Forging A Machete From An Old Lawn Mower

[@GreenBeetle]

Get 68% off NordVPN! Only $3.71/mo, plus you get an additional month FREE at nordvpn.com/greenbeetle or use coupon code: "greenbeetle" during purchase. Both the link and coupon are case-insensitive.

[@kdtech3350]

have you ever been on forged in fire. you would be brilliant on that show

[@daniellindsay7651]

So that means, that once you forge your billet you first have to normalize the billet before attempting to heat treat. Is that correct?

[@GreenBeetle]

@@daniellindsay7651 yes

[@daniellindsay7651]

Is rebar any good for forging?

[@cjoe5977]

@@daniellindsay7651 depends on what your forging and what type of rebar you got

[@Ky-lb5ts]

Work in IT and watch a lot of KZbin but your video is the first one to ever get me to sit through a VPN advertisement. Well played!

[@jeremydingeman2492]

I love that your projects are always different. It's always some slightly off the wall thing I wouldn't expect. I dig that.

[@ddayinvader6487]

Love it!!!! You are the best comedy smith I have ever seen!! You are also the only one I have seen so good job on cornering the market on that!!!!

[@blacksann01]

Dude, I'm so happy this popped up, me and my friend was thinking about doing something similar, only we're amateurs lol

[@GreenBeetle]

Hey welcome aboard this channel Is amateur hour you’ll be right at home!

[@brett567]

KZbin is listening aha

[@blacksann01]

@Hugo Adrian Wilkins is that.... is that supposed to be an insult?

[@kolaiktomi]

We're all noobs to be honest. It is insanely difficult to account for impurities and other flaws when repurposing older metals. There are some tests but research into manufactured materials by brand and/or age past 100ish years exclude factors like exact chemical composition on origin or weathering and microfractures, so on. It's really trial and error in most, not all, cases. Using the same grind test in the video will give a good clue for carbon, but chromium, phosphates, etc... a bit more challenging. You can still use your best judgment in the heat treating process based on color and your own observations.

[@thatguy746]

@White Marlin It should be sufficient. Im new at it myself but I've made a couple things out of old lawnmower blades and they got hard.

[@jb8086]

The gloves are really gonna bother me. They’re on the wrong feet!

[@GreenBeetle]

😆

[@toddpederson9026]

I love the info both the fun and the "real" ..... I've learned quite a bit about different techniques from you and I wear my Green Beetle T shirt proudly!!! Keep the fire burning young man!!!!

[@theafro]

nice job on the ad slot! It could have been horrible, but it wasn't, I didn't even skip it! I wish more channels put some effort into making their ads less painful!

[@DestroBB]

"Handled vigorously with dirty hands" is my punk rock band's name.

[@GreenBeetle]

Ewwww

[@RedBeardOps]

Looks like a heck of a zombie killer! That handle turned out awesome!

[@GreenBeetle]

Ty mr beard!

[@bjf10]

"Only the mower blades are usable steel" TIME FOR SOME TUMS, MY FRIENDS

[@bjf10]

Super cool project, I love the final look.

[@GreenBeetle]

🤟

[@fiddelinpaul]

This was pretty nice and I like the way you used the mower handle for the handle on the blade, sort of keeps their souls together.

[@not2fast4u2c]

Thank You for making an old looking original tool (machete ) and you actually went out and chopped a tree with it... I have seen way too many mirror polish blades and tool restorations ..I have 2 old machetes I restored and used gun bluing on the metal and used old wood on one of the handles

[@ColdHawk]

Appreciate the laughs with the Nord VPN promo! That was clever and very on point.

[@billhatcher2984]

The bloom stationary blade that the blades stroll when curing should be good for making blades

[@jakepetty6809]

I absolutly lost it when the quench tank ended up being too small. Ive done the exact same thing. All you can do is have a good laugh and try again hahahaha.

[@ilmbutton]

This was a ton of fun to watch! Another really cool project. I love how the machete turned out with the forge finish and mower bolt but cap! Great job with the project and videography

[@Aleeknives]

I loved where this video went! I was expecting to see a generic lawn mower blade machete! This turned out awesome! Really cool how you incorporated all of the different parts of the lawnmower. A+

[@gumbomudderx7503]

“What are you gonna do with that lawnmower blade?” “I reckon I’m gonna kill you with it...umm hmm”

[@kolaiktomi]

You broke my heart. I've been using the same A.L.M. Works mower my great great grandfather used in 1890's. After a little oiling and the turning of two screws, it's been working like new for the last 10 years on my 2 acre yard and still has original parts. I'm nearly 40, no kids, so my nieces and nephews could maybe stretch its use another 100 years. The screws that adjust the bottom blade are only half turned. However, my biggest gripe is the dinky tang on your blade. Maybe it wasn't rounded off enough to prevent stress fractures and allowing material to take up handle weight is okay. Overall, fun video, I'll never regret subscribing. You edit the boring parts of the forging process and keep the important bits in; quenching, normalizing, solving the mystery of the materials. Thank you for this post, but I'm still going to grump at you for chopping up that beauty. (maybe gearing was all rusted and beyond repair... yeah. I can sleep now.) Best of luck and keep doing your thing the way you do.

[@GreenBeetle]

they're $45 on eBay you should start rescuing them

[@mukmarkes4151]

This was a wholesome edutainment. Thank you.

[@McGowanForge]

I didn't know you where a star Trek fan you just earned a ton more respect

[@projectsdonepoorly1383]

'Bout time you are making preppin' weapons

[@DannyRiskit]

One of the better looking lawn mower blade machetes I've seen! Damn that nature and that Kevin!

[@GreenBeetle]

Down w nature and trees and stuff I hope it all burns!!!

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

Best Nord vpm add spot ever! 😆

[@GreenBeetle]

🤟. Your vids are looking great did you get a new camera?

[@ChristCenteredIronworks]

@@GreenBeetleThank you... still running the Panasonic g7 just got better lighting into the shop :-)

[@Claoodeeoo2]

Beautiful machete, your craftsmanship is mesmerizing and your explanations are really helpful! Always a delight watching your videos!

[@lalk8104]

yes it's been so long ur my favorite black Smith to watch I watch while hand sanding

[@nosoupforyouever15]

Bout a month ago I learned the lesson of why not wearing pants when forging is a bad idea the hard way

[@johnbelusko6347]

Man im fairly new to ur channel but let me be the first to tell u i lobe how u explain everything u are doin in ur forges. Funny, informative, and fun to watch. U have my sub for sure bud.

[@GreenBeetle]

🙏

[@chirodiesel]

Goddamnit, I've never enjoyed a commercial more and laughed so much.

[@clydecox2108]

Just realized I've watched this and liked it a while back. Gonna go watch the hog hunter one. Long live the Green Beatle

[@leschaps2387]

I hate mowing lawns, but I love manual mowers.

[@griseobarba7989]

You could use the rest of the reel mower for some lawn art. Try going to your local golf course, they may have some old reels laying around that most likely have some better high carbon steel.

[@Pablo668]

That was awesome. It's also the first time I've ever sat thru a vpn advert, too funny. And, somehow I always knew you were a Trekker. I'm also a person that tends to make things, use my hands etc. Sometimes a project just fights you all the way. This one seemed to be one of those.

[@SUNKIST184]

Nice work! Your humor and editing skills are really coming through. Very entertaining.

[@mattkesterke3887]

Thumbs up for putting Nature in its place!

[@grayeaglej]

Looks like a fine blade for bringing the NCR to heel. Ave, true to Ceasar. :P

[@36thgallardo]

I want to see a purely decorative brass knife

[@Conner._.Anderson]

You should probably change the description to lawn mower blade because using an entire lawn mower would make a pretty big blade

[@TalRohan]

55 to 57 is a really good hardness for a machete or billhook, Ive worked with them for years and the amount of times they hit pebbles and rocks even in experienced hands is phenomenal. So a little softer means the edge bends rather than cracking or worse snapping the blade. I would sharpen to about 400 but it does a fantastic job of of doing what its supposed to.

[@MrActiveDown]

Teaching nature a lesson it won't soon forget.

[@vonWeizhacker69]

These shoes fit like a glove!"

[@the_lancaster_libertarian]

I must admit that at first I was sad you cut the square head off the bolt used on your handle. Then I was happy after you employed a square nut to cinch everything down! Good job. Hey, a new grinder! No more rigid 7" and now a dewalt?! Moving up in the world, I see

[@TattooTaffy1]

Putting nature in it's place😂😂😂.....love your work

[@jamessnodgrass7360]

If you cut a x on the rivets Steve with cut off wheel they chisel right off easily. Looks good as always.

[@GreenBeetle]

Oh cool ty

[@shanemcguire170]

@ Green Beetle- Just so you are aware. There is another blade on those mowers. You may have only been aware of the Rotor Blades which is what you used. But there is a "Shear Blade" which the rotor blades turn against acting like a pair of scissors when its actually cutting the grass. Look along the lower portion of the mower, this part often doubles as the lower frame and does not look like a true blade except for the sharp edge the rotor turns against. This also should be good quality blade steel. The rest of it, might be good for mixing a Damascus blade or something, maybe forging into a hammer, but that is about it...

[@STUFFWEDO]

Bring on the Zombies and the yard work. Thanks, awesome video.

[@drstrangefart]

I never would have guessed that they made Vibrams for welders. NEAT

[@brysonalden5414]

As always, a pleasure to watch your work. Am I the only one, when you were cutting and stacking the blade pieces, who thought, "why not throw in some 15N20 just for fun?"

[@derleo89]

In German, shoes are called 'Schuhe' and gloves are 'Handschuhe', which would translate to 'hand shoes'. So yeah, you're on to something there!

[@GreenBeetle]

Hahahah!

[@TheKajunkat]

golok style machetes work really well with more of a pinch grip. Let the weight work for you. let your thumb and forefinger be the tightest and loosen up the other three some (more of a cupping). Use a lot of wrist action to get a "whippy" or "snappy" cut going. Once you get the tip speed up on the blade it will really bite. the looser grip helps keep vibration down too. You can't use the grip all the time, like when you are doing delicate work or need a lot of control.

[@mitchellw6811]

When I clicked on this I just assumed you meant the blade bolted to the flywheel of a petrol mower. This got intricate quick!

[@Wirenutz3665]

Thanks KZbin for unsubing me from this channel for no reason at all 😒 had to resubscribe. Awesome build love how it turned out!

[@gushlergushler]

To be fair regarding the HRC, a lot of great machetes are actually tempered rather low so people can sharpen them using a normal file. A hard machtete is great for one day trips into the forest but if it really is about taking it on a week long trip I would rather have a softer machete and a file, easier to sharpen and more forgiving for muck ups. I love the handle shape.

[@Libertarian737]

Nice to see yah again brother... Awesome rugged lookin zombie apocalypse chopper... Love that handle though...

[@wolfparty4234]

Maaan!!! A word from our sponsor!!! Nestor knoxs was just asking me if I had a extra set of tires for the same mower!!! Hell, I told em I also have extra blades too!!! Congrats 🎉🎊🎈!!! Love the intro!!!🥴👍🏻👊🏼🙏🏻 🤾🏼 Ps. If you didn’t have your forging gloves 🧤 on your feet through you intro, hmmm 🤔. Loved it!!!

[@jonathanpresson777]

My first knife was a stock removal project from a lawnmower blade out of my dad's garage trash can. I over heated it on the grinder and ruined it, but man it was fun.

[@bkrgamer]

I wanna see some green beetle vs big dog forge!

[@zirconia21]

That handle had a nice patina. Maybe leave it with a heavy varnish/resin would be cool.

[@gimlisrage5]

that sponsor time got me cracking

[@dmg4415]

Take some old boots, rip the soles out and just use the uppers? Why not leave the rivets in and get a surprice in the end?😊

[@olivermilutinovic749]

Practical, rustic and looks cool. Well done.

[@billybadass19b]

I like it, noice. Gotta say though the old timey wagon wheel is still my favorite

[@beezo2560]

Love the whole rustic thing going on there. Looks great. And... you might have stumbled onto the next big fad. Feet gloves. Love the channel man.

[@DrparthdS]

Rustic look is worst looks like a old blade not appealing at all

[@beezo2560]

@@DrparthdS Pffft

[@GreenBeetle]

It’s part of the lawn mower blade vibe

[@rognavolter]

Totally choked on my beer for the gloves thing

[@benrussellknives8828]

Good vid. I love how when you mess up its almost apart of the plan. Lol keep up the good work.

[@rrve9998]

Job well done Mr , I learn something about "Test high carbon steel " ha ha

[@danieldimitri6133]

Spark testing is tried and true.

[@danieldimitri6133]

On 10xx steels you can probably use brine for the quench. This should help those low carbon steels harden. You might not get any hardness out of certain shafts that might have lead in them for machinability. But some of that flatstock in that frame could be toughened up and used in the handle or for random tool projects if not blades.

[@schoolForAnts]

Someone finally found worse shop footwear than safety crocs. But at least you got a guard on your angle grinder.

[@reidwitt1168]

Nice job dude. Love the refurbished steel builds!

[@Cairns74]

I live in Far North Queensland Australia and have a rainforest jungle block. Our terrain brushing a track, can take a day to make it 200 metres (650 feet). Our preference tools are Cane Knives and more old school early explorers used Brush Hooks. It’s been impossible to find a decent Brush Hook in recent times but Fiskars have comes out with a long and short handle and they’re superb actually. We (and every other Aussie and farmer who lives in jungle regions) will testify, that after trying out a range of machetes, they all suck. No curve, weight in wrong place and whether it’s our vegetation and fact our timber is 2 or more times harder than any other wood in the world, don’t know. But they just are not as effective. Also when in jungle it’s vines of every description and a plant we have, terrible shit named ‘Wait-O-While’ (literally, early explorers called it, wait a while, because it’s a vine with millions of fish hooks running the length of it and when it just brushes you, you have to back out if it, painfully slowly), which Machetes just can’t deal with, you need a hook section, to bunch up the vines and then to tug on it to cut them all at once. You have no knuckles left with machetes.. This one you made, too light, too straight, too short and when you need to tackle something bigger you need a hung handle which you can use two hands with. You have so many awesome tools in ya limb eater deadly workshop, have a crack at something useful like a brush hook.. Cheers mate. Thanks for video.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Ha, I forge in sandals all the time because it so freaking hot here in California. I'm thinking I should try the gloves some time! 🤣🤣🤣

[@kaseychambers4788]

They only said you have to wear PPE, they didn't say where. Lol Side note, you should get a surplus mortar ammo container. Like $30 depending on where you get em from. All the benefits of an ammo can quench tank, but for the bigger bad ideas.

[@MrSoloun]

Looks kewl, I like what you did with the handle, maybe a larger spacer as a hand guard, great build and blade.

[@CGSmithing]

Damn this was good thanx man i got my green beetle fix in. I did laugh my ass off a few times

[@emilnord]

Like it ! Everything doesn't need to be pretty or fancy. Very nice blade!!

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty beautiful work, dude! Looks great! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@lawrenwimberly7311]

absolutely love that blade brother

[@jpilgrim9722]

Oh boy I have been waiting for this since you hinted about it in the razor video.

[@danthemakerman]

Thanks for the video I always enjoy your humor.

[@What-sh6co]

I forgot those lawnmower exist 😂

[@natek1993]

This looks incredible. Awesome work brother.

[@darktechfst3424]

i don't know about you guys but when zombies break lose, i know who i must find first to get my gears for survival lol

[@heyb6268]

That thing looks so badass

[@rorydonaldson2794]

Feels like it's been too long since you've uploaded, great video!

[@grimmswordsknives2226]

I liked the video cuz of the brilliant promo start 😂 Don't know if I've said it before but I love your videos

[@GreenBeetle]

🙏

[@carlosmora567]

If you quench steel in water use ice water to make steel stronger

[@EgoundderRest]

Cooles Teil! Schwerter zu Pflugschare und Rasenmäher endlich zu etwas Sinnvollem. Und schon wird die Welt ein bißchen besser! 😄👍🏻👋🏻

[@ChrisR676]

That butt/pommel is what does it for me... when asked if I am a blade or pommel kind of guy I always go for the tail!! Fun fact in Denmark danish oil is just called oil!!

[@edwarddrost5299]

And, in Canada, Canada Dry ginger ale is just Dry?

[@ChrisR676]

@@edwarddrost5299 yes sir you are getting this 🤙🏻

[@dwaynegibbs8371]

I really like your videos. Some fun while in the shop is always appreciated.

[@johnjude2685]

Thought you would save more of the blade steel with precision cutting, but great video Thick is better with saplings in our northern woods and a hook nice with vines and berry stickers. Thanks

[@anthonycaster9319]

Beetle any thoughts with all the rivets pieces and combine them in cannister damascus might make a cool pattern.

[@johnfitzgerald4628]

Great video Mr Beetle - thank you.

[@zwergimuschi]

Nice Job Steve!

[@abctractvertigo7439]

Dude u made my day always waiting for the alerts!!

[@TheSilverOrn]

Question: For the handle, could you have soaked it in resin to fill up any cracks or holes, then sanded the outer layer of resin so its just wood surface? You might need a vacuum for that so perhaps that wouldn't work... Just a thought on how to improve older wood with lots of holes and cracks.

[@ToMu29]

It’d be cool to make a sanmai samurai sword style out of that, high carbon edge and low carbon spine

[@norscanhordes]

Super interesting project and great editing. Thank you

[@DeclanBurger]

Pretty sick looking machete! I am scared though look out nature, green beetle the glove toed mad man is coming through

[@uteliasmajava5210]

Love this attitude!