Blacksmithing - Round punch with heat treatment explanation

[@SteveShanafelt]

"You can drop it if you want." This moment just earned you a subscriber.

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks Steve! Welcome!

[@JohnOwensgoogle]

best tutorials on the internet for these skills. And we share the perfectionist gene…!!

[@brabhamfreaman166]

Just came onto these a couple days ago. Really appreciate your calm, relaxed, but thorough, thoughtful and focused style. Makes for some fascinating instructional and educational videos. Thanks so much for sharing the knowledge: I future generation of craftsmen should be very grateful.

[@WG1807]

Great video again. It's very good that you patiently explain everything you are doing at the same time as clearly showing it. That's not to say other channels don't explain well or that video only (no audio) is worthless, but yours is a comprehensive explanation. Thanks again.

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks again, Its just the way i teach it, Thinking on the spot and letting it flow. Remember though, Its just one way to do something, i always recommend watching others as they will do it differently, i watch others all the time and learn stuff along the way. I get inspired, i cringe, i see an easier way, i see a tool i could do with, its all different and there is no one way to do something. I will over time repeat these videos as i get better to keep up to date on the way I find best. Thank you Finarfin!

[@WG1807]

Oh yes, other channels are good too, but this one is one of the best for explaining things. I think we all watch multiple channels and copy, modify and are inspired. I have ways of doing things that might be unique - like twisting 12mm square bars cold by hand. I should really get a camera - and begin learning all this video business (groan). Thanks for the reply.

[@curtroche5392]

Very Good. I appreciate the step-by-step instructions! Very well taught!

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks Curt, You are very welcome!

[@martinholloway758]

This is incredibly helpful. The step by step instruction is really appreciated.

[@ugo7295]

Great video, as alway your attention to detail is phenomenal. Dropping my work is a norm for me being new at this, nice to see it happens to the pro's also. Keep posting videos Nathan they are awesome. Thanks

[@jimburnsjr.]

Great video Bud.. you have an exceptional teaching tone of voice....and you were clean, thorough, professional.. and still very personable... i think you are the kind of man we can trust in a shop to teach young men to respect, love, and be good at their trade.... i am just now getting into learning blacksmithing ... thank you very much for your video. subscribed.. wish i could do more.. like many of us i don't have much to offer

[@superdave54811]

Nathan, I love watching your videos. I learn so much!

[@sdcb27]

Thats as good of a punch as they come Brother,More folks need to pay attention to the "simple" stuff Those skills are the foundation of the fancy

[@joemcnally1348]

great lesson thanks. the first time I've seen someone showing the quenching colours, very interesting to see.

[@loul7239]

Great video. You gave answers to a few small questions I've had. Thanks!

[@workingwithiron]

Thats what its all about Louis!

[@tylerjenkins91]

Good stuff this is the 3rd of your videos I've watched..... now to move to a place that will allow me to have a forge

[@BigWillSD]

thanks for the awesome start to finish details!! very helpful!

[@workingwithiron]

No worries Will, thank you!

[@tubbysnowman]

I made my first punch last night, and I wish I'd watched your video first. at least I can co back and fix it. :)

[@FireCat4xAZx]

Best round punch and heat treat method i have seen yet, liked and sub'd. Thank you very much, looking forward to seeing more :)

[@TheRidgewatbrad]

Very well shown and explained , you know your trade .

[@workingwithiron]

Thank you Brad!

[@johnwp111]

Another great video once again. Can you please do a video on the different heat/forging colours you use and why you use them.

[@workingwithiron]

Yes i will do, will have to do that in the week as every man and his dog is in the gardens today so narrating is difficult. Thank you!

[@plutomoon557]

Brilliant video, I want to get in to forging so much but I don't know were to start.

[@workingwithiron]

Where are you? If you look up blacksmith in your local area on google, something should show up, a great way to get into it is look for forge ins or blacksmithing events, join local blacksmithing groups and ask about, we are a friendly bunch and will usually be happy to point you in the right direction! Let me know where you are and i will see if i can find something for you.

[@JoeHeathIsBetterThanYou]

excellent video... perfect timing as I need one of these right now ..

[@workingwithiron]

Let me know how you get on Joe!

[@JoeHeathIsBetterThanYou]

certianly will...

[@robertlangley258]

Excellent, thank you for making a good video. Very informative.

[@jaspermurphy4465]

Your videos are very informative , thank you sir for sharing your knowledge i have learned alot from your teachings , do you sell any of your tools that you forge .

[@workingwithiron]

That's very kind of you, thank you! I'm hoping to be in a position this summer to be able to produce tools for sale but will be extremely limited. Thanks for making it worthwhile making the videos with you taking something away from the videos.

[@artsmith100]

Nicely done, Nath!

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks!

[@TheMrgoughy]

hey. just came across your videos just got I to blacksmithing properly. I'm in swindon and just wondering where you get your steel from? Thanks leigh

[@GuillermoSanchez29]

Great craftsmanship

[@gateway8833]

I think I'll give this a try on Saturday.

[@workingwithiron]

That's great to hear! Just remember to heat treat according to the steel you have. Let us know how you got on!

[@bryanthoblit2248]

can you perhaps make a nail header. I like your series your going with and want to try and make my own tools now.

[@workingwithiron]

I shall add it to the list. Torbjorn makes a good nail header, check out his video!

[@scottleft3672]

really is a great vid....mucho watevs...awsome....the red hot metal is so hypnotic...i feel like im a kid in front of a warm fire.

[@miguelmedinavlogs3554]

Maestro!!!! de la Forja!!!😊😊

[@tosborn56]

Great tutorial. Thanks.

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks! Plenty more to follow too!

[@bj20715]

Excellent tutorial, very well explained and shot. Looking forward to making some tools of my own using your videos. Subscribed.

[@Friidom2]

Nicely done sir. That dome is something my tools have been missing. No longer #tipshat

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks Chris. Try it out see if it works, if not carry on doing what you do. Its not a rule, just a suggestion, a different way, like all of my vids.

[@Friidom2]

I suppose the dome helps with striking of the tool too. no catching an edge if your hammer doesn't land flat.

[@mosscustomknives8456]

We don’t have en9 Here in the states. What should I use here in the states ?

[@dordtrecht5]

thank you, Nathan. What is your opinion on the type of steel I could use to make a welding chipping hammer? I am a structural ironworker by trade and am wanting to begin forging tools for the trade. I cannot get EN9 in the States.

[@AllodialTitle]

EN9 is AISI 1055. Readily available.

[@patrickhance7211]

Nice forging ⚒️🔥⚒️

[@h.schmid1965]

Nice, very nice work!

[@sdcb27]

I dont think most appreciate how difficult and how much hammer control and forgeknowledge it takes for you to make a fine punch like that. I to have tried the pointed style and prefer the flattened punch. No rags and snags left

[@МирланМуканов-ю3о]

Укмуш ай укмуш сөз жок 👍👍👍

[@gregjordan8060]

Damn you do nice work!! Excellent video!!

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks Greg!!

[@bryanthoblit2248]

no sir I mean a drift. I was looking to making a Tomahawk and was wanting to learn to make a drift. so thank you

[@workingwithiron]

Ah i thought so, i will add it to the list but to be honest its, make a tapered round punch then flatten it with a taper like i did with the chisel all the way to the point, the eye size needed determines the size of the bar you start with but being tapered it will go from small to larger than needed, just don't harden or temper it after forging, i used an old axle or driveshaft. You can keep a crisp corner or smooth it off so its rounded, either will work depending on the style of hole needed.

[@ifell3]

That is great work on keeping it to shape. Is the rasp a normal rasp, like for wood? Regards

[@workingwithiron]

Its a farriers rasp, they throw them away all the time, people make knives out of them, i use them for hot work as they rip metal up so fast and are usually free if you ask nicely. When they get blunt you can then use them for cutting edges as the steel is usually good and intended to hold a sharp thin edge. Perfect for sharp tools.

[@ifell3]

Great stuff, we have loads of horsey people around here!!

[@williamcunha9136]

Awesome Job, I am a beginner Blacksmith and I was wondering what kind/type of rasp did you use and where can I get one? Thank You

[@workingwithiron]

Farriers rasp, ask your local farrier or look up farrier supply shops, or even tool sales. Great tools!

[@williamcunha9136]

Thank you

[@SharpWorks]

I just started getting into forging and I have the most trouble keeping my steel red hot. Yours stays hot very long, why is that? I assume you are indoors. Is that it or does it have to do with the steel as well?

[@Friidom2]

what he said, also minimal contact on the anvil helps a lot.

[@workingwithiron]

This is quite hard to answer as i am not sure of how long you keep it hot compared. I am indoors. The steel is quite chunky so will hold its heat quite well, you will notice the thick end keeps its heat longer than the thin end simply due to mass, but the thin end will also heat up faster than the thick end. I also soak my steel in the fire, i put it in the forge watch it until it gets to Bright orange/yellow then i let it sit there a little longer rather than taking it out as soon as it gets to the right colour as the outside will get hot faster than the inside, soaking allows the heat to get to the centre of the bar which will help with forging and maybe give a few seconds of extra heat. I really dont know though as it is a subconcious thing. What are your circumstances? Are you outside? do you work certain materials such as square, round, flat bar??

[@SharpWorks]

workingwithiron I am outside and I usually work .5" rebar. I get it bright orange and start forging and the heat usually lasts only 5-10 seconds, but it could be since its winter now. Thank you everyone for the information I really appreciate it.

[@ifell3]

I was watching knife making the other day, and the guy on there said what looks cherry red in the dark might not look cherry red in day light!

[@workingwithiron]

If you are in daylight or in the sun it will look like its not hot at all. Instead of watching the heat colour if that's the case, see how long it takes until it starts bouncing on the anvil with each hit, it will bounce when its too cold to forge. Another thing to watch is the scale, when the scale stops forming and falling off the work it is under an orange heat. You can also take a heat and put the hot end in a dark place, such as a coal scuttle or bucket something like a cave effect where its darker than the surrounding light. This will show the true colour. Thats why some smiths forge in the dark under candle light to see the true colour of the work. Wind will wick the heat away so fast and you will see that on my videos when i punch holes, when im looking for the dot to punch the slug out i will blow on the work as this cools the slug enough so i can see where it is, and that is hot breath doing that so cold wind will do it at a faster rate. I will upload a video on this either tomorrow or monday to help you out and explain this a bit more.

[@Flyguy779]

do you use EN9 for all your tools and tongs? (beautiful video and sound quality btw ;) )

[@workingwithiron]

For my punches and tools that get abused i do, tongs i use mild steel due to quenching. Plus its a medium carbon steel and is easily available here in the UK and cheap compared to the likes of H13. H13 is the ideal hot work alloy but its expensive compared to EN9. Plus i have a fair bit of it and it is also good for beginners and is also a water quenching alloy so i don't have to bother with oil in the workshop. Thank you, I'm glad the sound quality is a lot better in this, its only taken 4 years to figure out the mic settings for the narration.

[@Flyguy779]

I'm searching for good steel to buy atm and i am thinking about using EN8 (C45 where i live) because it's cheap too and i think i can get away with only quenching and not tempering , because it's a slightly lower carbon steel and will harden less. But i am not quite sure if it won't get too stiff and shatter anyways.

[@workingwithiron]

If you harden a tool, always temper it. Otherwise it will go like glass.

[@mosscustomknives8456]

When you’re forging the square tapper are you using the round die of hammer or flat side?

[@workingwithiron]

Moss Custom Knives flat side.

[@talasblue4450]

What is the width of this when yiu started?

[@NKG416]

Is 5160 good for making tools?

[@lntnchrs1]

good video man. very helpful.

[@workingwithiron]

Thanks! Glad i can help!

[@CaptainDominic]

Where do you get your en9 from. I'm studying the dfs at H&L college. And have tried most steel suppliers in the south. Bar getting it from west Yorkshire steel

[@workingwithiron]

west yorkshire steel, they will send it in the post cut in lengths in a tube. hope you are having great fun with Paul! He is an absolute legend.

[@CaptainDominic]

Working With Iron Nathan Paul's great fun I've learned so much more in 4 weeks with him and adrian than I could have done on my own. Given that before I started I'd done the two three day courses with David and some one day ones and playing with a home made brake drum forge.

[@drason69]

At about 6 minutes in, would this be like refining grain structure and compacting the steel? Seems a lagitimate thought. I have made a couple of bick iron hardies like this from larger stock. Unfortunately, they cracked when I quenched them,. Probably should have normalised the steel after forging. Maybe another project for your list? Thanks!

[@workingwithiron]

Not really, at the 6 minute mark im just setting a flat platform so when i take the next heat to take it to octagon im set up square on the anvil and have my 8 sides ready to go, i find it easier to forge a good octagon this way. If you are heating something many times and moving a lot of steel, normalising is worth doing, maybe even annealing. Do you know what you were working with and the correct hardening medium for that material?

[@workingwithiron]

Need to make a bick iron for the arrowhead projects and spears that i will be making for another series i have lined up so its on the list already!

[@thomasreyna7296]

I’m a beginner an don’t know all too much, but something I really don’t understand is why do you taper the striking end, I feel if anything it shout be mushroomed. Thanks

[@workingwithiron]

It's tapered to accommodate the mushrooming from striking so it can last longer before being dressed back. Mushrooming is dangerous as those bits can break and fly off. I done the striking end and dress as needed. Does that make sense?

[@robcallon6491]

can you skip the aneal , an go straight to harden and temper , or is it important to aneal.

[@workingwithiron]

It depends on how much material you have moved. You could just normalise then harden and temper with EN9 but for any other alloy you will have to see what would be best. its not a one thing for all, kind of thing and i don't want to misinform anyone.

[@josefranciscogalicia269]

Los vídeos de forja, se aprecian más, cuando no les ponen voz ni música, si acaso subtitulos, gracias.

[@fila32]

Very impressed

[@workingwithiron]

Thank you!

[@neilyeag]

EN9 is like 1055 I think. Will tool steel like O1 or the equivalent work for these kinds of tools. It is what I have available. Thanks.

[@AllodialTitle]

Tool steel and drill rod should be ok. It is the hardening process that is critical.

[@mheikal19811]

would you please give a hint which side of hammer you are using some time its not clear thanks a lot

[@workingwithiron]

everything was done with the flat face if that's what you mean?? if i use the rounding side i will say, with the rounding side. I very rarely use the rounding side unless in working with a curve.

[@mheikal19811]

workingwithiron yes thats it thanks for replying

[@dobaisi]

Good job ✌🏻🙂

[@dustiestspade339]

A trick my teacher showed was to hold it under the air vent to see when it's red cooler was gone

[@JoeHeathIsBetterThanYou]

where do you get the steel from?

[@workingwithiron]

Furnivals up north is where this come from but if you give your local steel stockholders a shout im sure they could point you in the right direction. Bristol from what i remember??

[@JoeHeathIsBetterThanYou]

Yeah, Bristol - got a good place for the sort of amounts we need?

[@workingwithiron]

www.steelexpress.co.uk Never tried them before but they do a range of steel types, just buy in the lengths they come in, much cheaper than buying a little bit.

[@workingwithiron]

H13 would be your best bet for these tools, and its air hardening so easy to work with and will take water without breaking.

[@dylanu6695]

220 en9. ... is that stainless? kinda looks like it.

[@mikeford963]

Nope, UK equivalent to 1055.

[@jakobpetrov1750]

Whye did you rasp the top ?

[@workingwithiron]

Just to put a dome on the top is all.

[@jakobpetrov1750]

@@workingwithiron oh ok

[@bryanthoblit2248]

and one more thing can you do a video in making a drift

[@workingwithiron]

I made a drift video, but i think you mean hammer eye drift? Am i right?

[@CharisWilliams]

Awesome! :D

[@MrRHAWKER1]

Nathan how do you find your Jim Keith hammer I have the same one as you very expensive £200 .34

[@CM-dp5mw]

MAKE MORE VIDEOS.

[@Памятьобщеедело]

Красава!

[@Saugdingsgnubsi]

oh oh oh someone burned his finger 😁

[@gateway8833]

THE color OF COAL Na, blacksmiths have the softest hands, really ;-)

[@gateway8833]

THE color OF COAL If you Gefreiter that we have rough hands and the getting burned is part of the work he may not try to blacksmith.

[@workingwithiron]

As time goes on we get used to burning ourselves, its gonna happen. If you want soft but durable hands piss on them when you get in the shower, rub it in and then as you wash they get clean. This thickens the skin considerably. Please keep it friendly guys, nothing is worth arguing over :)

[@Saugdingsgnubsi]

do you see the smiley at the end? its a joke i am blacksmith too i stop counting the time i burned my finger.

[@gateway8833]

Gefreiter Nudelsuppe Actually the thing at the end of your comment is just a blob on my (don't laugh to hard) Tandy 1000. Yes the old Tandy still works.

[@jasonscott7803]

👍✌️