Making A Frontier Knife From An Old Wagon Wheel

This knife's 100% eBay Charity Auction raised over $200 for the St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Thank you to all!
Support this Channel! / greenbeetle
Hear me take the Great One's name in vain after accidentally making cast iron. Chill, Bro-D. Nah worry. Despite bogus advice from Home Depot about the wood filler they sold me we get this diggity done in the end. So sit back and let's make suitable knife steel out of an old wagon wheel rim then forge handle pins and fashion a handle from the wheel spoke all in the name of making a 19th century, cartouche style, frontier, trade knife. The blade is etched and knife left rough to make it appear aged. Let's talk about Sheffield. Let's talk about blister steel. Let's talk about the knives that settled the American West (and Canada)!
Play Where's Waldo with the Green Beetle logo and name. One or the other appears roughly 10 times in this video!
Want to see an awesome smith do this better than me? Check out Niels Provos: / mintwart
KZbin's made changes. You now have to turn on channel notifications to get notified of new channel content! It's the bell shaped button next to the 'subscribed' button. It's shaped like a bell because a ding-dong came up with the idea.
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MUSIC:
Local Forecast - Elevator Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
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[@joelstrachan8788]

this guy is the bob ross of knives

[@andrewpryke9799]

My god is that accurate lol.

[@kalijasin]

How true! LOL

[@douro20]

Seriously? There are people on here much more skilled than he is.

[@godofcitrus8253]

yas

[@JohnBeauchemin]

Being skilled has nothing to do with the analogy being made.

[@addisonwoods9367]

as a retail employee, I can honestly say, never trust us. we almost never have any idea what we're talking about and are always making it up on the spot. make sure you walk into any store with a list and knowledge about what you're buying.

[@StuartdeHaro]

Can confirm. I worked in the paint department at Home Depot in college and knew the square root of jack $#!+ about paint.

[@jmsmith1767]

It really made me angry hearing you talk about people stealing your videos and uploading them to try and make money off of them. Good luck getting them all taken down and you don't sorry one bit you throw that awesome green beetle logo all over your videos. Love your content. Keep up the awesome work. - Jay Long Island Survival

[@GreenBeetle]

ty bro

[@mancraft18]

Diresta had this exact problem and he started using some kind of service to stop it I don't remember the name of it but like I said in my previous comment please keep up the great work you are a huge inspiration my wife gets tired of the boring knife videos but she actually likes you

[@Trollsky]

I like your voice, it's calm and you know what are you talking about

[@GreenBeetle]

Thanks, Trollskyy. What are you making with your bloom iron?! Can't wait to see the knife.

[@hobbitking6856]

+Green Beetle knife admin still has your stainless sanmai video

[@GreenBeetle]

youtube said they took it down, thanks for letting me know.

[@travisrobertson7192]

Very Bob Rossy~ is that a word now?

[@ernestsheffield9976]

Sheffield steel is awesome, but I'm biased.

[@matthewlabbe8395]

You should make a replica of the Bowie knife that Brad Pitt uses in Inglourious Basterds. It would be so cool

[@thomshere]

Nice knife, it looks like one that my grandpa used to own thats been handed down to my son. Also, I wanted to thank you for ALL your videos. Your videos are very well shot and edited plus you have pleasant voice to listen to (non-fatiguing). I don't think people realize how long these things take and was glad you mentioned it. One of the main things that drives me nuts on here is people complaining about filming or something or just generally being a smart*ss in the comments when they don't have a clue how much time and work is involved and don't have the gumption to make and put up their own. Take care.

[@GreenBeetle]

thanks, man

[@DiesInEveryFilm]

Brilliant and thanks for sharing. Provos is catching you up for subs haha

[@stevebuckskinner5482]

I know this videos been around for awhile. But you did a fine job on that knife and a guy like me who is into living history would be proud to own that knife.

[@dtlongrifles]

J. Russell & Co. was an American knife maker that started making the Russell Green River knives in MA. in the 1830s. They imported Sheffield steel initially.

[@GreenBeetle]

nice, thank you

[@ДмитрийХолт]

5:10 best part of the video!😂

[@hermanosamuel8744]

If I didn't already enjoy your show and work (which I did/do), I am super sold after this episode! You have a great take and attitude about things and it comes out in your work and narration. This stuff is genuinely fascinating. Great job and thanks.

[@mysticbee1161]

Nice touch with the "stand by" editing lol

[@Hylianorthodox]

Those small imperfections in the build only added to the character of the knife in the end, I like that. Great job as always.

[@GreenBeetle]

Darn right! Character! They fit this knife like a glove. Ty.

[@garyhiggins6718]

Since you're being ripped off by commercial piracy, I thought I had better subscribe to the real one. 😊😊😊🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@edward8fish698]

hey green beetle, you should go on forged in fire. with your skill

[@GreenBeetle]

They talked to me. Did not think I had enough experience.

[@edward8fish698]

+Green Beetle hell, I think you do

[@mutoreocookie3944]

i thought he said "the semen tasting process" 6:15

[@mikefaraday7772]

wow green beetle ... what a heck load of beautiful. a humble masterpiece and very classy. id be proud to own it let alone to have made it

[@le7tfeet]

When you say your heat treat and quenching, could you add why please? It seems like every knife gets heat treated different and I only kinda know why

[@zhdlot]

I was with ya ... right up to when you brought your political preference into your vid

[@GreenBeetle]

Take it easy they're both clowns

[@2tommyrad]

well... one's a clown and the other an international murderer & charity funds thief.

[@zhdlot]

Well said !

[@Friidom2]

Really great video. It sucks people are stealing your stuff. I might want to do the same thing. I know Chandler Dickenson had the same problem too. Hopefully Im small enough to not be on the radar.. but better safe than sorry. Have you tried using a butchers block for a brush? I noticed you used a bristle wire brush like from welding. Any reason for that? Skal

[@IMatchoNation]

Despite the frustrating setbacks I think this is my favorite of the knives I've watched you make. Nice job!

[@Landrew0]

Why destroy a perfectly good antique wagon wheel, when there's plenty of old iron around?

[@GreenBeetle]

You are going to be super disappointed with this channel!

[@SgtIMEF]

Some Amish guy is pissed he only has 3 wheels.

[@SugarcreekForge]

Man... I loved this video. It has everything I like in it: history, new techniques to learn, transparency about mistakes, and entertaining. Thanks for all of the time you took to make the project and then edit video. Well done!

[@seansengpiel8156]

Am I the only one that finds this channel relaxing

[@ericallaire8677]

Hahahaha, Donald Trump...good one. Made my day.

[@Magnussen92]

Very well filmed, and excellent commentary!

[@caveofskarzs1544]

Very nice looking. I must say, those simple blade designs make some of the most attractive knives. Looks like that wood filler was nothing more than putty wood glue. :P You were talking about using the diamond stones for polishing; I had a similar experience using a regular sharpening stone, and I don't think I'll revisit it again.

[@MattDiresta]

love how detailed this was! came out beautiful!!!

[@catscradleforge2891]

What kind of ass would steal your videos and re-upload them? That is wrong in so many ways. This video is very useful. I didn't think there was a way to put carbon into lesser steel without smelting it with the high carbon mix. I watched all kinds of videos of people trying to sugar the blade and other crazy stuff that didn't work. This is great for turning Iconic historic things into knives. It's a game changer.

[@bradenclark8885]

I made one of these out of a file for a high school project. I used a full tang design, which historically had no less than 4 pins, and went with a flat grind profile with an African Blackwood handle. Really fun to read and learn about them.

[@evilcowboy]

I felt this forging was an interesting. Most people just anneal a file and start from there. Finally someone took the time to show the process of introducing carbon into lower grade metal. The Rockwell hardness of 65 is really good and proper tempering too. Wow this knife will last several life times. Great job.

[@SparkysPipes]

Great video, the wood filler problem, wood workers normally will take standard wood glue and mix it with saw dust from the wood they are working on very thick. then use that as it will sand and stain like the wood or extremely close, OR if you don't care if the cracks are filled, thin CA glue can be put on and it will run into the cracks then a activator is sprayed on it for it to harden stabilizing the wood. just some ideas to try if you run into something like that again.

[@hayward434]

That's a wheelbarrow wheel, not a wagon wheel.

[@crazyscopes4632]

i never knew old chocolate could make a good knife

[@BellBlades]

I need to get a hammer to forge with, is there a particular hammer you suggest? I was thinking about a 4 lb cross peen (or blacksmiths hammer). But I don't know where to get one

[@Laconic913]

Impressive. Historically, do you have any idea how long it would have taken the average craftsman to make a knife like that? Seems like a lot of time-consuming work, and I'm pretty amazed at the amount of work a blacksmith would have had to do to make ends meet.

[@douro20]

I've seen carburisation of fine steel components such as those for vacuum tubes done using carbon monoxide.

[@michaelc.4321]

This is the sort of thing I would do in my late teens. I really enjoyed making knives from random metal I found at scrapyards so it was super cheap and I still have one I made

[@Xyienced]

The bondo epoxy is a good, or darker solution, for scale attachment. Not very clear for other applications tho

[@MysticMuttering]

I like this video a whole lot, but what put it over the top for me was the fact that your expletive du jour is Donald J Trump.

[@nicholaskillmeier4895]

If I may suggest, I picked up an air file from harbor freight and started using that lately. It is a $17 piece of crap, but it works lol. I wrap the file with 150 grit PSA paper, and it will keep your transition lines from flats to bevels crisp. It will get 90% of the belt marks out in no time, and it will get into the plunge lines very easily, leaving you to only clean up by hand at 150. Then do your usual for going up the grits. It's honestly not a lot faster. It will probably save you 20-30 minutes on that first grit. But it's heavy and will save your wrists since all you need to do is put a little pressure on it and just keep it flat. I'm simply not skilled enough to take the blade into trizacts on the 2x72. I'll get there some day, but I always screw something up and wreck a half done project. So I go to 120 maybe 220 if I'm feeling brave and just finish by hand from there. I saw that post on the ABS site a few weeks ago. I didn't have any luck trying to hand rub with diamond files either. Love the videos dude. Keep them coming.

[@kevet1968]

I learn as much from you as I do Niels Provos! Thanks for the uploads.

[@RicTic66]

Great video good skills thanks for sharing. As a kid growing up in 60s England every dinner knife, carving knife, pen knife, boy scout sheaf knife, fish filleting knife, garden shears and secateurs, Mums dressmaking scissors and basically anything with a cutting edge had 'Made In Sheffield' 'England' stamped into it. That former 'Steel City' is now but a shadow of it's industrious and 'cutting edge' past.

[@stizan24]

I like forging. It's fun. I watched a bunch of your videos but I still suck. Maybe I need to watch more videos. J/k I need to forge more knives. I did 6 blanks before I took one to the grinder. I forged 4 knives blanks that got to heat treat. I finished 2 of them called ugly knife 1 and 2 respectively. Ugly knife 3 I chucked up in a vice and bent it till it broke to see the grain I was getting. It was good. Ugly knife 4 is a big parang, chopper I made for my summer place. It's forged, ground, and heat treated but it's been 3 months and I haven't sharpened or put a handle on it and I have 2 good blanks that I haven't even started grinding on. Anywhoooo. Nice knife and I love your Chanel!

[@IceDragon978]

That's exactly why DiResta puts his name everywhere. And why I have no problem with DiResta's name being everywhere or your logo being onscreen. I recommend you actually physically put your logo onscreen like DiResta does, though, it's harder for freebooters to cover up that way.

[@ashawheeler3746]

This is awesome. I loved watching it go from old to shiny new old. That doesn't adequately describe what I was trying to say but I did love watching it. There were two times I thought "oh no. he messed up" and I didn't think it was fixable but you pulled this off. Good job, Green Beetle.

[@BigZ7337]

That was a great build, and I loved the little bit of history of the style of blade towards the beginning. :)

[@philipmark3343]

I just subscribed to your channel. I don’t subscribe to many but your videos are, like the guy below said, calming and informative. You’re on par with Frank Howarth in terms of calming yet informative videos.

[@lharchmage6908]

Collins Axe factory in Ct. Used to make axes and knives and eported internationally in the 1800's Many of those axes are considered heirlooms due to high quality and are still used today. I have 3 of them Having lived in Ct. and I use the Axes( broad ax, standard axe and a hunting knife).

[@JETWTF]

Nice knife but I am not really comfortable with the destruction of an antique to make it. As for the wood filler that didn't take stain... are you making something that's meant to look old? Yes? then no filler for the cracks because those cracks helps make it look old. You would be hard pressed to create those cracks when using new wood to make it look antique, your goal is antique looking so best to embrace the flaws. As for the tang, I wouldn't do anything but full tang at least for the length of the handle with just the spine exposed, doing half the handle in length is just repeating the original knife makers fiscal shortcut and making a cheap quality knife the expensive/top quality way.

[@chaseorton-brown5225]

crucible steal was created first sometime from the 10th-15th century in the Arabian peninsula. the English clock maker from the 17th century improved it, not created it.

[@ericjx]

Awesome job. I love how you kept within the time period. I've seen a lot of people take older equipment/items and create a modern knife out of them which has always disappointed me. Groovy stuff.

[@VICTORHUGO-hr5rx]

lol groovy

[@the_katman2181]

Man, your videos are so satisfying. I know nothing about knives and forging, but I could watch this all day long. There's another American with a KZbin channel on wood turning - also something I know nothing of - and he makes the sweetest videos.

[@kfgrip]

Always a pleasure watching your videos.Very relaxing I wish you would attempt a sword build just to see if you can do it.Nothing major maybe a large seax or falchion/messer.

[@wallyg9512]

Nice work. I really enjoyed the video. Thinking it would be sweet to inlay powdered stone in the handle cracks. Similar to the Japanese technique of Kintsugi.

[@AB-co7er]

Something else that works as a stain is sappened tea or coffee grounds. Grind the grounds into extreme fine powder, mix with Dutch oil into a paste like substance.. leave it set for about 3-4 hours. Then use a mild cloth to wipe. Ever so lightly sand with very very fine grit sand paper. Dry wipe the dust and repeat. The stain gets darker by the hour. This also works on bine, but with bone you can actually place the grounds directly in water with a metal hangar through a pre drilled pin hole so it stays off the bottom of the pan. Check periodically for desired tone wiping with a damp cloth to determine that.

[@db____]

Can't believe people try to steal your vids! Another neat project; really enjoyed your chalk-history lesson (and seeing your mistakes and solutions). Can't wait for the next one!

[@wadeweisbrodt4511]

If you don't mind me asking... where would you recommend buying an anvil?

[@ryanbrewer6657]

Anvils are too expensive, get some rail road tracks

[@wadeweisbrodt4511]

+ATgoesFTW thanks

[@wadeweisbrodt4511]

+Ryan Brewer where could I find some

[@JackSilver1410]

As someone who works off a rail road track, I think I'd rather have an anvil with a flat, hardened face, a horn, hardy hole... It's fine to start out on and all, but there comes a point when you need an upgrade.

[@phi9249]

Awesome homework... I am sure the wood will work out fine for you. If you have doubts in regards to splits and checks, you can use the tecjnique I learned from Yamaha when they are selecting wood for their instruments. When you have this wood dry as toast set it in water. Just for an hour or so. The Oak or the Rosewood will only take surface penetration. Take it out and as it dries see where the wood moves. If it doesn't in harmful way, you are good to go. Beautiful proportion Green.

[@kevincolwell9575]

by stolen, do you mean they are presenting it as if they did the work and everything? Or, are they just putting it on a playlist on their channel? I am assuming it is the former. I want to know, though, because I sometimes do the latter (giving complete credit to the person who made the video). Also - fyi - you have to forge wi at welding heat essentially. It breaks all to hell when it gets into the red range. take care,kc

[@ericcartrette6118]

So you chalked the edge to check straightness? Never seen that trick before. I'll have to try it on my next blade. There was something else I was going to mention but it slipped my mind when the wife came in and started talking. I'll have to watch again to see if I can remember.

[@mickr5584]

I have been following your channel and Niels Provos' channels for a while now. I love your editing and teaching style. I would love to see you take some of this same steel and forge a high carbon piece in the middle. The old wrought iron stuff is beautiful. Keep up the good work. I do appreciate the time and effort.

[@popnsplat]

As for splits in the wood, you can always fill them with epoxy and a rough sand will blend the epoxy quite nicely. I do it on voids regularly in the very expensive, exotic woods that oftentimes come in very iffy segments (sometimes adding crushed colored stone powders to the epoxy to give it a striking effect) and is a great way to stabilize a piece of reclaimed wood.

[@blacklion79]

Almost everybody use epoxy now to mount handles, even if knife in question is replica of some historical one. What was used before epoxy? What will be historically correct to mount handles?

[@Xyienced]

Jimmy has stated the on-screen branding is to curb the theft. Good work. here

[@treysmith6371]

Someone will probably disagree and someone else probably already said it, but I’m not reading all nine million comments. Famowood will take stain nicely. It comes in several colors to match raw woods then stain correctly. It’s plasticwood and several brands all the same really. Your videos are awesome. I shall subscribe and watch them all. Lol only knife I ever made was out of angle iron and was garbage.

[@stevebuckskinner5482]

Very nice! Remind me of a knife a friend of mine made for me except it has stag handles on it.

[@pensive69]

you spend so much time finding out wtf a specific piece of metal really is and whether it's suitable for your project that you might as well do what the Japanese swordsmith's did and make it from iron ore...( tamahagane ) excellent video as always.

[@Danaile1]

I find knife forging really interesting. I like the fact that you explain which product or method you use, and why. Learning from all of this, thank you very much!

[@xConundrumx]

I think you probably would have been better to stabilize the wood first. It's a fairly common thing to do when you use old reclaimed wood that is a bit worn, crumbly, dry, cracked etc. Often also done on spalted woods and such.

[@darkpassenger01]

My grandfather was the last blacksmith in Camden NJ I find this working with metal very intersting I love welding I love working with metal

[@karm65]

diamond files/hones come in different grits just like sandpaper.you have to use the right grit for the job. the cheep GP knife sharpening ones can have some real nasty chunks that will scratch every thing.

[@jornvdb5747]

nice knive you made there my man, sucks about these thiefs, they anly do it because the can't make these knives themselves, thats just a compliment to you I would say. fantastic camera angles were used aswell making thus vid, keep up the good work😉

[@jonnycrackles8026]

what are those clear things over ur oven knobs in the beginning of the vid? is that something to guard against accidentally bumping or turning on the stove? if so that's a great idea. how and what did u use? I actually had my cat knock over a salt shaker and somehow hit the oven knob and turned it to broil! woke up in the middle of the night with smoke detectors going off and was smoke everywhere.. came very close to burning the house down or asphyxiation

[@paulwiggins183]

I am a few years late to the mark here... but these half-tang knives are far more interesting than the full tang slab sided simpleminded handle heavy method that everybody is making. Tapered tangs are not too bad and some folks are skeletonizing and James Black frame handles are very interesting but the bulk of the stuff that is all over the internet is very tiring.

[@gorisenke]

When it comes to tools, they were normally well kept. Your armor wouldn't be muddy or rusty or tarnished despite what Hollywood says, and swords and knives are the same. You wouldn't want a rusty knife to rely on, you'd want something you can really trust.

[@SamChaneyProductions]

The proportions, angles and curves on this knife are spectacular. It may be simple but it's still strikingly elegant. It really stands apart from most knives made these days. Even the placement of the pins is great.

[@piessevauxmathias3495]

Is there a reason for you using arc welding over other welding ? 2nd question how do you know how much borax you need to put on? (Btw is borax dangerous to use? never worked with that before..)

[@SceneArtisan]

Green Beetle - I like your handy-work, it's nice to see and your work is a pleasure to watch; but, I can't see why your finished-knife presentation videos are so blown out. Why are they so massively over-exposed? :(

[@GreenBeetle]

the auto iso on my camera quit working and at times the nd filter goes in and out unexpectedly. Ive been paying more attention and trying to use ND lenses instead on more recent vids

[@SceneArtisan]

Ahhh, ok, I did wonder. Well, I hope you get it sorted for your future vids because it's nice to see the finished work. :)

[@ImprovisedSurvival]

Liked and subscribed. Excellent video. Can you point me to a book or video that goes into detail about what you did with the baking soda?

[@GreenBeetle]

I don't know of one. Google "baking soda sodium carbonate" I bet something will come up.

[@darkwoodsforge]

Nice vid and a good looking blade. I've never found diamond files to work for fine work. because it doesnt have any clearance along its surface, theres nowhere for grit and grime to go to. hand finishing is just one of the things we all have to grin and grumble about.

[@brettwilson359]

You say Bowie wrong dang it. BOO-E. Like what a ghost says, not an archer. David Bowie is a musician, Jim Bowie was the knife.

[@christianedwards3448]

I like how you make stuff from old, used things. Not, "Now, let's make this knife out of a perfect block of steel" It makes your projects a lot cooler.

[@thomas6244]

I like the way you embed your logo and name, especially the different styles ! Kind of a "Where is waldo"... but for a logo :)

[@mancraft18]

I love your channel the videos are always good quality and you have been a huge inspiration for my hobby and since I wouldn't want someone mooching off me I won't mention my channel or whatever I have planned but honestly keep up the great work and maybe a few more videos a month if at all possible

[@hobbitking6856]

hey man keep doing what you do your video's have gotten me through some tough times I started bladesmithing when I was 13 I'm 18 now but I don't have it in me to forge anymore but your video's give me hope and inspire me to forge again thanks for everything man hope to be as good a Smith as you one day happy forging

[@DudeRobz]

to keep the pin holes from splintering you could try putting a few layers of masking tape or painter's tape over the wood before drilling. When I worked construction sometimes we needed to cut a few inches off of a door so it would fit a shortened frame and we would just put a layer of tape right on the veneer to keep it from splintering and it worked great. We were also cutting with a circular saw so this may or may not work with drilling but it should be easy to test. Great vid as always man keep up the good work

[@worcesterexchange554]

A very nice project, but I do not understand why you started with a wagon wheel? You have lost all the original look of the wheel steel. I am sure you could have used some other scrap steel such as a car leaf spring and sold the wagon wheel on eBay?

[@ciderandthorazine]

a most edifying knifemaking video. with the blunders left in, there's a lot of opportunity for vicarious learning.

[@suburbanknife-maker9194]

I like doing stock removal, but there's always that itch to forge a knife, and that itch screams out to be scratched every time I watch a +Green Beetle vid lol!

[@Original-Phantom]

it sucks that people steal you're vids and that Donald j trump part lol great vid always love seeing you're hope that when I'm older I'll do stuff like this

[@icarus901]

Knew the name Niels Provos only stuff related to honeypots in the computer security world. Turns out that it's the same guy - awesome!

[@scottyboy7462]

thanks for sharing. your shop reminds me of mine. a but messy and your work reminds of mine (though somewhat better than mine). you have taught me allot, and for that i am grateful.

[@benfelland]

That turned out nicely. If you end up making your own pins again you could try putting the stock into a drill and then taking it to the grinder. The drill will spin the stock and as which should allow for an even grind to the pins. Works for making the tip to an ice pick too.

[@lllllsp1d3rlllll]

If u take a very high carbon steel normlize a square of it drill exact diamiter holes of possible Diamiters you will need then harden it. U then can forge down a piece of steel then hammer it through a hole to make the desired pin.

[@pierre5325]

Great knife sir! I watched the whooooole video (and I am glad I did) Blessings, pierre from New Mexico

[@BernieFromTheInternet]

america didnt have "THE knife" that everyone recognized as an American knife until the bowie.

[@xj9779]

looks very good but so much effort to carbonize that steel. Anyway keep on doing, it is very interesting learn something new for my own knife making

[@Jout2989]

Quick question because I'm just getting into smithing, when should I scrape scale/slag?