Making a Stainless Steel Folding Climbing Knife! Part 2

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Alec Steele Blacksmith 2022

[@dylan_was_taken]

Hearing Alec say he's been working with Jamie for 6 years is just absolutely insane. Where has all the time gone??????

[@MichaelACurtis]

Has it only been six years!?

[@razghost2]

More importantly how is Jamie still sane?

[@mariemacfhionghuin11]

@@razghost2 Most importantly, where's the rum gone?

[@morganrichardson1645]

Six years doesn’t even seem enough I remember Alec doing the live shows and then Alec getting the new workshop and Jamie just starting and for Alec to have gone to America it feels a lot longer

[@cleverusername9369]

​@@mariemacfhionghuin11 I'll do you one better, WHY is Gamora?

[@leventekabok811]

Folding knife makers: Planning out angles and lockfaces extensively Alec: *grinding and bending furiously*

[@G40s_WW]

I think making a slot out of the hole might have just worked

[@notanimposter]

Your recent videos on recreating mechanisms has been so cool to watch! You could do a whole series just making wacky folders!

[@fishoconnor108]

I recall in the eighties that there was about fifty Blacksmiths in Britain. Now the world will never run out of metal bashers. Also, I am absolutely fascinated by the skill involved in grinding a cutting edge. Its great to hear the learning moments too. Oooooh, oooh ooooh. keep on

[@Philtoid]

Honestly, if you and Jamie made a 2nd channel about caving I would watch that for years.

[@michelhv]

Jamie is so taking over Alec’s gig soon.

[@terminalpsychosis8022]

This is one of the more technically complicated designs I've seen Mr. Steele tackle. All those tollerances need to be spot on to make such a locking mechanism. Have no doubt Alec will succede, and it will be quite an impressive accomplishment. Can't wait to see the rest of the journey on this one.

[@SillySalmon94]

Serrations definitely have their place... great cutting through really soft/ Malleable stuff but can easily get damaged tougher items! For an everyday use or knife that will be abused plain blade is the way to go!

[@JeremyCarlsten]

Alec you always leave me wanting the next episode to already be out. Awesome work man.

[@frankierzucekjr]

It's always nice to learn something new. I can only imagine how much more you'll master your craft in the next or 10 years. As a framer/carpenter, I'm always learning something new, learning tricks of the trade, and surprising myself to see what I'm capable of. Great work fellas.

[@francescosirotti8178]

I'm probably late to the party, but having used a Spatha for years while caving I don't think you should have gotten rid of the blade slot. It's not only for opening the blade but a key: we often use it to open shackle-bolts when we don't want to get tools out, and it's very useful.

[@philcalvello7469]

Alec and Jaime’s bromance is the greatest!!!!! You guys are the best.!!!

[@nourkarkach6634]

Hey Alec I know you probably won’t see this. But I was wondering if a series about beginning your journeyman smith would be something you would consider? Definitely a series I would watch from someone I enjoy spending my time watch learn and progress.

[@mattdoty9616]

Will stelter has some videos like that

[@trevortrevor2413]

This defiantly shows the hard work needed to make knives, especially for folding knives.

[@karl_alan]

For scales, instead of gluing or clamping together, I usually use carpet tape. Strong hold, double sided tape with a structural weave that keeps it from going sideways on ya

[@benjocharlie]

I'M SO EXCITED! This is just the best series of anything of all time in the universe, ever

[@Zogg1281]

*Important* Hearing you talk about how important it is that the knife remains closed when you don't want to cut anything just reminded me about something you may have over looked...... the reason climbing knives are better WITHOUT the little stand-up stud openers is because that stud can catch on things and open when you don't want it to!! If you want that stud, you need to have a locking detent so the blade never opens unless you want it to. My knife has one of the ones you press down with your index finger first. Hope this helps 😊 Edit: that little retaining grove is not enough to stop the blade opening if you have a stud that can catch on things

[@corruptedo1]

Loving the spelunking bits in the videos! Wonderful content!!

[@Sanguifier]

I think the perceived advantage of the serrations was just the difference in leverage using the heel of the blade vs the tip.

[@JamesCT153]

Good observation

[@illuminatustm]

2:05 that’s also why you always make sure your rope does not run over sharp corners / rocks 👍🏻

[@jeffmcdonald101]

You have sufficiently helped me understand why they cost so much...and you have done the serrations yet!

[@alkalinedale]

Lol at Jamie’s ever so faint “that’s what she said”

[@LordOceanus]

The serrations on a utility knifes can be a literal lifesaver when speed in cutting is essential. The straight edge can absolutely cut a seatbelt or rope but the serrations are faster and less prone to slipping.

[@hulkthedane7542]

Serration is great for cutting rope/string - and nothing else. You make a climbing knife, so it makes sense to serrate it. Nice work 👍👍

[@rensdelange3969]

Am I the only one who loves seeing Jamie's ideas seeing put through the test?!

[@Mr.Leeroy]

5:54 now, these are some badass clamps, looking like they could be from different era or hand-made.

[@caldwell12590]

Alec good sir, I am sure you have already found a solution, but those lock mechanisms are usually a 2 piece lock. A spring in the rear, and a pivoting locking bar. I cant speak for that one specifically though. I love watching you learn by just getting in there and figuring it out. Keep doing what you do man!

[@fyreantz2555]

I've always carried a knife with a 50/50 straight and serrated edge. The serrations make cutting seatbelts off of people etc. so much easier than a straight edge. Great project!

[@ogi22]

That's why there is no perfect knife for everything. Personally i have never liked serrated blades (they are difficult to sharpen). But for safety cuts they are really much better than clean edge.

[@fyreantz2555]

@@ogi22 which is just the best reason to buy more knives, amirite?

[@Coloneljesus]

How often does that situation come up?

[@fyreantz2555]

@Coloneljesus I used to be volunteer fireman.

[@ogi22]

@@fyreantz2555 Hehehe, how did you know? Are you a seer or something? 😁

[@averagers_assemble]

you want to be careful with how you situate your harness before you repel because its near impossible to adjust after you start the deccent and it can be soooo painful if it's wrong, especially a tied Swish seat

[@chrismaxhughes0402]

Every 9 days for a video that's insane

[@Glorfindel_117]

Alec! I thought of a project idea for you with your series of re-creating your tools! That weird little pen thingy that you push down and it shoots a spike into the metal to make a little mark. No idea what it is, what it's called, or how it works, but it seems like something mechanical you could try!

[@Tyler_B.]

It’s called an auto punch or spring punch. Great idea!

[@gibbnasta]

Auto punch. Used them about everyday when I was in the military. I called the one I had my Superman punch. Awesome idea

[@Natedawgontheright]

Makes me happy to come back to knife making.

[@jasonwoodley9415]

Much love to you the wife the puppers and to Jamie happy 6 years working together ❤️ 💙 ♥️ 💖 💗 I love your channel and it has made me move further out of my boundaries in blacksmithing knives. Thank you so much for your in depth videos and just plain fun you have in the shop. I wish you many many more years of experience love for the art and maybe one day I will be able to buy one of your knives or hammers. With much love and true respect from central Florida.

[@jacobwebber9821]

Alec makes me want to become a blacksmith

[@Gremo93]

u can easly become one with something like skillshare ^^

[@JacobE-23]

I'm with you Alec, Ive always hated serrated edges too lol. However it actually seems useful for this application.

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Coming along nicely

[@archangel1547]

The beauty of tensile strength versus shearing strength. Quite eye opening when you’re suspended 70 meters from terrafirma.

[@skillenmcnot]

Alec: has a lathe Also Alec: grinds a point "as close to center as I could get"

[@Wreckz_Tea]

I want to see Alec make a custom wrecking bar

[@kentmckean6795]

Your pivot hole would have worked as a horizontal slot as well. Good job so far!

[@ssmedja]

@9:30 just looked at it and that will create a lot of slop in the lockup. Rough fit, make sure the latch is a smidge bigger than the notch, harden+temper the spring and latch, and then handfile the tab to fit the notch perfectly. It needs to be almost airtight. Also, the transition where the tab falls in to the notch needs to be crisp, but on the tab needs a small, small radius.

[@DasVERMiT]

I need some full length caving videos.

[@MrGoesBoom]

Yep, the serrated edge is there for a reason Alec....like most safety gear it's designed with lessons learned in blood

[@TimothyHall13]

Oh yeah!!! Thanks Alec!!!

[@citystar87]

Serrated knives for the win

[@aaronlandry3947]

You need to thin out BOTH sides of your button up to your pivot point. You can see it in your Ruler example... as you press down on the ruler bother sides of the ruler bend on either sides of your hand. Your button is stiff on one side, making your deflection angle and depth wrong. Test this with t he ruler again, strap a steel bar to one side of your 'button' on the ruler and try to press it. If you don't bend on both sides it will be more difficult to lift the locking nub high. You can make the lock side thicker/stiffer... but it needs SOME deflection.

[@DJ_Taylor24]

I’m glad I’m not the only person that feels the same way about serrated edge blades. I’ve never cared for them and never really found them useful in any way I much prefer a straight edge blade.

[@MrFoxCallum]

Alec's been working with Jamie six years? I won't believe it, surely it's only been two! I remember Alec sharing the workshop with Sam the Farrier.

[@christopherwise7067]

finger lock release and spring close lock... best of both worlds. spring style back lock for opening and locking and finger lock to lock in place and both must be pressed to release for closing...

[@thedarkknight1971]

ALEC - QUICK TIP! IF you are going to use the Steel foil 'Envelope' trick.... BEFORE you seal up the envelope with the blade inside, HEAT the envelope and knife up FIRST BEFORE SEALING IT UP. This drives out the 'Air'/oxygen from the 'Envelope', and then while it is STILL HOT, fold over the last seal. This is why you see those little 'Buttons' on jars of food, the jars are filled with warm/hot food contents, then sealed, the process drives out the air/oxygen and thus causing a vacuum inside... This will help STOP the envelop 'Puffing up' on the heat treatment/hardening cycle 👍 😎🇬🇧

[@tildessmoo]

Yep, serrations are there for a reason; they're there specifically for cutting rope. That's actually why I hated the 2010s trend towards putting serrations on pretty much all folding pocket knives; rope is pretty much the only thing I never actually have to cut. It's so nice to see nice regular-blade pocket knives being just as common as half-serrated blades again these days. EDIT: Before anyone points it out for me, yes, the reason for the serrated knives in the 2010s was a trend towards emergency knives made to help you escape from a crashed car, with a boss for breaking the window and serration for cutting a seat belt. Though most of them also had a blade embedded in a narrow channel specifically for cutting seat belts, too, so... Yeah. Anyway, yes, the serration on that trend wasn't for rope, I'm just relating the trend to the fact that it's _usually_ for rope.

[@wovenscrolls]

You would also be able to accurately make bevels with a Tormek T8 machine. Plus it's super good at resharpening your drills and knives and scissors...

[@philparmenter53]

Jamies subtle voice comment at 9:49 😀

[@Mountain_Man]

Hope all is well!

[@Friedbrain11]

I have always liked serrated edges myself.

[@TheAcorner1987]

who else thinks jamie and alec need a caving vlog channel

[@robertzarfas9556]

Haha Alec’s knife has a mushier engagement than Jamie’s. Also the music in this episode was 🔥🔥🔥

[@adamwishman1881]

I wish Alec start some big serious project again ..awesome sword or so :)

[@Chris_50bmg]

instead of the round hole for the pivot you can make an oblong hole which will keep the lock in palace while having the necessary clearance to unlock the blade 😉

[@foihdzas]

That is why edge protection is important!

[@SpaceDave3000]

I hate serrations, but, quite honestly, they are the best for almost every task aside from wood working. And not just a little better, a LOT better.

[@GoddessAstrola]

Caving is just the adult version of playing in the mud.

[@RoBoT24435]

Serrated is amazing for rope/fishing line among other things, IMO it's just easier to make the rope not slide away and only get cut half way through

[@bradleytaylor5612]

I'm interested if that back tab will stay. If it does I see a potential issue when you are in a tense situation because you tend to grab harder than you realize and you could release the lock on accident. Otherwise all the best.

[@tomgosy]

2:03 and that's why edge protection is so important

[@TomYourmombadil]

In most lockback knives the lock and spring are two separate parts. The lock often does just rotate about the pin and has a spring in the end of the handle to force it to lock.

[@popcorn-sx5rb]

cool knife

[@philcarr7807]

I want to see more caving too

[@vhaelen326]

you know on the first video i was like "but if you pin the spring on both ends it wont work, metal is springy in the sense that you can bend it but its not springy in the sense that you can stretch it like a rubber band... oh well ALEC PROBABLY KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING" .. turns out i was right and wrong :P alternatively you can also turn the hole in the 'spring' part into a slot, that way its secure but it can also bend because the slot allows the spring material to move

[@DragonHide94]

Agreed, but this is also definitely the wrong way to do it, because it is far too thin and delicate in order to achieve the function of a lock back. Basically he has unintentionally created a hybrid between a traditional slip joint and a lock back. Unfortunately, there's a reason they don't exist.

[@igordzuro4353]

I wanted to comment on your last video that the pivot isn't gonna work the way you wanted to pin it in on both sides. It's was so satisfying seeing you finally get to the realization 😂

[@JanTuts]

1:46 I wonder whether the difference in ease of cut isn't simply down to the fact that the serrated edge is on the strong of the blade (close to your hand), whereas the regular edge is farther away from your hand.

[@nirodha7028]

I appreciate you always showing your mistakes. Gonna be a nice looking blade!

[@christopherwise7067]

i would love to see you create, because i know it isn't out there, a spring/thumb/tension lock mechanism for a folding knife....

[@KnightsMultiMediaCapeTown]

make a pair of braai tongs with a spring to keep the tongs open when not in use and a clip to keep it closed when storing

[@An_Attempt]

Any one else think that Alec is part Middle Earth Dwarf? He likes forging, and he likes going underground.

[@Handforgeddreams41]

Maybe you should forge a Damascus high tensile climbing rope.

[@coinasourusrex1787]

hey Alec you should try and make a golf club the old way that would be sick

[@psibug565]

Needs a stop pin. I’m surprised a more one handed locking mech isn’t used for these climbing knives like a frame lock or the Demko Shark-Lock

[@reaganharper447]

Funny to think about how the original Petzl knife probably took weeks of CAD drawing and simulation before any physical materials were even touched. I think I like Alec's approach more...

[@SkidinDingo]

alec that locking mechanism is supposed to be two pieces; a locking lever and a separate leaf spring to provide tension.

[@StrengthOfADragon13]

So, my #1 issue with serrations is that they are harder to maintain, my #2 issue is that they frequently are only ground in from one side. Doing Serrations right is actually fantastic, but the key is to do them right

[@geriatricdave3361]

I dunno about everyone else but I want more climbing content lol

[@Lorddanielrushton371]

Hey Alex I don't know if you all use guide rope rollers in spelunking. We use them in repelling. It would make for a good video or two making them.

[@crazycarl76]

When are we gonna see an Alec Steele multi tool build?

[@Phootaba]

My craziest rope cut was when I had a rope attached to a tree and tensioned to about 3 tons. Had to cut it. Put the knife on it, moved the knife some 1-2mm and that was all the rope needed to catastrophically fail

[@remuskynsaber1165]

The serrations break the surface and start a weak point for the edge to cut as you go through the motion

[@flyingby3703]

It’s important that ropes can be cut easily as if you are tangled or otherwise in an emergency you need to be able to cut a rope at any time.

[@Paul.1088]

you should get some Veff serations put on it 👌👌👌👌👌👌

[@scottnixon9442]

Have you ever thought about making a pair of Damascus channel lock pliers?

[@howder1951]

Tried looking at tool grinders, but would not load. Enjoyed the vid.

[@Schenkel101]

That first song sounds a lot like a cover to "Hate to Say I Told You So" at first.

[@grahamhowland566]

I considered buying a petzl Sparta but in the end I went for the buck 770 flashpoint as rather than a stiff detent to hold the blade in it actually locks in both closed and open positions which I see as being more safe however the internal mechanism would certainly be more complicated

[@jackkuehneman9300]

That cave part had me puckering...

[@urealpg2948]

Also usually for back locks like that there is a spring leaf spring like price that helps ... if you put too much pressure on the lock like that it can fail

[@davidjames2788]

8:32 heavy Hans Landa vibes.

[@jimcorbett3764]

Very interesting.

[@mitchelburgener1892]

Id totally follow a jamie caving channel

[@thrasherknives9541]

7:16 needed a transfer punch set for that.

[@justinbanks2380]

I generally don't like serrations either, mainly as I can't sharpen very easy. I've never tried cutting something with serrations vs none. Although I know that trying to cut where the serrations are near the handle, vs where you tried the normal blade, is harder even on a smooth blade with no serrations. I think the main advantage of the serrations is it keeps from slipping while cutting? With a smooth blade if you don't push sufficiently you can more glide instead of cut. Which in a life saving situation, like emergency cutting rope, you don't want to have to do a second cut. But I'm just guessing. I still am not a fan in general use

[@rickseiden1]

Are you using spring steel for the spring?