Cutting tools for the blacksmith, hardies, saws, chisels and shears

[@hosiercraft9675]

I remember about 30+ years ago when all I had was a forge an anvil and an overly large hammer, I did my cuts with a sharp edge on the anvil then use either the pitchel hole or channel locks to break it off. The first Hardie tool I made was a hot cut. Good video John

[@edgarbradford]

I love my new oxy/propane torch. It cuts about a thousand times faster than dinking with the angle grinder. And the rosebud tip is wonderful for isolated heat or for heating small parts. I have a stick welder so torch welding isn't a big issue for me. Thanks for all you do, John and keep on keeping on.

[@christopherpatrick2343]

Great

[@emandejnozka1369]

Somewhere around fifty years ago an old man suggested to me that I should turn my hacksaw blade 180 degrees and cut on the pull stroke as opposed to the push. He said that I would gain more control over the blade as it put force on pulling straight rather than tweaking the force against the design of the tool. It makes sense from the academics of structural engineering as well. I use a box design blade holder like yours; they are the strongest and most practical design. I love your style, work ethics, clear instruction and emphasis on safety.

[@tropifiori]

I may need to buy a large bandsaw like yours as my wife has been baking a lot lately🙈.

[@rayward9265]

Loved the way you brought the options to the bottom line at the end: hacksaw, hot chisel, angle grinder. Bravo!

[@5x535]

It took me years to understand how allergic I am to the dust from an abrasive cut off wheel/disk. I try to never cut anything without a good quality painters mask anymore. Who knows what the binder in a cutoff wheel is? And it certainly was not made to inhale. Good video John.

[@larryking606]

Afternoon , John You are always sharing, Such to the point , always things related to and techniques of information That are related to Blacksmithing And all of the (out of sight) Stuff That are a part of our (Your) Finished Product ! Thank you ! Keep Hammering !

[@hazard2366]

you're so wholesome. i watched your videos about a year ago and they are without a doubt one of the reasons i'm a bladesmith now (in training 😄).

[@TomokosEnterprize]

Where would we be without jigs and fixtures eh.You have a nicely set up shop with most of the great toys bud. Nice tour today and hope to see ya soon......Dean......

[@davedreds5905]

Very comprehensive. Great video.

[@DavoShed]

Love the band saw. What a great machine. You don’t need to use it, just fun having it in your shop😀

[@BlackBearForge]

Its a great place for the coffee and donuts when I have a get together in the shop.

[@krustysurfer]

Great Lessons as usual! thank you Black Bear Forge!

[@joelegrand5903]

I picked up a 4 ton manual punch for sheet metal, i think it is 16 gauge or less, with 40 male & female punches with cabinet stand for $200.00. Best find I got. If I work heavy metal it will be a Iron worker, they start new at $3,000.00 dollars, but that is cheaper than your Marvel would cost me. The 1925 3rd generation 150 lb. anvil for $400.00 is my favorite, then 8 vises, two of which are pole vises are all used. I still need a gas forge. thanks for the shop tools tour, love the big hand shear!

[@jestersi]

Thx u sir. i just bought my first forge and your info is great.

[@jalanham1]

Getting a three phase converter is a great idea. I put one in my shop. Many times you can find good used three phase equipment dirt cheap. I recently got a 1950 period 3 phase Peerless 13 inch power hacksaw for $200. I love it and rarely use my chop saw for mild steel anymore.

[@BlackBearForge]

There are often three phase tools available for much less money

[@xxxclampgodxxx5511]

GreenLee makes s nice portable hydraulic sheer as well as punches. My go to tool is the greenLee ports band saw. And the angle grinder and hack saw But I’m a master electrician. Retired disabled. Learning blacksmithing and loving the idea of making things. Great video John and thanks again for your time .....Paul..

[@walnutt22]

There's also the reciprocating saw. I think the angle grinder is the best combination of capability, versatility and price though. I always enjoy your videos.

[@BlackBearForge]

I don't think I have ever used a reciprocating saw for metal working. I use on lots for construction projects though.

[@walnutt22]

I'll typically only use it to get into the corners of a rectangular cut in thinner metal. Making the openings on a propane tank forge comes to mind. The blades are too easy to ruin doing much else, so it doesn't see a whole lot of use.

[@evaderknives]

I was gonna say, reciprocating saws are more for construction work and thinner metal. I tried using that and a jigsaw with a metal blade, both were a lot more trouble than really necessary, but you got try, if you want to learn...

[@PDelta41]

I have one of those. Will not cut hardened steel. I rounded the teeth on an old blade right off trying to cut a pavement breaker bit. It's 1 1/4-inches, so I need a brand-new angle grinder blade to get to the center. I've mostly used the reciprocating saw for sheet metal where I couldn't use my throatless shear.

[@leperejoe1536]

Good info on various cutting devices. I use the hacksaw and torches for now, but am practicing cutting with the chisel more and more.

[@alansloas777]

Thanks John!

[@TheEmeraldNight]

Thank you. My son is just starting off Blacksmithing. Second last year of high school and has an apprentiship lined up. He is a little lucky as I have most of those tools that he can use but it will give him an idea on what to save up on for when he moves out.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thats wonderful

[@PDelta41]

I finished off a reciprocating saw blade trying to finish a cut in a pavement breaker bit. It rounded the teeth right off. Wasn't really surprised, but it was an old blade, and I was about to throw it out anyways. I'll get some more blades for my angle grinder at some point so I can cut the bit.

[@DavoShed]

Talking about 5 minute videos the other day. “How to sharpen a Hardie cut off tool” What angle? Is it the same for different materials? How sharp is too sharp? That kind of thing.

[@BlackBearForge]

I will add that to the list

[@frostcb2]

I use a plasma cutter for most of my cuts. By far best tool in my shop.

[@mattwyeth3156]

Would you please do a video on slitting chisels with forge welding in a high carbon insert thank you

[@davidslater7187]

I used bolt cutters like the ones hanging behind you're chop saw before i saved enough money to buy a chop saw

[@williammorris1763]

dry cut chop saw has a nice clean machined cut dont need coolant.

[@melgross]

I don’t like abrasive cutoff saws because of the reasons you mention. I use a 14” carbide saw. While it throws chips around, there is no dangerous dust. It also doesn’t heat the metal much. The only thing it doesn’t do is cut hardened steel. So, unfortunately, I’ve got a bunch of angle grinders, all with different things on the end. And definitely, you NEED hearing protection with all of these tools, and eye protection. Leave the guard on, and don’t believe the people who take it off, it’s really not necessary, and if you look up accidents from angle grinders, it will scare you off from using them forever. Most of those accidents are from not using the guard, or not rotating the guard to the right angle. And when using wire wheels on an angle gringer, you need gloves. Those wires shoot off at very high speed, and can embed themselves into your flesh, not just your skin. As always, these videos are very helpful.

[@stanervin7581]

If you want to talk about some serious kaching the, wire EDM makes the purtiest cuts I have ever seen. But if a blacksmith can afford one, he's got some high class clientele with deep pockets and lots of work orders for him or her! 🎩.

[@BlackBearForge]

I have seen things cut that way, very impressive. But as you say, not in the budget for most blacksmiths

[@trminer]

At our museum, I use the Edwards shear, both #5 and #10 a lot. I also use an old Marvel #2 draw saw, and I'm really quite fond of that old tool. Just leave it alone and let it do its thing. I'd really like to find a Beverly shear too. I wonder if you might have a suggestion, also, about cutting material lengthwise. I have a number of lengths of old heavy-walled pipe that I'd like to make some lengthwise cuts on. I can use a torch, and I may have to resort to that, but I'd like to find an alternative. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[@BlackBearForge]

Lengthwise cuts on tubing are difficult. Angle grinder and a steady hand may be the way to go. But a plasma cutter would do a good job if its available. I have never seen anyone make that kind of cut with a band saw, but it might work on the right saw.

[@ogreunderbridge5204]

I noticed Chucky2009 welding channel had replaced his abrasive discs in his chopsaw with a diamond blade. Have you had any metal experience with them ?

[@BlackBearForge]

I have heard of them, but haven't tried one

[@BrianDaleNeeley]

You forgot the ability to gouge & scarf with an arc welder. I've never actually done it (I haven't had the garage clean enough to play with my welder since I got it ☹ ), but it is an option. I don't think it's any cleaner than oxy-acetylene either...

[@BlackBearForge]

I have tried some of that with an arc welder. It was pretty ugly

[@Loan--Wolf]

ah yes the old handy stand by the gas ax

[@terryleewayman9942]

I am working on putting in a hardy hole in a piece of railroad track I got from the scrapyard. so far I have drilled a 3/4 hole in it and am working on filing it out square. not trying for perfection just a square hole. was thinking about drifting a hole but decided that RR track may be hardened and didn't want to harden it myself. any insights would be helpful

[@BlackBearForge]

I probably would have made a separate holder for the hardy tools. But I think getting into a situation where you need to harden a big chunk of rail might be more than mos people want to take on. So I think filing is the best option.

[@terryleewayman9942]

@@BlackBearForge Thanks making headway it is slowly going. the triangle file seems to work the best in the corners. almost have enough clearance to use a flat file that is 3/4 wide to finish it up. I realize the hardy will be a little larger than 3/4 but at least I will have one that I can use for hardy tools. I had to grind the top so I have a level surface to work on. the inside of the rail has an arc the other side is squared up after grinding flat. I had thought about using a broach to square up the hole but was afraid I would get it stuck so filing is working the best I really enjoy your videos and I like making things with the anvil and forge, the more tooling I have to use at the anvil the more I will be able to do. I know where there are at least 8 anvils are at and not one is being used but they won't sell or loan one to me. thank you for your time. terry

[@grayem76]

your chop saw can have a toothed blade i got one from a clearance sale for $20 they are usually $150 new i found the inner diameter not big enough so i filed the shaft that holds it i used it for less than a month and the teeth had broken off i will never buy a teethed cut off wheel again the abrasive works so much better it just gets annoying when they are just too small to cut the big stuff

[@FDINT202Ghana]

A normal chop saw isn't designed for a carbide blade, those are sadly a lot more expensive. That is likely why the tooth broke.

[@FZR650]

Just did a google search for “offset portable metal bandsaw”.... found a bunch. Not sure what your looking for..

[@BlackBearForge]

That search seems to bring up saws similar to my portaband. I already have one of those. What I would like to find is an industrial quality stationary band saw in that same size range. I had a cheaper bench top saw once, but it was to fast for a metal cutting saw and not built well enough to survive the use I would give such a saw.

[@gateway8833]

I noticed something about you watching this video. You have a really good voice quality. You should look into Voice over acting.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks, I sure don't feel that way. Seems like I have to start over a lot because I get tongue tied.

[@gateway8833]

Black Bear Forge My dad was a Special Effects guy on movies. I had the opportunity to work with him while on leave, so I got to watch the actors in action. I can assure you there are miles and miles of waisted film daily. I knew it was going to be a long day when my dad had his thermos and lunch box in hand, he often said “This guys an idiot, 2 minuets on screen, 12 hours to shoot it”

[@bigrich1356]

What size is your Edward’s shear?

[@BlackBearForge]

its a number 5

[@bigrich1356]

@@BlackBearForge thank you, I found a number 5 not far from me for $250. Hopefully I can get it before someone else does

[@stanervin7581]

And I thought I invented the portaband stand! Guess not.

[@BlackBearForge]

The first one I ever saw was about 10 years ago.

[@jackdixon8458]

bolt cutters