I snagged a rusty old Welland Vale hewing hatchet from FB marketplace and found your video as a result and the steel is in a vinegar bath as we speak. I'll surely be using your video as a guide for my restoration but I wanted to comment because I lost my Dad earlier this year and he was an avid carpenter literally to the day he died. Your video really made me feel like when I used to do projects with him so sincerely thank you for this amazing content!
Sorry for your loss. I have have used RU-vid videos for a pick me up and inspiration many times. I hope this video is helpful and good luck on your restoration project.
How did you make the bowl cut out of the log? I am trying to make a shield boss the same way you did but I can't figure out how to cut a nice bowl shape out of a log
Very nice. I will have to try the black tea. I just finished a mid 1800s C Hammonds hand axe for a good friend. I have two Hewing hatchets i need to do.
some northman did have metal brasing and leather but the middle and poorer class could not afford the metal they did do the leather the other thing is that the word viking should not be ised because its a term that meams radeing and setteling and its better to say northman
the metal rims do Not look cool....REALLY....they look hollywood ignorant I think, just lazy might as well go for the Ridiculous hair and fantasy biker clothing media tends to push too
Thank you for this video tutorial. I am going to be making my 10 yo a shield using scrap oak flooring salvaged from neighborhood remodeling projects. The TnG should hold together really well I think. That stump anvil is a much better design for the shield boss than I have seen other places. Still going to do the "leather wrap" on the edge though. Large dog rawhide chews are fantastic for that.
For a more "battle-worn" appearance, paint everything before doing the damage. Then rub some mud around the shield, let it sit a while and then wipe it down with a damp towel (the low moisture won't damage the wood). The mud will seep into the exposed wood but not the pained wood. Then if you want you can seal it with urethane.
Viking shields are not just one color they were a variety of colors from 2 to 5 or if your Lucky 6. Of course I admire the design of the shield just I wish I had a little more into to it. Also I don’t recommend hitting something with the large hammer. depending on how thick the metal is it could break right thorough
It's worth remembering the vast majority of shields we have evidence for from the period are only 10-12mm thick not 25mm like you said in the video. They tended taper down to around 4-6mm at the edge too. They also had leather front and rear glued on with a hide rim to stitch it all together which made them flexible and shockingly study and easy to repair. The evidence we have now for them kind of completely changed how we think about their use too. The thin edge's also make them really good at catching sharp blades. With regards to the metal rim we do actually have evidence for that but not like in the video, it tended to be small tabs folded from front to back and riveted on and made from a number of metals depending on how decorative the shield was.
To make a shield in the traditional manner would mean radial split planks from a large- old growth even- tree, making tools and fittings in a home forge. The animal rawhide required would be very labor intensive to sand it to the proper thickness. We use a lot of shortcuts and cheats to make something resembling a "Viking era" shield. I start with a luan underlayment core, glue 1/4" pine planks on front and back with water based wood glue. Then sand from center to edge to bring the edge to 3/8. Next use linen cloth soaked in the wood glue on front and back. I use forged nails in the clinch form to attach boss and handle. Then 2.5" rawhide folded over the out edge, glued and sewn. Even with all the cheats, it takes 15-20 hours of solid work to make a shield and about 125.00 in materials.
Little late to the party. As someone who shapes metal for a living, the best way, and the way a blacksmith would make a boss, is to hammer in a circle from the outside in on heated metal. For stuff like this i use 2 hammers. The peen end of one against the metal and hit the hammers face to face. Working, not forcing the metal into shape. I have an acetalene torch, but on sheet metal a good mapp gas torch works just fine.
I work at an ACE Hardware store and one of our regular customers came in one day looking for a new handle for his "hatchet" that he used for chopping kindling when he went camping. We didn't have a suitable handle for one so instead he bought a new one. Instead of throwing the old hatchet away, he gave it to me. Actually this hatchet is a Keen Kutter Hewing Hatchet that I essentially did the same thing you did. It now has a new home on the wall of my shop.
Extra points for homemade bos. The metal rim is unlikely, common was rawhide. Also, the front would be covered in glued in linnen or leather, for strength. Still looks nice and usable. By the way, the best worn/used look you get by preparing the longboat and going out raiding. You should try it next time 😉
The boss is tough!! I have made a few and had a number of the ones I attempted tear or split while I was stretching them. Very frustrating to waste all that time and start over.
Do you have a video (and/or plans) for that little 1x30 bench grinder attachment you made to keep the correct bevel @ 10:56? I've got one of those little HF 1x30s and that would be super useful.
