Awesome Forging

Blacksmith Mark Aspery walks us through the process of hand-forging a traditional corkscrew. He starts out with a rod of 3/8″ square chrome-molybdenum steel, which he hammers, stretches, bends, and twists into the final shape. Anyone got a good bottle of wine to test it on?

Black Beard Projects created this dagger as his entry into the Fantasy Challenge. He starts the build by layering steel into a Damascus pattern, then forming it into a triangle and twisting and honing the metal to create its unique blade. After that, he made an engraved brass guard, a wrapped wooden handle, and a brass pommel.

We’ve seen many different tools and weapons crafted by blacksmiths, but we’re guessing they don’t often get requests to make a trident. Rigoni Ironworks walks us through the satisfying process of forging, hammering, and shaping a steel rod into the kind of three-pronged implement that Aquaman or Neptune might wield.

Blacksmith Denis Tyrell of Tyrell Knifeworks shows off the build process for one of the most beautiful bladed weapons we’ve seen. He created this cumai katana with a Damascus blade comprised of twisted layers of steel and copper. He finished it with a copper blade collar and a stingray skin and leather-wrapped wood handle.

One reason metals are so wonderful is because they can be melted down over and over again to form new objects. In this video from Rob Bonifacio, he shows us how he took some Canadian copper pennies and dimes, layered them with high-carbon steel and forged them into a Damascus blade for a knife. Part two here.

Ilya and Matt from That Works show how they fabricated an impressive historical weapon inspired by the game Outward Definitive Edition. They created the Italian Halberd from a 200-year-old wrought iron barn door hinge that they refined and forged into an elegant yet deadly axe with a spike on the end.

Random Hands had an old anvil he used for blacksmithing tasks. When it was time to replace the rusty old thing, he chopped out a 40-pound chunk from its center and gradually reworked it into Thor’s mighty hammer, Mjölnir. Stick around to the end to see if he’s worthy and can lift it.

For those unfamiliar with ancient Egyptian history, a khopesh is a sickle-shaped sword that evolved from battle axes. Black Beard Projects created this replica of the deadly weapon by forging bronze alloy, pouring it into a sand cast made from a CNC-milled wood form, then grinding and polishing it to a shiny finish.

After building and restoring a number of power tools for their workshop, Black Beard Projects wanted to put them to use. In this video, see how they heated a thick steel rod and formed it into the head of an elegant Japanese-style tool known as a Dog Head hammer. We love the color of its heat-treated finish and burnt wood handle.

We love watching rusty old objects get turned into shiny new ones. In this video from Random Hands, they transforming a weathered railroad track into an elegant Japanese weapon. The process starts by cutting off a hunk of steel, forging it into a bar shape, then gradually shaping and grinding it into its final form.

Leaf springs from cars and trucks might not offer the best ride quality, but they make some pretty awesome weapons when recycled by a skilled bladesmith. Faraway Forge crafted a beautiful Japanese tanto-style knife from one such rusty piece of metal. We love how he kept the pitted texture as part of the finished piece.

We love how metal can be used over and over again. After one object has served out its life, it can often be melted down and turned into something new. In this clip by metalsmith Random Hands, he shows us how he took a rusty link from an old piece of ship’s chain and hand-forged it into a beautiful new samurai sword.

Typically, Damascus patterned metal is made entirely from steel. But it looks even more amazing with copper folded in. Tyrell Knifeworks walks us through the process of forging a gorgeous bowie knife by welding then pressing together layers of the mixed metals. The colors in the handle look awesome with the blade.

Kitchen knives are the right size for chopping veggies and butchering meats. But that didn’t stop Faraway Forge from making this impractical chef’s knife just to prove that it could be done. Its blade started as a rusty piece of scrap metal, and the finished piece looks more appropriate for combat than for cooking.

Artist Bobby Duke has been known to make little things out of other things. This time out, he took a big rusty bolt and worked away at it until it turned into the head of a miniature hammer. He got the wood from the handle of a full-size hammer for added realism.

The guys from That Works show off the build process for another awesome weapon replica. Matt and Ilya turn their attention to the ornate Dagger of Death’s Flowers from Resident Evil Village. Carving that handle from a solid block of aluminum looked like a ton of work.

The coiled sword in Dark Souls III is one of the coolest fantasy swords we’ve seen. Aleksey from Bellerophon Studios demonstrates a number of classic blacksmithing techniques to bring this awe-inspiring twisted blade to life. Matt from That Works provides the informative narration.

The beautiful patterns of damascus steel make for some of our favorite tools and knives, and the thicker the tool, the more dramatic the look. In this clip from metalsmith Hassan “Habu” Abu-Izmero, watch as he welds together, forges, and twists multiple layers of steel to create a truly special pair of pliers.

Metalsmith Shurap enjoys making tools, weapons, and sculptures by recycling other metal objects. For this blade, they cut out a hexagonal grid from blocks of metal, then carefully arranged nuts and bolts into the form before forging and pressing it. The finished blade has a unique and compelling pattern in its center.

Inspired by the incredible work of artist Peter Walker, fellow blacksmith Alec Steele wanted to try his hand at sculpting a miniature head out of metal. The process involves squaring off a bar of steel, then hammering and chiseling to make indentations while it’s still molten hot.

The guys from That Works are knee-deep in other projects, so they’re sharing the video spotlight with the talented smiths at Bellorphon Studios. Watch them use two very different techniques to make a mismatched pair of axes based on the ones Eivor wields in Assassins’ Creed Valhalla. The flames start at 3:20.

A fire basket (aka “brazier”) is exactly what it sounds like – a metal basket that holds a bunch of flaming logs. Blacksmith Torbjörn Åhman walks us through the process of creating one of these, which involves cutting, stamping, bending, forging, and welding multiple matching pieces of metal. Also, hot riveting never gets old.

Inspired by The Seven Deadly Sins manga and Netflix show, Matt and Ilya of That Works created a real-world replica of King’s imposing Spirit Spear Chastiefol. If you love blacksmithing videos, this one is well worth a watch, as it’s packed with satisfying footage of power hammering, punching, grinding, and brazing.

Making the woven metal armor known as chainmail (or “chainmaille”) is a time-consuming, laborious process. So imagine what it must be like to create a suit of chainmail armor for a giant. Blacksmith Timothy Dyck painstakingly forged 250 circles then riveted them together to make a scaled-up version fit for Paul Bunyan.

Inspired by the new Assassin’s Creed game Valhalla, the swordsmiths from That Works created a real-life replica of the badass Viking axe that’s front and center in Boss Logic’s game art. We love the detailing on the engraved logo and weathered finish that makes it look like it’s seen some serious battle action.

When he’s not making glowing katanas, Keaton Goddard of Faraway Forge likes to create new tools and weapons by recycling stuff from the junkyard. Watch as he makes a beautiful rapier from a rusty old leaf spring, with a hilt crafted from bent bicycle sprockets, oak, and a trailer towing ball.