Blacksmith: making a forge-welded Anglo-Saxon adze

In this video: using the assymetrical welding technique to reproduce the adze from the Flixborough Anglo-Saxon tool hoard.
If you enjoy these videos, please consider supporting me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/rowantaylorblacksmith

[@allenhanford]

I really like your videos. No standing around talking to the camera, straight into the action. Clear narration, too.

[@carlottafolli452]

I've never seen anybody make forge welding look so easy. You are one damn good blacksmith.

[@RowanTaylor]

+carlotta folli It's not as hard as people make out, it just takes practice !

[@KowboyUSA]

From the stone age all the way up to about a century ago, pretty much everyone knew what an adze is used for. Well, not anymore. Really nice work. A beautiful and useful piece.

[@RowanTaylor]

+John Ratko Very true, John. Thicknessers are abit easier to use, but adzes produce such a lovely tactile result.

[@KowboyUSA]

RowanTaylor My Grandfather, Father, Uncles and Godfather all used adzes building structures, contouring boats, etc., but now you've mentioned a tool I've not heard of. Perhaps we have a different name for "thicknessers" here in North America. Would they be what we refer to as 'planers'?

[@RowanTaylor]

+John Ratko I think I may be - we have hand planers, electric planers (hand held but with a rotary belt) and thicknessers, which basically sit on a stand or workbench and you just set the thickness you want on it, feed the wood in one end and collect the board the other side. They are wonderful pieces of equipment. The canal carpenter next to the forge have one which they use for all sorts from stop-planks to gates.

[@chrisanderson60]

RowanTaylor Here in North America the tools you are speaking of are called : a hand plane, a belt sander, and a thickness planer(sometimes just a planer). There are also available electric planes that have a blade mounted on a revolving shaft these are a hand tool similar in appearance to a sander. Another nomenclature difference is the "linisher" over here that would be called a belt grinder.

[@dboconnor57]

Tools must have had great value, and I imagine blacksmiths and woodsmen were revered trades. thank you Mr. Taylor, I really enjoy your videos. keep well

[@FOB-yz7gf]

I hate how easy you make forge welding look! Great work mate.

[@RowanTaylor]

+RCotter Hammering Haha, thanks mate :)

[@shadowcastre]

Rowan... Awesome work my friend! I really like the voice over/narration.. It's like being in a video classroom. Thanks for the video... Shad

[@RowanTaylor]

+shadowcastre Thanks Shad, the whole video-classroom thing is what I'm going for :) Though mostly I'm just chatting about what I'm doing. There are guys on here who know far more than me!

[@shadowcastre]

Keep up the good work! I try to learn from everyone. Shad

[@seanreynolds3033]

good on ya mate. I like that you talk thru mistakes and how to do it better next time. your experience and practice are second to none but I feel like we're learning together.

[@RowanTaylor]

+Sean Reynolds Thanks for the kind words :) Always learning. I've figured-out some power hammer tools to make these a bit more easily too! One day I'll make the practice piece before the video and then there will be fewer mistakes lol.

[@workingwithiron]

Really gorgeous Adze mate, will give it a go when i get this coke forge up and running!

[@RowanTaylor]

+workingwithiron Thanks Nath :)

[@mossyhollow3732]

Another piece of noble art.

[@t.j.brunetto2132]

great work as always,and commentary is right on to .thank you have a great Saturday, I most definitely will contribute to the show

[@RowanTaylor]

+T.j. Brunetto Thanks mate :) Hope you have a good weekend too!

[@thomaswayneward]

Very enjoyable video, soothing voice and good technique.

[@chrisdiaz5166]

Very clean very easy to follow i really enjoyed this video. 👍🏽

[@bertrandpotvin]

Watched, and watched again. And again. I like the projects you pick to put out. All the kinds of things I want to and do build myself. Great work, videography and content. Thank you very much for all your effort and sharing your skills.

[@frank64409]

I sure could use one of these. Good work Rowan, I admire your skills.

[@gregdileonardo760]

Bravo a real delicate adze for fine work on delicate smaller pieces nice and light and easy to manage without tiring

[@IveysFamilyFactotum]

Great looking tool right there...i plan on making some of these and this is a great technique...thanks.

[@1234Guitarman1234]

16:40 had me in stitches ! love the videos, keep em coming ! Your forge welding skills are astounding, to beginner smith like me !

[@RowanTaylor]

Thanks Brady :) All it takes is a bit of practice, and I forge-weld pretty much almost every day so I don't really have an excuse when it goes wrong, lol. Whether you want to do it as a hobby or as a profession, good luck :)

[@caveofskarzs1544]

". . . Reproduced. The adze, though, not me personally." xD

[@CaptainDominic]

I built one of these today from an old hammer head I got at a carboot. Then came home to your video. Great work. Your video really help a student like me with the tiny details.

[@Edgunsuk]

excellent work your doing stuff the hard way a lot more than some much more famous smiths !

[@farmerbob4554]

Beautiful work!

[@chase8649]

Lovely! thanks for a new video, its such a nice start to the day.

[@RowanTaylor]

+Vortallius No worries :)

[@Rmillerb1]

Rowan,That was a pleasure to watch. I keep learning from you, Thank you.

[@RowanTaylor]

+Ron Miller Thanks Ron, I'm glad that you enjoyed it :)

[@marcsenteney3160]

Yet again a very nice job!

[@RowanTaylor]

+Marc Senteney Thanks Mark :)

[@shanelonergan1792]

Fantastic skills there very well done

[@imapseudonym1403]

Clearly, one big advantage of a bottom draft forge is the clinker-breaker. Saves a lot of time and guesswork when cleaning out the clinkers. Very nice video! I believe there are a few axe-like weapons, as well as many tools, that were made using this exact method. Oh, and a hot beeswax finish is perfectly authentic.

[@garethbaus5471]

You could do what I do and use a fuel that doesn't form clinker.

[@liegesaboya33]

a very beautiful tool , thanks !

[@gregsmith2262]

Love your work mate thanks for sharing

[@hammer6580]

I enjoyed that, great instructional vid

[@ataarjomand]

Very nice job. Thanks.

[@Dangerous_Drivers_of_CA]

Nice work.

[@phogelbice]

Beautiful!

[@RowanTaylor]

+phogelbice Thanks Mate :)

[@zoranbilbiloski652]

Nice job mate!

[@RowanTaylor]

+Zoran Bilbiloski Thanks Zoran :)

[@knivesstuff]

Great as usual!

[@RowanTaylor]

+knives&stuff Thanks mate :)

[@adbhutworld179]

Nice video.

[@meliton60]

Congrats Rowan. It is a great video and even better blacksmithing. I may be wrong, but I guess the high carbon steel insert goes in the other side of the axe blade. Kind regards.

[@Cadwaladr]

I've never used an adze, but I would kind of like to have one, so maybe I'll buy one from you. I'm not exactly a traditional woodworker because I use some machines and power tools, but I've become more appreciative of using hand tools since I've been watching Paul Sellers here on KZbin, he's really great.

[@RowanTaylor]

+Cadwaladr A couple of people have been interested so I'll try and do a few next week. They'll be better than this prototype one! I'll stick them on my facebook page. I've not come across Paul Sellers but I'll go and look him up now as I quite enjoy woodworking videos - though I mainly watch boatbuilding ones. If I had the time, space and money that would be my hobby, lol.

[@MrRHAWKER1]

hi very nice adze I'm a smith but i like my allotment as well so i will have a go at making one it will be a god send on my plot cheers

[@richardstinnett7796]

Nice job

[@BentonFrisse]

Hi Rowan! Have you ever thought about forging a Finnish style forest ax? It would be fascinating to see how the socket and strike plate on the poll are forged!

[@donaldasayers]

I actually need one of those to use.

[@ericvolschenk6415]

love the adge and Viking shipwrights axe you said you might sell what would the costs be

[@FarmCraft101]

Was that a sheep at 8:24? lol. Thanks for the video. Well done.

[@arceusmaster91]

What's the weight of the ram on your power hammer?

[@adampablodayc]

Does the visable weld still bother you?he he ,really nice job,thanks for sharing

[@robertmorgan54]

Do you have any of these for sale?

[@Mrlloydcr]

Hello Rowan Taylor please specify steel grade that use. Thank you

[@Theodinsson]

Thanks for the video Rowan. I actually plan on making an adze too. Btw, could you make a video on how to make a timber framing chisel ? I've some trouble getting the socket done perfectly.

[@RowanTaylor]

+Theodinsson No worries :) I'll see what I can do for sockets!

[@nobilismaximus]

".....Sitting there, mocking me....." I miss UK humor since I move to America!

[@RowanTaylor]

+Scott Birse Hahaha. You would be amazed at how many non-Brits don't get it!

[@nobilismaximus]

oooooooh matron I've a cunning plan, 60% of the time it works every time. In all seriousnessnessneeslyness. Could you comment more on why forge welding mild steel needs no flux capacitor?

[@davidfairman5461]

Hi Rowan love your Adze. I recently had an Bowl carving Adze made for me by a young Blacksmith. loved it but after using for a while I found that the angle was too acute. please how can I bend it back. I don't want to send it back. thanks.

[@DwarfLordAirsoft]

What do you mean by welding or shearing plane?

[@ervintaylor6508]

First time watching do you do a bowl carving adze

[@masonsteffes9025]

Holy thumbnail batman

[@xsbiggy6349]

how much for the adze? would you be able to make a bowl/scoop adze as well?

[@goatfacechiller6463]

Id like to buy one , still making??

[@bluetoad2001]

how much $ for one of these forged bowl adzes?

[@Edgunsuk]

hyere i am watching this again :-) i cant buy an adze in the UK atm did you ever make any for sale ?

[@franknz1797]

Hi how much for one?

[@kalebstavneak2229]

I'd buy one for my woodworking crazy, even though I wanna make one myself

[@nicko9404]

great video! so would a weld that was blended in have a stronger hold?

[@RowanTaylor]

+Hot Iron Art A blended-in weld is usually a weld which I know for sure has fully fused, however you can have a fully fused weld and still have a little mark left. I like to blend mine in mainly for cosmetic reasons.

[@khoatran-pc6tb]

Great video,though I wonder if they would make a variety of adze blade shapes(for example they could make the blade curves into a gauge) in the olden days?

[@RowanTaylor]

They did, yes. There are different shapes for different functions even to this day and bak then the styles of the adzes, like axes, varied not only from country to country but also from village to village and from blacksmith to blacksmith!

[@llen6970]

Rowan, thanks mate, just a question on the carbon insert. Did the Anglo Saxons actually have carbon steel and did they use in in this fashion. That would go for the period all across? Thank you for your time.

[@javanbybee4822]

They did have steel, either bloom steel or crucible

[@notfeedynotlazy]

Two forge-welds for the price of one. What's the matter, are they on sale? ;-)

[@CellanKnight]

Master, I am really fond of your work hahah I am building for me an workshop, while searching and searching for techniques to try, and this one you use in this video and the one of the trade axe really interessed me, but I didn't find much stuff about this. Could you give me a tip for this? Like where to find more stuff about this technique? Thank you very much

[@CellanKnight]

Actually, I really would like to have a conversation with you.. you have so much knowledge, I wish to ask you questions, man xD

[@ludditeneaderthal]

Being mocked by ones welds is the fate of the metal artisan

[@josiahmusser4549]

Is this faster/easier then punching and drifting?

[@imapseudonym1403]

Perhaps not faster, but you get to control the shape of the eye easier. It's so easy to have a punch and drift go slightly off center and then one side of the eye is thinner than the other. Just my 2c...

[@meliton60]

Beautiful piece and very good material. The cutting steel should be on top.

[@caveofskarzs1544]

Very good video. One thing I would like to ask is why you prefer to use millimeters when talking about length even when it could be used in centimeters as well? (120mm = 12cm.) Of course, it is easier to say "mil" than "centimeters", so . . .

[@RowanTaylor]

Thanks mate :) Purely because that was how I was trained to measure stuff (I work mostly in Imperial mind, but I tend to skip between the two). I think it's more instinctive to say 127 mil rather than 12.7 cm. There's probably an actual reason we're all taught that way but I don't know it!

[@caveofskarzs1544]

Alrighty. Looking forwards to the next project.

[@josephstaup8868]

Great Project Rowan. Loved the video. When you have figured out a price, let me know.

[@RowanTaylor]

+Joseph Staup Will do! Thanks a lot :) I'll make a few during the week, figure out a cost and stick them on my FB page.

[@Nihil0s]

+RowanTaylor Do you have a FB page specifically for your work or do you post them to a personal page?

[@RowanTaylor]

+Nihil0s I have a business page, which is facebook.com/Rowan-Taylor-Blacksmith-South-Saxon-Forge-258594024181895 I use it as a website. I also have an online store on Etsy www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SouthSaxonForge

[@donaldasayers]

As the adze cutting edge is underneath, shouldn't the welded on steel part have been welded on the bottom?

[@TheIlliniviking]

The very edge is carbon steel as he did it, and when in use, the surface that will take the roughest abrasion is the top. The bottom only needs to direct chips away.

[@killkill647]

Donald Sayers I believe he did weld the spring steel to the bottom

[@haidafella8651]

Jack Milne depends on which way you are holding the tool

[@jaysanders7472]

Why did you not put your gouge fold into it since it is an adze?

[@thomaswayneward]

Because an adze can be rounded or flat or anything in between.

[@DwarfLordAirsoft]

Why is the adze drifted from the underside?

[@carolfaulkner398]

FBI

[@imapseudonym1403]

Wider at the bottom to accommodate the handle.

[@ctantep]

You misspelled axe and the blades all sideways!

[@ctantep]

+RowanTaylor :)

[@RavinderSingh-dp1qe]

Please arrange the enough light for ....it looks like you are forging in a dark room...... Anyway ....good job 😄😄😄

[@joshuaadams-leavitt4603]

Couldn't you have welded the carbon steel when you were making the eye? Then when you drew out the rest of the blade you wouldn't have had to balance it on the edge. #Backseatblacksmithing

[@sparXKuijper]

LOL Mocking weld lines anyway !

[@imapseudonym1403]

I hate those bastards too!

[@frankfox8784]

i dont have a power hammer

[@ahaflute2899]

ОМ

[@theodoreplume4861]

In his intro Gavin Newsmen said nothing about Border Security. I wonder why?

[@jaysanders7472]

I understand the weld part I hate when it can be seen like that it just doesn’t look professional.

[@nathanwalker8356]

lol welded the steel on the wrong side mate!

[@nathanwalker8356]

steel on the botom and a top edge will always wear out..... just start over dude!

[@nobilismaximus]

Can you perhaps expand your mock into a more descriptive critique for those who don't see an obvious mistake. There's a self sharpening reason to be expanded if indeed that's your reasoning...

[@nathanwalker8356]

Scott, examine the video at 18:57 An adze should be hardest at it's edge that edge is always on top. steel is welded to the under side on this particular adze leaving the poorest material at the edge (the top). I hope my comment was constructive this time around mate.

[@Chris-yo4ks]

I just finished watching this video. I also noticed that the steel was welded to the wrong side. Mild steel will always be at the cutting edge....spring steel will be the waste material when sharpening.

[@nathanwalker8356]

you are right Chris however,most of his work is spot on! i enjoy his work

[@brumalogresteer4124]

you need to provide the links to the objects that you are reproducing. So please do.

[@R0GU35]

Need?

[@arziehi]

Your anvil is really loud.

[@96mtbrider]

what

[@RowanTaylor]

Half past nine!

[@BBQ1953]

Great cideo content but you are insufferably boring to. Your voice commentary is distracting, at best. You should consider scripting to subtitle all future videos.

[@zhdlot]

At first I thought great an English Blacksmith then you start talking in inches ! please say you don't do it just to cater to the Americans ?

[@Edgunsuk]

we use both in the UK hes not catering for Americans he was working in mm,s for width as well its a common thing here not sure why but i cant forge for a day without using both systems lol

[@mossyhollow3732]

Another piece of noble art.

[@RowanTaylor]

+MOSSY HOLLOW Thanks mate :) I enjoyed doing this one!

[@briggsbughouses6291]

Beautiful work!

[@davidfairman5461]

Hi Rowan love your Adze. I recently had an Bowl carving Adze made for me by a young Blacksmith. loved it but after using for a while I found that the angle was too acute. please how can I bend it back. I don't want to send it back. thanks.

[@TheIlliniviking]

You probably won't be able to bent it back without breaking it, assuming it was heat treated. You could heat it up and anneal it, but then you'd have to harden and temper it again.

[@wwoodworks1021]

David Fairman just send it back, I'm sure the smith would rather have his tool be useful to you.