Knife with no power tools challenge! Forging a knife with zero power tools!

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In my madness I decided to make a knife with no power tools. I wanted to prove that it can be done with very minimal tooling

[@leonnekrotiuk3607]

Dude I’m a 70 year old carpenter, back then you were a carpenter who built sash windows and doors with a miter box that you made yourself and fine fit with a block plane and chisel.when I can make metal sharp by hand that’s a gift, thank you for the inspiration.CHEERS

[@blackfin2389]

I never thought about doing the file-work while the blade is hot, such a simple brilliant method.

[@trollmcclure1884]

well, yea but files lose temper when heated. Maybe if I had a dozen of rusty files from scrapeyard I dont care about like him.

[@NKG416]

@@trollmcclure1884 not that quickly, and you have water right?

[@trollmcclure1884]

@@NKG416 it's good to have this knowledge in the toolbox. I'd do it with a cheap chinese rasp too. It's basically what an angle grinder does - softening metal locally by hi-speed friction and scrapping it. Sidenote: the very hard wheels get smaller too

[@NKG416]

@@trollmcclure1884 i'd use high quality file for that technique, most chinese file i know is case hardened which mean it's not entirely high carbon steel. I use Indian made file, cheap but high quality

[@trollmcclure1884]

@@NKG416 Good tip. India is in the future obviously. I try to boycott China anyway

[@louisaziz1235]

THANK YOU!!! I am so tired and fustrated from seeing the so-called ''blade smiths'' using a temp!ate and cutting the knife from bar stock. That is not a true blade smith, in my humble opinion. Very glad to see someone who appreciates the traditional ways. Power tools are great. They help with the tough and time consuming work (power hammer is okay). But it all is still part of the forging process. Bravo!!!

[@scottydees2748]

Louis Aziz hey mate, look, I'm no pro, but I make blades, and I forge as well as stock remove. Smithing was a dieing art, but thankfully seems to be coming back. But I just wanted to say that I find joy and satisfaction in all manner of blade making. You gotta love what you do. Smith on!

[@kuntakinte6463]

I agree with you. I find the traditional always better than the modern

[@Bistinglolwut]

traditional is always more satisfying thats gor sure

[@billmixson3218]

Working the blade hot is a great idea; glad you shared this. Your videos are great teachers...............

[@forjanatalense]

this is kind of an old video, but im new to youtube knifemakers comunity, and ive made my own forge, so i dont have a lot of tools haha. Thinking of giving this a try, thanks for the inspiration!

[@nicholasroe8660]

I’m just beginning blacksmithing, but I’m on a budget. I feel like I’ve learned a lot from this, thank you!

[@michaelcayer8358]

An absolutely beautiful knife and display of some incredible old-school artisan skills which makes it all look far too easy. You are equally gifted with your teaching and instruction skills. Keep the videos coming.

[@TimothyDobbs]

Hey I'm 13 and want to go out hunting with my bow. Not having a knife for hunting (skinning and gutting) but also not wanting to spend $150-$200 on a knife. Being the smart teenager I am I thought I would build a forge. Also not having any power tools this video really helped. Thanks.

[@shotgunsam23]

Timothy Dobbs hey first off good to see another young hunter. I remember those days. Second you can do it but it does take time,But it is possible. One more thing as a hunter who has tried to gut and skin a deer with a single knife, I will tell you that it’s good to have 2 different types of knife. For gutting any knife with a 3-4” blade with a 5-6” Handel will work well. A skinning knife is smaller and slightly different. My skinning knives have a 2 1/2 inch blade with a 4 inch handle. The blade also doesn’t have a drop point, it has a slight trailing point.

[@TimothyDobbs]

Shotgunsam 23 thanks for the info. It's built and I'v got to test it on pukekos and rabbits and it works like a charm. I have some family members that go hunting frequently. I'd be begging to go out now if it wasn't for covid19.

[@shotgunsam23]

Timothy Dobbs awesome

[@joshuamatthias1781]

@@TimothyDobbs im from germany and i think with the violence going on in ur crazy country you should get some distance from the stess and Panik. KEEP ON GOING 👍

[@TimothyDobbs]

@@joshuamatthias1781 not my country mate I'm from NZ

[@jusme8060]

It's really nice watching someone hand forge a knife, who wants to watch a 20 ton press do all the work?

[@christiancoats1]

Excellent video. I love old school methods of doing things. Great, no-nonsense commentary as well. Thanks.

[@markmcmeen287]

Excellent video ! That "million dollar idea" could have lots of applications. Thanks!

[@WJBlades]

Great job! I'm also a hobbyists bladesmith but, I'm too old with too many things going on to invest that much time into a smithing project. I've watched a few of your videos now, you do a way better job at explaining things than I do in my videos. Congrats on a great job without using electronic tools. 👍

[@peterraab3411]

Definitely a million dollar idea

[@captassassin5680]

I’ve been watching bladesmith videos on KZbin for a long time. But I really like yours because of the interaction. Most channels just have a pair of arms or a headless smith going through the motions beginning to end. Consider me Subbed!

[@throwingleather9373]

I appreciate how you explain what you’re doing and also the reasoning behind what and why you’re doing it

[@chantzfreiheit4874]

A million dollar idea! I love this guy.

[@mjoe877]

One of my favorite videos! Thanks for sharing!

[@dinonoce]

Nice work, and I appreciate how you explain everything as you go.

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

That was bad ASS! A sweet knife and no screaming power tools. Love it! Now the sheath...

[@benfox9382]

Fantastic project. Came out brilliantly!

[@jasonchappell8514]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I am in the process of setting my stuff up and you have just educated me about necessity and hard work. Thank you again sir.

[@NeilGraham.I.M.F]

Watchin this video 4 the 3rd time. Its great! And so informative for those of us who don't have a lot of experience and lack big or significant power tools. Same goes 4 the people that do have power tools. Just great work!!!! And the way 2 come across with ur information is the best

[@royhuckaby5012]

Very nice procedure! To me it is a delight to see manual crafting and ingenuity! Well done!

[@nathandunning7150]

Awesome thanks mate. This is how I do all my knives accept I use a cordless drill for the holes. I never thought to Hot Rasp the Bevels so thanks for that. You are now my favorite KZbin BladeSmith/Blacksmith by far.

[@user-ie6ye5ls6y]

Id buy it in a heartbeat. Nice work

[@TheSauxer]

My respects to you. You seem to be very humble, and I like that.

[@vern4804]

i just purchased a hammer from you yesterday. i didnt put it together that ive been watching your videos for the past couple years until i noticed the "old hickory forge" on my receipt. keep up the quality products and videos!

[@jukeboxhero1649]

Man, that's the style of knives I make. You did the right thing! That's beautiful and raw and 100%useful. You're the top knife maker in my estimation since you built that beauty with hand tools

[@mixmage]

Thank you so much for this video, I’ve got my forge set up in an old coach house with no electricity. I have a treadle powered forge and grinding wheel, everything else is hand tools. I’m about to make my first oil quench knife from 1095, so this video is perfect. I’m taking notes! I’ll link you to my video once it’s made. Keep up the excellent work.

[@marioalf1842]

This channel is great! Cheers from Brazil

[@Agentdph77]

Love it! Great job, and thanks for the video!

[@thethirstymason9684]

That was epic. You make it look easy mate. I once hand beveled an edge with a file and it took me 4 hours of my life. So huge respect

[@dav1099]

Great job, and clear instructions to boot. I'm impressed with your ability to sharpen to that degree with stones, I'm 64 and still cant get it done, grrrr. thanks for posting

[@NeilGraham.I.M.F]

Love the video. As some1 whos only three months in to bladesmithing, I find your video very educational. As i have no powers tools. Sometime learnin the hard way isnt alway best. The experience that comes from it is. But watching ur videos like this helps leaps n bounds! Thanks

[@antiantifaterrier5761]

So I usually make stone or obsidian blades and points. Last year I decided to start working steel. I was given a semi truck rim and some other scrap from work I was going to use for a coal forge but decided I want propane because it’s cleaner. My first knife was done all by hand. I put about 8 hrs into it until I noticed I can’t harden it. I used a lawnmower blade from an industrial mower we use at the golf coarse and apparently it’s too mild🤦‍♂️ Great work btw, you got 11 dislikes from people who can’t work without electricity 😂

[@333111444333111444]

Nice youtube name .....that is all carry on sir

[@FBPrepping]

Just try to find some steel you know which kind is it (1095 like the material this knife was made of), and look for some literature: there are books and starter manuals that will guide you to know how much hardness you can get from some given material. They will teach you to even know the approximate temperature just by watching how red the material is once out the forge, for an optimum quenching. Trust me. I´m a metallurgist :). Try looking time-temperature-transformation diagrams.

[@TheWoodsmanMilling]

Leaf springs work really well

[@joshuatichota5046]

Awesome job, I wish my dad had taught me how to sharpen knives when he was alive but after inheriting his leather tools I saw that he never sharpened his knives, he had some nice pocket knives that were his dad's and that dated back to at least WW2.

[@12FASTPRO]

GOOD VIDEO, GOOD KNIFE .........10++

[@jdhenry6300]

That was some great work. The knives I make are mostly done by hand, with very minimal power tools. I use a cheap harbor freight belt sander , and a 30 or 40 year old small craftsman drill press that works part time. Really nice seeing someone working with hammer and files instead of all the fancy stuff a lot of us don’t have.

[@yashinbrothersknifeandstee760]

Great work man i am a knife smith from australia you have given me more faith with my setup i have great job again bro

[@maxmcswain1]

This is a great idea! I watched all the 6 hour videos. I think the term forge thick grind thin trains Smith's not to seek more education. To be able to finish forge. Looks beautiful!

[@dlbknives4869]

You did a hell of a job...so much that you got another subscriber.

[@rbduffer3263]

I work in a traditional blacksmith shop at Museum Village in Harriman NY. The only modern thing in the shop is electric lights, everything else is as it would have been around 1850. I have made a few knives ( what blacksmith hasn't) using the techniques your video demonstrated. Thanks for the excellent video. It confirms most of the technique I use and a few that I never thought of. I especially like the "blacksmith finish" on the upper part of the blade. One minor point, you didn't mention how slow the post drill cuts a hole. I guess they had plenty of time in the good old days.

[@jerrieyum]

I like this knife a lot. I like the look of it and how you hand forged it. 1095 can be brittle so you really are a fantastic craftsman. 👍🏾👏🏾

[@boriszegarra7382]

Cool and excelent job!....with no power tools,,, saludos estimado buen trabajo,, gracias por compartir ..Have a nice days,,,cheers from Lima... thanks....

[@ankabut92]

Very educational, mate. Really enjoyed it, thanks for the video!

[@eriktegnanderandresen7393]

This is the best channel on youtube

[@user-eduardtrushnikov]

Здоровья вам крепкого.

[@droidmaniac2]

Brilliant! Thoroughly enjoying your channel sir!

[@courtneesdad]

I really enjoyed this video. Thanks

[@rrketc2]

Thanks for the excellent tutorial Bro. I learned some valuable pointers on knife making. Will begin making my 3rd tomorrow; using your advice. Keep on forging.

[@popsforgeblacksmithing4793]

This video got you my sub. A beautiful knife and a great video with lots of useful info for experienced and new bladesmiths

[@davidgreen8473]

Bro you are one amazing knife smith love your videos. I’m new to the craft and you are a true inspiration. Thank you

[@AngelofDeath1985]

Great video bro! I love how it didn't take forever to watch and I learned a lot! Keep it up!

[@ethansamaon2491]

You have talent.. I am 15 and just started forging and hope someday to forge as good as you.. Keap up the good work

[@firefightin6]

First time to this channel! I’m hooked. Dude you made that look easy. Very nice work!

[@ThePointstheif88]

Wow I learnt a lot in this video. You got yourself a new subscriber.

[@weston8478]

very nice knife, awesome challenge to see no power tools used

[@roofertilldeath2071]

MAN THAT IS A SWEEEEEEEET BOWIE GOOD JOB!

[@josiahghiatis6577]

Now this is a true blade smith

[@joaquinpoppi3397]

you are awesome! greetings from Argentina!

[@martkbanjoboy8853]

You've insired me. I'm going to make something like a seabee knife.

[@wanderingcalamity360]

That hot draw file trick is pretty awesome.

[@davidmorgan7586]

dude thanks for showing people how to temper a knife blade the right way when you put the blade in the leg vise as a heat sink then with the torch to start tempering turning the top half of the blade blue this is the proper way most all other guys making blades on utub dont do it right and in most cases i will let people know they are wrong thanks again D L MORGAN Little Patuxent forge

[@politianospolitis862]

outstanding work!

[@chrisgilbert3305]

Loving the content

[@JGV_IX]

Brilliant!

[@LuxXbrumalis]

very good instructional video. good job

[@bernardblack6997]

dude thats a well wicked knife! very nicely done ;)

[@darluthier]

Just a little tip: If you get your vice fixed good and solid to the ground - concrete screed base would be best - then it'll make this kind of work so much easier for you... Keep up the good work!

[@chasingthetrail9375]

Looks great man! Still can’t believe how fast your channel is growing. Been working on a restore myself need to find a good checkering file so I can add some grip to the spine

[@HickokForge]

I tried this once making a punch knife for a cop friend of mine. I was using reclaimed steel and forgot to double check that it could actually be hardened, I just assumed it could since I made it from an industrial hook and all the others I've use could. Days spent forging and filing were all for naught as it was too low of carbon. Make sure you know the steel you're working with can be hardened before putting in all that elbow grease. I may give it a go again when I get home from the current trip I'm on for work.

[@johnupchurch7685]

Very nice job!

[@neilyakuza6595]

Great Knife!

[@takaw.d8486]

Dude youre amazing

[@hunterwhite-eagle7800]

Really great video, the knife turned out really nice.

[@husafel]

Well Done!

[@jameswalker6810]

Great video man. I have maid knives using a belt sander and an angle grinder, but that is my only tools. The fact that you can do that is crazy! I wish I was as skilled and talented as you are( only 2 months in though). Maybe a couple more years

[@saiyidramdhani2379]

good work keep it up ..thanx for the videos

[@elijahmcgeorge5198]

Amazing man I watched u on forged in fire the other day

[@haanspetruschke4873]

Cool and great job. I forge to near net shape including the taper and primary bevel using O1. It takes a lot of time and fine hammer work. The idea is to get the primary bevel very close to heat treat thickness and just even it up with filing. One thing I learned is to hardy cut the taper opposite and then hammer it to get the curve and point the way you want. This results in the grain following the edge. You will also find that when you do this the shape looks very similar to the classic Bowie knife with bevels on the slightly curved non edge side. I think that feature was likely a sign of quality that has been lost. I wonder why you did not just punch and drift the hole in the guard from the get go? But I think you learned that lesson. Every time you make something or watch someone else make something you always learn. Thanks for so much sharing this.

[@jameshughes9067]

I love your videos good luck on your next one

[@aucourant9998]

That was great.

[@waywardson8360]

You put a really good swoop to the point on that blade edge. That's a good shape for damn near any task.

[@anthonyfeatherstone7696]

Really good work

[@georgevanhoose6333]

Excellent work! You get a new sub!

[@johnnernpra4156]

Nice work.

[@mauricioroberto1376]

Parabéns seu trabalho é muito bom, essa faca é uma obra de arte gostei muito do vídeo.

[@Yoshi_537]

Awesome video

[@jordanforgedironworks6123]

I know I'm three years late but I've got to try this.

[@stevethomas7463]

The challenge made him more efficient. 🤣👍

[@jeffmiller2136]

Thank you 4 ur video

[@TheScramble8]

Great content, and charisma. New sub

[@krknfmkr8919]

I would think squirrel tail tang fits any knife since all us smiths are crazy. I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it

[@TheShaanalam]

nice work so impresssive

[@castledomeknives9395]

Great video

[@tomjoy6829]

Verre Cool !

[@ahmelmahay]

well done sir great video and a great knife

[@hillbillynick2000]

Good job Brother! I wish I could play ( although it would be sort of cheating for me. I typically use a minimum of power tools, have 'em, don't like 'em.) Unfortunately my shop is full of construction supplies, in the middle of renovations. Wish I had a post drill though! Good luck to everyone who can play!

[@krknfmkr8919]

Nick Spittler my grandfather's old (abandoned) blacksmith shop had a post drill in it. Someone cut the post above and below it with a chainsaw and stole it. My dad got the remaining tools and the anvil before they were stolen. Which is the anvil I use now

[@hillbillynick2000]

K R Knfmkr people suck! Sorry to hear about the thievery but glad you have the rest. I have some of my Grandfather's tools and I treasure them. Nothing like using tools passed down from previous generations.

[@robertcarmody194]

When you consider the quality of work turned out by the smiths of old, even before any kind of mechanization, it can be done. But it’s very labor intensive.

[@msblades5382]

Great job John . I accept the challenge just got to get some fuel first let you know when I'm done.. Martin