Adam Savage Speed Builds a Prop Dagger at Wētā Workshop!

[@tested]

Wētā Workshop Unleashed: tours.wetaworkshop.com/unleashed/ See photos from the exhibition at instagram.com/wetaworkshopunleashed The Production Design of Wētā Workshop Unleashed: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omrNh513is6ll9k Creating a Bigature for Wētā Workshop Unleashed: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqOYe3V_nr18bpo Inside Wētā Workshop's Animatronics Lab: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4u8gKidqZh1o9k Grass Flocking at Wētā Workshop: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJS9k6tumsmEhq8 See more prop making projects from Joseph @joeharlow_art on Instagram: instagram.com/joeharlow_art/

[@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307]

I hear in some countries they have computers to do this on much more accurately and quickly! More absurd swords and dagger That no one would ever use or design in reality! The absurd thickness and weight!

[@hikkespett]

'Adam has a playdate at Wētā Workshop!'

[@Callsignsoggybisket]

Adam is the kid and wētā Workshop is the candy store

[@Jeankcr]

You got to love how humble Addam is, the attention he gives you even when you're trying to teach him something probably he already knows it's the same as if he's learning it for the very first time. I love this man.

[@rhysioeren3203]

adam is out of any league right now. he built something big after mythbusters and he is looking at some of the best workshops in the industry. at some moment during mythbusters it was mentioned that this is where he really excels: props, cosplay, costumes. glad to see doing all this work, just finished watching the video for obi-wan kenobi, amazing work there.

[@johnrblanks]

I agree, but he's also professional enough to know that its not so much being explained to him, as it is to us, the audience.

[@No1sonuk]

There's always the subtle difference that can be a revelation.

[@MissCaraMint]

@@johnrblanks True. But also I’m sure as an expert it is interesting to see how each workshop has their own way of doing things. I’m sure he could ask lots of more technical questions about why they do things a certain way, but knows that might be a bit above our heads. I bet he does ask some of that off camera.

[@RMAJGaming]

right, other guy was telling him shit and i was like "uhh im pretty sure Addam knows how to do this"

[@sealdoggydog]

This Adam Savage guy has a real knack for prop building. He'd probably go far in the industry.

[@wertsuno]

well he has come far

[@insidedub4931]

@@wertsuno Duhh

[@_TheDudeAbides_]

Good thing Adam is such a nice guy so it didn't get awkward when the dude explained stuff like how to make straight lines to Adam.

[@mattrichardson4351]

Look how much fun they are having.. this is awesome

[@amyanderson4522]

Love that Adam has his personal pencil carrier assistant with him

[@smorgasbord26]

Seeing Richard Taylor always brings back cozy memories of watching the LotR special bonus features

[@NjK601]

I've seen The LOTR Extended Edition appendices, nearly as many times as the films.. Getting so much nostalgia, seeing and hearing Richard and Adam in the same room

[@vonoostenstein]

Same. I used to turn on the appendices to fall asleep to for a few years. The passion Richard and the folks at Weta have for their work just shines through every time they talk about it.

[@MissCaraMint]

Honestly that behind the scenes is just a masterpiece.

[@smaakjeks]

It's like a warm blanket

[@matt-lang]

Love seeing Richard immediately mime stabbing Adam with the dagger as soon as he gets back.

[@livenletdie0]

I could watch Adam at Weta videos everyday. He should just go there every year.

[@Raienya]

Such a delightful video. It's so great to see Adam in his element and so happy. I totally understand why he has a healthy respect for routers. My ex's dad didn't have that respect, and had his right index finger torn off down to the first knuckle.

[@PelleKuipers]

@@Dr-Loren I find routers scary but table saws are it for me. So powerful, with a blade hard to see and close to your fingers. With routers you at least have the bit on the other side (also a reason why I never use router tables).

[@thetimesink196]

@@Dr-Loren That's because they're below the equator!😁

[@HickLif3]

@@PelleKuipers I almost lost a thumb to a table saw last year and i still fear a router more. a router can jump and jive and catch the workpiece and come at you randomly. A table saw the blade is in one place at all times

[@PelleKuipers]

@@HickLif3 funny how everyone has that one tool. Somehow I've done so much work with routers that I'm pretty comfortable with them. And as long as you take small passes and respect the grain direction jumping will not happen. And with end grain I just sand rather than route. Even with passes taking of a hair of the wood and it would still jump and destroy the work piece.

[@HickLif3]

@@PelleKuipers Right? I almost cut off my thumb, RIPPED apart a finger tip with a nail gun and still get a little anxious wth a router and i've never even drawn blood with one lol

[@aaronpreston47]

I love how resourceful prop makers are, taking different materials that are far away from their everyday use and utilizing them in their own way.

[@Skrap007]

PVC trim boards at most home centers / lumberyards, used some in 2010-ish to make two 40K Titans from paper model patterns. Then years later got a FDM 3D printer and designed my own & printed off the same but with working pistons made from pvc pipe and Plastruct. PVC boards cut like butter with most woodworking tools.

[@PreparedDeath]

I love Adam’s knowledge of how things work, like instantly thinking how the router bit works having never seen one. That’s a true engineering brain.

[@timchamberlain5858]

Thank you for including the "Shop Shower" bit, it delighted me.

[@negotiableaffections]

Soooooo, a one-day build IS A THING!

[@DAS-Machina]

Like working with graphite powder, try mixing it with shellac and stippling it on for a rough metallic texture. once it is dry sand it and you get a great rough cast iron look.

[@AlasdairGR]

I've seen people do something similar to do a gunmetal finish on Mando helmets.

[@uburishi]

Use powdered steel and you can make it rust too.

[@YarblekRW]

In the mid 90s a friend and I started a business making tokens for Magic the Gathering (Citadel Magic Tokens). They were printed on Sentra by a local company that specialized in store fixtures. The problem we ran into (that eventually killed the project) was that the hard outer shell would not cut cleanly when they die cut them so we ended up having to sand all four edges on a couple hundred thousand tokens. Years later we found out that all they needed to do was heat the die. Sigh! It really is a beautiful material though!

[@majomaheriose]

Never fails to please me that whenever Adam finds a tool he hasn't tested yet, and he gets to use, he has the biggest grin. Man is out there having xmas everytime he finds a new tool. Is wonderful.

[@brentflynn4881]

I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Weta Workshop Unleashed in November. It was incredible. The sheer creativity of all 3 areas (horror, fantasy, sci-fi) was amazing, and everything was so interactive. It made you wish the fake movies the displays are based on were real!

[@disruptive_innovator]

Weta is incredible. Thanks for taking us back once again.

[@jacobbalensiefer3846]

I love that practical effects do still have a place in the world and the craftspeople are just getting better. Being able to knock out a cools sword prop in a day or less is so impressive.

[@brolohalflemming7042]

I think it's fascinating the work that goes into cinematic world building. So an elf walks into a shop and says they need a phased plasma dagger in the 40W range, and in the background is an array of stock that prop makers have had to create. And it might only be on screen for a few seconds, but sells the fantasy. I guess the background could be greenscreen and CGI'd in, but often that has the uncanny valley effect to me.

[@BeExcellent1]

This is the perfect collab! Can't wait to get to NZ to see the amazing display from Weta Workshop!

[@ybab-j]

fantastic generosity! information sharing is how we advance our collective craft as a species

[@corrinastanley125]

Great vid, these collaborations help everyone in the maker's industry learn about new tools and techniques.

[@JamesFaction]

hello from a huge mythbusters fan and tested watcher in Aotearoa New Zealand. This video was a treat, thank you!

[@DrakeAurum]

Very impressive. The style for that dagger feels "klingon elf", which should definitely be a thing.

[@MattTee1975]

Klelf

[@anonymousaccordionist3326]

Isn't that basically the Urukhai?

[@Outland9000]

So that would be Elf but with added spikes for pain and suffering?

[@KidFury27]

Telling Adam to use his finger as the guide... The look on his face was just pure joy... Like "Dude, do know how many times I've been caught on camera giving the same advice?" Respect the talent son!

[@empirecook]

I swear Adam has one of the coolest jobs in the world.

[@leamog]

Love seeing Adam out of his comfort zone - taking the lead from someone else - no shade, this is why we all love the man

[@RUSHv4]

I got to visit the Weta Experience in November 2022. It was a lot of fun and the vibe there is super awesome. Highly Recommend!

[@moz5885]

I did the Weta Unleashed tour a few days ago. The guide and I got talking about Adam so she grabbed this dagger off the wall for me to hold, the pitting on the blade looks so good up close

[@ezraclark7904]

Truly a savage blade

[@wrongtown]

I acknowledge the pun.

[@ubermonkee]

Adam - 'I'ld make 2, then try to make 3 the next day, then 4....' Joe - *whispers * 'shut uppppp duuuude!'

[@josephharlow4722]

Hahaha 😅

[@irondirigible4216]

I was thinking the same thing lol

[@ubermonkee]

@@josephharlow4722 oh my dude, I hope I didn't offend you, but you have literally made my lifetime! I didn't think for a second you'ld read that, hope it made you laugh though :)

[@josephharlow4722]

@@ubermonkee no offence taken! It’s my favourite comment!

[@RickHunterCL]

I just saw the Adam replica at the Unleashed Exhibition... It's mind-blowing.

[@ryandowney8743]

I love Richard Taylor's voice. Not just the accent, which is charming, but his way of speaking is very pleasant to listen to.

[@CF_Sapper]

I got the chance to hold the dagger that Adam made in this Video, made my inner kid very very happy!.

[@RodGwinn]

So cool to be able to work with other professionals on your passion projects

[@twin11797]

I like how Richard's first instinct upon coming back to see the sword is to pick it up and stab Adam

[@LunarEclipsism1]

"Woohoo! *Hwoirchh!* " the absolute best

[@john-henrywilson9145]

25:10

[@smaakjeks]

@@LunarEclipsism1 That is a well spelled mock stabbing right there.

[@LunarEclipsism1]

@@smaakjeks hahaha, thank you!

[@smaakjeks]

@@LunarEclipsism1 You get bonus points if you can spell the following: _sword swiping through a re-animated skeletal combatant_

[@chefjeff1366]

damn, Wētā seems like a great place to work

[@kingfish4575]

Its so amazing to watch adam talk shop

[@area1084]

Can't get betta than Weta! Great fun!

[@davydatwood3158]

In the late 80's I had a bunch of toy swords sized for my He-Man figures but made by some random company - the sort of thing that would end up in a dollar store these days - and I still have a few. The designs were *very* similar to what was on the table here, with lots of hollowed-out diamonds and ovals on the blades. So funky to see those shapes as a full size prop!

[@Merennulli]

That has to be the most fun one-off task. Filling a wall with things you get to let your imagination run away with in rapid succession.

[@TroyWuelfing]

Those weta folks should check out raised panel router bits. Also they could have custom tools made pretty easily. We used to do this to make custom trim profiles for hard wood trim.

[@Cragun.]

Heading to New Zealand in a few months, I'll definitely be setting up a tour of the Weta Workshop!

[@MysticJhn]

As a sword lover, that looked like a fun day. I ain't exactly a maker, can barely operate a hammer if I had to, but I'd still love to play with that material to see what kind of fantasy sword I could produce.

[@Drewcifer321]

I love all of the content at Weta. Amazing creations

[@velkonemriam1935]

The more of these Weta Workshop specials I see, no matter the creator involved, encourages me more and more that I’m not crazy for watching the LOTR Appendecies far more than the movies 😂

[@eronGreco]

awesome ep

[@nirodha7028]

This was cool! Very talented craftsman who showed you the ropes there Adam :-)

[@acbenepe]

Re: the router/edger. I had an fx/Prop studio in Brooklyn back in the day. I was using the edger on something and received such a blow to the back of my head I thought a mold must have fallen from a high shelf behind me. As the stars cleared I realized that the edger had climbed up my ponytail. It was still growling. there was enough hair around the shaft to bind the motor or I would have been scalped. I had a flashback to my shop teacher back in the 70s saying "Now you fellas with the long hair, yadda, yadda".

[@P1cwh0r3]

WW Unleashed is an awesome exhibit...

[@SaveCount-bh8tp]

When i was young i hate sciences, but i loved it with works.

[@stormypinkness4030]

Seems like a good group of people.

[@marisabrown9410]

It’s awesome seeing something like this, mostly because I live up in auckland

[@Aceinpolar]

I'm super jealous about the Weta unleashed, i really wish they had one in the states.

[@hanelyp1]

Looks like a good technique for props to make sure actors don't hurt themselves too badly.

[@markdavich5829]

I find it a bit amusing that there's almost always either a band-aid or a black and blue finger nail or both, on Adams hands - I think I remember Jamie musing about liking to see Adam in pain in remarks about Adam being accident prone.

[@krillen64]

I love videos like this you make. They are such fun to watch and very entertaining too.

[@miniroo612]

This is so cool

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thanks.

[@AlbinoRhinoEventCenter]

It’s hilarious that this guy tried to teach Adam the straight line trick he’s used a million times😂

[@Captain_MonsterFart]

Well I didn't know it so I'm glad it went down like that.

[@maromania7]

Of course he did, because the people on the other side of the camera haven't. And even beside that, it's always best to make sure you're on the same page, because the trick they use might be different from yours. Cool tricks are always fun to teach people, worst case you geek out about how useful that the technique is.

[@mromutt]

@@maromania7 It also just seems to be a thing in trades. I think more often than not though its a nice way of hinting at "this is how we do it for our workflow" as a way to make sure work is compatible and things dont need to be redone or complications laters haha. Will see it in construction, electrical, plumbing and so on. And in the off chance someone didnt already know the thing then they learned a new thing!

[@MelbourneShorts11]

Fantastic content.

[@iteerrex8166]

Cool techniques to make wooden blades for my nephew 👍

[@scttydsntknw]

I am getting flashbacks to my Navy days when the needlegun started going....

[@Mikyll1969]

love the learning and new techniques stuff... they are SO talented on what they do, though I DO agree that the router angle for the blade profile is too steep and harsh...

[@eclectricmagazine]

Richard Taylor is just the best human alive

[@tomhorsley6566]

By golly! Every tool is a hammer!

[@FlexDRG]

Sounds like a nice 1day build for Adam to make a shallow/large radius HSS router bit.

[@VeniVidiVid]

Such great fun! 🙂

[@RedHair651]

The boss pretend-stabbing Adam Savage with the dagger the second he saw it was such a fun touch

[@danburz]

I am fascinated watching everything you do! you may never see this, but,, If this "hand crafting things" like what yourself and WETA make, If I wanted to do this as a career, where would i begin??

[@CoreyJohnson193]

Imagine being so cool and talented Weta just let's you touch their stuff. "C'mon over and handle our expensive, dangerous tools to make some art!"

[@ryandowney8743]

What is that small green handheld belt sander thing you were using? It looks practically like a mini-chainsaw but a belt sander. That is cool! I would love to get one for my Dad.

[@TheMaster375]

I thought I heard the guy call it a "finger sander" - a quick Google search later, and I have a new tool to add to my wishlist!

[@ryandowney8743]

@@TheMaster375 Thanks!

[@GR_R2]

I love that blade. Looks like it should come apart in the middle to make two separate blades

[@davidpowers746]

Honestly there will always be something funny about the way a Kiwi who's clearly from the same part of Space New Zealand as Korg says the word "thickness."

[@ViperChief117]

Pretty sick looking prop dagger you got there Adam? Always thought it would be cool to visit Weta Workshop one day and view their incredible creations. Lol

[@donaldburkhard7932]

Like a candle flame with serrated candle on weathered copper candle stick!

[@robinst-pierre9600]

Adam, you should try Bicolline next summer.

[@SanyaTsvay]

wow you have your own youtube channel

[@notapplicable4637]

It's called Foamex here in the UK, this is what Joe said at the beginning of the video. Possibly Adam mis-heard because it says it's called signex in the UK later in the video?

[@RjWolf3000]

I just keep having flight of the concords memories when i hear that accent.

[@edburdo]

Dude... I'd pay to go to a workshop and make display prop weapons like that. hey Wētā! What say you!

[@starhawke380]

Weta is in New Zealand? So much for my hopes of ever visiting...

[@CarloRufinoSabusap]

I saw Adam's fingernail and I felt that in my soul

[@Rebar77_real]

Adam needs a conveyor belted 3D Printer, like we all do. Interesting material.

[@alexo9jm]

Your weapon reminds me of my bubble sword I had as a child because of the open shape in the middle. It is nearly identicle. You would draw the sword from the scabbard which had the solution inside and then you would blow into the middle of the sword and a big bubble would fly out.

[@grendalnewgod]

I think routers are frickin' awesome.

[@BioClone]

Im the only one which sees the design as it could fit Jaffa's Equipment (goaul'd, Stargate)

[@zergmare7]

Reminds me of the great fairy deity sword from Majora's mask

[@zeikjt]

My first thought too.

[@MikeyFFA500]

There are many companies that build custom router bits.

[@NeedleHair]

A one day build!

[@MacGivre]

Une épée parfaite pour moi serait : un couteau de survie géant, avec une dos de lame plat mais avec des dents près de la garde pour faire une scie, une poignée suffisament longue pour utiliser le marteau intégré dans la garde, une pognée avec des rangements pour des accessoires (pas forcément creuse, mais des accessoires tout autour, je nesai pas trop)...

[@notarealperson87]

im pretty sure that Adam's dagger was on the dentist's tray in Little Shop of Horrors

[@MonkeyChessify]

Adams dagger design was really cool but all I kept seeing was a stylized egyptian Ankh lol

[@miniroo612]

Grown men using expensive tools as toys... gotta love it 😄👌🏼

[@coreyennis9411]

Routers are just one of those tools that become less scary with more use.

[@wrongtown]

Which is when complacency can set in, making them significantly more dangerous to you personally.

[@coreyennis9411]

@@wrongtown I'd say there is a point between getting used to it and complacency. I respect all of my tools that can cut my bits off, which is most of them. I do have scars and all of my fingers.

[@Outland9000]

Think I'm going to look for a source of that PVC stuff for 40K scenery.