Building a Medieval Forge and Blacksmith Shop by Hand | Anglo-Saxon Blacksmithing

The Anglo-Saxons smelted bog iron, heated metal and forged iron tools in simple furnaces and forges powered by hand bellows.
Simple goatskin bag bellows were used, in the Roman style, blowing air into a clay forge. The hot iron was wrought on a small stump anvil.
A single goatskin was used to make each bellows, cutting a simple bag shape with a funnel. At the top, the bellows have an inset gusset which facilitates air flow into the bellows as they are opened at the handles.
A Y-shaped wooden tuyere was carved and bored out, as have been found in Germanic contexts. The tuyere can be connected to the bellows with simple leather tubes and lashing.
The tuyere was extended with an unfired clay tube, made of earth and straw mixed in the same way as daub. This sacrificial tuyere keeps the wooden tuyere away from the forge, so it doesn't burn. As the clay is unfired, it was kept damp with a wet woollen cloth.
The forge, made of earth and straw, is formed into shape; two curved walls which hold the charcoal, one with a hole in the bottom to allow air flow into the forge from the bellows.
The forge was started with wood and straw, but requires charcoal to heat iron to forging temperature.
Old wrought iron bar was the metal to be heated and wrought. Anglo-Saxon iron was also wrought, in the form of smelted bog iron or recycled Roman and Romano-British iron.
The bar was pushed into the forge and the bellows worked until the metal came up to heat.
A nail was forged by drawing out the bar into a thin spike on the stump anvil. This was then cut off at the side of the anvil, heated at the head, and hammered into a nail header to form the head of the nail.
This is the very first time I have struck hot metal, and found it both fascinating and extremely fun! I have a lot to learn, being a complete beginner, but am looking forward to developing this new skill.
To the Anglo-Saxons the art of smelting and forging metal was seen as mysterious, magical; a craft of the gods and spirit world; the highest form of alchemy. It is easy to understand why when you stare into the bright coals, the forge seeming to belch hot sparks with every breath of the bellows, like a dragon reincarnate.
With thanks to:
Grzegorz Kulig, Silversmith, for making the pattern-welded knife.
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[@gesithasgewissa]

Hi all. My first time striking hot iron! All advice and suggestions welcome. You can check the subtitles and description for much more detail. Thanks for watching! If you like what I do and want to support me further, consider becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/gesithasgewissa/

[@westholdforge539]

I have some videos using my Anglo Saxon/viking age tools. I unfortunately don’t have bellows yet but the tools I have are not to bad. It’s to hot to forge right now but I’ll do more videos this fall. I am extremely jealous of what you’re doing. Awesome job.

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@westholdforge539 Hey, cool videos! I'm looking forward to checking those out. Thank you

[@westholdforge539]

@@gesithasgewissa don’t get very excited. They are not very good. I’m not computer or video savvy.

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@westholdforge539 I'm more interested in the things I can learn from them ☺ I'm sure they'll be some good knowledge in there

[@jeanladoire4141]

Hello, french blacksmith here ! I do a lot of primitive or at least medieval/old world technique stuff (making damascus using sand as a flux instead of borax, turning iron into steel with charcoal dust, stuff like that). I now work only with charcoal, as it's clean, burns decently hot (enough for welding and damascus), and is easy to get. I would advise you don't put your iron in the hottest part of the fire, AKA right in front of the tuyère. Where the coals glow, that means there's oxygen to burn and create heat, and while you would think it's a good idea to stick your iron there, the result is you're just burning your iron, wich you saw with disgsuting crust all over it. You cannot forge anything clean with crust, pitting and oxidation everywhere, let alone forge weld anything, even if you use sand to clean it up. So, leave some room between where the air goes in, and your iron. For a forge weld, leave at least the width of your palm (so it requires a bigger fire than that), but for common forging you will get away with a bit more oxygen, but not as much as in this video. This much oxygen also removes carbon from steel, so you would find it quite difficult to make a good knife. Perhaps you would get more stability and power in your anvil if you firmly buried the wood in the ground ? The more mass you can attach to the anvil, the better it will work. I see you have a nice looking knife with some kind of black/ebony wood, and a pattern welded blade. I'm 100% sure you can make such a knife with primitive tools, but of course there will be a steep learning curve, and everything will take a lot of time to adapt techniques to a more primitive setting. i've already tried making my own iron with a dirt furnace, folding the iron to make a solid bar, forging a blade, adding carbon, heat treating... It's definitely possible, i made a video on that. But it's a tedious process that requires a very good understanding of forge welding, chemistry, fire and steel. here's a link to my video of the making of iron, if you're interested : kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKHMZqeNfceVh68 It's all in french, sadly in the 600's the normans haven't brought french to england yet, so you won't understand much. Feel free to check my youtube channel, if you can set the subtitles to english you would understand what i explain. If you need help on primitive/medieval blacksmithing, don't hesitate to send me an email ([e-mail]). And perhaps we could do a collab some day, forging the old way is always fun ! I sometimes do it in medieval festivals, with a lil' charcoal fire, a few stones to hold them in place, a small anvil in a log, just like you did, and a homemade bellow for the air. Thanks for all your videos, they are always so fun to watch !

[@dorianmilam3519]

When the hammer fell apart I thought "well, nothing has changed in thousands of years!" Wonderful video!!!!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Haha, exactly, just typical!

[@joshschneider9766]

lol right? i felt every saxon smith screaming in heaven right there LOL

[@3851035]

So much work for a simple nail. We really take things for granted.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Indeed! Though, keep in mind I'm a complete novice and a skilled blacksmith could make this in about 10 minutes 😆

[@razgon14]

@@gesithasgewissa From nail to a sword

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@razgon14 Don't tempt me!

[@stephanieguarino2870]

Thinking the exact same thing! Had the same thought when you were creating a plank of wood in a previous video…so much effort for something so simple.

[@MidtownSkyport]

The first nail will be a lot of work, but every nail from here on will be easier

[@martywilsonlife]

This reminds me of the old saying: For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, For want of the shoe, the horse was lost, For want of a horse, the rider was lost, For want of a rider, the battle was lost, For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. And now we realize how much went into those horseshoe nails. Super well done!

[@gesithasgewissa]

There's a reason why blacksmiths were so highly prized! Thank you

[@angelcollina]

I remember that saying! I learned in ever so long ago in one of my books of nursery rhymes! I’m a linguist and one day I want to study nursery rhymes to do linguistic archeology! These little rhymes have been passed down for so long! I’m not even from the British Isles! I’m an American mutt from the deep south singing nursery rhymes that were first coined hundreds of years ago in another country! It boggles and fascinates my mind!

[@nymcopeland6037]

@@angelcollinain case you’re not familiar, there’s a podcast called 20 thousand hertz that just did an episode about nursery rhymes and their origins.

[@angelcollina]

@@nymcopeland6037 Oooooooh! Thank you!

[@joshschneider9766]

equine smiths still hand hammer nails in many parts of the world along with the horse shoes. the real world truth of this saying never truly died off.

[@jaded4258]

I cant fully describe how happy it makes me to watch a Primitive Technology video except it’s Anglo-Saxon

[@gesithasgewissa]

Very glad to hear it!!

[@petbird19]

YES. Totally agree 👍

[@ads214]

Goes to show how much time and work went into making nails. Nails were valuable back then because of this and so were often reused, with the exception of nails that were used to make doors. These nails were often hammered and curled over to stop thieves easily removing them to get access to the door's lock. Since these nails could not be reused they were considered 'dead'. Hence the expression "as dead as a door nail".

[@gesithasgewissa]

That's fascinating, I didn't know the origin of the phrase. Thanks for sharing!

[@angelcollina]

Omg, really?!?

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

Another fact, some people would burn down an old unused building just to collect the nails afterwards. Making handmade nails is something I know a lot about considering I've made thousands of them for the National Park Service here in the US.

[@DreadX10]

These doornails were still usable. 'Dead' referred to 'without any movement' and "Dead as a Doornail" makes for a nice alliteration so it stuck. You can still burn down the door; recoup the nails; straighten them and give them a heat-treatment so they become useful again. Many people come to the wrong conclusion because they listen to writers like Langland, Shakespeare and Dickens while standing on the corpse of common sense. Do they also believe that 'blind as a bat' means that bats are blind ..... (hint: they are not)

[@angelcollina]

@@DreadX10 Well, I guess not “easily” usable.

[@saliadee2564]

This channel is so atmospheric. Even the shots of the plants look like their quivering in the distant past.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks, I'm glad you think so!

[@davidsauls9542]

Your filming and editing are getting ever better. You are very successful at getting more people interested in history, heritage. Thank You Sir !

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you David, I really appreciate that! I really love the filming and story telling aspects of making these videos.

[@adjsmith]

My brother is (was) a blacksmith. He only brought me into his shop once. We forged a coathook out of a railroad tie. The thing I remember most about striking the hot iron was, how much work it was! It was simultaneously more *and* less malleable than I expected. It was like striking a rock that was made out of clay. Great content, by the way. I have been enjoying these videos ever since finding them.

[@gesithasgewissa]

That's an excellent description; simultaneously malleable and immovable a the same time!

[@joshschneider9766]

its called the plasticine nature of hot metal. when hot metal behaves in a plastic way. look up the term "plastic deformation of metal". its the physics behind why hot forging works. iron is unique among metals in that it stays mostly hard. as opposed to so called "soft metals" that get way MORE plasticine and dont retain an edge nearly as well.

[@kay_su]

These videos are such a breath of fresh air

[@gesithasgewissa]

Glad to hear it!

[@sswan5271]

I love it when the crow called and you looked up. Truly they are watching.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Ever present, those heralds of the gods!

[@leecogdell652]

I am simply amazed at how much patience you have when you’re getting things set up and your attention to detail is very impressive and I’ve often wondered how people so long ago would have done this and the way you have handled it is amazing!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Wow, thank you for such kind words. I really enjoy researching the tiny details and bringing them together.

[@chrysopylaedesign]

This guy does EVERYTHING!! He builds & makes Reed Baskets & Bee Hives....is a Leather Worker, a Ceramicist, a Woodworker, a Toolmaker, builds Forges & is a Blacksmith!!!!! What CAN'T he do????

[@gesithasgewissa]

Jack of all trades, Master of none 😄 thank you, you're very kind

[@DreadX10]

You forgot 'content-creator' ... And what interesting content it is!

[@lpeterman]

Cryso, he's ALSO a Shipwright; he may not brag on himself, but he was part of the building of the Saxon ship for Sutton Hoo! How many can claim that?!?

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@lpeterman and very grateful to have been a part of it!

[@ghettodlyaelfov]

Это прекрасно, обожаю примитивные и ранние технологии. Тут однозначно лайк и подписка.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Welcome, and thank you so much!

[@hugodesrosiers-plaisance3156]

Great material! When the hammer flew appart, man, I felt your sigh in my bones. 😂 If I may suggest something: red hot metal, hammers and bare feet don't go so well together! If that hammer head had landed on your toes... 😅

[@gesithasgewissa]

I was all excited to get forging...typical! Hmmm, you know you might be onto something there 😉

[@theomelchior2739]

Well I am most definetly going to need a lot more blacksmithing videos now

[@gesithasgewissa]

No need to fear, that's definitely happening!😆

[@campidor]

The BBC shoulr really resurrect their experimental archaeologist Farm Series or something similar featuring yourself and the time period you are showing here. Thanks for sharing all your hard work with us Alec. Its a pleasure both for the building work and craftmanship as well as the nature shots and sounds. Cheers from Germany

[@gesithasgewissa]

That would be amazing! I always wanted to see one set in the Iron Age or Medieval period

[@saxonhermit]

That's a good-looking nail! Reminds me of my first one. If you can, I'd recommend covering the ground or floor of your workspace with sand, as it mitigates the possibility of accidental fires and provides a ready source of material for abrading the surface of your finished work if you want it to have a smoother finish.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks, and cool, nice idea. When I have a proper designated smithing area I'll go for that!

[@terryteed1903]

Awesome stuff. I really thought you'd struggle, but in the end, YOU NAILED IT. I want to come and live for a while

[@gesithasgewissa]

Haha, very punny! Thanks for watching

[@terryteed1903]

@gesithasgewissa I'd love to see you and Bartrum do something together. Like a kind of the Viking settlers and the Saxons. But no fighting lol.

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@terryteed1903 That would be cool, his earlier videos were a big inspiration for me!

[@mademoisellekaya1438]

Who is Bartrum if I may be so nosey to ask?

[@terryteed1903]

@@mademoisellekaya1438 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHypaKJ6qNqaj8Usi=CGSyxxCoMd8DYknq

[@XL-5117]

You’re brilliant! I’m absolutely delighted and amazed at your skills. I’m fearful for your feet without any protection from flying hot flames!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you very much! Yes, I should really wear shoes next time haha

[@ewigesgermanien4174]

This fine man needs to build his own saxon village ❤

[@gesithasgewissa]

One day!!!

[@joshschneider9766]

i volunteer to be a full time smith in it.

[@joshschneider9766]

you better be the bellows boy though, im way too far along the career path to be doing apprentice work hehehehe

[@itsafish4600]

love this series

[@gesithasgewissa]

Glad to hear it!

[@livinginfictions]

As a lover and student of antiquity, the content of your videos feels like home. I adore seeing aspects of antiquity in a natural, everyday context for those of the times. It feels much different than a general demonstration, when you're putting together a home and providing for it through each of the new tasks you accomplish. Every new branching idea has a purpose that the average person living in the times might have shared. Gotta get rid of this grass for my garden, might as well make a beehive. Broke my tool, gotta make a new one. Missed the chance to get nails from the traveling blacksmith this season, time to set up a forge. It's refreshing and humanizing and gives people in times long past a lot more respect and intelligence than they're often given

[@gesithasgewissa]

I love this description, it's exactly the atmosphere I'm trying to create, and show the every day intimacy of historical life with all its nuance, trials and ingenuity! Thank you for the kind words

[@jonno27]

I love how much heat that was able to generate. It is the most low tech forge I have ever seen.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Pretty impressive for such a tiny little thing!

[@joshschneider9766]

the only thing that really changed in the next thousand years was the bellows and the invention of water wheel powered trip hammers, insofar as european smithing is concerned. bellows became much larger and wood framed with leather sidings, and as iron deposits became more known the anvils got bigger than these "stump anvils" as theyre called. but even today, you can put a smaller stump anvil type lump into the hardy hole (square hole) of a modern anvil for particular types of working techniques. only the equipment has evolved. a saxon smith would easily be able to adjust to a modern shop. and hed laugh at how soft we are in comparison to his work. like the video maker they were doing all of it for the purposes of practical self sufficiency. my art work would make them laugh hysterically LOL

[@LordAxalon]

Smashed it out of the park. For your first time hammering iron, you did a pretty good job of that nail. It's crazy how long it takes for something so small to be made.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you Axalon, this was so fun, I can't wait to get back to it!

[@jimwalker5412]

Brilliant demonstration, just love this channel, one of the very best on KZbin

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you so much!

[@Nicolas.Keller]

These recordings - simply beautiful.🤩👍

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@agustin621]

Excelente trabajo, es impactante ver como el hombre antiguo trabajaba tanto para hacer pequeñas cosas que hoy compramos en gran cantidad a bajo precio

[@gesithasgewissa]

Absolutely! Thank you

[@fallonfireblade4404]

Unintended voice reveal! 😂 And despite the broken hammer handle, for your first time embarking on a whole new trade that people usually TRAIN for, I think that's amazing! You successfully made a nail on your first try!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Haha that's true! Thank you so much, it was so fun and I can't wait to practice some more

[@fallonfireblade4404]

@@gesithasgewissa Are you sure some time traveler didn't just bring you here and hand you a camera?

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@fallonfireblade4404 ...by Gods...no...no I'm not sure...😳

[@BultitoAsesino]

I know old timey Anglo-Saxon didn't have no sunscreen but they didn't have as many carcinogenics as we do, so protect your skin!! We want this content to keep coming!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks, you're definitely right! Usually I always put a shirt on, I just got caught up in the excitement of forging for the day haha

[@paulstrickler5684]

@@gesithasgewissaNo shirt, no problem 😉

[@andreacook7431]

I keep worrying about that too. You're very pale and I worry you'll turn bright red.

[@jeanladoire4141]

When your skin tans, you can take quite a bit of sun. Tell black africans that they need sunscreen 😅😂

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@andreacook7431 I'm very pale because I am usually very careful and wear a shirt 😉

[@teancrumpets1494]

This channel is actually super important, Anglo Saxon heritage, and the tools they used. Beautiful, subscribed and bell on. Keep it up

[@gesithasgewissa]

Welcome, and thank you so much, I appreciate the support

[@xanas93]

Blessed with another video! Always a joy to see what you create next

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you, always a joy to share it with you!

[@paulstrickler5684]

And that was how Play Doh was invented

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@paulstrickler5684 😃

[@W4iteFlame]

Interesting. You literally can use in on the go in some wood camp. First time I see this forging kit. Can be good for adventuring

[@gesithasgewissa]

Yeah it's really portable!

[@adel3529]

You do look very good without a shirt on, and a little sunshine on the skin is fine for a while

[@gesithasgewissa]

Hah! Thank you ☺

[@stonyjupiter1481]

Wow. I never thought that you could use so small piece of metal as an anvil. Well, i think it is probably better if you do not want to make something more complex in metalworking. That's brilliant! It is much, much easier to transport, better for someone who will start their journey with smithing, maybe even longer, since getting full size one might be difficult and it might cost much more. Also i like that bellows that are in shape of lungs in some way. Simply fascinating.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Yes, the only archaeological finds of Early Medieval anvils are small stump or stake anvils, between 5 and 10cm square at the face. Iron was hugely expensive, and difficult to make in quantity, not to mention that many blacksmiths were itinerant, travelling between settlements. This meant that smaller was generally preferred! You can imagine the skill of a smith having to forge a sword on something like this. The fire in the forge does tend to feel like a breathing dragon!

[@stonyjupiter1481]

@@gesithasgewissa thanks. I've never thought about the fact that blacksmiths would move between settlements from time to time with their gear.

[@bruce-le-smith]

I love the simplicity of this forge, thanks for sharing! Very enjoyable video

[@gesithasgewissa]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Aeriel_farm_view]

Like that primitive tech guy but in medieval. Unreal! Keep it up my man!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks, I love his videos!

[@kathymarshall220]

I was just thinking to myself that it’s awfully brave of you to be doing that barefoot with all those hot metal shards around, when you flinched your foot away at 10:05. Hope you’re ok! 😊

[@gesithasgewissa]

I know...brave and foolish! Luckily I have good reflexes 😉

[@lilith74able]

I love your channel. I’d love to see more from inside your house, how you keep warm in the evening, cook and stuff like that.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks, yes I'd really like to show that - I have plans to start putting in a wooden floor and finishing the interior walls very soon.

[@janewhite3728]

This really brings it home how valuable nails were and how they were saved and re-used over and over - so time consuming to make! I would be interested to see what research resources you use for your projects each time.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Absolutely! I was very lucky to have been at university during Covid, where most of the archaeology books and journals were put digitally online. I may have downloaded the entire academic library 😅 I can try and include more references in the description in future videos if you're interested

[@gavenace3667]

Your videos are always amazing. I love all the detail and how true to form you stay, both historically and through a sort of Kinesthetic process

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you so much. Staying true to the historical detail is very important to me

[@Count_Smegulla]

I want to thank you for allowing me to step away from the moment and enjoy this video, no BS content just a video showing the real of history in the flesh (not animated and it Ai generated).

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you for watching, I'm pleased to share it!

[@mtgemperor]

I have often wondered why we know so little about the early Anglo-Saxons in England. The answer was staring me in the face! Reused Roman wrought iron? The small blacksmith burn pits? I truly hope you continue your work, good sir; your channel is what I needed.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Yes, almost every Early Medieval technology was on such a small scale to be very difficult to find archaeologically! Thank you, I certainly will.

[@gibson1005]

nothing like a good day crafting outide ! great video

[@gesithasgewissa]

It was such a great day! Thank you

[@dingocyber]

Always look forward to your videos. Thank you for showing the construction and having so many shots of how the bellows worked.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Glad you found it interesting!

[@ingvarragnarson8263]

Wonderful video, very evocative! I wish you the best on your journey into blacksmithing, and hope you'll enjoy it! Thank you for sharing with us.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you so much!

[@jeffmeyer9319]

Well done newbie, That is a good looking nail!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@lpeterman]

As a fellow woodworker/timber framer and novice blacksmith (forging 18th C. musket tools for re-enactors) I can only give you one piece of advice: Practice. (Even the simplest of repetitive tasks can have great benefits eventually.) Practice forge work, as much you're able to, whenever you can. (Watch other 'smiths, even novices, as they've had to have learned from someone!) Cheers from a distant "cousin" in the Oregon Country, with both DEEP Saxon and (gasp!) Norman roots, really enjoying the content.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you! Yes, I can't wait to just have a play around and practice and really start understanding the basics of the craft. Cheers to you too, I suppose I have Norman roots too, being in the South-West of Britain (gasp!) I always manage to conveniently forget haha

[@Why-D]

You nailed it!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Hah!

[@lucascolbers386]

Awesome to see! I have been forging and re-enacting separately for a few years now, and am currently working on a similar setup to combine the two hobby's... If I may be so bold to give a few tips, try positioning your anvil closer to your fire so you can avoid having to run a long distance with your hot iron. Once you have made the iron nice and hot (you are forging at a relatively cold temperature, don't be afraid to let the metal get to a lighter orange or yellow colour!), it is a shame to waste time by allowing your metal to cool down while you move to your anvil. This also tires you out quite unnecessarily. Another thing I recommend is you want to do this more often, is to get a standing set up. Put your forge on a table with some sand (and maybe an iron plate) on it, and get an anvil stump. A setup like that is not seen commonly in re-enacting, usually because ground based setups like this are more portable and convenient to transport and use for a single day. However, if you plan on doing this more often I really recommend making your working position more agronomical. Trust me, your knees and back will thank you.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Cool! And thank you for the advice, that's really helpful. I can't wait to do some more practicing and start working on all the suggestions I've had.

[@carolreaume6518]

This is sop cool! Just the other day, I saw of video from someone visiting indigenous tribes in Tanzania, some of the oldest tribes in the world that still maintain their traditional practices and way of life, and they used a very similar sort of two-handed bellows system. So cool to see such an ancient practice twice in one week! Also, love the chuckle and sigh when the hammer broke. Keep up the good work!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you. I think I saw that too, fascinating! Haha, you gotta just laugh sometimes...

[@klausbecker4745]

as allways great video! as you asked for advice, i thought i'd share some thoughts i had during the video: forging in day light you'd rather want a spot with a lot of shade, so you can sea the temperature of the metal better. also this whole set up looks quite sensitive to the elements, so some sort of roof would be super handy overall. also you will need a bigger/longer hammer. smiths work with the weight of the hammer and control the impact more from the wrist... the closer you get to your end result, the closer to the hammerhead you can grip the handle, giving it more control and less leverage. and you could round out the surface and the edges of the hammers face. the smaller the radius of the face, the easier it will spread and draw out the material youre working. also it wont leave edge marks anymore. lastly the bigger(and denser) the base of your anvil is, the better. obviously it's more stable but also it absorbes less impact, making your forging more effective.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you, this is really helpful! I'm looking forward to putting it into practice

[@jamesmorgan3764]

Fascinating! Hope we get to see the forge more often.

[@gesithasgewissa]

I loved this, so you definitely will!

[@oldheritageforge]

I'm a blacksmith and dude that must've been some work with the equipment, I hope you keep doing more forging stuff like this, I love the medieval times and I love your content keep it up man!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you! I absolutely loved this, so there will be more to come, for sure.

[@wildwanderer6025]

Is it just me (no experience in forging) or was there a lot more flake than usual forming on the iron?

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@wildwanderer6025 Yes, because the bars are so rusty, all the layers of oxide had to come off first. They are very ancient wrought iron bars (Pre-20th century)

[@wildwanderer6025]

@@gesithasgewissa Wow, you even took the efford to use old iron, like the old iron from roman times in the video.

[@lorduggae]

I like that you left the blooper with your hammer in lol. Square nails are better than modern round ones

[@gesithasgewissa]

Couldn't leave it out hah!

[@angelcollina]

@@gesithasgewissaHey I’m sure you’re in good company! That exasperated sigh I’m sure has been uttered many a time by blacksmiths (or any tool user) of old.

[@longone844]

Friday, just finished work. Get comfy on the sofa and see this latest upload. Cosy.

[@bouledegomme9335]

Almost the same about me. Smoking a cigar on my Hamac outside after a hard week of work 🎉

[@longone844]

@@bouledegomme9335 have a great weekend 🙌

[@bouledegomme9335]

@@longone844 you too mate

[@gesithasgewissa]

So happy to hear it, enjoy the weekend!

[@gymnosophist7471]

Totally nailed it!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Haha!

[@bartitsulab]

I was a smith. Don't work the Iron cold. Only work it from orange to red after it looses color reheat it and then go again. Saves ALOT of effort and stress on the metal. Pick up a book called Edge of the Anvil.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks for the advice and book suggestion!

[@rshaart4810]

One of the things a member of my reenactment group who's an old blacksmith told me once, was to keep a bucket of water next to the stump to soak the hammers in, it swells the wood and keeps the heads on better even if they're wedged properly, fantastic vid mate, love it being nice and simple, I can imagine this being really handy with a team of 2 for public events

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks! Yes, having an extra person to keep the forge running would be really helpful

[@Ben-ek1fz]

I live in Surrey, Such a rich history in this Island. From the bronze ages till the Anglo Saxon periods , thank you for keeping the ancestors of these Islands alive!

[@gesithasgewissa]

It's my pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@MrCrazyeyes07]

Your videos truly are a phenomenal work of art.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you so much!

[@liveoak4124]

Wonderful video and outstanding bellows. 2 minor suggestions. Round off the edges of your hammer face and hit the the wide flat face of the iron more often to mitigate fish mouthing on the edges

[@gesithasgewissa]

Great, thank you, I'll do that!

[@jarredburnett8820]

Good video. I really like the end

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@evanleclaire]

Great video as always!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@CharlesKS]

Wélandes bearn ⚒ (Weland's son). Fascinating video, thank you.

[@gesithasgewissa]

I wish! Thanks for watching

[@olliesmith6744]

As per usual a relaxing watch, and it really puts in perspective the time consuming nature of getting a simple thing like nails would have been, can't just pop to B&Q in 662ad oh you handled the hammer falling apart alot better than i would have 😂. until the next video all the best from East Anglia

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you! And yes, everything was that much more precious, painstakingly wrought from rock, earth and tree! Hah, you gotta laugh sometimes. All the best to you too

[@giuseppersa2391]

Unbelievably meditative thank you ✌️😎🇿🇦🌹

[@gesithasgewissa]

Glad you think so!

[@davie100able]

Another great video. Looks like you've nailed it nicely! 😂

[@gesithasgewissa]

Heheheh 😄 thank you

[@Trancequill]

This is exactly the content I've been looking for. Sorry to draw comparisons, but I do like the quiet style with text description, much like primitive technology's channel. But his locations and resources are wildly different to Europe's. New subscribers and Bell rung 😊

[@gesithasgewissa]

Welcome! That's great to hear. No need to apologise, I absolutely love Primitive Technology's videos and he was one of the main inspirations for this project and the style.

[@heatherchurch4287]

I am really enjoying all your vidoes- watching you breath life into the past for us to experience is such a treat. Thank you for sharing!

[@gesithasgewissa]

You are welcome!!

[@jormundgarner]

Great video.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks!

[@daveclemmer4536]

Nice work!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@ahha1977]

Awesome video as usual. Love your content

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!!

[@DragonsAndDragons777]

You are giving John Plant a run for his money XD

[@gesithasgewissa]

Haha, ahhh but I'm cheating a little bit with my iron bars and bought charcoal 😉 nothing near as difficult as drawing out iron from the earth with ancient technology. That's real magic!

[@MrGaza74]

Good work! Very inspiring. Amazing what one can achieve with knowledge and I must say skill. You are very good with your hands sir. Love it.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you very much!

[@ek-nz]

Well done! Just a few thousand more and you can build yourself a ship. I’m sure you’ll get faster 😊

[@gesithasgewissa]

Hah, yeah! I've done my fair share of shipbuilding already though

[@KaeleyStormcrow]

New subscriber loving the atmosphere and attention to history. This is delightful and I'm glad i found your channel!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Welcome! Very happy to have you along for the journey.

[@caveofskarzs1544]

I could see you getting more confident hitting the iron as you went on. Keep practicing! Wrought iron tends to get very brittle and splits when not glowing, so be sure to keep it hot! (Hotter than working modern steels.) Im pretty sure there are resources in the UK where you can learn blacksmithing if you want to glean more hands-on knowledge. Mark Aspery is a fine blacksmith from over there, not sure where he's at nowadays. Rowan Taylor has done many Anglo-Saxon pieces found at Sutton Hoo. All in all, good luck! Really hope to see more soon.

[@gesithasgewissa]

I did start to feel a little more confident, I'm going to keep practicing as I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the advice!

[@Grimthot]

It's mesmerizing 😮

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@aislin2989]

I just happened to be watching the Sutton Hoo rebuild last night and nearly choked on my dinner when I recognized you there! And then YT recommends me to this video - nails galore!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Haha, that's me! I worked as shipwright there for a year before starting this project

[@ianandresen2326]

Great video! All that effort for 1 nail! It certainly makes you appreciate all the accomplishments from the past! Also with patience and dedication what 1 person can achieve!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you. Yes you can see why iron and forged objects were so valued!

[@Charlie-dx6bv]

Very nice video! Shows you dont have to have a huge shop to blacksmith, just good skills

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you, I'm still working on the skills haha!

[@SebastienFortin07]

Fascinating!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks!

[@SebastienFortin07]

@@gesithasgewissa you're very handsome, by the way 🥰

[@RedmanOutdoors366]

You worked your ass off for this one 😂

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thanks, I did indeed haha!

[@skinnycartman99]

Yes! Another video! I was thinking is it going to be a nail

[@gesithasgewissa]

Nice and simple for now! Thanks for watching

[@hawks9142]

You've been pumping these out without a dip in quality, crazy impressive. Do you have editors?

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you! Nope, just me ☺ I do everything myself but I am working nearly full time on the project now

[@hawks9142]

@@gesithasgewissa that's awesome. Keep up the great work

[@schwadevivre4158]

I recall being told, years ago, that smithing should not be done in sunlight because you cannot see the heat colour of the iron as you work it. I have seen the "double bag" method of blowing being used by smiths in sub-Saharan Africa (there's a YT video somewhere) but they put loose skins over 2 pots.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Yes, I'll definitely be doing it in the shade next time! Cool, I'll try and find the video

[@andreaskleinirgendwas8184]

Wahnsinn sich bewusst zu machen wie viel Arbeit das früher war um einen Nagel zu bekommen

[@gesithasgewissa]

Indeed!

[@petbird19]

This just goes to show how important blacksmiths were/are. Anyone one can understand how many nails are needed in day to day life. It would be someone's job to just make nails all day but they'd be so crucial to the whole society that they were in.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Absolutely agree!

[@Niek67]

Beautiful content

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@peterlake1547]

Great video you are bringing history to life. Thank you for taking the time and sharing.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you Peter!

[@RowanTaylor]

Fantastic!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you! Got a lot to learn but will be watching your videos for guidance

[@RowanTaylor]

@@gesithasgewissa would you like to come over to my forge to do some Anglo Saxon stuff? I can give you some pointers for forging as well

[@davidbennett9543]

We all have to have a first time striking hot iron if your going to do any smithing. Great Video. Most of the videos of forging nails makes it look easy, I can certainly state that it’s not. You did a good job seeing how it’s your first iron working while using what would have been considered, even in 662, an “improvised set up” Thanks for the video.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you David, I appreciate the support!

[@etanateixeira3045]

Exelente amigo. Força

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@louisacipriano5329]

Another great video. I really enjoy watching you make things. After watching this, i was thinking that i can see why wooden construction was fastened with pegs and or cordage.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you. Exactly, nails were saved for the absolutely necessary

[@lilykatmoon4508]

This was next level! Learning how the bellows were made was very interesting, and I have such an appreciation for how ingenious our ancestors were. Thank you for sharing this with us. Any plans to try pottery and making a kiln from this era?

[@gesithasgewissa]

Me too, their patience, dedication and skills are almost unfathomable to me sometimes. It's always a pleasure to share my adventures (or misadventures!). I would like to do pottery, it will definitely happen at some point. The bellows could work well for a kiln too

[@aeorling]

Well done!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!

[@BCSJRR]

A staggering amount of work for a single nail. The forge didn't seem to get the metal really glowing. No wonder nails were scarce.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Indeed! Yeah, I've got some improvements and tweaks to do to get the forge burning hotter

[@Sovennix]

easily becoming one of my favorite creators!! a suggestion: what about creating and fireing a ceramic tuyere pipe? so that you dont have to recreate one and keep it damp every time you want to forge something. creating one with grog should circumvent it cracking. excited to see what you make next!

[@gesithasgewissa]

Thank you!! Yes, it's a great idea. And now I have the bellows to fire the kiln too

[@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo]

Real living history fantastic, you can't overestimate the importance of the humble nail, pioneers on the American west would burn down their cabins to collect all the nails before they moved on, I wonder if they wore their boots in the 7th century when forging, I've had a lump of hot slag go down my modern work boots.

[@gesithasgewissa]

Very true! Yes I thought about wearing my shoes, but your anecdote doesn't sound encouraging! Maybe bare feet is better...or tying my trousers over the tops of my shoes.

[@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo]

@@gesithasgewissa Foundry boots have a flap of leather over the laces, I wouldn't be surprised if some form of protection wasn't fashioned from the earliest times of smithing.

[@gesithasgewissa]

@@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo Thanks, maybe I'll make something like that