Forging cabinet hinges with a spade finial - basic blacksmithing

[@ravenhawk29]

Wow ! Anyone who dislikes these videos, really has no appreciation for the craft .. i for one love these videos

[@BlackBearForge]

Some people just like a more fast paced approach

[@emdu7524]

A long time ago an old Italian man told me "This is a crime not to pass on your knowledge or to try to make money out of it!" I think you can be proud of you man, you just show us how things were done 400 years ago and before. People like you worth gold!

[@BlackBearForge]

Thank you, although I must admit that I am definitely making money from my job as a blacksmith

[@kylelindberg7771]

Wait so it’s a crime to make money from what you’re skillful at?

[@briantremblay9157]

you make it look easy John. It took me two hours this evening to make a set I still have to file tomorrow.. But over all I am pretty happy with them! Thank you for this video.

[@deepfriedsaltine3604]

It seems every time I research a project your videos are the first thing pop up

[@BlackBearForge]

I hope they help

[@deepfriedsaltine3604]

@@BlackBearForge they really do

[@stanervin7581]

I keep a coffee can on the anvil stump directly under the pritchel hole to catch things like drifts or nails in a heading session. As I get closer to 70, seems like the ground gets farther away

[@bc65925]

The older I get the longer my legs grow.

[@BlackBearForge]

I have been meaning to build a raised tray with sand that is sized for the space.

[@jeffreyquinn3820]

Considering there are people younger than me at the care home I sometimes work at, any day I'm above the ground is a good day. Especially if one can get in the shop.

[@stevenjohnson2273]

@@jeffreyquinn3820 I check the obituaries once in a while just to make sure I'm not in them.

[@garyjohnson4619]

Stan, believe me, the floor gets much farther down after you roll over 70.

[@MrOnionDip]

I watch a few other smiths on youtube more for their entertainment factor and ideas on setups etc but I find your videos the most informative and helpful. Thank you.

[@BlackBearForge]

I am glad they are helpful

[@bradsmith1046]

A wonder demonstration. You make it all look so easy. Time will tell. I look forward to experiencing your other videos as your simple no nonsense style appeals. Thanks

[@bascostbudde7614]

You're such a good teacher (if I'm in a position to say so). Simple, honest, no script yet coherent, and obviously skilled. I also like your touches of humour and the ever so slight grin under the moustache. Should you ever ask yourself if a video is too long or boring: it isn't. Leave all hammer work in. There is something to be seen in the way you strike and judge. Want to look into a yett some day.

[@BlackBearForge]

a Yett?

[@jetblackstar]

Bas Cost Budde a yett, obviously a new tool we must all have/make. Forged by autocorrect. :) (joking)

[@Avendora]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yett

[@shortfuse43]

This is probably the best instructional video on hinge making I've seen. Really enjoyed John pointing out the finer points of fitting and detailing the hinges. I have always been intimidated on making hinges, but now feel I can tackle them head on, thanks! I'm going to have to come up with a way to make a filing vise...!!!!! Your video on that should get me kickstarted.

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad you liked it

[@paulorchard7960]

Perfect hinge for a barrel topped chest. Pirates treasure chest!

[@larryking606]

Sir , You are a True Blacksmith !

[@caroljohnson8817]

I love the feel of the file as it grabs that metal. And I love watching you work. 😁

[@bonzaibarty]

Very nice video! Thank you!

[@MadeInGreatBritain]

What a fantastic video! Exactly what I wanted to be able to make my hinges. You’re a skilled man

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad I could help!

[@Stillpoint23]

Your channel has become an intrinsic part of my morning routine. Goes really well with a cup of coffee and a cig. This weekend I'm going to spend some time dialing in my forge, I'm not getting the temp I want (gets to a nice bright orange/yellow, definitely not welding heat), so I'm going to add another layer of castolite 30, and a final coat of metrikote to reflect more heat into the forge. My forge body gets quite hot, best not think of touching it so I believe I'm losing a lot of heat thus having to reheat my work piece much too often, and getting only short periods of time for hammer work. Anyways, it seems I'm plenty caffeinated! Have a great day :)

[@mountainwolf1]

Thanks a ton for this i wanted to forge my own hinges for the smithy doors and our homestead gates.

[@avithegreat3]

You inspired me to make my own hinges. I made my first one yesterday. Thank you!!!

[@BlackBearForge]

Great to hear. I'm glad the video helped

[@richardcameron3681]

You are amazing thank you

[@tobyjo57]

Thats a very nice Pair of Hand made hinges.....I've sold thousands of cheap un-authentic imported flag hinges from my door company in UK but I'm sure going to try these for my own property....Thanks John

[@BlackBearForge]

Glad you enjoyed te video, hinges are a fun project

[@TheOldaz1]

Nice, and inspirational, thanks John.

[@olebilly]

Can you do a how to sharpening? How to and types of stones, belts etc? Would be appreciated

[@randyughlee1750]

Can't wait to get my shop set up... I am so ready to get to learning this trade! Such beautiful artistry! Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@stormyeffects4795]

Randy UGH Lee - I’m new too- I really love the trade even though I’m so new to it and everything I make looks very deformed

[@xxxclampgodxxx5511]

Nice project John, there really useful. An you make it look so easy. Thanks for the info. Have a good weekend....Paul..

[@bertrandpotvin]

Great hammer control/blow accuracy.. and a very good video. Thanks again.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thank you

[@stevenlisk2468]

Really nice work 👏

[@beni2094]

What a great project! Keep it up John 👍👍

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks

[@yorkshirejoinery2869]

Great stuff, keep posting! Really enjoy your videos!

[@shauncarl9535]

Beautifully done. They look amazing

[@BlackBearForge]

Thank you so much!

[@leperejoe1536]

Always love forge wrought iron hardware. Nice.

[@chrisjones6002]

Technically it's not wrought iron he was using in the video, just mild steel.

[@leperejoe1536]

Thanks, but still is similar to the original.

[@chrisjones6002]

lepere joe absolutely, it has a nice look to it. I never knew what wrought iron was until he explained it in one video.

[@jetblackstar]

Oo you said a naughty thing lol. Being the blacksmith angry rants. Pick out smiths in a party. Start talking about how beautifully your new wrought iron gates are welded. See who punches you. :D

[@leperejoe1536]

LOL. Cheers my friend.

[@TufStockdogs]

Very nice thank you for sharing this

[@lenblacksmith8559]

Something else to make now, thanks John.

[@gregsmith3289]

Nice Tutorial. I think I have me a weekend project to try now. Thanks.

[@denniscollins1857]

Very informative, thanks John!!

[@Roscoe3721]

Another great video! Wish I could have seen you demonstrate hinges when I was trying to learn how. Probably wouldn't have made so many mistakes.

[@h2o270]

This is one of your best videos

[@caroljohnson8817]

I will never take for granted an old hing anymore. Commercial made? Not so much.

[@caroljohnson8817]

Beautiful work! Just Beautiful!

[@daveyjoweaver5183]

Definitely slotted screws. I have dipped a galvanized screw or bolt in cold gun blue and it will create a nice black match in many cases. Thanks Kindly! DaveyJO in Pa.

[@neilyeag]

Fantastic tutorial. Thanks John.

[@bc65925]

Very nice hinges indeed.

[@BlackBearForge]

Thanks

[@edgarbradford]

Beautiful hinges!

[@BlackBearForge]

Thank you

[@mtlvlgmnfishing]

I love your videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@clifearls9330]

Very nice. Im a little unhindged, but Im better now.

[@BlackBearForge]

😂

[@georgegazelakis9623]

So good! Was waiting for you to make some hinges!

[@tat2edbadboy1]

Very nice

[@arondennis4810]

Well done, and great advice!

[@alexfletcher965]

Fantastic instruction as always. Only issues I had were the lack of those interesting togs. I should have done the finial/end side of the hinge first and then the eye. Got to make a set of those tongs though, they looked awesome.

[@desertdanblacksmith1394]

Good Stuff John...."a fair amount of fiddle goin on here..."...we blacksmiths do a lotta that it seems.....at least that was I'm told all the time....hehe....need to make some strap hinges for around the farm....they are ridiculous to buy for how much they want for them,,,

[@BlackBearForge]

Rob Gunther always used the term fiddle factor

[@desertdanblacksmith1394]

haha....:)

[@donv6646]

Great video thanks!

[@bentoombs]

Great information. I have been wanting to try hinges. I just watched the dirty Smith's video on it also after my dividers I think I'm going to try hinges, if I have a correct stock. 👍👍🔨On!

[@63islandboy]

Thank you for your response, I was able to do that. Could you please give more detail regarding the swage tool? Hinges are the reason I am student of the craft. This instruction is really priceless.

[@BlackBearForge]

It is a swage sized for the outer diameter of the eye on the top and a sharped edge swage similar to a scroll starter on the front. I can do a video on it at some point.

[@neilyeag]

I have an excellent book by Monroe Fabian "The Pennsylvania-German Decorated Chest." In it he talks about some simple hinge shapes from the second half of the 18th century were often cut from sheet metal rather than hammered from bar iron and sold as massed produced products. Hinges that where hammered from iron bars where "rough formed under the hammer, much of the detail of the shapes was achieved with a file."

[@BlackBearForge]

An amazing amount of detail can be achieved with chisels and files.

[@philmenzies2477]

There was a bunch of interesting tongs you used at various times in that video John. Would there be a chance of seeing a variety of the tongs in your shop with a brief description on why you need/how you use them? And if I can offer a pointer? Try resting your right hand index finger along the hacksaw frame, "pistol" style. It is more comfortable and you can cut straighter lines that way

[@BlackBearForge]

I do hold it that way quite often.

[@philmenzies2477]

My apologies John, I stand corrected. I was just browsing through some other older vids of yours and I see you using this exact method

[@stevesyncox9893]

Thanks man

[@jackdawg4579]

was at a conference this week, the food was being served in an old church adjacent to the modern hall. I spotted the hinges from a distance and thought, I'd have to have a closer look. Stuff me - they were fake! plain old but hunges holding the door up, then big fancy plates held to the front of the door with a couple of small wood screws!

[@BlackBearForge]

That is not uncommon.

[@stanervin7581]

A brass brush finish @ dull red is purty too!

[@andyroo4887]

Super great video! I can't wait to get my shop back up and running so I can give this a shot! I'm designing a pot and skillet hanging rack for my mom's kitchen. It will be my first major project and I'm excited. Have you ever made one?

[@mercoid]

Hello John, Recent subscriber here. I love your channel. This has probably been suggested or you may have already considered it... Have you thought about doing a segment featuring viewers projects via photos they’ve sent you? It might be a nice way for viewers to get inspired by other amateurs and pull the community together.

[@billwoehl3051]

For tucking in the beveled edge, I'm thinking a fuller/chisel with the work on the cutting shelf backed against the top face would also work?

[@johnwest4788]

You make it look easy. I have a hard time cutting the barrel straight to mate the two halves of the hinge together. Any tips would be appreciated!

[@BlackBearForge]

The only thing that works is practice. If all of your cuts lean the same direction try to compensate the other direction.

[@johnwest4788]

@@BlackBearForge Thanks, I'll practice

[@anvilsbane]

“UNSIGHTLY” hammer marks?!? Are you kidding? People pay me FOR the hammer marks! Lol, just slaggin’. Nice work.👍🏼

[@seafurymike]

I see Mark Asprey places a cup in the steel after he forms the bevel. Any reason you don’t do it? Advantages/disadvantages of doing it or not?

[@joeosborne2518]

Enjoyed the video. Good content. Question: could you talk to us about files? Types, brand, sources, modifications to files' and such.

[@BlackBearForge]

I will certainly do that

[@joeosborne2518]

Thank you.

[@stelmac3212]

John do you repurpose worn files into Workshop tools. If so what tools suit the use of an old file? Cheers ....🇦🇺

[@BlackBearForge]

I have made te occasional knife or chisel from an old file, but I don't use them often

[@tracyspringer558]

I never worked in any forge , but never knew wax was used.

[@63islandboy]

I looked at your etsyshop and did not find the 1/4 drift pin tapered both ends.Could you have a place you can recommend to find this drift? Thanks

[@BlackBearForge]

Sorry for any confusion. They are not something I make to sell. Buy drill rod in a steel that you are comfortable working with, I like S7. Then make the drift.

[@mattwyeth3156]

If you attach the hinge to a gate or door dose the hinge need to be longer and would you need to have a thicker pin to hold the weight of s solid wood door or gate

[@workwithnature]

Good tips on how to make hinges. Another good video. You don't happen to know how to protect pattern welded steel once it is etched and cleaned up? Just made some and need to eventually protect it from rust.

[@BlackBearForge]

No, I do very little with pattern welded steel

[@charlesjohnson9662]

John, is the material you’re using 1/8 thick of 8 gauge?

[@BlackBearForge]

1/8" thick mild steel flat bar.

[@mikeredrugger]

For planishing on this would using a rawhide hammer work well to remove some of the other hammer marks when you get down to a lower heat?

[@BlackBearForge]

A rawhide mallet won't actually remove hammer marks, they are only good for flattening sheet metal or bending material in a way that avoids leaving any hammer marks.

[@mikeredrugger]

@@BlackBearForge thanks so much I highly appreciate it

[@gordonfamilyforge134]

When purchasing steel, does it arrive from the supplier in a ready to work state or does it need to be annealed?

[@BlackBearForge]

For tool steels you often have a choice of annealed or hardened. The annealed is usually less expensive

[@ZachAppel]

What kind of tongs are you using here to hold the pieces by the eye of the hinge? Are they made specifically for making hinges this way?

[@BlackBearForge]

They are an offset bolt tong made by off center tools. They just happen to work well for this.

[@bennyhill3642]

👍

[@--4729]

😂 At 14:35 what we Butchered In?!?! Have you been watching me work? God Bless.

[@craigbrown7277]

curious on the short strap why not put them back to back...

[@BlackBearForge]

You can do just about anything you want or that suits the project the hinges will go onto. However this configuration is more common.

[@syedfuadin4861]

What kind of tong that you are using?. Can you show how to forge it.

[@BlackBearForge]

It looks like most of the video was done with small bolt tongs that are from off Center tools

[@levi743]

Beautiful anvil! What are the specs on it?

[@BlackBearForge]

My anvil is about 300 pounds. Its an old HayBudden

[@leonardmontgomery6302]

Another informative video, have a couple of questions. You mentioned that you like S7 for your drifts, do you heat treat the S7, and do you upset the middle of the drift to increase the diameter?

[@BlackBearForge]

I do harden and temper although the temper gets drawn much further back in use. I start with the size I want the drift to be and reduce the ends, much easier than upsetting a 1/4" pin

[@leonardmontgomery6302]

Thanks John, keep up the great video's.

[@chrisjones6002]

You almost need a filing vice with a 90* bend in the jaws, I wonder if that would work.

[@BlackBearForge]

I have wondered about that. But it seem like the further it bends forward the less the grip.

[@chrisjones6002]

Black Bear Forge would a 45* angle bend be of any use? I don't even have a filing vice yet, I just mounted my post vice actually.

[@BlackBearForge]

45 is the typical angle for a filing vise

[@jamesarmyvet]

Measure twice, cut once.

[@onecrowingrooster2239]

Is it possible to forge a piano hinge?

[@BlackBearForge]

In theory yes. But in practice I think it would be extremely difficult to do well.

[@henrycadorette472]

i notice that you favor the round part of the file .is there a special reason for this ?

[@BlackBearForge]

I use the round section for concave surfaces and the flat side for the flat surfaces.

[@marygraham2242]

Were do I buy your work

[@BlackBearForge]

Keep your eyes on my Instagram account and in my etsy shop. I also have a wait list set up through my web site. All of the links should be in the video description.

[@demastust.2277]

I wonder how much steel/iron sand is 'round your shop. It'd be neat to collect it all and maybe (this may be a fruitless task) forge weld it all together?

[@BlackBearForge]

There isn't a lot of iron sand near the shop. Making it into something first requires a smelt to turn the ore in the sand into a bloom. We did that in this video using iron sand from another source kzbin.info/www/bejne/e33MkICCZ5yFoZo

[@demastust.2277]

Oh no no! Sorry I was referring to all the little particulates that stick to your files and tools. The ferrous dust that is probably scattered about your shop.

[@BlackBearForge]

there is lots of that stuff around

[@demastust.2277]

I think it would be cool to collect all that dust with a magnet and maybe, if it is possible, forge weld it all together? Is that a practical idea?

[@BlackBearForge]

Possible, but I doubt practical. I am not much of a Damascus or pattern welded steel guy. But I will file it away as a possibility in the future.

[@Nirundorn-v6u]

อรุณสวัสดิ์ครับ😅

[@jetblackstar]

ok, it pans me to say his as Iove your videos and watch them religiously. But the filing noise is painful to listen to. I tried to mute while you were filing, but you kept giving good advice as you filed and I kept missing the sign you were about to start filing again. It could be because you have an awesome mic, a sharp file and I'm wearing good headphones But I'm having to start skipping videos with filing. Otherwise I'm loving the content/topics and really appreciate the effort you put in by doing the filing as a traditional technique instead of belt grinding (though I must admit I covet your belt grinders.)

[@BlackBearForge]

I had wondered about that. I will try to keep the narrative to times when not filing and set the microphone aside while I file.

[@jetblackstar]

Black Bear Forge I don't know why I started noticing it more. It could well just be me, so please others chime in if it doesn't bother you. I'd hate to be the one guy you change your videos for. I am but 1 of 16k (blimey that's going up fast Now)

[@BlackBearForge]

It drives my wife out of the shop

[@jetblackstar]

Black Bear Forge genuinely made me laugh out loud. Well she counts for a good 5k users :)

[@TheWoodsman661]

@@jetblackstar file noise never bothers me, but I use files for sharpening and shaping things all the time soo.....

[@petemunger7027]

is it just me or does it seem like this guy is a bit.... unhinged...

[@BlackBearForge]

No, the hinge is all done. I'm good and hinged now