How Climbing Crampons Were Forged by Hand in 1909!

[@lordskorpius1971]

Just a word of note, I have done snowshoeing using both cotton lamp wick bindings, and with leather bindings, and if these are similar, leather will stretch when wet whereas cotton braid will not stretch as much. For safety

[@MF175mp]

Which one do you want? Stretch or no stretch

[@lordskorpius1971]

@@MF175mp well my personal opinion, the leather one stretch. Not great when on a 26 mile snowshoe run. We used cotton lamp wick but it wore through the fatty protective layer on the tendons on the top of my foot, so my parents bought me leather ones that didnt rub. But leather, even treated, will stretch when wet. My snowshoes flopped around during long runs.

[@dragonwing4ever]

​@@lordskorpius1971maybe cotton with a protective leather strip on the top of the show to protect your foot?

[@aserta]

I would not use leather for this.

[@Hamring]

@@aserta Buuut, perhaps leather could have been used to prevent snow buildup similar to the modern rubber solution? I was thinking surely this isn't a problem most of the time when the snow is cold and dry, but then again i guess more people are out climbing in milder, sunnier weather

[@Larry-325]

Don’t ever take away from us you making the first one of anything Alec. Jamie shouldn’t be the only one to see all the fun! Awesome video guys!

[@phildavis1282]

I've still got my dad's crampons from the 1953 everest expedition. His advice about tapping crampons still rings in my ears from when I started climbing 👍

[@sealdoggydog]

Jamie. Bro. The editing of the hammer blows to the beat. Chef's kiss 👌 honestly I watch for the blacksmith content, but am regularly just sitting back enjoying your editing

[@fusoishere]

Came here to say that!

[@kasumach4828]

Alec is the reason I started blacksmithing. And if I knew how wild it could get I would have started sooner.

[@LittleGreyWolfForge]

I started because of big dog forge. I loved that guy

[@Bridgercraft]

Same here! And I've loved (almost) every moment of it.

[@kasumach4828]

Almost?

[@Bridgercraft]

@kasumach4828 yean well, I didn't enjoy getting a shard of steel embedded in my eye a couple of years ago but otherwise, it's all good.

[@FDKMOGAR]

One thing I really love about these type of videos, Alec shows just how much faith he has in his work, a man who doubts his abilities would never use the equipment he made himself, Alec Steele is a man confident in his skills. 👏👏👏👏

[@onr-o1h]

Jamie's ability to cut to the beat is just out of this world!

[@s3b_Leney]

Always nice to see some good old fashion blacksmithing

[@donaldduck9493]

i can appreciate the editing of the hammer strike with the beat of the bluegrass music in the background

[@JoyfulNoiseMusicStudioPerth]

What do you mean editing? I thought Alec was just hitting to the beat of the music...

[@kennyeliasonvideos]

Was thinking the same thing. Another great edit from Jamie.

[@TheBigburcie]

I like the idea of recreating more forged historical items that aren't necessarily a knife or weapon. Show off a bit of what the town blacksmith would have been making before industrial casting and forming were common.

[@VoltZero83]

I hope you enjoyed your stay in Poland. 🇵🇱

[@VoltZero83]

🇵🇱

[@wiktordiy6033]

🇵🇱

[@maciek19882]

🇵🇱🇲🇨

[@MIK00KIM]

🇵🇱

[@Siloml]

🇵🇱

[@jonathanpukallus274]

A tip to help reduce the high pitch noises from filing vibrations: put a small spring clamp on part of the work piece. It will dampen the vibrations.

[@eloerch7]

4:00 beautiful editing, love the forging sounds to the beat

[@Merennulli]

Jamie is a genius at both editing and trolling Alec.

[@timothytakahashi1747]

Thank you for making this video Alec! I've been looking for a video on forging these for years. No one has made a video on how to forge these traditional crampons. I just finished forging a traditional ice axe and hope to make a pair of crampons next. Yours turned out beautiful. Thanks again, will definitely subscribe.

[@Rockiestmage]

Jamie slowly getting Alec into more and more of his hobbies... waiting for him to start learning filming, we all know where it'll lead XD

[@bow-tiedengineer4453]

That's probably why Alec has such a good eye for scene transitions and things in his video.

[@jrwise100]

This was a fantastic episode. Adventure, history, crafting. Nicely done guys!!

[@wiktordiy6033]

Alec, it is awesome that you liked Zakopane and visited Poland. Would you mind sharing what you liked the most, and maybe what mountains did you climb?

[@Aldhafara]

He climbed the Monk Mountain (pol. Mnich)

[@bjmgeek]

I was half expecting you go go to a road trip to the alps to sharpen the chisels. Excellent video. I love seeing the way things were done by hand back in the day.

[@aserta]

Vis-a-vis traditional smithing without modern tools, don't know if it works with your setup, but i know this works with coal. If you make a flue for air to escape to a taper and then pump lots and lots of air through the coals and cover it all up... you'll have a shooting flame out of that flue, which can be used to heat metal locally. So they had this means to "torch" localized areas, for some reason, i don't see this done as much online, but when i was a kid and had traditional smithing lessons as part of a larger cultural thing, that's how the smith (an old grizzled man from the south of France) solved the issue of heating small portions of metal. The flue was a piece of pottery, the spout of a jug and he had covered the flaming coals with a glass fiber blanket, the kind you wouldn't be able to get today because your lungs aren't compatible with it. It was an impressive demonstration of old school smithing that stuck with me. The flame wasn't oxy torch flame, but at about a hand's length, shooting up out of that broken (red hot) jug spout, it was impressive, the noise certainly was deafening.

[@Iron_candle_forge]

Your blacksmithing, editing, and the dedication of all your videos is an inspiration.

[@jaredlancaster4137]

I like the machining, blade smithing, and finishing videos. But what really got me watching this channel, and what's still my favorite, is this old school blacksmithing. Just going to work with hammer and anvil and showing us how things used to be made.

[@brendanschalk5279]

I’m loving this hybrid of blacksmith if content and mountaineering!! Two of my favourite things in the same place. Keep it up!

[@AndyAitken]

Wow, just wow. I wish at Alex’s age I had his work ethic, his resourcefulness and his intelligence. Nice work young man as always, you’re killing it.

[@raphaelm4367]

lovely editing with the music and cool clips :)

[@dvvesgrst3667]

i love how the videowork and editing has evolved together with the projects over the years, it really suits the work and the atmosphere in the shop and the fun you guys have with the forging. Great Job

[@Cpt.FireBeard]

This reminds me of how Alec made his older videos, always timing the clips of his swings to the music

[@Brian-mp2mv]

i've really enjoyed your forging and fabrication videos over the last 4 or 5 years... But, the ones that really are a treat to watch are the ones where you built a chair with your dad, the one where you were doing home remodeling, and the ones that focus on your Belgian Malinois & training! Updates of those type videos would be awesome!

[@Seelenschmiede]

Yeah, maybe a second channel for some sort of private Steele blog?!

[@GJames007]

16:15, those are done very well man. They were looking super clean. Good job!!

[@fishbiscuit2000]

You got used to just tapping the side of your crampon with your ice axe every few steps. You don't even need to break stride to do it. Anti balling plates weren't common until the mid 80s or even later - I started climbing in the 70s so for most of my early mountaineering career I was used to tappng them clear. The first anti balling plates I ever used I made out of plastic cut from a plastic ice cream tub. Worked just fine.

[@AlecSteele]

Super cool! Thanks for commenting!

[@cdavie5]

If anyone's wondering how to hand file without the horrible ear-grating chirps, you can usually fix it by changing up your workholding. It happens because the work is vibrating, very much like a violin string as the bow moves across it. Change where you're holding the workpiece, tighten the vise, add spacers to prevent racking, press your arm up against another part of the work - you can usually make it quiet without too much trouble. Besides being quieter it also helps your file cut properly since it's not skipping and jumping over the work, same with hacksawing. Some shapes are just hard, though.

[@dfgaJK]

15:39 Was that a flashback!.. Those poor hoses, That flashback arrestor doing the most!

[@longfinger]

Your talent is mesmerizing! Jamie's too! I could watch your videos all day long gentlemen! There is nothing on tv or YT that I enjoy more than the content you two make. Thank you both! I hope you have a great day everyone who reads this! Peace.

[@TomWhi]

I’m only 5 minutes in but the sound editing on this video is spot on, Jamie! The intro and hammer blows to the funky used, loved it.

[@SlySargatanas]

I have really loved these videos of you doing all this climbing gear and the tool ones. The history and educational stuff thrown in is awesome also!

[@Gudi._.]

love your hand forging videos. The one when you made chain by hand is still one of my favorite videos on your channel

[@mistybaby420]

I think this channels editor is my favorite on yt right now, the way they play with the sounds of forging and the montage music is so serene.

[@mistybaby420]

also i was fully expecting "oh no, all of this work has been powered... by our sponsor square space"

[@mullima]

love, Love, LOVE when you syncronize the music with the "wirjubg" of the metal!

[@riccardolucchesi6683]

love to see you adventuring with your handcrafted equipement

[@stookinthemiddle]

I know these videos arent' as "catchy" as some you've made in the past but I think they're absolutely bloody brilliant. I'm enjoying them hugely. I know jakc about blacksmithing (apart from 9 years of watching your channel or course) and even less about climbing. By my ADHD brain is sucking all this knowlegde and facts in like there's no tomorrow. Thank you Alec for bringing new and interesting projects to your loyal fanbase and hopefully new people too. You're doing great, I always enjoy whatever you upload. And your and Jamie's banter is second to none. (I mean I do miss Will, but I'm following his progress too and he's made leaps and bounds.) Basically the fact your turning your hobbies into ways ti create things in your forge is afantastic idea and I'm here for all of it!

[@samtimmerman570]

Musician here just glowing at the rhythmic editing. Jamie you genius

[@Aabergm]

I think this is the hardest we have ever seen you work Alec. On camera at least. Kudos on doing it old school.

[@randallrun]

That was super awesome. Really enjoyed it, and really enjoyed seeing how happy it made you as well.

[@jasonsummit1885]

I'm liking how you do real world testing of your projects after forging them. You're a pretty badass dude, love it!👍

[@U014B]

3:26 The most prevalent methods of generating electricity actively use water in the process, so your belt grinder is very likely water-powered.

[@thenotoriuosbg7372]

It would be interesting to see how anti balling would have been added in a period correct manner. Would a small section of fur and leather stitched into the center part completed the same task as the rubber. Or would have the likely leather soled shoes that the mountaineers were wearing made a difference. Great video and great history.

[@yuzemir]

13:27 iron mountain flux + borax (iron filings flux , iron dust flux ) iron forge welding at low temperatures

[@MrMisser66]

I like how the story telling focus on something else than just forging something 👍

[@Argosh]

I so missed these rhythmical pieces. I really appreciate the effort.

[@Donorcyclist]

Another great audio-coordinated production. Great job, Jaime!

[@orphax1925]

for the last issue of snow getting clogged, maybe a simple sheet of spring steel could be spot welded (or riveted if you want a more traditional approach) in order to kick out the snow at each step

[@Skinflaps_Meatslapper]

Yeah I definitely think that it's possible to use modern knowledge of snow removal with period correct craftsmanship and materials to retroactively improve on these. For all we know there may have been similar alterations done to solve this exact issue years or decades after they were made...but because they were done independently they may not have been widely known. Maybe it was some simple trick that nobody wrote down because it was common sense at the time, like wrapping thick wool or cotton or even rubber sheets to the underside of the crampons that would compress and spring back to push the snow out of the spikes, or just a simple adjustment of the spikes themselves that reduced the issue considerably? It's worth investigating at any rate, maybe someone mentioned it in one of their climbing journals.

[@tonyn3123]

I appreciate a completed project in one video. Satisfying. Thanks.

[@booshmcfadden7638]

Alec: *sees literally anything* I can make that.

[@jackcollins5394]

Or any diy person

[@rhedskiddel2282]

the Bobby Duke of blacksmiths

[@BraxxJuventa]

20:21 That's Dutch language. Thanks for filming Alec. 😁👍🏼😁👍🏼

[@edlivingstone1413]

Have a look at arborists climbing spikes/spurs. I think you'd be able to make an awesome pair!

[@SD-oi9gr]

More of this! You finding the first recorded history of a specific item that is just so important today but back then never existed.

[@winorthwoodsliving]

I loved this build. Please more like this.

[@kristianhansen3404]

Very cool project. I like the history combined with the challenge and a trip :) Good stuff.

[@AAOMorpheus]

very cool, to see how 100+ years of manufacturing methods and tools makes things so efficient when making the same items.

[@tonyromaine3202]

I really enjoy watching you make things the hard way. It's way more fun than another perfect Damascus blade. Then I catch a glimpse of that stupid huge lamp. Great content.

[@DavidCrosbie]

Epic work. You've got to admire a man who is so confident in his ability and talent, he can hang his life on his own creation. Love the climbing series; any chance that you'd be able to visit the Grivel Factory and do an Alec shows How it's Made?

[@josephtixier2404]

Oh! it's another Steel vs. Stelter! let's see which video wins this one... Alec's off with a headstart! Go Alec!

[@sebastianblass73]

Hey Alec! I just got this idea that im gonna forge my own potato peeler. After seeing how simple the design is I thought "that's something that I could make" would be fun seeing you making a Damascus one (or making it as fancy and complicated as possible) seems like something you would enjoy ;)

[@andrewut7ya511]

I hate ice, i hate climbing, i really hate ice climbing, but i like Alec.

[@supadupa1905]

Big shout out from Poland, mate!

[@skeome]

I'd like to see a "traditional" blowtorch build for brazing/welding. Making a vessel with an oil reservoir and wicking system. A regular wick (¼" round) on one side for more even heats and a thick (1") rectangular wick on the other side for more focused heat. As well as a blow-pipe with a few nozzle sizes (smaller nozzle = more focused air stream).

[@Jusdin057]

This was awesome. I love when you make blades, but I also love when you make tools and equipment 👌

[@omemamtora6457]

shout out to jamie for the beautiful song and hammer tune line up melody...hes quite underrated for sure imo ps alec we still enjoy your quriks :p

[@matthewbowers88]

I love the look at 5:43 that suggests Alec wants to slap Jamie purple.

[@jerrylitzza8842]

Having trekked for years in Sierra and Cascade sticky snow using REI crampons of the same design, snow balling is mitigated by rapping your foot with your good old fashion Ice Ax, which you also don't have. If your going old school you have to go all the way. BTW leather straps are good, but leather stretches with wetness if waterproofness is not kept up. Cotton is ok, but wears quickly when wet. I changed up to a Nylon blend strap, never had a problem with that except to note, pure nylon slips in the buckles. At 78 I am not doing that stuff anymore.

[@MaThista91]

As always, excellent cutting to the music

[@ryancrevier]

This felt like the old alec steele videos that I didn't know I missed.

[@MrNicoyo]

love the editing of the chisel with the music

[@ragingfishaholic]

I wonder if you could coat those crampons with candle or bees wax if that would help with the snow sticking to them? Another possibility is to oil them and "season" them like a cast iron skillet. Don't know if any of that would work but would be interesting to see if it would help.

[@Skinflaps_Meatslapper]

I think it's more about compressing the snow between the spikes than it is about the snow sticking to them. Could be as simple as adjusting the angle of the spikes outward, so the snow can freely fall out if compressed into it. Modern crampons have that rubber pad that springs back out when compressed, so perhaps some loose wool or cotton might have been used in place of that pad, and nobody bothered to make note of it?

[@bearsharkp3901]

This is the most interesting thing you've done in a long time man. Very cool

[@Onemxbreakers]

The chiseling matching the music was 👌🔥

[@10000pars]

One of the best videos you've done

[@joelblair8339]

Seeing how I never heard of crampons (might as well been forging tampons), it was a pretty cool project.

[@archimeobis]

Oooh le montage de dingue ! Y'a eu de la découpe en musique, ça a joué au chirurgien. Bravo

[@jonblair5470]

Love the longer format video!

[@spookydonkey2195]

The whack/yack ratio was spot on in this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it, preesh!

[@montanaylago]

Nice editing Jamie! Pretty cool music sync with the forging blows! 🔨 👍

[@thijsdeboer389]

Loving the “Alex does stuff” series mate!

[@cate01a]

i appreciate the little thumbnail system that tells what part an episode is, or if its singular

[@cate01a]

also surprised and glad you had the climbing footage in the same video rather than having them split!

[@RIPvizzini]

Great work on the filming and editing Jamie

[@thechosenknight.2677]

My dad used to be the operations manager of ski spri in Chamonix sometime in the early nineties

[@kirohaas3193]

Late, I know, but a method to use to keep snow from balling up under the cramp-ons is to use wax, because this is an issue you can have with classic skis too. So you apply wax on the skis (or the crampons in this case) to keep the snow from sticking to the cold steel(e).

[@Zogg1281]

When you were making the crampons, I was thinking that your could easily add a thin piece of leather (smooth side down) to stop the snow getting stuck. You might even be able to add something to the leather to make it harder for the snow to stick. Oil maybe?? I'm also thinking that now you've made your first set of crampons and tested them, maybe go back and see how you can improve the design using only things that would have been available in the past. (I'm thinking physical supplies, not machinery) 🤔 I'd love to see how you could improve them 😊👍👍👍👍👍

[@Ron3343]

Alec how about a double action out the front (DA OTF) Damascus, tanto tip semi serrated knife? Love your videos!! As always keep up the FANTASTIC work!!!

[@krisvind1715]

to reduce the file sqeaking, lower the part of the work piece you are currently filing on, down as close as you can to the jaws of the vice, the sqeaking is vibrations building up.

[@JesusRisen8]

Wonder job as always! God bless the both of you

[@mateuszgrzybek4419]

Yoo, Alec in Poland

[@CymruSam]

Loving the music on this episode!

[@linuxstreamer8910]

i love with the classic 1909 crampon the dude is is full suit just chilling there

[@brunol.5975]

In a french Alps workshop a few year back I saw several of those with a leather guetre designed for deballing, maybe you could find it in accessories catalogs of the time like french Manufrance

[@aserta]

Alec... how many nails are you making a day? I mean, i know it's a blacksmith trope, but it really does help. When the young apprentice at Guedelon started, he was pretty slow, but after making a few thousand of those the dude can whip them so fast it's like watching a machine. I know, i've watched. edit: 21:25 they had leather, i believe. A strip of leather that spun the inner part of the crampons. I saw at least two pictures online, if that's OG or not...

[@benja_mint]

As a modern ice climber, it is pretty wild to get this glimpse into the history of my sport.

[@JanSzymonGoowacz]

In 80s in Poland was no so easy and in Kielce was small manufacture of claiming gear. Was call Kazio the kiler (as his products was so good) and he make crampons in this style. My father was in Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue group and they use such gear. In 90s when I was teenager, and raid dog sled team I use thos crampons on ice trips with doogs. In moutanis… i prefer never nead use those.

[@ImTheReal]

You can add a layer with springs inside to remove the snow.

[@jimcorbett3764]

This was much more of a 'craftsman' type episode- very cool.

[@worm628]

I wonder if you could use a piece of waxed leather on the bottom to prevent the snow accumulation