Anvil Bick

[@waynemitchell8254]

As an archeologist I love watching you work and hearing things like “it serves no purpose just an aesthetic choice”. Too often we forget when we are looking at things made in the past that, maybe they made it that way because they liked how it looked.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks, I am always amazed at how much care was put into the ornamentation on so many old tools

[@waynemitchell8254]

@@BlackBearForge do you have any thoughts on the Ozark Pattern Anvil for sale on Blacksmith supply? It’s pricey but those three different Prichel hole sizes seem really handy for punching.

[@BlackBearForge]

@@waynemitchell8254 I agree with both statements. I don't know anything about this specific anvil, but it sounds pretty good. I have wondered if I can drill a few extra pritchel holes in mu new anvil. But I would hate to mess it up.

[@chrislincoln7455]

... I agree . 19th & 20th centuries gave us a world filled with functional items which were also very beautiful. Unfortunately, that sentiment has largely gone by the wayside.. Such a shame.

[@waynemitchell8254]

You are the Bob Ross of the anvil sir!

[@divanavitch]

My anvil was given to me by my grandfather. He snapped off the horn. So not gonna lie I’m excited to try making this. Thanks so much.

[@randallhackworth421]

Just as I think I start to get an idea about blacksmithing, I Find one of your video of some thing I had no idea existed😂

[@Wade_NZ]

Black Bear and Alec Steele are my comfort videos.

[@hankatmaggies8819]

There is something traditional and warm about Black Bear though, like drinking beer watching a crackling log fire on a cold night.

[@jeffreydustin5303]

@@hankatmaggies8819 you, sir, are a poet

[@johnjude2685]

Also about the mail gifts the blade is from a Studbacker leaf spring. Really do hope you find them as helpful as our family Thanks for the videos and your endless teaching Sir

[@howardmanuel]

By the way you're my favorite blacksmith on KZbin.

[@andywright2606]

Loved this video John, I really appreciate you taking the time to make the tool at the anvil as I know you have the big power hammer there that would have made the job a lot quicker and easier for you should you have chosen to, so thank you for showing us who dont have such tools how it is done "the hard way" LOL. Also a great demonstration of how to create the shoulder around the hardy shank by forge welding on the square bar, Top video John, well Done 👍⚒

[@Rouverius]

I like how you're taking form and function into consideration. No reason not to have a nice looking tool if you can help it.

[@ugo7295]

Great way to shoulder a tool for the hardy hole, as Forge Wright mentioned below thank you for showing this at the anvil... you swing a mean hammer John. As alway another great tutorial, you are a true professional. Thanks.

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DireWolfForge]

I love this video John. For tool steel or high carbon, you could try heating just the shoulder area you want with a torch, then the rest won’t upset. I used your example here a year or so ago for making one for my 209 # Fisher and made an almost identical bick. Thank you for the tutelage all these years.

[@nutsmcflurry3737]

The man has the ability to competently and efficiently do traditional forging, and yet does not do the colossally irritating, bounce the hammer off the anvil between strikes on the item thing. Lovely, thank you.

[@craigpadley3535]

Coming to the end of my working life as an emt, and always been interested in blacksmithing and wheelwrighting, learned a lot from watching you John, great stuff. Steve Nottingham England.

[@BlackBearForge]

Best of luck! It can be an adventure

[@davenicholson3491]

A very inspiring video thank you 👍🏻

[@jonas2431]

I love how he works on the fine details even on shop tools. This is so beautiful

[@robmorris7667]

Watching this on a beautiful English summers day, whilst waiting to go to work

[@howardmanuel]

My six years of arc welding and zero forge welding makes me think I will go with what I know best when I make my hardy tools.

[@XavierFaelington]

I'm loving the new edits in the videos John. The slow-mo and the music just add that extra special touch to your already spectacular videos.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks

[@clydebalcom8252]

Spectacular. Your videos give me a chance to get to know my grandfather. Thank you.

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Very nice useful tool, enjoyed the video. Thank you John.

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mikeox_is_small]

its amazing how pure white hot iron is almost formless, you get the general shape but you can't make out anything specific.

[@jeffputnam8554]

Great nick tool. Guess I'll make one

[@williamcunha9136]

Awesome Work John!

[@sprungmonkey6inches]

well done sir

[@robertgentry24]

25:08 perfect traffic cone. As always great instructions. Thanks Mr. John

[@alwaysbearded1]

And that dramatic music at the end just fits so well. Well done.

[@HornadyMatt]

Exquisite weld sir!

[@dsw.handcraft]

Beautifully made tool. I think I will have to make one for my anvil. Thank you for making videos regularly.

[@NestorIrizarry-rh8ks]

Thank for the video. I'm learning 👍

[@NeedleDrops]

Loving the transition from worked metal to refined right at the bend. Looks like a fantastic tool!

[@TheOldaz1]

Nice bit of welding there and a really good job - I used the electric welder. Thanks John.

[@mikejeffers6371]

Once again great video

[@Jeremy-zi6pi]

The hand-eye coordination pounding the piece while it's bouncing all over the anvil at the 4 minute mark was impressive!!

[@ayers_metalworks9805]

@12:50 what a cool shot!

[@RaspyOB174]

thank you for filming what you do. Such a joy to watch and learn.

[@CloudProductions]

Awesome. So many tools I needed, but wasn't sure how to make.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Good morning John. That’s some fascinating work today. Love the tools you see around a smithy shop. They can recall why they made it and whatever they used it for. Very interesting stuff to see. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.

[@tkjazzer]

Great video. Coal videos are more relaxing to watch. May be sound related

[@Odaken_hl]

I Love your videos, and I reallly needed this help I'll learn a lot of things with your channel

[@brysonalden5414]

As always, a cogent and thorough walk through the process. Thanks!

[@TufStockdogs]

Thank you John for sharing how to forge that collar thank you buddy i am getting better healing i mean.

[@elvispusley3515]

Nice job aye!

[@paulorchard7960]

Thanks for your work John, always informative as you are a wealth knowledge!

[@stevemoore5053]

John, like others, great video. Thanks for doing it by hand for the ones of us who don't have a power hammer.

[@jjppres]

Thanks John! As always a very interesting video. I enjoyed learning how to do the collar.

[@jeremiahjohnson1325]

John had to go to nome Alaska going to miss u for a few months there is a forge in a old bucket line dredge where I'm going will take some pictures of it. It last ran in the 50s. See u when I get back thanks

[@timfromtang]

Humbly, I would suggest that aesthetic considerations may serve a purpose, they are one of the drivers of pride in your work and the pursuit of excellence in even the simplest of things.

[@thebabylon2933]

عمل رائع تعلمت منك الكثير

[@terencebarnett113]

Thank you

[@johnjude2685]

My horn don't satisfy me , just seems spongy and more often to blunt.. I seldom use it so. Have watching you many times use like this buck not use the horn and probably much better recoil than my setup I built one shaping much as your work today but the shoulder are tuff and the fabacation man can do it with ugly weld. Still hoping to do a beautiful bick for the pride. Thanks for teaching Sir

[@NeilGraham.I.M.F]

Great project! A very useful tool and I've been wanting to have a go at myself.

[@michael3573]

A joy to watch you work, sir.

[@filipester]

This type of thing is really useful to me, thanks!

[@camoswald6752]

Woke up and had a new video to watch!! Thanks for all the good ideas! Can you do a video on making handled chisels?

[@seangere9698]

Another way to make a caller is to heat the middle of the metal and upset it to make it wider than the upper and lower portions the shape it the same way you did. If you don't have an anvil with a hardy hole you can spike both sides and leave one straight so you can drive it into a stump. It's a great way to make a portable horn. It would go great with your Viking anvils.

[@darrell3368]

Great job it looks great

[@FSAM2132]

Always amazed at how long your steel stays hot ..even the light stuff...

[@thomasarussellsr]

Great tool. Wishing I had a hardy in my ground railroad anvil to add one of these to. My "anvil" has a ground horn, of sorts, but nothing so fine and petite as this for smaller round work. I suppose I could make one to be held in my bench vise as I have yet to aquire a post vise. Thanks for the video and the tool idea.

[@dimboolabladeworks7927]

a Bick is so important for things like collars, collar for spear or arrow heads. or anything that has to fit on anything else , i have 3 sizes here and looking to make a super fine one for doing cutlery

[@ResoluteForge]

That radiant heat coming off of inch and a quarter stock is brutal for sure

[@jeffgrier8488]

That's going to be a great tool, i'm thinking that everyone would get use from a bick like that.

[@deo53]

Really cool project. It turned out great. Very handy tool. Thanks

[@thomasbrighton6159]

Looks like a functional piece art!

[@daveyjoweaver5183]

That's just a Lovely and useful tool that is truly a piece of art! I do believe you are a blacksmith plus! Thanks Most Kindly for this Great video! A delightful Spring week! DaveyJO in Pa.

[@thijs3514]

Very nice and all by hand, well done!

[@currajeperm8418]

Maestroooooooo profesore

[@1averageamerican]

Really great video! I've decided I prefer watching forging with the solid fuel forge. (Probably because mine is propane so I see that all the time.)

[@steelpennyforge5152]

Nice looking tool! Well done sir

[@limheelai]

very nice

[@fourgedmushrooms5958]

Nice 👍 i have a couple that I use, but made in 2 bits like a T rod on one side and tapered on the other. Work great. Mostly made from 40mm trailer axle.

[@ISOSAILING]

that's one thing i'm going to have to learn fire welding, but when i make an arse off it i'll just stick weld it like i normally do haha, i could do with making one off them as my horn is too big for half the stuff i try to make love you video's.

[@pmi7696]

Thank you John. Beautliful collar weld.

[@marcerivest6204]

Looks really good, l made a double ended bick a couple of months ago.

[@Moondog-wc4vm]

Advanced manual right there, but very clearly explained! It would take me very many years to get my own skills to that standard, but in my head i understand! Thank you for passing on the skills, I'm sure smiths way better than me will use your techniques to their advantage!

[@frankgaletzka8477]

Hello John Very inspiriering work The collarweld is very interesting I will use this by myself Thanks for the Video All the best Yours Frank

[@BlackBearForge]

Thank you as always.

[@Ben.jack.in.off.to.you1]

great video

[@MrJimmunn]

Just love the coal forging, more please!

[@bruntie58]

Excellent job !!

[@wayneparris3439]

Something most beginners will not catch is that you did NOT use the edge of the anvil to form the inside of the collar square, So many beginners want to use the edge as a square form and by hammering into the edge of the anvil, they thin the collar and do not know why. As always nice project. The whole time you were drawing that out I kept thinking "I would just take that to the power hammer" :D

[@LelandSelene]

Love your videos, they've really helped me learn. Thanks :)

[@douglasfathers4848]

You must be a mind reader John ,just last week my son and i was talking about welding a horn on to my homemade anvil .But i think this is a far better idea, so thank you for sharing your never ending knowledge .cheers.

[@GodschildinNC]

I like you using the coal forge. I am just starting and using hardwood charcoal, and am interested in how you tend to the fire and place the steel to be heated.

[@richardsolomon8076]

Awesome tool John :-)

[@GaryForgingOn]

Thank you John. I have been wanting to make one of these. My anvil horn is too big and blunt. I have a cone mandrel for my hardy but it shakes so hitting sideways on it. I will probably cut up a fork lift tine and make one.

[@jasonsummit1885]

I don't even electrically weld when I do, I usually use oxy/acetylene welding torches and welding rod.👍(I don't have a wire feed or arc welder)

[@samnottheotherone4363]

Would save you money in the long run, acetylene is expensive.

[@alext.7313]

John, thank you so much for the hard work at the anvil to show us beginners that you don't need all the fancy stuff to make useful tools! I don't know why, but I never thought about how the bicks are made. Just goes to show you have to think like a blacksmith to see the forest for the trees. It's really just a standard taper with the hardy shank squared out. You mentioned it in passing, but how would you go about making a bick without a hardy shank if your makeshift anvil doesn't have a hardy hole? I have an old hardy mandrel that I just put in my bench vise, but I feel like that's janky. Plus it leaves bite marks on the shank 😢. Thanks again for all your wonderful teaching! Keep up the good work.

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad you enjoyed it. My first thought would be to make a hardy hole that mounts to the stand for the make shift anvil or welds to the side of the anvil. Perhaps just a piece of heavy walled square tube. Another option is to make the shank with a point that can be set into a stump.

[@alext.7313]

@@BlackBearForge Ah yeah, just hammer in a spike anvil. Thanks for the tips, John!

[@dragonwaterforge]

Great vid as usual

[@williamsultana3848]

Hi John

[@kingloki1641]

Absolutely beautiful work, i have been wanting to make one of those for a while now and just don't know if I'm up to snuff, you make it look easy

[@profzen1]

Nice

[@NordicEdge]

Great video. Thank you

[@mtyson9004]

That’s really awesome John! Quite a bit of hammering. Thought you go to the power hammer. Thanks for sharing and God Bless you sir!

[@ollieflood3891]

I had no idea you could forgeweld the collar

[@rbrizelljr]

Take a drink everytime he says hardy hole.. ;) love your videos.. keep em coming

[@rickfabin5472]

Love to see that on your power hammer

[@grifixed]

Great video. How many people thought "oh no!" When he coughed? Stay well all

[@BlackBearForge]

Just one of the down sides of working with coal.

[@claystanislaw2281]

Been thinking about slicing the head off of an old bull pin to make one of these

[@audiosoil1]

Very informative. Gonna need to create one of these as I am just getting started and only have a flat slab of steel to use for now.

[@1873Winchester]

I hardly ever find any clinkers of any real size in my forge. I use only coke and sometimes mixed with charcoal for starting up. But never pulled up anything of that size. I have a side blast too so I think clinker removal is less important.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thats one of the big advantages to coke and charcoal

[@Joe___R]

It looks like it would have been easier and probably even stronger if you started out with a 2" square bar, it is almost always easier to make steel smaller than it is to make it bigger.

[@BlackBearForge]

With a power hammer, yes. By hand drawing down a 2" bar is a huge amount of work. Plus the material is about double the cost