Forging a Viking Langseax, from a truck leaf spring the complete movie

This video shows the forging and making a Viking Langseax knife from 5160 steel. It is the complete movie. The entire process of forging, hardening and constructing the blade and its handle is shown, together with sharpening and testing following the 4 steps of the American blade smith association Journey Man testing method. (Without the bend test as this will mess up the blade too much)
The Langseax is a longer version of the normal Seax blade, used all around Europe for more than 1000 years, the handle of the knife is a handle best known from the early Viking swords. Some seax knives have this kind of handle, although using some modern methods and machines the shape is not much changed in my version.
The steel I normally use is 5160 steel, a low alloy spring steel, very tough and forgiving to work with, it has the tendency to scale a bit but when forged rich using a low oxygen forge environment, scaling is much less of a problem. The 5160 steel is best for longer blades and heavy knives, the hardness is around 62 HRC. The knife is tempered more on its back, giving it very good impact resistance. As the test showed, it could withstand some extreme chopping without any damage to its edge, as it is still razor-sharp.
The 5160 steel is salvaged form a old semi truck leaf spring. I buy these leaf springs at a truck scrapyard. I first test the steel for its attributes by destruction tests and hardening tests to determine if it is the real deal.
For hardening I use a relatively fast oil based on diesel. Most of the time I do a hardening just until the boiling point of the oil has past, this gives me some time to straighten some warps, this method is an exchange between hardness and toughness, as the blade is essentially already tempered after the quench, it did not reach its ultimate hardness, for big knives and swords this is perfect as they are very often used as impact weapons rater than cutting weapons, they rely very much on there toughness. After hardening it is best to temper using a good electric oven, I use a torch, but I do not recommend this, as it requires much practice.
I hope you enjoy the video, pleas like and subscribe, as this will help me make more content.

[@toastedjoke]

I really like how in all his videos it's pure work, no talking, just pure skill and work.

[@johnmartlew5897]

To cut a free hanging rope is not just because the blade is sharp. The shape of the blades cross section, the angles, etc. leading in from the edge are equally as important. Superb forging and shaping.

[@mattg8730]

Love how you just get down to business. No talkin or music needed. Great job great lookin sword.

[@leroyjethro9914]

This is the next thing i want to try forging. Beautiful work

[@freerkwieringa275]

thank you!

[@robsullivan630]

Ufda! Modern tools save body parts, but the skill to make it remains in the mind. Live long and Prosper. Excellent work Freerk. Love your shop.

[@lawrence500]

In Germany we say "oberaffengeil" and I think thats nearly as beautiful as this seax ♥

[@kurtbogle2973]

Perfict every time! That's how I wish I could make blades. It's fascinating work, but you have to know what your doing. That's exactly why I appreciate this sight so much. I can watch it done right!

[@northqueenslandrecreation7039]

Very cool work and it is also good to see the machines that Freerk uses as well, I believe it took a whole village to make one sword back in the day

[@javanbybee4822]

North Queensland Recreation more like a smith and his apprentice and it took a pretty long time

[@ramses2elgrande641]

Sr, I want to express all my respects, you are a master, congratulations

[@freerkwieringa275]

thank you!

[@Immopimmo]

Wow! That's a beautiful sword! Looks very authentic despite being made with modern tools and methods.

[@phhdvm]

Holy smokes! What a sweet shop!

[@drastickej]

That is just stunning! Beautiful work!

[@MrEricDays]

I just figured out why his vids feel so natural for me to watch. He's a Lefty. 😄

[@brandonclarius3239]

Eric Burkhart holy shit your right I barely noticed since everyone is a righty and I stopped paying attention to it but your right

[@dukexthexdevil8907]

Man at arms might be good, but this guy is better, this guy does it all on his own !

[@pasqualetartaglia9639]

imagine doing this for an entire army in the olden days

[@rollothewalker5535]

Real seax knives just had hidden tangs, with no sword like guard and pommel.

[@garyharmon1155]

Absolutely beautiful work. As always.

[@Ivan-hj1kd]

really great work Freerk.I like your handle construction,great ideas. Thanks for the great shots of that grinding bench,It does a great job. Nothing like great power tools.If the people in the old days had power tools they would have used them.They dreamed about power tools,that's for sure.

[@Invictus40k]

Ivan Hurd you're really dumb

[@Ivan-hj1kd]

they made every tool they could.

[@BrentDelong1253]

Really nice work. I like a slightly heavier tang, but that is a master level piece. Not fancy, but perfectly made. Anyone would be honored to own such a piece. I really loved the crossguard and pommel work.

[@johnravenwolf2507]

The knife I've always wanted.

[@thepatientartisan]

That surface grinder is an absolute behemoth! I love it. Any idea what year it was born? Beautiful seax brother, nice work.

[@RedboRF]

Brilliant work

[@andrewwilson8317]

Very nice work mate,a fitting tribute to our Viking heritage and ancestors. One of my forefathers would of wielded one with skill in battle.

[@Invictus40k]

Andrew Wilson you're dumb

[@andrewwilson8317]

Logan Hawkins Really? How come? What makes you think you can judge me? More than willing to challenge you to a game of who is the smartest if you like? I have two degrees, a first in aeronautical engineering and design and a 2.1 in mechanical and production engineering. I an a CAA licensed aircraft engineer with full group ratings in B1.1, B1.2 , B1.3 and B1.4. B2 and C. I hold a full American A+P rating. I am a full Mensa member. I have 7 patents in my name. I have a private pilots license. That's enough for now,over to you?

[@thatonedeerduke8409]

Logan Hawkins+ you just got destroyed dude.

[@chrisrushbrook1587]

Andrew Wilson All that and a Viking! 😂😂😂

[@eduardosperb2009]

@@andrewwilson8317 I want to be your friend LOL but I'm afraid of high's and planes, when I fly, I literally have a ansiety/panic attack everytime :l

[@NagelHausForge]

Man I never get tired of watching you work! Have you ever done a Seax with a Brute De Forge finish? I think that's the term for it. Love your work, Man!

[@freerkwieringa275]

thanks, no not yet

[@Gerrygambone]

A very highly skilled Craftsman

[@freerkwieringa275]

thanks!

[@RichardDenRooyen1973]

serieus, ik kan hier uren naar kijken, geweldig

[@mikerutecky7531]

8 people who thumbed down this are morons yes ithis guy is useing modern ways to make it yes its not old school but guy still has mad skills and id beet he has the skill to forge one the old school way considering the half 1/4 of mill $$ worth of equpment he has im shure he was an aprentice to a old school black smyth at some point in his life or a family member was since this is a sparce trade that only few still know

[@freerkwieringa275]

thanks! yes i did it all by hand first. and yes there where old school teachers. I can do one sword completely by hand if i can find the time.... that is the main problem with the old way. also it ruins your body slowly, I have seen it..

[@keats182]

Yeah, he's a true artisan. I've seen some of his other videos. I'm sure none of the people criticizing could do what he does even if they had all of that equipment. I know I couldn't.

[@ngofamily7422]

A long video, but paticular, careful details. Finaly: the high quality product

[@themodelboatbuilder4689]

Always envy those who master the old forging skills, probably why in a chippy lol!

[@johnryanbadumar7702]

Great video and great craftsmanship. You know thinking of it; i could probably shave my own back with that Langseax. Cheers!

[@bonmj89]

Beautiful work !

[@prmaddock]

pretty easy when the machine keeps your edge straight, and even makes your fuller.

[@alexcross131]

Beautiful sword mate.

[@AngloSaxon1]

Beautiful Anglo Saxon broken back Seax

[@kostaskazantzis4106]

nice craftsmanship

[@reneschaap8091]

Een SEAX is hoofdzakelijk een steek wapen maar hier kan je wel een Romein mee scheren! Opa

[@AceTheBathoundProductions]

I bet that is going to be nice dagger when it's complete..

[@carlosandresrodriguezromer8674]

maestrazooooo!!!!!! es de lo mejor saludos desde Colombia 👍

[@welshomckirishy1237]

Fully enjoyed that 👍👍👍

[@mephisto7549]

i love your videos so relaxing.

[@greenjack1959l]

Lovely bit of work. Amazing what can be achieved with thousands of pounds worth of modern factory tools. Wonder how the Anglo Saxons made them?

[@aticuss]

Outstanding

[@markcassidy1428]

To freerk top job and to all the haters out there do you not think the craftsmen of the past wouldn't use our technology to make their lives easier?????????

[@KowboyUSA]

Outstanding!

[@1959Berre]

I would love to see you make a Roman gladius, general Maximus style. You know, the one with the white handle and the sculpted guard and pommel. Obviously, ivory is out of the question, so it would have to be done with a modern synthetic material.

[@AuburnTigers111]

Mammoth ivory is an option, if extremely hard to come by.

[@thierrypasquet1503]

Vous êtes un maître forgeron.

[@stevesyncox9893]

Thank you.

[@HerrFenchel]

Awesome!

[@theblankman5036]

I take that back this is the perfect sword

[@reginaldosobreira7339]

Incrivel ferramentas belissimas e muito afiadas parabens

[@charlesfallis574]

We know that, historically, there were seax swords with blades that were 30 inches or longer. How come no one ever forges one now?

[@eyangamedud3293]

How much did that cost? It's so beautiful and I want to get a price on one that would have a slightly longer broken-back area.

[@stavrosathas250]

Another one great job....

[@projecttrap1775]

Nice video! Keep it up!

[@whitelighter90]

Make a scabbard for it and I'll buy it off of u but a change to the scabbard I want it to be an inverted back sword with extra support so the sword won't come out , back straps as well left and right shoulder

[@metzvm]

So much ASMR at 37min

[@billyank1864]

Would love to see one made fully by had as they did in the old days...with no modern power tools or grinders.

[@PieterBreda]

As a personal project maybe, but if you want to sell your products, I guess they will become far too expensive.

[@timbirch4999]

"Machining a Viking Langseax, from a truck leaf spring the complete movie"

[@zoesdada8923]

billyank1864 everyone who has no experience with metal work or smithing says this. If you want to watch someone use a file for hours on end watch a farriers video. Modern tools in blacksmithing does nothing to diminish the artistry or difficulty of making a piece like this. Nor does it detract from the historical significance.

[@MrGeorocks]

It's true, if they had tools like this back then, they would have used them.

[@reconranger1370]

Joel Gregory: Well Said!!

[@paulweston4829]

Were Langeseax knives really that long? I don´t think Seax knives had a pommel, fuller (the beveled groove) or a hand guard either. This blade seems to be a bastardisation of a Viking sword, Saxon seax and a German "langmesser." Never the less nice job.

[@jdzencelowcz]

I'd have given it a false edge, maybe not period, but more effective.

[@jamesgibbons6850]

Is that a magnetic clamping table? Nice job!

[@lavashrine]

Dont piss this guy off haha he will come at you with one of the many weapons he has created

[@freerkwieringa275]

i am better with my hands

[@johnmartlew5897]

Freerk Wieringa ...with all the tool handling, hammer swinging, you must have a lethal hand grip.

[@matthewmarting3623]

Was all the surface grind/heat cycling just to get warp out of the spring stock?

[@gamerdad9870]

i love it

[@ernststefan583]

Der Hohlschliff ist am Ort zu lang, er sollte vor dem Klingenrücken enden. 1,116 kg ist zu schwer für die Länge. Schrauben und moderner Klebstoff sind bedenklich. Aber trotzdem sehr gute Arbeit.

[@rasnac]

That diamond sharpening rod on your work bench right there... Is it any good, would you recommend it?

[@douro20]

Is there someone grinding away at the other end of the shop?

[@MrCenttaurus]

WAW great !

[@doommilanese73]

What is the white poulder?

[@Gunforhire70]

the video is 40 minutes, what was the actual build time? love the quality of your work

[@alexcross131]

For a project like this it would take about two to three days depending on your skill.

[@artfrontgalleries1818]

@@alexcross131 or three years of mine.

[@monk7687]

do u have an online store with your weapons for sell at the moment?

[@Scott_the_Celt]

And also what kind of grinding bench was that? I've never seen one of those either

[@marcusmason3440]

sweet

[@elfamosopiran2267]

Noice a giant razor

[@celtaazteca554]

What is inche the long ?

[@JamesTaylor-yh9rl]

i want one

[@safety3rdforge245]

What steel do you use for your guards and pommels?

[@Anthony-lw1rh]

What was that big green machine? Ive never seen one like that

[@freerkwieringa275]

a surface grinder

[@richardmyers7572]

What's the white powder you put the blade in called?

[@abelbabel8484]

What amazing machine is that at 4:30? :O

[@aesilian]

The handle is so short..that wouldnt fit in my hand at all. Looks very beautiful, and it could be used well by someone with baby hands.

[@sandervanduren2779]

Hagi Valentin Scandinavian swords typically had handles around 8cm(3”) +- a cm or so, depending on the sword. They were designed to be gripped with the butt of your hand pressed up against the pommel, which gave you plenty of room.

[@aesilian]

@@sandervanduren2779 but wouldnt that hurt the hand?

[@sandervanduren2779]

Hagi Valentin not really. In many cases, you would even have a little extra room up by the guard. Matt Easton has a good video about this on youtube(search Schola Gladiatoria to find his channel).

[@aesilian]

@@sandervanduren2779 i will but 8cm would be small for me, but then again my palms are pretty big.

[@austinbeatty2934]

What did you do when putting it into the metal box of sand or what it is that you have in it

[@freerkwieringa275]

lime

[@austinbeatty2934]

What does that help with

[@bww-yd3nf]

儿童的心灵是敏感的,它是为着接受一切好的东西而敞开的。如果教师诱导儿童学习好榜样,鼓励仿效一切好的行为,那末,儿童身上的所有缺点就会没有痛苦和创伤地不觉得难受地逐渐消失。苏霍姆林斯基

[@leonidas205]

very nice objekt but this is not forging,this is machine making 98%

[@l.sandrin1156]

you have to forg with the tools that the vikings have at the time.. but , nice work!

[@1959Berre]

I guess Freerk is perfectly able of doing it the old school way, but that would be very, very time consuming and very, very expensive. This man has to make a living, you know. Maybe, if you ask him nicely and if you would pay the full price he would build you one.

[@naabtalschmied]

all blacksmith in all times use the latest inventions to work with..... we did not use a angle grinder, power hammer or a computer today.....

[@Scott_the_Celt]

What was the powder in the tub that you placed the blade after heating it? I've never seen that process before.

[@AuburnTigers111]

It might be vermiculite.

[@rmpge]

badass😎👍

[@user-wc5lf6rw7h]

БДСМ - steel.

[@JamesTaylor-yh9rl]

i want one.cant pay by cheque.it would have to be by cash

[@jimmorgan6213]

Mute testimony to your mastery is that no nicks, cuts, abrasions, or burns appear on your hands as the work progresses -- I wouldn't mind seeing you wear some IR-blocking goggles, though. Read up on what used to happen to puddlers in steel mills to see what I'm worried about.

[@nyoungp]

I was afraid for his middle finger!!!

[@dikerharry]

You have to forge an Axe

[@117saimorenorojas3]

Do you have a "how to make a good Anvil" video?

[@freerkwieringa275]

Kevin Moreno no. I advise to buy one second hand.

[@117saimorenorojas3]

Freerk Wieringa alright thanks for responding and I will, but would you ever make a video if you knew how to make one?

[@freerkwieringa275]

Kevin Moreno yes but the only anvil I would what to make is a early viking age one. Very simple and small.

[@117saimorenorojas3]

Freerk Wieringa good choice and thank you for responding have a nice day.

[@ihasae]

这把忘了打上标记

[@InsaneRhino]

i wonder what would happen if u lived in the medieval age xD

[@ettaeve1797]

Alle Schon Blau Angelaufen das Metall Schade

[@jackcarter6629]

Langseax was used by Saxon, Norman and Viking, the clue is Seax which means knife. Originally Saxon. That one you made is way too long. I was for years a meember of the NFPS (now called the Viking Society) and also a member of Regia Anglorum, founding member of Canturia Group and originally a member of De Bec Group. I had a Langseax, spear, roundshield and scramsax.

[@PieterBreda]

What is the white stuff inside the large box?

[@NKG416]

I think that is vermiculite,for annealing (softening the steel)

[@mbm2355]

Ash or vermiculite, which insulates the steel as it cools. This slows the cooling process, which leaves the steel in a very pliable, workable state. He's doing this ahead of grinding the bevels to decrease wear on the grindstone, and improve performance during the operation.

[@PieterBreda]

So, if I understand correctly. I not only decreases the cooling down rate, but it also reacts with the steel thus softening it?

[@mbm2355]

Ah, close. The decreased rate of cooling is solely responsible for the change in the material properties of the steel. The ash/vermiculite/sand/ceramic or whatever medium used isn't reacting with the steel, only slowing the rate of cooling. Think of it as a different kind of quench. Here, he's using an insulating material to *extend* the "quench" to a number of hours or even overnight. Whereas using a conductive material (like water or oil) will reduce the quench to seconds. Slow quench.. soft. Fast quench.. hard (for the most part).

[@PieterBreda]

thanks. The more I see about these metalworking videos, the more I realise how complicated this stuff is.

[@lukeskinner9356]

How heavy is it?

[@freerkwieringa275]

i don't know, i just shipped it.

[@harismasic407]

do you hire apprentices? I'd work for minimum wage in that shop no questions asked

[@huzeromar1109]

ع.ع.ع.شيخانى.ك...ع.

[@michael7324]

What is that white powder @3:36 ?

[@freerkwieringa275]

lime.

[@michael7324]

I thought so. Next question. What does it do? Sorry for the ignorance.