Craftsmanship

[Mr Pharmacist]

I went on a blacksmith course recently as its something i'd always fancied having a go. Whilst browsing around looking at blacksmithy type stuff i came across this excellent film. This is how tools should be made!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paCyA9ypEOE

Oh and i managed to make a wonky coat hook on my course - best not give up the day job just yet!

[sladey]

Love that - found it a coupled of years ago and kept watching it over and over. There are another 2 in the series - a large chisel and a Damascus bladed knife. When I went on the site they'd stopped taking orders as they were too busy.

I found the films hypnotic and really soothing and really well made

[Mr Pharmacist]

Just watched the other 2 as well now. What a great way to make a living. Beats sitting behind a desk all day...

[911hillclimber]

^^ Now there's a wise comment ^^

To be able to exercise this skill and have too many orders must be a very comfortable feeling.

I'm old now, but back at school in Metalwork we did actually do forging; sparks and heat and burns and ringing in my ears but what a feeling to connect to materials in the raw.

This is why engineering is such a Good Thing.

Too many screens and emails now so I'm retiring early, but good to see this stuff.
Thank you very much for posting.

[Gary71]

I have now have a strange desire for an axe and a Damascus steel knife!

[sladey]

I've been through the whole of their website many times and their videos are my only favourites on Vimeo

[mycar]

I wonder what the powder is he sprinkles on when laminating the edge, some sort of flux ? In the Swedish glass workshops they use arsenic powder, different medium but similar temperatures. The old guys would lick their finger, dip it in the box and lick it off two or three times a week. Excellent cure for rheumatism by all accounts...

Anyway, excellent video and a nice way to start the day.

Cheers, Mike.

[Mr Pharmacist]

From good ol' Wikipedia Mike:

To clean the faces, protect them from oxidation, and provide a medium to carry foreign material out of the weld, the smith will sometimes use flux—typically powdered borax, silica sand, or both.

Without rewatching it I think he was using the flux when he was forge welding wasn't he?

[Burma-Shave]

Lovely, thanks for posting.

[soulsonicboy]

great stuff Stuart. I stumbled across this today with a very similar appreciation vibe, but a bit closer to home Storying Sheffield...

http://vimeo.com/98953952

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-28581597

Cheers

Ben

[mycar]

Without rewatching it I think he was using the flux when he was forge welding wasn't he?

I think so. So the head is split and a piece of what I presume is high carbon steel is forged in to form the edge ! Well I never.

Mike.

[911hillclimber]

Yes indeed, forge welding a high carbon steel insert.
Surely the 'B&Q axes' don't have that feature?

I hadn't seen that addition before, just assumed the base steel had enough carbon to be heat treated to keep a keen edge.
good trick is to shave your arm to demo the edge keenness.
You learn something every day..

[sladey]

This is one of my favourite

You need to watch it - not so much craftsmanship, more philosophy

https://vimeo.com/channels/248480/16435404

I find it wonderfully calming and thought-provoking. Lovely calm talk by an intelligent man who is at ease with himself. And his mum still works there!

[Mr Pharmacist]

I like that a lot - loved the way it was filmed and what he had to say - thought provoking as you say.

And yes - his poor Mum - she looked ancient - at least she still had all her fingers

[Midlifecrisis]

Thanks for posting the films I watched them both and they really resonated with me. I'm a goldsmith and have been making jewellery since I left school at 16. I love my job and am thankful everyday that I get to take a raw material and turn it into something beautiful that someone will treasure. I probably don't earn as much as someone at a desk but I can't imagine not being able to work with my hands and being creative. Heres a little video we did for our 15th anniversary http://vimeo.com/52923625