Side Weld Technique: Forging a Side Axe

Thank you for watching! Thank you to Füm for sponsoring todays video, go to TryFum.com/NILSOGREN or scan the QR code and use code NILSOGREN to get your free FÜM Base when you order your Journey Pack today!' THE WINNER IS: @dolfinnian GIVEAWAY INFO! The giveaway will end July 15th and the winner will be announced in THIS comment. If you re the winner and you don't reach out to me in seven days, I will pick another winner. Subscribe to my channel and leave a comment to enter the giveaway. Please check back July 15th to see if you are the winner, you have no idea how many people have won before but have not bothered to check. Important! Be wary of scammers, I have caught a few of them impersonating me, trying to trick people inte to contacting them. Always check back to this comment to see if the winner has been announced. Another thing to look carefully at is the name tag of the person writing. mine is "@nilsogren" , they usually have weird tags promting people to reach out via telegram or so. DONT engage with them. Thank you for watching! /Nils

[@alexsnow3319]

Replying to the pinned comment as well, so that if I win, I will be notified when someone else replies to this comment. I get emails too.

[@davecoleman6855]

Beautiful ax and well done solving the issues along the way.

[@antonjohnson237]

Thanks for the excellent content it's enjoyable.

[@Erika-bu1nl]

Absolutely wonderful axe. Who ever wins will be a luck person.

[@l00kns33]

I was here!

[@JH-lo9ut]

You could try steaming the handle before bending it. Some woods respond better to the technique, and I haven't tried to steam bend hickory, but some other hardwoods like oak and ash responds really well to it. You want to seal the wood in a container like a pipe plugged with rags in both ends, or just roll it up in some plastic sheath that can take the heat. Boil water in an old tea pot with a hose attached to the spout, and lead it into the container. The more insulated you can get the setup, the better it works. A rule of thumb is to steam the wood one hour per inch thickness of the raw material. Harder woods takes a little more time. If you cook it for too long, the wood gets sloppy like over-cooked pasta. You want some resistance left in it while you bend it. When the wood is cooked, quickly remove it from it's package (wear gloves, the steam is really hot!) Press it into a fixture or clamp it in place and let it cool off. You can bend it 5-10% more than your desired bend, because it will spring back somewhat. Act swiftly and deliberatly, but not so fast that you unintentionally break the wood. Listen for cracking noises. Once the wood hs cooled to ambient temperature, you can remove it from it's fixture, pressing it for longer will not do much difference. Steam bending takes a bit of practice before you find the right combination of time and pressure for the wood you use, but it is easier than it looks.

[@morgan-ym2wn]

The side axe is a fascinating tool that specialising in producing a flat surface on when hewing wood into planks. As always, love your videos Nils

[@BlueLeon2287]

Interesting thanks

[@MyBlueZed]

Always wonderful to watch you create something different and demonstrate various techniques. I’d never heard of a side axe before.

[@davidjuarez5263]

It's cool when Nils talks in front of his "Axe Wall." Seeing all those different axes, you can really see all the time and practice that's gotten him where he is. I've been introduced to so many different axes by this channel. I've forged a lot of stuff, still haven't done an axe.

[@dennisyoung4631]

Nor have I - and the last instance of what little forging I’ve done - a foundry “trowel” - was over 25 years ago. Yet I’m “plotting” to make a few special bent paring chisels. Now, a question: I wonder if one can take, say, 1045 or similar steel, bend it over around that “eye” mandrel, and then forge-weld some better steel (e.g. 1080) in the space between???

[@moonshinerphd9523]

Thank you Nils, and I'm glad to see you son is doing great! God bless you and your family.

[@TalRohan]

I like very much that you did your wedges the right way Side axes are an unusual one they go against your need to make axes in particular symetrical, I had to spend time thinking swinging chisel before the oddities of side axes made more sense Very nice work Nils Thankyou for sharing

[@michaelcrumlett187]

The workmanship is beautiful!

[@nhbretro]

Every time I watch you make an axe it makes me want to get into blacksmithing. This side welding technique was fascinating to watch.

[@killergames391]

I recommend it. Look into getting a hammer and steel anvil, you can get both for a reasonable price at harbor freight, then getting a small forge and you can start. Id recommend starting with simple projects like a hook and a leaf to get eh basics forging techniques down. Then start making more of your tools like punches, drifts, fullers, and even a few hardy tools.

[@james_brooke]

Do it! Nils was one of the first KZbinrs I came across when getting into blacksmithing! I still haven’t made an axe yet, I mainly make knives and hammers.

[@LoganBiren]

I origionally got into blacksmithing in order to make my own woodworking tools. That was 7 years ago now. Needless to say I got sidetracked and fell into ornamental ironwork and items able to be sold at craft fairs. But now I am entering back into traditional hand tool woodworking and carving with the hopes of one day making my own shop from Timbers I hewed myself. It would be amazing if I could put that axe to work to make that shop

[@MajorArea]

There are so many different types of axes that people have made for different jobs. It's very interesting to learn about them all.

[@Wermun.]

Just found out your channel because of your viking axe video, and I'm completely hooked. Watching an expert at his craft work is simply hypnotizing. Keep the videos coming!

[@SaintGalganoArmory]

Nils! You are such an amazing smith, and a true inspiration! Love your videos!

[@HighDesertForgeIronworks]

A Side Axe, I've seen those called a Hewing Axe. They're used for hewing round logs into flat dimensional lumber, like 4"x4"s, 4"x6" and such. I like that, Thanks @Nils Ögren for showing us how it's done.

[@mannihh5274]

Nice to see someone holding craftsmanship upright - well done. For the handle: a) for a permanent bend you have to steam the wood first, then you can bend it in almost any shape wanted b) I've seen side axes with a double bend in the handle, acting like an offset, with the handle parallel to the cutting edge - I think, they did it, because it helps with the precision. One time the maker went into the woods and looked for a piece, that was already crooked in the right way to carve down and make a handle of it without the need to bend it.

[@charlie1109]

Always a pleasure when you upload, beautiful work as always!

[@amputatedsquid1228]

I love it when a new axe video shows up on my home page

[@Amalya.Blayke]

Your work is exceptional, I’m never disappointed when watching your videos.

[@TheFarrier]

True craftsman 🔨 🪓

[@avago2day]

That looked super difficult to do Nils but the end result is gorgeous. Jane ❤

[@johnnehj8902]

Always good to see people sporting the hand files. It's just so much more intimate when you're shaping metal

[@bjorncarlsson6295]

As always it’s fulfilling to see the artisan axesmith working his magic! Thanks for another jouney into the magic world of the smithy. No wonder people of olden times saw the smith as a kind of sorcerer😉.

[@AndreasJohanns]

Very educational. Thanks for taking us on your crafting journey, Nils. You will keep this skill alive!

[@TheFoleyForge]

Thank you Nils, and I'm glad to see you son is doing great! God bless you and your family.

[@superian2001]

I absolutely love your channel and every one of your projects! Keep up the great work!

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Very nice job on the axe, enjoyed.

[@dwbunloaf8245]

I used to watch a lot of black smithing channels on KZbin but these days I’ve settled on only a few. Yours is obviously one of them. Your craftsmanship is excellent. Thank you for taking your time to share your skill with us.

[@xXEliteTNCXx]

Thanks Nils, I'm always happy when you upload

[@xXEliteTNCXx]

@NilsOgren4 my god these were a happy and suspenseful 30 seconds. I would have loved to win - you ain't Nils you silly little poopoo head 💩

[@nik8021]

Your videos are really encouraging me to pursue blacksmithing. Thank you!

[@Joe___R]

The next time you make a side axe, it is best to twist the eye. It keeps your hands out of the way while using a straight handle. I believe it was more common than the bent handle style. But unless you are hewing a particularly large log or a log wall, you don't have to worry about your hands anyway.

[@johnmutton799]

Nicely done sir. Now i know where to get great axes! To bend handles steam in length of drain pipe! Great video!

[@jamesstoffel6835]

As someone else said, never heard of a side axe; had to look it up for its use. Thank you for posting this vid!

[@lesachuck]

I have just found your channel. I am so looking forward to looking at all the axes that you have made. It is remarkable how difficult it is for you to make them and how interesting you make it look, thank you so very much.

[@justinhannan3809]

Cool, glad to see you push yourself with a material that you've failed with in the past. We grow only by pushing ourselves beyond our failures.

[@thesjyoungjr]

Very interesting watching your build. It's kind of like visiting a friend for a little bit just hanging out in their shop. Thank you for bringing us in. 😊

[@speckymode1964]

Beautiful work as always!!!

[@ematt622]

Absolutely beautiful work!

[@bernardflood8289]

Greetings from Ireland. That's a very unusual type of axe. Thank you for the chance to enter to win it.

[@JoshBleasby]

Amazing Nils! So nice to see that side axes are still being made and aren't just a forgotten tool!

[@oilburner8548]

Awesome to watch thanks for your efforts making these films. I often show my sons how to use basic hand tools as I fear many parents don't even know themselves these days so nice one for that .

[@art1muz13]

Replying to the pinned comment as well, so that when I win, I will be notified when someone else replies to this comment.

[@wallyschmidt77]

Beautiful work. I love the contrast between the forged surface and the polished edge.

[@stenioanibal]

Dreaming to have one piece made by you. One of the most beautiful works I've seen!

[@metalhammerish]

Nice axe, I like the contrast between the forging and the polished edge

[@tgooding99]

Wow! You made that look easy. And I love the backstop in the hardy hole!

[@DumitruUrsu]

beautiful! I've managed my first forge weld this year, on a gas forge, after attempting for 5 years. I've seen people managing to forge weld even without flux, and I can't explain that. still trying to forge weld on a traditional charcoal forge 🙂

[@DumitruUrsu]

@nilsgren6 Nice try, but you gotta do better

[@thomaskelly5457]

Awesome stuff thanks for posting Nils, haven’t watched a side weld before so this will be a fun one to try.

[@DeanDibling-rl2wm]

Excellent work, as always, Nils! Your videos are a huge source of inspiration for me in my blacksmithing journey! Thanks for all you do!

[@carlrear2566]

Excellent..... Always a pleasure to see you work. My first axe ended up a side axe but it wasn't planned!

[@AkpoHukc]

Hello Nina, your work as a blacksmith is very impressive, few people are interested in this now, unfortunately, I wish you success!

[@tommeboy3334]

Very nice! If you ever do another handle soak the handle in water up to where you want it to bend for a couple days. Then set it up to bend and leave it to dry under pressure. You can use heated water to speed it up also

[@stephenjohnson6841]

Another awesome project/axe! I really love how you are always trying new techniques . I always thoroughly enjoy your videos! Thanks again!

[@timothycrooker9065]

Badass work. These are the videos I look for as my teachers for my own projects.

[@luisb-f8075]

Nice video! I just discovered your channel and now I can't stop watching your videos and wanting to start blacksmithing myself hahah. Keep up with the good content!

[@whoisathome]

Hi Nils. As always, seeing a true crafts person at work gives me a warm feeling inside. Keep up the good work and please continue to post videos of the marvelous items that you create. Peter Bengtsson master luthier

[@RI-fp7bw]

Once again, you have done a breathtaking masterful job, I respect your profession and mastery.

[@eidontkehr4081]

its great to see the different techniques to forge an axe.

[@Ariovistvs]

It looks crazy sharp with that polished bevel :D I didn't expect the bending process to work without heat or moisture, was quite surprised!

[@markmercer-gu9wi]

Nils, thank you for another great project and the historical information that goes with it. I love seeing your son, and I also love the pictures of you in the background back in your bodybuilding days before you changed professions.

[@holderheck]

Little trick i picked up as a farrier if you keep a spray bottle near you with water and a drop of soap in it and spray down your cold surfaces, Hammer and anvil. It will make microscopic steam explosions that blow the scale off and away this keeps the surface a little cleaner and makes clean up post forging a little less time consuming.

[@Jade7073]

Very cool, so nicely done. Not sure if you thought about this, but you can often bend wood a little more or more precisely by wetting or steaming it before you try to put it in a bending jig. You might could get a super precise offset this way, just a thought.

[@paraicmcalister4220]

Beautiful side axe love all your different methods in all your videos

[@heatherl931]

We enjoy watching you and find it interesting how you make it look so easy to make an axe when in fact it takes a lot of skill!

[@77MetalMessiah77]

Always enjoy watching you work and you've been a big part of why I am getting into blacksmithing! Ive only just begun, but I have learned a ton from watching you! Thanks!

[@stantilton2191]

It's a beautiful piece. I thank you for sharing with us your process.

[@paullambert4445]

Nils, thanks for your wonderful artistry with steel and excellent craftsmanship as a videographer. There is great magic in fire and steel brought together with a hammer and some skill. 🎸🔪

[@HokeForge]

Congrats on getting sponsored! And great work as always. Love your work and videos. Thanks for sharing the challenges as well as the successes!

[@joseignacioalcantara]

What a great start to my morning. Thank you Nils

[@justiniancaeser5973]

This was a very interesting project. I’m glad it turned out well!

[@Nick-Lab]

Sick build, I love how he kn constantly pushing himself to develop new skills. I would love to win that axe. Good luck to everyone!

[@jonhayes153]

Nils, been watching you for a few years now. I really enjoy your videos. Need to get me one of your axes someday!

[@liam_culb]

Amazing process video Nils- I feel like my axe making is getting better as I watch these videos of yours. Please keep making these, they are inspiring

[@willhelm3058]

Another beautiful axe my friend! I am excited to see your attempts on more kinds of axes.

[@CacaGluant]

Beautiful axe, Nils! Thank you for sharing!

[@larryduttry9400]

A great way to get the bend into the handle quicker is the same as straightening one.. heat the handle with a heat gun and it will be much easier to bend! Excellent video as always!

[@Leo_Januario1706]

The brute forge in this axe made it crazy

[@BrynPrice]

What an interesting project. Never heard of a side axe before, but excited to see the result

[@robinschlyter309]

Lycka till med att ge upp snuset! Höll upp i fyra år innan jag föll tillbaka men en dag så ska jag lämna det bakom mig! Himla fin liten bila. Försöker motivera mig till att jag behöver skaffa en och inte bara villhöver en till mina projekt.

[@iantaylor9840]

Beautiful craftsmanship and by the look of it somewhat a labour of love. Thanks for the great content, this is my first encounter with your channel. All the best, Ian

[@jamestucker7561]

Tuckfinn here in sunny Florida, I am an avid outdoorsman and have decided to include forging as a new hobby. Your video is perfectly narrated for even the beginner and I appreciate the detail. I’ve started my venture with fabricating a break drum forge but have decided to go with the duel burner gas Forge. I have started gearing up and I’m trying to get everything in place to start foraging when the weather cools off it is super hot here forging in Florida is definitely a winter time Hobby thanks for all of your help, Tucker’s out.

[@robertwhatley9861]

I like the technique. I hobby forge and was thinking of trying to side weld some metals I have. So awsome to see it actually done !

[@saschaehemoser2517]

From watching your Videos i have learned now a couple interesting forging styles which i totaly didnt know exist before. Beautiful work as always Sir. God bless you ❤️ 🙏🏼

[@c_mac_o_fficial]

If you have a handle bend you'd like to get rid of, try soaking the bend overnight and then jig it up like you did as it dries. It should straighten out no problem. Love all your videos Nils!

[@LewisAngelForge]

Cool axe. I don't think i have seen that style of axe before. Nice job Nils.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

despite hammering being a forceful and violent activity, this is strangely soothing to watch.

[@marcleblanc1994]

Always so wonderful watching you make an axe!

[@kenm5770]

Your axes are always wonderful creations.

[@latro_8078]

That's a great looking side axe. You always do such clean work. Recently I picked up an unusual old folded axe where the high carbon bit extends up into a sort of short billhook, with its edge facing inwards, opposite to the outward facing main axe edge. Anyone familiar with such an axe shape? It seems a bit awkward. I hadn't seen one like it before, so I couldn't pass it up. It just wants a bit of restoration/clean up work to get back into good working order.

[@NorseOpus]

Always happy to see more of your stuff! Wanna make an axe so bad!

[@StrayWolfForge]

Thanks for another great video. It was very interesting seeing an uncommon axe forged.

[@dolfinnian]

Amazing work!

Hey! You won the axe. Double check the pinned comment, and then send me an email at [e-mail]

[@james_brooke]

Congratulations mate! If you haven’t got in contact with Nils you’d better be quick or he redraws it!

[@dolfinnian]

Amazing!!! Love your content and really appreciate what you do.

[@ralfbear]

I really enjoy your videos and your creations. Thank you for showing us your work. 👍🏻🙏🏻

[@james_brooke]

Another beautiful axe mate! I was really hoping you would do a video of it in action at the end!

[@JamesFudge-on5rb]

It is amazing the way you can craft an axe, truly an art.

[@nealthesmith]

A lovely axe, Nils. I made a side axe for hewing a couple of years ago and have hit my knuckles loads of times. It never occurred to me to bend the handle! If I don’t win yours, I’ll have to rehang mine (but yours is nicer).

[@danlentini5045]

Wonderful craftsmanship! Keep it up

[@DanielHenry-kn8nk]

Beautiful axe Nils. Your work is inspiring as always.

[@ping170]

Nice one, all the more for a first one ! The winner would nonetheless better be left-handed 😉 For what it's worth : I made one during a course and the eye is actually off axis of the edge, avoiding to bend the handle 🔨

[@ChiFouMiRider]

Another great axe you've done, love the way you are forging and forge welding all by hand. Really impressive

[@ondrejpatek4825]

Awesome video, It is so relaxing to watch you work. I can't wait to see the next one.