How to make Blacksmithing Tools! - The Slot Punch

•• WANT TO LEARN BLACKSMITHING? Check out my AWESOME online courses here •• beginblacksmith... ••
*New Videos for you every week!* Learn to make a Blacksmith's slot punch used for making bottle openers and a variety of other projects that are perfect to sell at craft shows and give as gifts!
To learn more: www.blacksmithingtools.co.uk
Filmed at Alec Steele's workshop and school of Blacksmithing in Norwich, UK. / alecsteelebl. .

[@KratosCZero]

Please continue. I was looking for somebody like you on youtube. Simple beginner advices and your pleasant voice. I am in the process of setting up a forge and than I will start making basic tools according to your videos.

[@AlecSteele]

+KratosCZero Thank you Sir! It is comments like these that make me so thrilled to put these videos out there for you all!!!!! I am so happy I am providing value for you! Best wishes for all future endeavours - Alec Steele

[@Xanthira222]

@@AlecSteele And look how far you have come. These older videos are great for the fledgling blacksmith's like me and your newer videos gave me the confidence to get started. Thank you Alec! Now to source some tools

[@bennybooboo6789]

The difference in Alec from 2015 to 2020 is insane. So much improvement and growth. A true credit to the art of blacksmithing/bladesmithing.

[@MrTony3696]

One of the things I like about your "how to" videos is you give enough info to do the job, but not so much that it's overwhelming. Good stuff!!

[@fredmikkelsen]

Alec, you are doing the blacksmithing community a great service with these postings. "Keep on keeping on !"

[@AlecSteele]

+Frederick Mikkelsen Thank you sir! it means a great deal!

[@reverendbrothergenerik7976]

Ya, I have been at the forge for over three decades. Worked in several shops. Now I have unlearned a lot and am whole heartedly changing over to your methods. Cheers!

[@MarkAspery]

Very nice video, Alec. Well done. We have different styles, but I appreciate your approach and narration.

[@AlecSteele]

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, Mark! It truly means a great deal! Have a lovely day! :)

[@johngonzales9282]

Alec Steele o

[@TheMiggins]

Exceptional video with precise instruction from start to finish. Thank you Alec Steele for an invaluable piece of reference material for anybody wishing to make the basic tools involved in the blacksmith trade. First rate

[@johnwright6030]

I an in the process of beginning to put my shop together, I enjoy these videos and find them entertaining and extremely informative.... Thanks so much Alec!!

[@waldtricki]

This is such a great simple tutorial Alec. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Hi Sam. You're doing a good job too.

[@shotgunsam23]

He is a great teacher when he is calm

[@Jarastlad]

Great video Alex ! Very well explained. If I lived in the UK I'd definitly take your course. I've only been doing a little bit of knife making thanks to Trollsky and Walter Saurel's videos but yours just make me want to do more !

[@AlecSteele]

+Jarastlad Thank you for such warm words! It means a great deal! Best of luck in all future endeavours :D

[@heardashot]

Come a long way Alec, well done. Congratulations....

[@hasdrubal121]

I enjoy your approach Alec, very straight forward explanations. Thanks for sharing

[@markbenoit4187]

Don't think I've watched this one yet, but again building my inventory of tools is always a good thing.

[@he-mansuncle7661]

That's an amazing way to temper the steel, saves a great deal of time

[@mequedo]

Alec, I have been watching your vídeos since the past month, and from what i have seen your young engaging style, and the volume of videos that you upload make you the best blacksmithing chanel of the ones that i'm subscribed, keep up the good stuff.

[@mequedo]

plus the tutorial and tip vídeos.

[@AlecSteele]

+Marc Ciscar thank you so much :)

[@knivesstuff]

great video! One of the best blacksmithing tutorials I've seen! You're very talented, I hole I will become as good as you some day. 17 now so still have lots of years of blacksmithing ahead of me.

[@IthBombgard]

Cheers, Alec! I found this video form your old one. Very nice update, and thank you!

[@he-mansuncle7661]

Alec, you have definitely grown in confidence in front of the camera!

[@ahorseman4ever1]

Alec, I really appreciate your way of explaining how things are done. I am new to your channel, I found you through Samurai carpenter. I'm glad I found you.

[@johncox6794]

I love the look of those hammers

[@scottleft3672]

the idea with edging the hex at the stiking end of the chisel is to stop mushrooming which if not cleaned back to original shape regularly ....will form splits and pieces WILL chip and fly off and....viola....and i asume you know about dirty motor oil for quenching and temper.....if you want case hardening.

[@paulorchard7960]

Very informative, the tricks of tempering are so often hidden in endless details that just creat confusion!

[@johnjude2685]

Thanks for the extra great video. That volume of your clear instructions are super man of voice (Great job Sir) . The volume is for the pounding so my wife can't screm to loud as I can hear you also at the same volume great job. You must have work hard to get the volume correct and probably $$$ to get equipment to work Sir great information Sir best preasation of content of a subject you do know

[@alphagrendel]

exceptional! heading to make one now.

[@AlecSteele]

+Naegling Wehoo! Good luck!!

[@hbrand8013]

I really enjoy these videos. You do a great job with your instruction. I'm curious about the Texas flag.

[@kylebailey2884]

Im just starting out blacksmithing. How long have you been doing this?! You and I are about the same age it looks. Seems you have lots of knowledge and I enjoy watching your videos. Thanks!!

[@Watchfuliz]

I have tried making slot punches with flat ends and with the edges knocked off as you did. I find I get cleaner slots leaving it flat with sharp edges.

[@user-pf2hv8qw1s]

Perfect! Thanks.

[@tasatort9778]

Yeah tried the Brazeal style hardie tools before with the tapered shank. Snapped the heel off my anvil so that now I have an anvil with no heel and a square notch where the hardie was. Great.

[@albertrasch4793]

Sounds like an ill fitted shank, and possibly an anvil with an inherent flaw... I prefer a shop fitted shank with a shoulder. By shop fitted I mean forged to fit your specific anvil. AAR

[@reverendbrothergenerik7976]

Won't happen when hot cutting. Especially with a soft striking anvil. What exactly were you doing to generate so much force? Was it a Chunk anvil shaped object made of cast iron, BTW?

[@tasatort9778]

No it was a 125lb 1908-ish Hay--Buden in decent shape, and was hot cutting a piece of 1.5 inch round. I now use straight shank tools with a good shoulder that I make myself.

[@leviblackwood3258]

TAsatorT how hot was the steel?

[@shaungibson2033]

Notice he uses the tapered Hardie in a Mild steel striking anvil. Avoid using tapered Hardie’s in a regular Anvil.

[@craigcottam]

Nice Video Alec, well explained. Could you possibly to a video for creating a makers mark? Cheers.

[@AlecSteele]

+Craig Cottam Thank you very much, Craig! I will look into it :)

[@PaulKrzysz]

Great Tutorial

[@AlecSteele]

+Paul Krzysz Thanks Paul!!

[@PaulFontaniniArtist]

Great video as always Alec. Just one quick question. You didn't say what diameter steel you started with, What size round is it?

[@ABooshCamper]

Alec Steele is this the style of your online courses? Very informative!

[@AlecSteele]

+Chris Maxson yes :)

[@walterbond3628]

if you don't want to have to run a lot of lights while your fortune with your tools with you like your lunches and stuff making out around and line them up with whatever you're cutting hedges that's so basically if you have a very bad light lighting if you just want to quickly know where you're cutting edges does low lighting or no Lighting in your Forge and anvil could be an issue probably would be an issue but it could be not an issue to pendulum how bright your firewood be

[@scottleft3672]

whaaaa..?

[@randoprior4130]

Walter Bond this is one of the worst structured comments I have ever seen, and is probably the worst run-on sentence I have ever seen.

[@SpeedyJoe.]

I love your high energy fast pace videos you're doing currently as of March 2021. But could you please go back to your roots and bo some more tutorials. I would love to see your tutorial videos with your current day video editing.

[@Krustation101]

Whats with the yankee measurements ?

[@AlecSteele]

+Krustation101 This month, 39.8% of my audience were in the United States! So, in order to provide them with the most value possible...I try and speak in both metric and imperial!

[@robg836]

Awesome video, can't wait to see more! Quick question though. I recently acquired a set of vintage machine made "Young Bros" letter and number marking stamps and was wondering if I could use these on hot steel/metal or would they lose their temper and hardened properties.

[@AlecSteele]

+Rob G Provided you dont let them sit on the material for too much time they should be fine! Thrilled you liked the video!

[@workingwithiron]

+Rob G use them on cold steel, doesnt need to be hot.

[@Kittani1977]

im still very early in learning all this stuff. thanks for the videos. you happen to know good video describing hammering and techniques and terminology? or a good book i can reference?

[@AlecSteele]

I am pleased I am being of help! Check out some of my older videos to learn about hammer swing, stance and grip and to learn about certain forging operations such as tapering in greater detail! Thanks again!

[@lucasschmeing4293]

Haha does that say Joe dirt by the belt grinder?

[@address191]

I had some car spring and made a couple of different thinks from it, but all of them end up with some nasty cracks in them from the forging, is this some think I am doing or is it the steal?

[@randoprior4130]

address191 many Smith's claim it as the steel and I to some extent agree. If you are not hammering cold or burning out your material then it is the steel for sure. If you are starting with really rusty steel it can be pounded into the material which ruins your surfaces and can lead to cracks developing. I usually strip ALL rust off recycled metals before forging.

[@mattbehnke779]

I am making a hot cut, but it keeps getting stuck in the hardy. Do i need to make the shank a big bigger at the top before I start the chisel part? Thanks

[@johnmcgee2693]

+Matt Behnke Alec and I basically were taught the same theories by two different guys (Lyle Wynn for myself and Brian Brazeal for Alec). I cannot speak for Alec's preference but in a 1 inch hardy I prefer for my taper to go to about 1 and1/4 to 1 and 1/2 so that it fits tight without going to deep in the hardy. I have used Brazeal cutoffs made for 1 inch hardy holes in anvils with 3/4 inch hardy hole and the tool seems a little top heavy and flop around a bit until the first strike, that is why I would stop at a max size of 1 and 1/2 for a 1 inch hole. if seated in the hardy properly you should only have to tap the cutoff back and forth a few times before it rocks free. Hope this helps. Oh and Alec love the Texas flag in the background! Happy Hammering John McGee Monkeywrench Forge

[@mattbehnke779]

+John McGee Ok thanks. So you want the very top of the taper to be 1/4-1/2 inch bigger than the hardy. How long do you go for the shank, and how small? THanks so much

[@johnmcgee2693]

+Matt Behnke I'll take some exact measurements tomorrow and let you know how they are proportioned

[@mattbehnke779]

+John McGee Ok thanks. So I think i got the idea. Use steel thats 1/2 to 1/4 inch bigger than the hardy then taper. You will tell me tommorow what size taper and how small. I think I am gonna make a hardy holder like what mark aspery shows so that I can use it for my anvil I have now and for eventually when I upgrade to a larger anvil. Thanks so much for the help.

[@johnmcgee2693]

+Matt Behnke hey i posted a video on my channel that should answer most of your questions

[@OKBushcraft]

My skill level is still low. thanks for the instructions.

[@AlecSteele]

+OKBushcraft My pleasure! Keep forging :D

[@GTL5427]

Is that a Texas flag in the background??

[@dylankirk7994]

GTL5427 yep

[@skilletborne]

What the heck happened to this kid? Lad used to be just a brilliant smith. These days he's spread too thin and there's so much focus on energy in the videos rather than substance.