Blacksmithing: The Rubik’s Cube Handle

Various Rubik's cube twist patterns are popular for blacksmithing projects as are railroad spikes. So lets combine those things to make some tools for a summer BBQ
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Blacksmithing and related activities can be hazardous. These videos are not a substitute for competent professional instruction. Your safety is your sole responsibility. Always use appropriate safety equipment including eye and ear protection when working in the shop. Follow manufactures safety guidelines for the use of all equipment. In the event something shown in one of these videos seems unsafe, it is up to you to make the appropriate changes to protect yourself.t yourself.

[@adamouellet9729]

One of the best videos I've ever seen!

[@tjboylan20]

That mustache has more wisdom than 1000 blacksmithing books

[@cmleoj]

That turned out great. Good job on this set. I’m going to try this. I’m amazed how far that piece of rail spike will draw out-talent!

[@BlackBearForge]

Have fun!

[@pjamestx]

These came out great! And yeah perfect use of the induction forge, and the treadle hammer again coming in handy for laying out the lines. And the one thing I learned after watching you cut in the cubes? I really need to replace the blade on my hacksaw, yours cut through way quicker than when I tried using mine 😂

[@BlackBearForge]

It sure can make a big difference but its so easy to put it off until the next time

[@fuzzyninja86]

was cutting in for this same twist yesterday and had the same thought lol.

[@bradjohnson9671]

One thing to remember, you don't get as much scale with induction heating. If you use a coal or propane forge you will have much more scale to deal with. Scale will kill a hacksaw blade. When you want to make the cuts with a hacksaw, hit it first with a flap wheel to get rid of the scale. You blades cut faster and last longer. You're welcome! :) (Don't ask how I know this for sure)..

[@billhennen978]

never seen a steak flipper like that. Neat

[@rondavis191]

nice, good looking burgers toooo!

[@torind2000]

ah the best words of an experienced craftsman " im gonna try REAL hard not to screw that up " love it!

[@SchysCraftCo.]

Very nice Job. Forge On. God Bless.

[@4pawsforge273]

I loved the cheese slab with as burger on it! Looked so tasty. And as always, brilliantly done!

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Good job John, thanks for sharing with us. You do an excellent job showing and telling and making your channel so GREAT. Thanks, Fred.

[@Grunt49]

Love the twist.

[@markspc1]

Nice tools for the grill. Those handles are exotic. I wonder what is the history behind the key hole spatula.

[@Aco747lyte]

Every week my preteen and I love watching Black Bear. He's such fun, but makes each task look wonderful. He's so engaging and made such an awesome video for young Molly and I. ~Wendi

[@mscommerce]

Me, too. John Switzer is terrific!

[@jonnybkuehl878]

Very nice!! They turned out great John!!

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks 👍

[@Bangalangs]

Another fine video sir. Looking forward to trying that twist pattern this evening when I fire up the forge.

[@AnonYmous-ii4tc]

So much fun.

[@MrJamesjustin]

Great stuff John. 👍

[@williamellis8993]

Thanks for the video, John. I don't do any blacksmithing but the end of the video made me so hungry it distracted me from even thinking about it (lol). Stay safe. Bill

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@NickNameNick2]

Lovely video as always - Thank you!

[@tomcarlson3244]

Watching you make steak turner, makes me want to do it again. Yours looks much better than 3 or 4 I have made. Maybe I have gotten a little better

[@KarlBunker]

I love those handles! I bet they'd look great as the handles to some fireplace tools -- welded to some additional iron for the business ends of the tools, of course. Also nice to see someone using an old-fashioned hacksaw. It seems like most people these days reach for an angle grinder whenever they're cutting anything heavier than a paperclip. 🙂

[@als8326]

I find your videos and knowledge fascinating and I have so many questions🤷‍♂️

[@drewc5576]

Epic

[@Seelenschmiede]

This is my favorite twist pattern now! 😍

[@clarabisson7299]

Awesome video 💜💜

[@johngregory8576]

Looks great. I might be tempted to cube all 4 corners but offset the other 2 by 1/2 cube width. I think I would take the sharp corners off the spatula and maybe cut slots in it 😁

[@honthirty_]

John, try it but you might be disappointed in the result. The sucess of the cube twist is partially due to the tention that the solid wings provide in the twist.

[@thecreativecraftingtable8658]

That is an awesome video and very nice project! You always amaze us with your skills and knowledge! Have a nice evening John! 🙂

[@backwoodsbrooksknives4625]

Well the Ken's Custom Iron add is funny since I am wearing my MZ-75 shirt right know

[@markmcmeen287]

Thanks for another great video. (I'm also noticing a pattern of being hungry when I finish watching.)

[@Arkaydeys]

Tried this and apprently did not listen too deep grooves, didn't turn out quite right. Will have too try again, knowing to make them deeper. I thank you for the videos and advice !

[@magnusmikkelsen3757]

i might just be nerdy but im most definetely making a wand fro some round or square stock

[@geraldonazarenoramos5163]

Linda espátpara churrasco.

[@kentcostello5286]

They look awesome & better than the ones you get at the store & would last longer too.

[@joeysausage3437]

Black Bear is informative and a joy to watch. Heck, I want to be a Blacksmith now.

[@mscommerce]

Me, too. John Switzer is terrific!

[@djscotty06]

Just heard of your Channel from wrangler star. Looking forward to learning a new skill. You’ve got a lot of videos. Well done Sir 👍

[@BlackBearForge]

Welcome aboard!

[@stumpymacgabhann]

The Rubik's twist pattern is new to me thanks for taking the time to upload a video.

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@vanlifeinthecity9798]

Awesome video. Thanks my brother. Good to see ya up and running again after being so close to disaster. Glad everyone is OK in the end. Stay safely blessed....

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks. Luckily that fire only threw us off for one day

[@vanlifeinthecity9798]

@@BlackBearForge Good to hear. Still nerve racking. Glad you and your neighbors are safe. In the end, a few things can be replaced, people can't. God bless....

[@wayneheitz8390]

The ends of these videos always make me hungry. 🙂

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Nice set of utensils.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks 👍

[@douglasfathers4848]

Thanks John I was thinking what to do for lunch today, IT's ANZAC day here in Australia and I recon a BBQ is a good choice . I'm going to have to make a set of BBQ tools so thank you for the video mate . Cheers . :)

[@paulorchard7960]

Where are you Doug? 🇦🇺

[@douglasfathers4848]

@@paulorchard7960 NSW Australia 🤠

[@vicmeyers1243]

John, do you ever forge brass? I haven't found a good video that will help me forge the small piece I have into the shape I want

[@BlackBearForge]

I haven't. Silicon bronze is supposed to be forgeable, but it can be tricky

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

Slick handle pattern! 👍 😃

[@emmetbyrne1680]

Beautiful work as always, I will have to make a pair myself for grilling this summer!

[@paulrobertson7980]

Dang John you made me hungry there at the end lol

[@gurvinderkaur6996]

Beautiful twists . Seen so many BBQ sets with twisted handle but they always look cool.Burgers look yummy👍👍🔥🔥🔥🍔🍔🍔

[@jarednthomas]

I don't have a habit of watching blacksmithing videos but this was cool! I think the algorithm showed me this bc I have rubiks in my recommendations 😂

[@hanspeterlippkau2642]

Hi. I am Age pi. I am just starting blacksmithing. And you are my faforit master of blacksmithing. I have already so much learned from you. Thank's a lot. ... And always wear your safety-glases.😉 I think i never will be able to pay back what you have teached to me... Lot's of greetings from good old germany.

[@holry7778]

John, great stuff. These are great. The Cube pattern is always so intriguing. Do you sell these on your etsy?

[@BlackBearForge]

I sold this set, but they aren't something I make as a regular item

[@totherarf]

Well it would be rude not to test them, wouldn't it? ;o)

[@frankgaletzka8477]

Hello John Very good looking Twists and a tool Made to Last for ever . Thank you for the Video I wish you a good New week Take care yours Frank Galetzka

[@als8326]

Wow very nice 👍 nice 😊 wow

[@Smallathe]

Lovely pair!

[@ArmySoldier1972]

Those turned out fantastic. So much fun to watch. Army SE Oregon

[@mscommerce]

These are really pretty, Mr. Switzer! Wonderful concept, and workmanship.

[@jiml9856]

That's a cool little vise.

[@frankierzucekjr]

That's one awesome anvil. I've never seen one like that. With the little square shelf on the side. Really cool

[@benjiblue4184]

Holy moly my man. That anvil is UNBELIEVABLE. I love it

[@treyzeller8562]

What clamp did you use in your rubrics cub twist video

[@scottstewart8360]

Just for an interesting variation on this the other day I did it and cut the cubes out on the adjacent corners rather than the opposite corners. Try it it makes a nice effect.

[@howardrichburg2398]

Very nice. And the price for Ken's spike set is more than fair. I'll have to get one.

[@rocklicker639]

Great video as always. Thanks for the education and inspiration!

[@BCM1959]

Great, now I'm hungry. Thanks.

[@brianohara5771]

Just ordered the railroad spike kit you're using, as well as a product catalog. I really like this design for handles.

[@curtisvanlerberg9964]

I like those alot

[@paulorchard7960]

Nice job John!

[@scarface-39]

Those are cool!!

[@stephenborders4654]

Very nice grill tools. I might try to do this in the future. Thank you.

[@daltybell]

Thank you!!

[@billwoehl3051]

Is the horn the most efficient draw out tool? 🤔 My experience (very short time) is that's only half the equation, once you use the horn, got all the bumps and valleys, then go to the flat face of the anvil and continue till the work is flat again, then back to the horn, back and forth until you get the length your looking for.

[@Vikingwerk]

I wonder the same thing, but it could just be my mild OCD not liking the bumps and valleys and wanting to keep the thing straight and crisp all the time.

[@BlackBearForge]

What you describe is pretty much what you see in the video. The horn helps move material fast but it does require refinement on the face. The amount of drawing out that occurs while smoothing out the lumps and bumps is less than what happens at the horn. If you want the absolute most efficient I would say that a rolling mill is the best and most accurate, which is why steel mills use that method.

[@glenndarilek520]

The horn is good, but to get more aggressive at first, use a corner of the anvil, then clean it up on the flat or horn

[@Vikingwerk]

@@glenndarilek520 a friend I learned from would use the cross side of a cross-peen hammer, slightly less harsh than the anvil edge. I took a page out of John’s videos, and butchered a cheep 2lb sledge into a 45° angle peen like he uses in many of his videos, and left the peen faces pretty wide, nearly an inch, and then rounded them with a flap disc, so they are sort of the cross between a cross-peen and a rounding hammer. Finally gave it a try today, and it may be my new favorite drawing out tool. The angled peen sets up the ergonomics nicely, and the wide rounded peen moves material well, without the aggressive dings and hills a narrower peen or anvil edge leaves. May need a longer handle since it lightened the hammer up a bit, but we’ll see.

[@jeffreystacy867]

I really like those handles and the burger flipper is a good idea

[@butchbinion1560]

✌️👊

[@als8326]

Why is drawing out over the horn more efficient than on the flat

[@BlackBearForge]

On the face the material wants to spread in all direction. The round nature of the horn makes it want to spread lengthwise. Works sort of like a rolling pin making a pie crust.

[@als8326]

@@BlackBearForge thank you for answering my question I enjoy your videos and even so I probably will never have a chance to blacksmith I am learning a lot

[@lewisatlas4284]

Great stuff. Really liked the steak hook flipper.

[@willsouthdakota5153]

Thank you for sharing. They look great.

[@aaarcs8895]

They look fantastic...new twist for me

[@jeffgrier8488]

That's a set of bbq tools that anybody would be proud to use!

[@timmienorrie]

What a clever and beautiful design. Well done.

[@michaelhayes1678]

Beautifully done, sir!

[@jimhartley491]

What model induction heater do you use? Did you create your own coils?

[@ryanblystone5153]

Love the handles. Thank you

[@c0mputer]

For a split second I thought this was the spatula. 9:10

[@WhoeverSmeltItDealtIt]

John @BlackBearForge how do you keep your work so clean? As a beginner blacksmith, I can’t keep the scale off of the finish when the project is complete. I end up sanding everything down due to pitting and rough finishes from scale build up. I use a very aggressive brush and try to keep my area clean to no avail.

[@BlackBearForge]

Don't over heat for one thing, thats where the pitting probably comes from. But working lightly down into a black heat does wonders to leave a clean surface.

[@skipthoming6241]

Excellent sir!

[@jimq]

Bandsaw is another option. That is now my preferred method for making these cuts.

[@BlackBearForge]

I thought about that, do you have any trouble keeping the corner at the proper angle without the blade pulling it down flat?

[@VRplay86]

Super cool 😎

[@johnvradenburg192]

I like those they came out great, I'd even buy a set :)

[@johnvradenburg192]

correction....I did :)

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks, I'll get those shipped in the morning

[@johnvradenburg192]

@@BlackBearForge you're welcome, I look forward to using them when I camp. hopefully I can get more stuff for camping :D

[@johnvradenburg192]

@@BlackBearForge got them in the mail this morning just got done using the steak flipper to cook my steaks and 9:30 at night here in the central time zone and I have to say it works very good I'm very pleased with them the only thing I didn't see was a touchmark but that doesn't matter to me 😁

[@charlesbowden7314]

Thank you so much

[@blackiebear2]

Amazing :D

[@BubuH-cq6km]

😎 👍🏼

[@bobvines00]

John, watching your treadle-hammer again reminds me that I need something similar. Have you made a video that gives enough of its details that a similar one could be built at home?

[@BlackBearForge]

The plans are available for purchase through ABANA.org

[@bobvines00]

@@BlackBearForge Thanks John!

[@hyliastone286]

Woah...

[@twestgard2]

Lol, I do everything I can to avoid using a hacksaw for anything. Just hate the time it takes. A bandsaw would be a good option, if the tool is available. And a beautiful end result.

[@BlackBearForge]

I think with a holder to feed it corner first it would work well.

[@TerrolAxelor]

What about our safety glasses?

[@BlackBearForge]

You should wear them. But seriously the usual video ending sees a huge drop off in viewers and that hurts a videos overall performance, so I may go to a more abrupt ending.

[@TerrolAxelor]

@@BlackBearForge I liked, but I understand, and it won't stop me from watching all your videos start to finish

[@chrispolley9487]

I did miss the "I hope you have time to get out to your shop", not sure how many times that's all I needed to hear to find time.

[@shortfuse43]

John, good video to show the use of basic tools that just about everyone has. A tip for you on small rivets. I take a large duplex carpenter's nail and cut off the top part right above the top of the head closest to the point. The cut off piece makes for a short, about 1/2" long, rivet with a ready-made head. The remaining long piece still has a head in place to use for a regular nail. :-)