Blacksmithing - Forging a Norweigian Hewing Axe

Forging a Norweigian Hewing axe.
This is my first attempt at forging one of these giant axes. I recently bought a book from Norway that shows how they were made and what methods were commonly used.
All in all I am very pleased with the end result.
Norway is near and dear to me. Great great grandfather came to Sweden from Norway and bought the farm where I grew up over 100 years ago. Now the same farm will be the home for me and my family in the future.
Hope you enjoyed the video!
/Nils
Find me on instagram:
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My Website:
www.nilsogren....
#Norweigian #Blacksmith #axe

[@torbjornahman]

Some day I will make one! It looks so nice, and I bet it will cut wood like butter with all that weight behind it!

[@joshschneider9766]

Hey fellas, can I request a Damascus collab between you two? Huge fan of both your chans. Would piece to see what you an jointly come up with.

[@javanbybee4822]

@@joshschneider9766 Why Damascus?

[@HrLBolle]

@@javanbybee4822 yeah crucible steel

[@sandman5521]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@GrowingLittleCountryhomestead]

Yah!! you know you’ve made it in life when the thunder bear comments on your channel.

[@johnmutton799]

I have been looking for one like this for years. That is a magnificent looking axe. Well done sir!

[@yukonc4]

Dude! We've missed you! Glad you're back! Hope you and yours are safe and well. Another great video!

Thanks!

[@outbackladas]

You’ve created a really great axe, thoroughly enjoyed watching the whole process. The new power hammer is working a treat, I’m sure it’ll be saving you a lot of hard work by hand. Regards from Down Under.

Thank you very much! The hammer is very enjoyable to use!

[@mikeschrotenboer6089]

Beautiful...!

[@dj_koen1265]

These kind of videos are very relaxing and satisfying to watch

[@Thetracker69]

I love the little notes that pop in saying what you're doing. Helps explain the process and make it so its not just "some dude hits metal with a hammer for 15 minutes". I hope doing that kind of editing isn't too difficult or stressful to include. I just wish I had some more space to set up a forge. A cramped little shed full of stuff we don't know what to do with does not make for a good workspace, let alone a workspace involving fire.

Thanks for the feedback!

[@CrazyCat229]

Great looking axe. Was fun seeing your process.

[@TheCerberusInferno]

A great work , thats what we call experience !

[@derekwagner157]

Beautifully crafted! A+

[@Jetmech01]

You are so talented, that is a work of art! Beautiful!

[@marksmallman4572]

Nils, thats beautiful.

[@MountainDreamLand]

Most excellent !

[@robwaynemiddle]

Love the video, love the Iron Maiden flag in the background. Up the Irons

[@joelpacheco7360]

You make this look fun :)

It is fun+

[@johnjude2685]

Always beautiful axes and extra beautiful handle and the wood gains made it look centered with the grain everything great. Thanks I'm going towards 4th year and only a happy hobbyists that hasn't master the forge welds but came close until I found hairline cracking perhaps I'm judging to hard.Rebuiing my ribbon burner so double room and longer hopefully holding more heat might help. Thanks for inspiring 🙏

[@SixFive8]

Torches blazed and sacred chants were praised As they start to cry, hands held to the sky In the night, the fires are burning bright The ritual has begun, Satan's work is done Awesome work, Nils. How's your weather there?

[@hannemannironworks1651]

Looks amazing Nils!

[@Santinificatyon]

Awessome job man!

[@stevenlisk2468]

The hand finish the mammer finished look is great for me much better than polished grind Great work 👏

[@rhysmakes]

Marvelous! I'm just getting started in all this. These videos really help.

Many thanks!

[@nicholaseedy3244]

The weld though...beautiful

[@ScrewsAndTools]

Great work! Someday I'll have my own blacksmith shop and I'll be free of my neighbors! I will forge day and night. Thanks' for sharing.

I hope you mean "free of my neighbors" in a peacefull way. If thats the case, good luck and enjoy every minute of it, especially in the beginnning!

[@ScrewsAndTools]

@ Yes, of course, peaceful. I can't have a blacksmith shop because the neighbors are already unhappy with my noise of restorations. Good luck to you!

[@butthedd0233]

HIGHLY COOL!!!

[@SamTownsBladesmith]

Nice work mate, definitely on my bucket list to make a hewing axe.

Thanks! Its quite the experience!

[@JariIsoniemi]

Jätte bra.

[@mrvictor5404]

Великолепная работа !

[@Ryan-fc5lu]

You're the master of forge welding. I would love to see you forge a Francisca pattern.

Thank you very much!

[@claudiunaita5845]

Very nice job👏

Thank you!

[@petervendegh3300]

Nagyon ügyes vagy👍❇

[@시골총각-n4l]

이런도끼가 있어야 캠핑갈 맛나는데...!!!

[@alkinkade]

Not a Smith, but Wowsa... Great Job, Thnxxx for Sharing

[@ares7310]

I see that you got some new tools, cool :D

Yes!

[@glenhoward7858]

just wondering why you dont use a striking plate when cutting pieces off your work on top of anvil

[@killerkane1957]

Excellent. Brother Torbjörn likes it too. Lots of ways to skin a cat. I would have forged it in one piece but I totally understand why you chose to skin this cat in that manner. In the end? The cat skin looks great!

Yeah this way is from a norweigian book on traditional forging. So one could say that its quite historicaly accurate. But as you say there are more than one way to skin a cat. Usually they used to tale old axes and then cut of the blade and theb weld on a big blade . Quite interesting, thanks for watching!

[@killerkane1957]

@ outstanding history! I am a older Texas rancher. I have history, but it’s at places like the Alamo or San Jacinto. Knowing the history, I see you chose the best means to skin this cat! Large welds can be tricky. Excellent work!

[@CreativeDailyWorks]

Good job bro..

Thank you!

[@MrKago1]

I'm curious how blacksmiths back in the iron age made the eyelet. just a ton more pounding with a chisel? or did they have rudimentary presses, maybe made with stone weights? kinda doubt it, but then again Galen had a recipe for what appears to be surgical steel.

They usually folded the eyes.

[@dennisa6132]

Fin yxa! Det var lite annorlunda form av vällning det där vid 5:50 Vad är det för bok? Skulle va intresserad av ett eget exemplar

Den heter "kunsten att smi" norsk smides bok!

[@Kyurnmakes]

Wooo video production is amazing! Did you start using a new rendering software? Love that animated title scene. Maybe I just haven't noticed before... lol

I started using a new software! I had this really old version of sony vegas before and I finally switched over to DaVinci Resolve. Its free and very enjoyable to use!

[@KageStelhman]

@ That and Resolve is a bit faster than a couple of other video rendering Programs as it doesn't utilize Ram Caching (what I equate to a Huge Memory Leak)... which runs a lot smoother on computers that have less than 16gb of ram.

[@Aranwulfr]

Great video man, also the format is so very nice! btw, is that the forge press you built?

Thanks! Yes thats the one i nuilt last year

[@kjgas6945]

👍👍🤠🤠

[@javanbybee4822]

You should forge a norweigan felling axe, a Wira pattern or a Varmland pattern axe.

That is a really good idea, thank you!

[@ЕвгенийКосогов-у9я]

Автор родился с молотом в руке. Спасибо за интересное видео. Подписался.

[@southronjr1570]

Beautiful work, curious why you didn't make the body out of one piece

I did it as they would have made it back in the days. This is a Norweigian techniqur of making axes

[@southronjr1570]

@ Now it makes since to me, thnxs for the answer.

[@mossyhollow3732]

Why don't you use a cutting plate?

2 reasons. I havent made one yet for the new anvil. The chisel is quite soft, and the anvil is very hard.

[@mossyhollow3732]

@ Just curious. The ax is fantastic.

Thank you!

[@joshschneider9766]

Wonderful as always Nils. Can we get the title of that book?

"Kunsten å smi"

I think there is an english translation aswell, not sure what its called

[@joshschneider9766]

@ good deal man ty as always

[@danielkruk212]

Isn’t a hewing axe offset to one side, more of a single side or chisel grind?

It sure can be! It can also be made lefthanded or right handed. It can also come with double bevels

[@JHF80]

Nice! How do you like the new powerhammer after some use?

Absoutly love it!

[@siataba696]

Very nice handle design but I think you could have worked more on the blade. 👍

[@jeffreytaylor4464]

Modern technology seems to take a lot of the hard work outta out of the process, would you ever consider using ancient methods to show a different process and explain any challenges along the way?

I guess it depends what you define as modern. My power hammer is over 100 years old, but power hammers have been around since the introduction of the water wheel. I do have videos forging viking era axes, on those I barely use any power tools. I also use folding techniques, as they did back in the iron/viking age. I also talk about the process in the end of video. You can find them here on my channel! hope you like them :) /Nils

[@jeffreytaylor4464]

I clearly didn’t do any research before I opened my Yap. Thanks for keeping it civil! Cheers 🍻

[@tahsinuner7301]

Looks great. How kilos is the axe? And could u pls make a two headed war axe?

Its about 2kg

[@Eric_Viking]

Fin bile.

Tack!

[@هغذفهطهقطهظقفطعقظعقظعقظ]

란 로 다시 보는 🥢🍚🏡🐴🍾🥂🌲

[@Sobieski_IV_Emperor_Gods_mercy]

,,Ein ganz normaler "Holz Keil für Türen" ist besser, als jedes Schloss." - Der islam hat sich nicht weniger vorgenommen, als jedem Menschen den Arsch "aufzureißen".

[@flemishlion69]

I want to become a blacksmith.

[@markpereira1975]

Bro do something with that powder. You have it in that nasty Tupperware all open and clumped up like that. Put that shit in a bottle or cover it up. I hate seeing shit like that. I'd be a blacksmith with OCD

[@jamesreid3821]

Please Sir ..... Do you or would you sell an Axe like this , that you made ? Awesome Craftsmanship

[@nathanhawkes6885]

Great work! I really like your approach to this with the forge welding. Makes perfect sense and preserved the eye.

[@frankszucs6165]

The wooden handle shape is overly curvy and short. The axe is perfect.

[@j0nkan]

As always, very pleasant and pretty darn relaxing to watch your videos! And you make some fine pieces too! :) You could try and make a Viking-variant of an Seax, use different types of wood, some other metal/copper pieces and maybe moose or reindeer-horn to incorporate in the hilts like a traditional Sami-knife or such? :) Hamra på och skål!

Thank you very much, and thanks for the suggestions!

[@bryanhoward667]

How many times did you start over ?

[@junaidikristian4051]

What a cool laftebiller

[@ammarhusin4389]

I loved the exe

[@MountainDreamLand]

Exquisite...!

[@กิติพงษ์ทองคํา-ฃ8ฤ]

ชอบขวานทรงนี้มากครับ

[@mh-kn3ki]

💪💐❤️🇮🇶👍

[@Kovar_Nozir]

Unbealivable work with chisel.. rip anvil.. 😢

I feel more sorry about the chisel

[@lovejcdc]

Excellent video brother, really enjoyed watching it. You are such an awesome blacksmith and your work just gets better and better. It would be a privilege to watch someone using that axe to build a log cabin and shaping the log joints etc.

Thank you so much! Well you might be in luck, this axe is actually going to a youtuber, specialzing in building log cabins :)

[@lovejcdc]

@ that's awesome, I hope you will post a link to the video when it happens

[@titouanmartin545]

👍

[@geraldstamour1312]

All l can say is that if art & skill had a child, it would be this 🪓!

Thank you so much!

[@christopherrizzo]

Should do Mjölnir…

[@TheMboe76]

what are you sprinkling in the drift hole?

Its just charcoal, helps the drift punch to not stick

[@gentlemanzackp6591]

Awesome design! Personally id use 40" handle Because I'd be standing on the log itself and swinging along the side like a pendulum. I am friends with the Amish in Pennsylvania. They hand forged their tools. I asked once while ago in dutch, " waar komt het ontwerp vandaan?" this elder woodworker simply said Duitsland. so basically they stuck to 17th century axe head designs from Germany. Some adzes, hewing broad axes, felling axes, scoring axes remained unchanged since then. The broad axe he used was very long and weighted 7 pounds. He said it was easier to let it swing into the scored slots instead of fighting the weight both directions while the log was elevated. They built very substantial foundations for barns, homes and stables. smallest hewed beams i saw over there was 6 inches. biggest was 12x12 (!!) He was 73 when we worked together!

[@chriskidney1969]

I love you videos and watch them with my dad and I was wondering if a Swedish youtuber "Erik Grankvist" bought or was given this very same axe. I beleive I saw your makers mark on a very similar hewing axe from the video and all the details match perfectly. Thank you.

Yes this is the axe that he now owns.

[@chriskidney1969]

​@ Awesome, thank you so much for your time.

[@mikeoxmall6442]

Do you prefer forge welding compared to regular welding? And why? Im just curious about the difference.

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

i bet 2stroke Stuffing would appreciate one of those axes for his log cabin build. maybe he could make you something in return.

[@stevenjennings8347]

Awesome informational educational video experience Y'alls God Bless Ya 🙏

[@Aco747lyte]

Excellent axe!

Thank you :)

[@SaintGalganoArmory]

Amazing work as always man. Just....WOW.

[@LinusGustafsson]

Trevlig video och jättefin yxa! Snyggt jobbat Nils 🙂

Tack!

[@nightslayer1581]

That is one very strange lookin' axe

[@hippiemiller]

New sub very well done with the welds

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

5:50 I was not expecting that.

[@Stigsens1]

Hi Nils.....just wondering, as a Dane, why are you using the danish version of Ø as your “signature mark”? I really love your work, saw some pics of knifes you made, will keep a eye out if you start to sell some one day.

It represents my Norweigian heritage. The crown above is instead of the dotts in the swedish Ö.

[@dannygill8519]

Awesomeness 👍

[@mathiasly4231]

Så grym yxa ^^ Har du några frilufsyxor till salu ? Skulle behöva skaffa mig en ny har bara en snickaryxa den är lite för stor att ha med sig..

Tack! Inte just nu, men det kommer mera under året!

[@CrudeButEfficient]

Snyggt jobbat! Min treåring sätt i mitt knä och tittade med mig, och varje gång du använde hammaren skanderade han "Banka! Banka! Banka!" i takt med slagen. 😁

Haha, en blivande smed ?

[@CrudeButEfficient]

@ Vi får väl se...

[@mckutzy]

This is really cool... What is the powder you sprinkle in the hole and punch lube you use for this axe???

Thats charcoal! I just crush it and powder it in.

[@Asgard2208]

That axe head looked fantastic. Would it work on a longer haft as it kinda reminded me of the Danish battle axe?

Nah its not meant for that at all. Its made for hewing, its very heavy. The daneaxe is superlight!

[@mikemurphy8714]

Man, you're a beast. See a lot of power in your process. Amazing to watch.

Thank you so much!

[@menarg1549]

i do so like your axes i would like to see a nicely polished face one time though

Thank you very much!

[@cals1775]

Brilliant work as always! You make those forge welds look easy!

Thank you!

[@АльбертСедой]

Супер👍👍👍

[@ping170]

Looks like it's a pretty heavy baby ! ;)

[@horseblinderson4747]

It needs to be but typically they're used from a bent over position to cant logs.

[@isaactedford1893]

You make it look so easy! As always a job well done.

Thank you very much! It was quite the challenge

[@stefanandersson2394]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing!

Tack!

[@mattthescreamer177]

Man I need a forging press so badly 😢

Its really an amazing tool for the workshop

[@joshschneider9766]

The way you cut the excess off makes me want to investigate the potential for using a press as a hot cut tool. Inspirational.

Yeah I've been thinking about that aswell!

[@joshschneider9766]

@ definitely record it if ya do :)

[@thomaspoulsen1958]

Brutal. Snyggt jobbat,

Tack!

[@iancrump4369]

Awesome stuff mate 😎🔥⚒️👌

Thanks man!