Becoming a Master Bladesmith: Part 1

[@jamesmeals1430]

Skyrim thumbnail is supreme

[@25TheCaveMan]

*Legendary*

[@bignuance]

Came to the comment section looking for this comment! 😂

[@stoneisaacs7790]

I did too. 😂 smithing is the anvil constellation!

[@derentius]

So many iron daggers.....

[@jamiemahoney2446]

Used the mod that gives it in Oldrim. Not modded in newer version.

[@ryanivester5042]

Good luck Will! I’m thrilled to see you going so far as a smith. You will be one heck of a MasterSmith.

[@Mugwart14]

I couldn't agree more. Well done sir! GL

[@germanothomas4799]

I really liked how you let a silent footage of the power hammer working while you were explaining the process. That was good for the flow

[@riftalope]

That blade has a lovely temper. Keep him and name him Brutus. ... I've come to think the old Elletsville, Indiana forge group in the 90's had the right idea. The people that were trying to be recreationists kept lots of small, onehanded bellows around for the times that they needed to blow on something, but didn't want to breathe in what they were working with. The guys that were using modern tech had pressurized air. One smarty used the copper pipes he ran it through as the ground for his forge barn's power. Which was fine until the first storm came through and he found every last breaker in there thrown and blown. From the hand sander to the rechargers to the triphammer and ceiling fan, if it was plugged in it needed its fuses changed or breaker reset. I'm sure by now you've passed your Master Bladesmith's test. Congrats! Congrats!

[@ResistingEntropy]

Congratulations Will! It’s truly been a pleasure to watch you grow as a content creator and a blacksmith these last few years. Wishing you a profitable and fulfilling career ahead.

[@pabrowncoatbrewer7154]

I own your Journeyman Smith Bowie and Clip Point Hunter. I have them in my 45 Long Colt Rifle and Pistol case. Your knives sit next to Matt Stagmer's Journeyman Bowie. They're a sight to behold. Side note: It's really great to see you forging again.

[@GoldmansGarage]

Congratulations. It’s a big step and a big deal. I’m sure you will pass all the tests

[@Bayle_Bune]

I gotta say, I'm impressed with how far you've come as a bladesmith, as well as your continued release of entertaining content for your channel, Will. Elijah is also doing a great job with editing. Can't wait to see the MS set build!

[@erinroadie1]

All the very best good luck wishes to you Sir!

[@prophez23]

Good luck Will I have no doubt that you'll get the MS stamp! I can't wait to hear the good news! Safe travels and again the best of luck!!

[@timndel]

Good luck, brother. You got this. Looking forward to the victory video.

[@lkdenve]

Can’t wait to see your masterpieces. It’s fantastic to watch you work. Thank you for sharing.

[@mattsnowden973]

Good luck mate, fingers crossed you will do great

[@BraxxJuventa]

Good luck on your exam Will! 😁👍🏼

[@spawnage170]

Machining tip: When you mill slots in G10 like you did in this video, maybe you could first try plunging the cutter to full depth in many places along the slot to remove the bulk of the material (turn it into Swiss cheese). Then do a finishing pass where you mill along the full length of the slot. This keeps the bulk of the cutting forces inline with the axis of the tool, rather than putting a side load on the very tip of the cutter, which can more easily snap the cutter like what happened in this video. But I’ve never milled G10 before, so I’m not sure how well it would work, but it’s worth a shot!

[@laughinghyena001]

Go! Will! Go! 🎶🥳🎶 Cheering you on out loud from Los Angeles!

[@nathandunn1851]

Joined the abs this last October been blade smithing for almost a year working towards my JS. It will interesting to watch your journey.

[@checoleman8877]

This is exciting!!! Good luck dude! Really looking forward to watching you build your mastersmith blades!

[@ScyberDruid]

Thank you for sharing your journey. I enjoy watching your development and mastery of your craft. Keep up the good work and good luck.

[@MrCrispinEnterprises]

Good work. For the slot milling in G10 normal milling cutters should work fine (as opposed to the burr type bits).

[@ChipoSkippy]

Good luck Will! I am excited for you and I hope your performance test goes well. Your Journeyman set was beautiful so I cannot wait to see what you do for your Master set.

[@Merennulli]

Good luck! Can't wait to hear the results!

[@CountYulith]

Thanks for sharing this! I had read about these tests before, and thought to myself, how do people do them with confidence? So I appreciate you showing all that went into this.

[@PeterKNoone]

You are going to crush it. If not, you will the next time. Thanks so much for the videos and all of your awesome work.

[@FullSendPrecision]

Good luck! You've already got the work done.

[@Cowter4]

God damn it, Will. Usually I can see the squarespace ad coming from a mile away, but you really got me this time

[@Mybeardog]

Glad to see you brother. Thanks again 👍

[@kevddpp]

Watching a master at work!

[@MrGameMasterSir]

Praying for success in your test. Good luck Will!

[@BMWHP2]

Huge respect Will. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@johnoconnor4941]

That "ugly" knife juxtaposed with such a beautiful sunrise...everything's good. Best o talent Will.

[@SubaruLove]

Your transition into advertisements is artful.

[@groundsurvivalstudygracieg4034]

Good luck Will!

[@justinscomp]

Good luck on the journey Will.

[@stephentedeman1017]

Best of luck Will ... I remember the 90 degree test for my apprenticeship it's amazing how nerve racking that part it

[@Tincad4]

I hope the master smith performance test went well... the blades for the master smith judging are going to have to be amazing. can't wait to see what you have in store. Those judges are harsh and the lighting in the judging room unforgiving.

[@gibbnasta]

That bending had me so freaking anxious 😂

[@davidhume9395]

Good luck will. Whidbey isl boy rootin for ya!

[@AClockworkHellcat]

It feels like only yesterday you achieved Journeyman rank. Godspeed, Mr. Stelter.

[@ryandumis6907]

The "ugly knife" is the one that actually gets used. I like it. Good luck.

[@EdwinWiles]

Best of Luck!

[@JohnRoberts71]

Great content thanks for sharing

[@riuken1234]

Thanks for the video.

[@F0XD1E]

Looks good. Hope you didn't temper the spine too close to the tang, because that whole transition area looked mostly blued and doesn't leave any hard springy steel running from the edge through to the tang.

[@arminrichard1836]

Here in Germany we have a quite sophisticated system of becoming a master tradesman. They have to go to school again and learn about running a company and how to teach to apprentices. They learn a lot more specific knowledge about their trade and have a to do a test proving their technical and theoretical knowledge. There are quite a few trades where you only can found a company when you have reached master tradesperson.

[@garetkonigsfeld2]

Good luck, Will. You are definitely deserving of the title Mater Smith.

[@eric.turner1853]

The squarespace ad lead ups get me laughing every single time!

[@jacobkoen8994]

Good luck!!

[@havenwindsor7524]

Congratulations!

[@Mybeardog]

Good luck. Prayin 4 u 🙏

[@joshmajor8662]

Lol can’t wait!! 😂👍 good luck!!

[@nahte123]

My JS performance knife was ugly, but it passed. I didn't want to deviate too much from my standard construction, so it was hidden tang with guard and shoulders and it did just fine.

[@foihdzas]

I friggin love your shameless segways into the sponsors

[@LanceMcCarthy]

Got me with the segue, again!

[@elementjoe]

So far so good

[@timm1139]

Good luck!

[@ThePcProGamerz]

Good luck, Will! I'm on a personal/private account, but I'm shooting for my Journeymans shortly and I aspire to have the title of Master Bladesmith one day. Best of luck to you, from Michigan :)

[@Thesdalos]

Hey Will, good luck with the test! On a sidenote: I know you are a very experienced bladesmith and on your way to being a master - but as a beginner in bladesmithing that would be pretty pleased with a knife like that, i would beg you not calling it "ugly" too often ^^;

[@AustinMerfeld]

Good Luck!

[@bronchiosaurus2766]

Wishing you all the best for that! i also dont find it THAAAT ugly i personaly would be very proud of a knife like that, obviously your standarts are on a whole different planet than for any beginner or amatuer, i get that!

[@t.Mooney]

The segues into the sponsor are getting so seamless. Hahaha. 😂

[@taalovelen236]

God bless you and your efforts 🙏✅

[@dominicdwk]

Would claying up the spine do the same thing as torching the spine for bluebacking?

[@Natsirt666]

Hey Will, have you ever considered forging EDC Tools and Fidgets? Would love to see what you come up with.

[@rossgebert-goldsmith183]

Keep pushing and good video

[@Geomephysicus]

Wish the best of luck to you, you definitely deserve the title :D

[@nuxworxknives2957]

Best of luck.

[@Mr229357]

Good luck 😊👍🏻👍🏻

[@Joe___R]

Good luck.

[@Zogg1281]

I know that you keep saying that the knife is ugly, but in its defence, it did chop its way through the ugly 2X4 several times, and it slambed into that ugly tree.... I mean..... ugly plank quite a few times on its way through 😂😂 I hope it goes really well in the test.... or went really well.... you know what I mean 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Josef_R]

1:23 I bought a $500 chef's knife from John Neeman (Autine) and the tip snapped off from prying on something. I kind of feel like it should have withstood some prying, but Autine said it was my fault their knives are brittle.

[@Animaniac-vd5st]

I don't know about how the whole journeyman-/master- craftsman works in the US, but here in Germany there is a shit ton of theoretical suff involved when you wanna be a master-whatever. I've seen the stuff that my step-dad had to learn for becoming a master and it was about 1/3 of what i had to learn for my whole bachelors degree at uni. And that's just the theoretical stuff he had to do in addition to the practical.

[@malcolm32]

I need that one meme with Jason Momoa sneaking up on Henry Cavill with the captions "me watching awesome blade smithing content" and "Will's Squarespace ad"

[@MatsGarage]

Is the back and tang of the blade skarp edges (90 degee corners) or do you round them off and polish them to avoid forming of stress cracks?

[@ozarkscarguy540]

Good luck on the tests.

[@richardpreisler3352]

Jesus, 11:14 was a real jumpscare That blade went into the statosphere 😂😂

[@juanboyd2895]

good job

[@josephtwilley7187]

Good luck Will.

[@quillclock]

honestly underrated thumbnail

[@armandvanzyl6325]

I would love to see you make another folding knife will.

[@danielstellmon5330]

The knife is not ugly, it's utilitarian.

[@Kolnerbigblue]

Good luck. How many types of knives do you have to make to be granted Masters status? I would think that a chef's knife, a hunter's knife, and a sword would show off the ability of the knife maker. Do you need to make knives using different methods such as a gas forge and a coal forge? Thanks.

[@robertr4193]

Best of luck to you Will. I think you'll pass the tests. Even though you are calling this an ugly knife once it passes the tests it will look beautiful to you I'm sure.

[@nafzgerforge349]

I'll be waiting for the "Plain Jane - Full Tang" Shirts to be available

[@joestafford6255]

Good luck

[@caseycardwell3308]

Excited to see how things go! What angle is your edge bevel at?

[@DH-xw6jp]

*[machines block that makes fresh Columbian Snow]* "Breathe this if you're ready to meet Jesus!" Lol

[@peacemaker-du4hz]

Good luck on the master test will,crossing my fingers for you 🤞

[@JETWTF]

Function over form is it's own form of beauty. It's ugly but works perfectly and so you don't mind it taking abuse... perfect kitchen knife for when family visits for a week, just have to hide the pretty knives.

[@jimcorbett3764]

Watching the hole for the tang being drilled out of that G10 just made me think of mashed potatoes.

[@Lorddanielrushton371]

You got this. Good luck, but like i said. You got this.

[@james_brooke]

Loved the G10 comment, I’m gonna go breathe as much G10 dust in as possible!

[@graememckerracher4970]

That bend test was pretty stressful to watch 😂

[@sojiro288]

Haven't gone back to check my faulty memory but will making his journey man knife: everything had to be perfect... Will making his master Smith knife: eh w/e

[@zackdavid9961]

Love the video man! I love Jesus, but don't wanna rush that meeting, so I always wear a respirator.

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Good luck on your test.

[@thepoynt]

"If you don't know Jesus or you still have stuff to do on earth, you should probably wear a respirator." lol that cracked me up.

[@KrezerInGame]

This knife is not ugly, don't listen to him Knife, you are beautiful !!!

[@michaelmorrison4843]

Aren't you supposed to have a lanyard hole in the handle with a lanyard during the cutting and chopping portion of the test, for safety? I'm sure you'll do great! 🤔👍😁

[@AdamsWorlds]

Can you not "think outside the box" and have a hinged knife (literally a henge/lock in the mid) for the "bend" test. Have the first half of knife thick and last half thin for both other tests. Win win right? Still within the rules technically lol. could also have the blade the same thickness but when both edges are together its now thick.