Forging a nail

[swedishhunter21]

really really amazing blacksmith!

[BackWoodsPuppy]

Nice nails ;)

is that a square or round hole in your header? and is it tapered?

[hbronco96]

Can you make me some nails.

[crashga1985]

back in the day you would need to make round about 1000 good nails a day to make a living at it.

[beauteouschaos5]

this certainly makes me appreciate the value of a nail

[slab698]

Very nice work, from what i've read having nails was limited to the wealthy back in the day. Its amazing all the things we take for granted and nails certainly being one of them.

[swedishhunter21]

DEAM! you'r a pro!!! :O:D

[dawg1157]

what if I wanted to forge something a little more "specilized"....say a horseshoe tack or a railroad tie? is the equipment/technique any different?

[TechnicusJoe]

@dawg1157, probably a weird answer, but it's yes and no.

[blacksmither1]

@dawg1157 i would think it would be the same but much more massive

[ihateintel1]

OH GOD THE RINGING.

get a new anvil. one of the ones with sand in the bottom.

[TechnicusJoe]

@ihateintel1 OH GOD THE COMMENT OF A NONE IN BLACKSMITHING INVOLVED PERSON.

First: the new anvils of today suck, all cast-iron, which sucks, exept for Kohlswa, Peddinghaus and Refflinghaus, they make the best anvils of tool steel of today's world. Second: what do you know about blacksmithing, you have nothing in your channel about it. Third: there is a mute botton or a swith for sound levels. Fourth: If you dont like ringing you got: magnets (under the horn) or buy ear plugs.............

[Jzzy132]

Just wondering where you got your nail header, and what kind is it?

[liddles03]

your second nail was really bent and i would only advise you to use the two heat method :)

[Jman999000]

not bad that looks pretty fun to do if you ever get sick of making knives or swords or something which i assume would take awhile lol

[MrCelloman21]

please tell me where do you get a anvil and what metal did you use for the nails?

[juspak]

@MrCelloman21 I bought the anvil as used from the junkyard. The anvil is really old, it was made in Finnish foundry called Dalsbruk, which operated between 1686 - 1928. The metal I use is just scrap metal, short rods gathered from junkyard, and it can be anything... The best metal for nails is not too hard, but quite soft and flexible, for not to break when nailing.

[VTwanderer]

I really take Nails for granted, i have so many coffee cans all over the place full of them. People really had to put Skill into the things they built, cause you had to be so frugal with your nails. I just use a ton of nails to hold things i build together.

[dfsgdfgad]

is there profit being a blacksmith nowadays? where to learn how to become a blacksmith?

[switzforge]

Looks to me like your hand is way to close to that hardy. If it were me I would turn the anvil around so that the hardy was on the off side. (yes this is the way  set my anvils)

[TechnicusJoe]

@switzforge,not different to me, do it the same way, makes it a lot less easy to do something wrong with the hardy, still doesnt mean you;re save, so try to keep it out of the hardy hole when not needed, but thats just my way

[chena3]

nailed it ..

[Parent33w]

cool; never saw a nail forged before. Lots of skill.

[TechnicusJoe]

well, it isnt TOO hard, you just need to know what to do and swing the hammer in the right way and you shoud get a good nail like this, but i do admite that it requires skills

[Parent33w]

I thought it was cool. I have some blacksmith tools and things from grandfathers.  I always wondered what some of them did. The tool for the nail head is really cool. I am wanting to build a forge for varying reasons, moslty because I hate to waste oxy-acetylene on some of the things I have been goofing on. Much more efficient than a rosebud on larger tthings and I want to cast/pour some things as well. I have been trying to find some info on silica/clay %s for a forge lining. Any suggest?

[TechnicusJoe]

sorry i dont have any suggestions, look at my vid (forging (yet more) nails) and you see how i make a nail, my forge is made out of a steel table and cast-iron pan, of the Angele blacksmithing and machine company Germany, good stuff!

[Parent33w]

I have read some things on firebrick composition, but wonder abot that high of a silica % and the al. ox. % as well. Otherwise, I'll just fabricate and weld a basin. I like the contour of the clay for purposes of crucibles for pouring more, however. What do you recommend?

[TechnicusJoe]

i recommed a fire pot of cast-iron, breaks less as easy as clay or bricks can

[rehpotsirhcdoos]

sweet

[cjmitz]

i would always go to touch it by accident! lol

[Starfan96]

yes...it is a big risk for the smith hitting the hardy while he strikes the iron.

[branch42]

these nails will out hold modern wire hails all day.

[nlightened2]

Thank you for your video. I'll have to try making a few now.

[gswiaczny]

You should get better log to put the anvil on it. Anvil shouldn't jump like yours ;-)  Good job though. Best regards from Poland, Greg

[fiddler9635]

What was that thing you put the nail in and made the head?

[MineFieldExplorer]

That is sooo awesome! I wish I had all the equipment necessary to do that! :(

[juspak]

Thanks for your comment.

I am doing the drawing on the horn, because that is the way mastersmiths have taught me. Perhaps it's the Scandinavian style and more difficult, who knows.

But drawing between two round surfaces (for example horn and hammer peen) has bigger effect on the iron than flat and round surface (for example anvil flat and hammer peen).

One could use the anvil's edge, but it requires smooth and rounded edge, and the hammer strikes can not come directly above.

[herbstjh]

once again eurupean masters win, and it is harder but the most effective way for most applications, just requires more hammer control took me a year to get drawing on the horn down pat. do you still live in europe or an american journeyman trained in europe, i'm jon by the way nice to meet ya.

[griff326]

@juspak Nice video,I've never seen it done on the horn and I am going to have try now.I just wanted to say to poppiesrule........holy crap mother hen chill out,every smith has his own way and it looked like all fingers were intact.Definately going to look for more of your videos Juspak,keep em coming.

[TempleOfSin]

Okay first of all, why are you doing your draw outs on the horn? That's what the anvil flat is for.

I think if you practice on the flat you'll find it's actually much easier to draw out your metal that way.

Second, get that cut the hell off the anvil when you're going down the hole, or doing any hammering for that matter.  Your fingers come really close to that and it only takes one slip, trust me, you only make some mistakes once.

[bigfrankwny]

Was thinking the same thing about the hot cut, could lose a finger that way.

[switzforge]

Drawing out over the horn is the nost efficient way to move metal. That is the same reason that drawing dies on a power hammer are rounded. Every text I have seen on blacksmithing whether new or old, basic or advanced recomends drawing out over the horn.

You are absolutley right about the dangers of working with the hardy in place. Turning the anvil around so that the hardy is on the off side from the hammer would be a great help.

[Timerider]

Doesn't seem very cost effective outside of Antique restoration applications? Still very professional and skillful work thanks for the Video.

[thaboinger]

That was fun to watch. and impressive results!

[Pawalskij]

Impressive, im accually going to start forging and thanx 2 you and all of the other good teachers on youtube i dont need any teacher but just need to practice over n over n over after watching you'r extremely educational videos. Thank you very much!

[jackoalltheway]

brilliant!

[blueshadow1996]

This really is cool...Never did I ever consider how mails were made....back in the old days..

[rcjera]

watch out I have seen a guy almost cut his fingers off leaving tools in the Hardy hole!!!

Nice work!!

[vikingskipdotcom]

Very nice! Looks like the nails used in Viking ships.

[medicfrazier]

what is the name of the tool you use to make the head i want to get a hold of one so i can make some nails i may be able to use lol

[allymetoo]

I did some nails long time ago at the workshop in Boarding school.

Doing the nail in one heat requires quite some experience.

And it's just a nail, or so you tend to think, if you haven't tried to make one.

[alcors]

Nice :)

the first time i saw the "one heat nail" was it a 80 years old smith in Denmark(fyen) hwo did it yours look a lot nicer.

- Tom -

[SolidLiquidGasSnake]

cool, i want to be a blacksmith

[gaert99]

u got a very nice quality camera!!!

and when i grow up ill be just like a blacksmith!!!

[juspak]

Thanks, it is a Canon A610, quite old pocket size digital camera.

[poppiesrule]

first of all, stop drawing out metal on the horn. draw out on the edge of the face where hammer blows will go right down to the base. the horn is for making bends. second, get that cutoff out of the hardie hole when you are hammering on the face! you will chop your fingers off one day. it is not safe. lay down the cutoff and only stick it in the hole when you are ready to cut.

[sporkulus]

Metal draws out faster on the horn.

[poppiesrule]

It draws out even faster on the edge of the face. Spend some real time on the anvil and you will see this. Subjecting the horn to that amount of regular stress will eventually cause it to snap off.

[coobicek]

if it snaps of than it is shity steel and if u hammer it on the hprn it is like the steel is getting hammered on both sides therefor faster on the horn

[poppiesrule]

You dont have a clue. Go back to skateboarding, i mean legbreaking.

[coobicek]

ha u r the one who keeps giving retarded safety tips to blacksmiths who dont give a shit about what u say and u probably cant even forge ä nail and you probably havnt even steped on a skateboard before so fuck off

[stug3030]

Agreed Coobicek. Though i cant skate to save my self, i can forge an axe to chop the board in half.

[coobicek]

lol i can do both

[stug3030]

I can drive my car. thats good enough for me.

[juspak]

Thank you for the comment. A blacksmith can use what ever part of the anvil he or she thinks is suitable for the work at hand. For me, for a small item as a nail, anvil edge draws the material "too quickly". And for the safety tip, you are right, cutoff (and other hardie tools) should be removed when it is not used...

[poppiesrule]

that is incorrect. the horn is for bending, not drawing. you can see your anvil rock back and forth with your hammerblows, that is wasted energy. if you find that the nails draw too fast on the edge of the face, try a smaller hammer or better yet, lighter hammerblows. work smart, not hard.

[sonydude46]

isnt the whole point getting the job done and having fun at the same time?

Let him work his own way and he will let you work your way.

[poppiesrule]

if you want to drive your car with your right leg folded up under your ass, there is no law saying you cant, but that does NOT make it a good idea.

breaking your anvil or chopping off your fingers is NOT fun. NOR is getting tendonitis or other repetitive strain injuries from working improperly. If you think that is fun feel free to set your personal bar as low as you like.

[032125]

Poppiesrule, I noticed that you're a really good teacher, and you have a way of making people respect and listen to you.

I know it's not smithing related per se, but can you teach me how to get a point across without sounding like bellicose and belittling troll? I just know I can learn if you teach me, cause you're so great. Is it true that you shit diamonds and fart joy?

[poppiesrule]

Sure i could, if i thought sarcastic passive-aggressive asshats like you deserved it.

[stug3030]

I can tell you drawing a pair of tongs for instance out on the face of an anvil takes a hell of a lot longer than say using a cross peen hammer and a the beak.

[moredoublebass]

That's awesome. I'll have to try that. 5 stars.

[floridamyhomestate]

lol. This morning i joined a smithing guild. Ur supposed to be 16 but the master knew me and let a 12 year old (me) in. I made an "s" hook. I need to remember you're nail making style! very useful.

[stug3030]

Yaay hooks. easy to do but damn tough to get them all just right and the same shape.

[safuttias]

Nice work! I want to make some nails to make a small table.

I think you have to made your anvil more stable, in this manner you can move more steel with less hard work.

[HedgehogChopper]

thats a skill and a half. i remember as a boy going into the local blacksmith on a cold frosty morning & he had the forge going, sweet memories

[coobicek]

i wish i had a hammer like that it looks like very goos steel

[juspak]

It is a normal hammer found from our local hardware store. I just had to round the edges of the hammer's face, so that it would not leave marks to metal.