна, как на вашей демонстрации, у нас используют штыковую лопалу с обрезанным остриём и заточенную. Получается быстрее во много ращ. Думаю ваша стамеска всё таки для других дел.

I am 100 percent with you my friend. The people that say that the new way is stronger and will last longer are probably right, but there are always diminishing returns! I think having a more traditionally made ax would appeal!

slip fit is the best, its unbeatable when done right for longevity, service and maximum strengthand are still used to a great extent throughout the world where people want reliability. wedged axes are great too and very popular in north america lending themselves to a big pommel and really curvy handles well. Depending on how you shape the handle you can still have a bit of a swell at the bottom if you want it too.

Welcome to the channel! If you are ever out this way contact me for a visit

I just discovered your channel! I live in Sault Ste Marie, MI. I would like to meet you in person someday? If you ever come over the bridge please come to visit my shop too. I enjoy your videos too!

To avoid the drop tong weld,why not just bend a loop, weld and cut the loop and forge your two points?

I’d go with the more modern handle, for two reasons: 1: they presumably quit doing the tomahawk style handle for a reason. 2: you are selling to modern customers, accustomed to wedged axe handles, I think only a few well educated collectors would be interested the older style, so building a more sellable axe is probably your better choice. Or option 3: make tooling to do both, and see which you enjoy more, then do that one!

Sounds like some great changes are happening, congratulations!

..i for one am looking forward to the projects you have planned. Congratulations on the wedding and the shop...!

Congratulations

Congrats on the new shop! Would love more of a tour.

Whats the name of your axe

Awesome handle and that ferric nitrate technique is really cool!

Nice work.

so I gave it a try, how do you get 3 inches out of the half inch bar (candle holder part). The most I could get was 2.

Love you ingenuity with your jigs!

Awesome work!

Great tutorial thanks

thanks, that was a quick one! I'll have to give that a try.

If you make these I'd like to know the price

What is that black substance

My thought is that if you can perform a piece they way it had to be done 1,000 years ago and you can demonstrate it, go ahead and produce your works however you want. As far as that fabricator under the face of a blacksmith, I wouldn't buy because he is dishonest.

I was talking to a "traditional" blacksmith as he turned on his electric blower to heat his steel. He pulled his high carbon damascus steel billet from his band saw he told me "The only way to properly be a blacksmith is to do thangs the old way." looking around his smithy I noticed a welder and plasma cutter, not to mention a propane forge. I asked him why he considers himself a traditional smith? He smiled at me and told me this. "The first blacksmiths used a rock for an anvil. As time went on anvils changed shapes, wrought iron anvils changed to cast iron then to cast steel. The first smiths dug iron ore from the earth and bloomed their own iron. Now they buy it at a store. The fact of the matter is a traditional smith uses the most up to date tech they have available."

It's your business. You are forging the blank just like square, flat and round stock. Only bloomey iron is not fabricated. If you sent time to change the shape with a hammer, it's blacksmithing.

if i wear a cowboy hat that doesn't make me a cowboy or if i stand in my garage that does not make me a truck, nor if i go to church make me a Christian, if i had a cnc or plasma cutter but i used heat and a hammer and anvil like creation to make a product i would be a blacksmith. I agree with others that have posted if you have access to plasma or cnc and don't use them imo you are foolish i know i would

If the old timers had, had a plasma torch you can bet they'd have used it. Period. Now if someone is insistent on a traditional build, do it for them and charge them for it. My bet is no one will want one. Few blacksmiths who make a business of smithing are true to the notion of traditional only. No worries.

I think you are using plasma as a time saver. Not as a full product. If you were CnCing the whole thing then putting a touchmark on you'd be far more into the fabrication area. You forge each piece of the project. Its not a full fabrication. I'd say its forging. You make sure each piece is forged not just straight from the machine.

..hmm, fabricators assemble. blacksmiths create...

I would have no problem using a pre-cut blank in the way you are using it. I use a porta-band saw or a tin snip to cut things out. The majority of the people I sell to wouldn't appreciate "authenticity" and it saves me time. I can't forge weld yet but I find ways around it (rivets or collars) or consider the style of the project (modern art or historic reproduction). I'm with you, the guy with welded, pre cut blanks painted blacks is a fabricator or "crafter".

Anyone stating you aren't a real blacksmith if…is gatekeeping. On the other hand, if you're representing a period of work, then don't fudge. Work with heat, metal, and hammer, and anvil, then you're a blacksmith. I'm likely to be using blanks in my work soon enough to fill out some of my stock on the craft table.

Congratulations on breaking 1000! I always enjoy your videos.

A blacksmith is one who works with black iron. Tinsmith, tin, silversmith silver, etc. Work it with the tools and knowledge you have at the time. If you went back in history with a mig welder and plasma cutter you would be the greatest blacksmith of the era. Others would of used those with the opportunity. Go back further and you'd have to smelt your iron. Should we not buy factory made bars? Milled boards from home depot, plywood? Or do we have to start with a living tree to say we are a furniture maker because that's how it was done in the olden days?

I definitely think that any skilled craftsman should be able to use any available tools with no regrets. No one should be gatekeeping any skills. I think that blacksmiths from hundreds of years ago would not look down on someone using modern technology.

The line is where you can use your skills, even if combined, to make a living.

That’s awesome job!

Love it. Thank you.

..Thanks for showing the process on making this piece Mr Johnston...!

Beautiful piece, and I love the contrasting rivets as well, very nicely done!!

Nice work

Great tutorial Chris.

Looks great, nice work!

Kinda boring, but nice piece

Very nice job..............Jay

Fun project

I’m curious why there was no mention to the inherent design flaw of a modern HB head being the short pole that is extremely prone to loosening up, as the pole is too short to accommodate an appropriate kerf and wedge depth.