Engineering America - Forging A Drawknife From Scratch

[@thefeatheredfrontiersman8135]

My draw knife is one if my most prized possessions. It was made in 1838 in Buffalo new York. Everything else is ileagable on it. Still has the walnut handles and rivits on it. Ive tried to carefully clean and sharpen it just once. It still purrs and cuts like the day it was forged. I use it in early summer for bow stave reduction mostly. I have built an entire generation of archery equipment with it.

[@Minnevan]

thats awesome, tools like that were made to last for a lifetime, and then some.

[@Noahkam_13]

That’s truly incredible. A darn near 200 year old tool that’s still the same as it was all those years ago. Any craftsmen would be very lucky to have their hands on a piece like that… cherish it.

[@cabcalloway674]

Did you hear that Internet Archive recently had complete scans of 186,000 18th century books uploaded? I'm sure it would be an absolute treasure trove of content. Also, as for projects, I definitely want to see more homestead content. What about growing crops? I know its a whole thing and requires proper timing even for just a small subsistence garden with the tilling, and the manure spreading, and the sewing, and the weeding, and the harvest, etc. but it was absolutely crucial to homestead survival and you haven't covered it yet. What about making some other things for the home? Dishes, furniture, decorations, etc. You could even make something like a loom or a spinning wheel and go into the important aspects of yarn spinning and textile weaving. The significance of other important crafts such as sewing, knitting, basketry, etc. are also good for late Fall/Winter when one would rather spend their time indoors anyway. Food preservation is also an important part of Winter. I know you guys are working on your smokehouse, but you could also talk about pickling, root cellars, and other important means of food preservation for times when food is scarce. You've talked about it a little, but I found those videos to be more about cooking than actual preservation.

[@ThePauseMenuVlog]

Literally just film all of the manufacturing and tooling of all your equipment and teach everyone. You'll get views but also become a library of needed info to keep history alive. Thank you Townsend

[@andrewjkipp2837]

I love seeing the tools early Americans used to settle the frontier, really get a feeling for how tough it was

[@BonesyTucson]

I was pleased to inherit some drawknives and a hand brace from my Farfar (Danish for dad's dad/grandfather) in the 2000s. I had concocted a story in my head that he had brought these over from the old country, preserving generations of history etc etc but some years later I learned that he had actually got them cheap off a guy in the 60s LOL (somehow, that reminds me of him even more!). Still, it has great meaning to build things with the same tools he did.

[@asmith7876]

A drawknife and shaving horse are an amazing combination, so versatile and fast to shape wood.

[@Mynx5050]

Thank you to all the folks who keep this knowledge alive. I always feel like I'm with old friends when I hang out on this channel. LOVE & HUGS

[@MrGiXxEr]

Yesssss. More blacksmithing videos makes THIS blacksmith very happy. Well done! More great blacksmith videos and guests please!!!

[@kirkha100]

The blacksmith is the one who made the tools that made everything else.

[@Didymus20X6]

Do you ever watch Kyle Royer or That Works?

[@ciphercode2298]

Still have my grandfathers draw knife from around the turn of the 20th century. I built a white oak shave horse some years ago to help me make some of my own took handles.

[@PoppabearsCave]

Love love the smithing vids and hand tool work above all others. And I love them all!

[@Wheeling88]

Being myself from appalachia , i love seeing the old ways , most are still applicable even today.. 👍

[@TheGameGetterKuzuri]

I can never get enough of this channel. All this superbly made videos (not content), reminds me of watching PBS on Saturdays as a kid. This would fit in perfectly with the likes of New Yankee Workshop and Victory Garden.

[@braxtonoverby7122]

I have several tools along with his dovetailed oak carpenters toolbox that my great grandfather (x4) built back in the late 1700's. It has several draw knives in it, one for carving chair seats. Occasionally I get "historical" and use his tools to build a project. Thank you for continuing to bring the past back to life.

[@Ganinoish]

All your crafting videos are just pure joy. The craftsmanship that goes into these videos is incredible, and not forgetting the amazing work on the modern craft in camerawork and videoediting as well.

[@renebrock4147]

I very much appreciated this video. Spokeshaves, drawknives, and the like were such important tools on the farm, not just for the smith and woodworker, but for any handyman. I would also like to see how ferrules were shaped and fitted. Any joinery would be nice as well.

[@robertcole9391]

Watching the woodwork for the handles reminded me of Roy Underhill and what he got started in the 70's with The Woodwright's Shop. Getting back to the tree and working it to a finished project. That would be a great episode to invite him out. Not sure his status of these days. But perhaps a bit of research might help. Old cabins, old woodworking techniques etc, but that never changed in 200 years.

[@josephfriedman943]

Could you possibly make a video about early frontier medicines in the colonial period? I'm also fascinated by folk stories. Perhaps a video about early American myths and folk stories? That could be interesting. Really love the video. Great content as usual. Keep it up!

[@janetprice85]

I could kick myself for not quizzing my great grandmother and grandmother about old timey Ky medicines and folk tales. My Dad told me his mother used to mix up a concoction of lard and sulfur and lather himself and his littler sisters up with it for skin irritations. Sounds awful! Lol!

[@Extort713]

I love this!!! These videos are the perfect addition to the homestead videos. I would die and go to heaven to see you guys tan leather from rawhide and make clothing or gear like belts/bags out of it. It would make a perfect addition to the carving and leatherworking history videos. Something our ancestors would have done every summer after harvesting deer. Shouldn't be too hard to find some hunters willing to donate some hides, heck if I could get my hands on some, I would ship them frozen in a cooler overnight.

[@winnerscreed6767]

Love this episode Townsends Thank you and to Simeon also.

[@RaeSyngKane]

Very much enjoyed it. Really cool to see a VERY big part of history that isn’t talked much about in tool recycling. Many times ancient battlefields have been picked clean and the weapons and armor turned into tools for the common man. Few tools survive because old ones would be turned into new ones.

[@clogs4956]

Alas, my great-great-grandfather’s draw knife was stolen, along with the rest of the family woodworking tools, from my brother’s workshop when he suffered a fatal fall. Since my grandfather died in the 1918 ‘flu epidemic, I can’t imagine how old it might’ve actually been. More of these craftsman vids, please. They’re fascinating.

[@janetprice85]

My grandmother nursed family and friends through that flu epidemic. She was only 20. And "laid out the dead" for burial too.

[@monikam419]

I really loved this peak into the world of blacksmithing at the time, I would absolutely watch more. I would even be so interested that if you guys made a series or second channel about just period blacksmithing I would watch every one, a few times even. Thanks so much for another fabulous video!

[@xavierisrael3320]

One of my fav vids of the last year, please make more! Cheers

[@rebeccawayman4219]

Very cool…I love collecting antique tools.

[@nr63kish]

That's awesome. I think I like the homestead videos more than the cooking ones, which I LOVE. I think it's just getting back to basics and how we got to where we are about it. I work 7 days a week as a machinist, but one of these days when work finally slows down, I plan on visiting you guys. I think I live like half an hour away.

[@robschilke]

How would blacksmiths acquire metal blanks to create the initial tools (such as the file that was used) in the first place? It would be so interesting to learn how iron and steel was made from start to finish during this era.

[@beelzebub5286]

Probably recycling old and broken stuff or even trading for it.

[@Ganinoish]

In Europe when most villages where fairly self sufficient the few things needed where often supplied by travelling salesmen or cratftsmen that moved from town to town.

[@EvanLovesWhiskey]

Basicly refining meal enough in a container and impurities the just use your clay cSe work it till ot at what you'd expect then pour want then pull and do the last emails shaving and shaving till fitting the handle and sharpening the blade. I dont have anybprohects using or trying to majeva serrated blade edge so if anyone else does take it away

[@hellsonion514]

​@@EvanLovesWhiskeyplease call an ambulance. You're having a stroke.

[@markbui543]

As beelzebub5286 mentioned they used recycle metal, if you can't trade for it. A broken wagon wheel has metal rims that be reuse.

[@Robquest38]

This channel never misses. Awesome seeing Simeon’s family drawknife. Thank you guys❤️

[@Walliam-hw3dp]

As always, I absolutely loved this video, it had the perfect combination of being educational while maintaining the style and feel of the old homesteads. Amazing cinematography as well.

[@Chickston]

Awesome video! The quality of that end product is good enough to sell. Love having guest starts like this and remember him from the older gunsmith videos.

[@farmerswife51]

Love that you are keeping these things alive and sharing your skills.

[@akirak1871]

I'm a woodworker, so it's a thrill to see the crossover between Townsends and woodcraft (and blacksmithing, which I would like to get into someday).

[@oldheritageforge]

I love this channel a lot, especially when you guys do blacksmithing videos. I can say that this is one of the things that inspire me to do forging.

[@snoobl]

Really like these Townsends crafting videos. Watched them all several times, they are interesting, educating and relaxing at the same time. Thank you.

[@abomb3601]

Please. More if this series. It is super interesting!

[@nanaofmontana421]

I love watching your videos. Learning not only the history but how it was done is amazing. When I learned linen was made from flax plant I was utterly amazed at process. This makes it very enjoyable for even the young to learn history and how pioneers lived. Thank you.

[@BlutoLo]

Seeing this we really take for granted how easy it is for us just to go down to the hardware store and buy one. Keep the knowledge going you guys are doing everyone a service!

[@grenierdave]

Just two weeks ago I purchased an old draw knife from an antique shop and have been fielding questions to friends on what it was. I tell them and send them a picture of it and a sketch of a an old Shaving Horse in the book ”A Museum of Early American Tools” by Eric Sloane (an excellent read for anyone interested in this stuff. It’s crazy that this video popped up right now, having been published less than 30 minutes, but now I have another resource to send to my friends. Thanks for all your awesome videos @townsends!

[@hankdoughty4375]

Check out Sloans the art of blacksmithing , old ways of wood working and sketches of America past. Excellent books one and all.

[@grenierdave]

@@hankdoughty4375 I am DEFINITELY going to do that. Thanks for the tip!

[@wfldfire]

You guys need to seriously start doing workshops and teach these skills.

[@washerbtw]

So nice to see great ideas brought back to Life 🙂 great video.

[@riverrockproductions]

One of my favorite episodes! More like this please. I'd love to see more work in the wood shop as well.

[@feliciapate7926]

What kind of oil would that have been? Here's a farming suggestion -- Terraced rows. In my area (first settled by likely Scots-Irish and English folks starting around 1816) there are still a LOT of fields that look like they were plowed into terraces. Not just on inclines, either. Some of those fields are still used either for crops or livestock.

[@ginnyjollykidd]

I think it's so cool to learn about what to us is lo-tech. No matter what manner of living you have, it's good to have all this information. I think about survivalism often, and that's how I found your channel. The more information a person has-from whatever era-is valuable in any one disaster situation. The differences between us now and societies then are first we have all this information available altogether, especially on KZbin. The other is for the most part we aren't hard pressed by the environment, so we can learn these techniques at our leisure and hone them.

[@andrewlyle2687]

Amazing work, guys! Love the finished product and the entire process. I needed this down to earth video and break in a crazy weekend. Thank you for keeping the skills alive and sharing the process with us.

[@Ladythyme]

Would love to see how some kitchen tools and pots etc..were made

[@JeffGloverArts]

YES! More Brandon and more Simeon please!

[@bar3550]

For forging a tool such as this from scratch, a blacksmith would be trying to use as little steel as possible (since it was around 3 times as expensive as iron for quality tool steel). So even a frontier blacksmith would be taking either iron bar stock they bought from the fort, carried with them in their travels, or recycled from something else like a worn out wagon tire and welded the steel edge onto it. Check out Black Bear Forge’s channel on a more traditional forging for a drawknife. Most tools would have been mostly iron with steel welded onto the working surface or edge to save money throughout most of blacksmithing history.

[@jergarmar]

Whoa, what timing, I was JUST looking at primitive and historic forging techniques. That guy knows his stuff, wow! He was really fine-tuning the hardness of that file, I feel like you guys wanted to ACTUALLY use it, not just create it for a video. Great stuff!

[@Bearbok]

Great episode. Definitely would watch more like this to go along with the cooking and building

[@zerowastecalifornia]

Yes!

[@spacekadebt1641]

Your channel always makes my day a little easier. Thanks again.

[@MaefigHistory]

Funny thing about Simeon altering the forge to suit his needs in this project, we've done a bit of modification to the forge at Martin's Station, so I suppose we'll see if he appreciates the new modifications or if we'll need to do some more!

[@WendyLKoc]

Thank you so much! would love to see more of these videos. Good job and well done.

[@wampuscat7433]

Wonderful episode as always. It would be interesting to see how gun barrels were made in the 18th century, and how they were rifled. Any of your blacksmithing videos are fascinating! Thank you so much for keeping these crafts alive and in use.

[@adriansolis5362]

Blacksmithing is one of the greatest crafts. I admit this as a leatherworker myself.

[@breese7488]

Love this content! As I love all of Townsends content. Idea? Making a gun barrel from iron dug from the ground. Tall order, I know. Best wishes to all.

[@alaskankare]

I'd love to hear what he liked and didnt like about your frontier forge. Thanks for the videos.❤

[@randy-9842]

I always enjoy watching the smithy work! Thanks guys!!

[@terryt.1643]

One of my favorite tools is the draw knife. I have done boat building and even made a bow out of native bay wood. I love you showing making basic frontier tools👍👍

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks for sharing with us Jon , Simeon , and Brandon, nice job on the draw knife. Fred.

[@billmiller4972]

The blacksmithing videos are great! Always a pleasure to watch.

[@stevenpalmer4054]

Another great video although I have to say I’m from Mishawaka Indiana originally, I know you guys are not that far away from there when I see these outside videos in late fall and winter I am so glad I moved to Florida

[@AngryJ]

Love the blacksmithing videos!

[@theortetproject4174]

I would love to see more about the pole lathe. That's a tool I've always been fascinated by, having only worked on modern lathes myself.

[@robzinawarriorprincess1318]

Happy Sunday, Townsends! 😊

[@alkberg2140]

I love the insights into the methods of self-sufficiency. I used to guide the Green River through Desolation-Grey canyons. A workshop at the Rock Creek Ranch used to have a working lathe like you used. So cool to see the techniques used to make wagon wheel spokes so necessary in that rough country.

[@supergeek1418]

Another excellent video. Anymore from Townsend's I'd expect mo less. Please keep up the good work. Also, it would be interesting to see some videos on tinsmithing/coppersmithing, as well as measuring devices: gill cups, scales, etc, as well as some on coopering i. e. making barrels, buckets, casks and/or vats.

[@jace2344]

Loved this video guys :) as both a dedicated fan and dedicated hand tool user it would be great to see more

[@cheryl4811]

I enjoy watching these videos so much. Thank you!

[@notsure2101]

great video as always. This is the quality we have all come to expect and appreciate.

[@debbralehrman5957]

Thanks Jon and Crew! You always bring such great projects to share.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 🍁🍂🦃🍂🍁

[@alexmacdonald258]

this is beautiful! Thanks for showing this process.

[@ApexLight7]

IT is very satisfying to watch how they are made.

[@mulepowerforge]

As a history nerd and knifemaker/bladesmith I really like these kinds of videos! You guys used good materials and did everything with good techniques, hopefully we'll see more videos like this soon! Also my first ever custom knife was based on a frontier knife :)

[@Amanda-yf7vj]

Awesome!!! Your videos are so fun!! I found a hoof pick in an antique shop. It's made from a horse shoe the handle end has a horse head on it but the pick is my favorite!!!! It fits my hand perfectly and whoever forged the rest of it knew what angle to make the pick end and it is just awesome, whether I'm picking iceballs out of my horse's feet or just picking the poop out it is my absolute favorite go to pick. If you all made those I would so buy 1!!!

[@earlshaner4441]

Good morning from Syracuse NY brother and everyone else thank you for sharing your live history videos

[@albertdrover2604]

Very interesting to learn how things were made as well as how they were used.

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Very nicely made tool. Great series. Enjoyed.

[@MrSnafu-1973]

One of the first tools I made for myself was a draw knife. It's so satisfying to use.

[@hernandezjudea]

Just taking the opportunity to say I LOVE your channel! I'm big on history and social studies and must say the accurate and authentic insight you provide into life in colonial America is wonderful! I've been tuned in for years and have only seen consistent progress! Continue to thrive, prosper, and produce awesome videos!

[@shamrockshore]

Could you all do another frontier cook off? My and my siblings really enjoyed watching the last one!!

[@thegrim418]

I always love the tool making episodes

[@williamsanders2808]

I'd love to see you guys make tools for the forge. The tongs, the cut off blade for the hardy hole in the anvil, hell even making the hammers used. I have hand worked iron and steel on an anvil. But most of my tools were "off the shelf" bought. One exception was a tool I made for the Hardy hole, for bending stuff. Hard work with a hand cranked blower forge, using coal. Been years since I had a place to run a forge and swing a hammer. Made some knives from broken files, a couple knives made from broken sheep shears, and an ulu/chopper blade made from a circular saw blade that was worn out. That's the thing I like about steel and iron. It's reusable. Something wears out, or gets broken, turn it into something else that you can use. Oh, and one other thing I'd love to see you make on the forge. A Wrought iron cooking pan. I've only seen this done once. I do however own a couple wrought iron skillets, that work really well.

[@TurkeyCreek-ek8mj]

Great video. I really enjoy watching these types of projects, and always love it when Simeon is on. Thanks. TC

[@keithtorgersen9664]

Thanks, Townsends. With the world going crazy, it’s nice to find something wholesome.

[@Engulfing_Darkness]

Excellent content!!! Thank you!!!

[@CH-ec5on]

I love these types of episodes.

[@Pieces_Of_Eight]

Beautiful story about Simeon finding his grandfather's fingerprints worn into the wood tool-thank you for sharing it. And what a delight to have such master craftsmen walk us through the complex process of creating the drawknife. If it has not yet been done, for a future project, may I suggest having these skilled gentlemen create a fixed-blade pen knife for cutting quills? Cheers!

[@davidolynyk7175]

I love the lathe work on this project. The finished product is surprisingly pro looking. Fine craftsmanship to be sure.

[@mickestahl6178]

It's so amusing to see what you can do whit quite limited resources.. Keep up the good work on the homestead.

[@nunyabizness4354]

Great stuff. I'd like to try to make a pole lathe next summer. for now, it's getting down to 15f at night already, so - outdoor projects are on hiatus.

[@NoreasternBladez]

Would love to see you guys repairing/ crafting parts for a brown bess.

[@oaksparoakspar3144]

The oldest ones I've got (mainly my great grandfather's work) have goosenecked handles. Puts your hands palm up rather than down for a stronger pull - but a bit less natural for the initial stages of hacking off bark and limb knots on a piece. It also makes it so that you are pulling the handles down onto the tangs, rather than down onto the peening, which is stronger (but prone to having loose handles over time). I notice you guys slipped some washers in there to help the peens hold. I don't know if he was inspired by some with handles that are on swivels and could be set for angles (he made them between 1890 and 1940) or if he just took the straight handled draw knives (which naturally have a terrible pull angle for the wrists, but take all the pressure off the peens) and tried to improve it. Of course, he could also have just been trying to show off or didn't really know what he was doing - the man was a creative raconteur that may have spilled over into his other work. That said, those long curvy tangs is probably what saved them from Papa turning them all into knives later on.

[@gailsears2913]

Love it! Thank you for showing!

[@DimitriLambermont]

Beautiful story. I also use my grandfather's draw knife. You can see the grime in there. Passed on through generations.

[@KahnDahtsuun]

Tune in every now and then to see your vids, and it has been a year or so since the last time. Brandon my man your looking healthy! Congrats and keep up the good work! Cool seeing Simeon in the video as well, great guy with lots of great of knowledge.

[@sizer99]

I'm interested in the 'standard' toolmaking tools that every well equipped village or rich farm would have, like that foot driven lathe you were using, the bellows, and of course the hammers. Seems like you could do one video for all of them, but you know way more than I do!

[@jonathanquiles82]

Absolutely spectacular!

[@MrKelseyB]

Superb! Excellent program! Exactly the kind of skills I am trying to pick up!

[@rebeccaback3287]

My third great grandfather was a Black Smith.He made tools like these.also a carpenter and gun maker.Great video.David Back.

[@isaacjames5790]

Love your work man!

[@chrisw3771]

Nice to see this being done, I have a 19th century French draw knife somewhere. They used almost ball shaped handles instead of what you expect to see. Works really well for extra grip