FORGED HINGE PROTOTYPING: World's Most Beautiful Box! 

I was watching for 20/30mins on twitch and saw you 'frame' the unveiling of the box...seriously dude the effort you put in for a few seconds of video is a testament to you and why im addicted to this channel!👍🏼 massive thumbs up🙏🏻😃🔥

Why don't you forge out some leaf shape hinges and twisted vine handles? It would realy compliment the organic flow of the box beautifully

Everytime I hear "Thank you so much for watching this video" my heart drops just a little. The sadness sets in that I need to wait another day to watch again.... Such a great channel!

Having watched so much of the woodworking side of the shop for a few years, and yet working my way through college welding and forging and metalworking, I am thrilled to discover your art! Thanks!

I am absolutely fascinated by the work you do and am inspired as a woodworker to build things. The thing I like most about your videos is your enthusiasm and zeal -- even for something as mundane as hammers, it's a purely mesmerizing joy to see your work.

You should consider making the hinges out of mokume-gane (essentially a non-ferrous Damascus; it literally means "wood grain metal") which would be very much in keeping with the Japanese theme.. You could do one of your live shows on making the mokume (I'd recommend something like silver and shakudo, which is a copper/gold alloy that turns a beautiful deep purple color, so you'd end up with purple/silver wood grain hinges)

metal feet to prevent wear and tear would be cool

Alec remember to drill holes before the screws so you don't split the wood. you probably already know that but I just want to make sure. It would be awful if you accidentally ruined that beautiful wood.

HAIR CUT! Well done, sir. So honored to be a part of this community.

Looking forward to watching you design and create the parts to go with your box! Great stuff

Hi Alec, I think that the best design for the hinges would be for them to be under the lid of the box, rather than on the top, and the backs could go down the rear of the box. I say this because I think it would be best not to alter the purity and evenness of that beautiful lid, but that's just my opinion. Keep up the good work!

The "Unveiling" made me feel good inside! All smiles!

If you keep this up you might just become my new favorite channel,

Longer vids man!!!!! i understand it extends the process but i just cant get enough!

Internal hinges would keep from ditracting from the outside, while giving the inside something nice to see. Also they could be bigger.

Alec, I don't watch your videos every day, but every day I watch them, I am thoroughly impressed and entertained!

Yay! Ready to watch Alex put the blacksmith's touch on this wonderful box. It'll be one of a kind!

Can't wait to see the finished hinges and handles the pattern has got to be awesome for such an awesome box

I like the noise of the power hammer. It sounds like an enthusiastic puppy!

I really enjoy all the camera angles. that must take an enormous amount of time. that's just one of the millions of reasons why you're so enjoyable to watch. plus my sons name is Alec.

my father was a wood model maker for Ford motor company, then became a designer...he has made many wooden projects for work and outside of work that remind me of the Samarias box...he made my daughter's crib from cherry wood and my nieces rocker cradle from cherry and they were both gorgeous

I've been watching both you and Samurai for as long as I can remember. I love the damascus idea and even though I'm more than twice your age, that doesn't matter cause I'm giddy like a little girl with anticipation of the end product. You're already a legend at 19 and I can only imagine how large you will be in 10yrs. When you become a millionaire just remember this......You made it cause you're a blacksmith, so keep doing that. It's like watching AC/DC come together as a band. You're gonna be huge and thankfully you don't know it.

Alec, I like the idea of light weight hinges. In fact, what about mostly hidden hinges and do the fancy metal work on the handles and lock. Another thought would be to create a patina on the metal work that compliments the color of the wood. Seems like "light-weight" rather than heavy best fits this box. I really enjoy your videos. Good work.

Can't wait to see how it turns out!

Don't forget a striker and lock for the front too

YES! Finally you're doing something that's not a knife! It's cool and all to see all these damascus knives but it gets a little old.

I love the POV camera in this video!

look forward to seeing what you come up with and really look forward to seeing how it all looks when everything's complete

Alec you really know how to hook us into continuing to watch. Very interesting and keep them coming.

Such an amazing box!! A perfectly fitted Damascus S to fit the carved S would go amazingly together on the lid almost bringing together both of your hard work together!

Alec I very much enjoy watching your videos. your Youth and enthusiasm really makes me feel that I can do anything thank you for being Who You Are and believing that you can do anything possible. I recently retired as a firefighter after 23 years. every firefighter I know has a second job mine has been training and shoeing horses you have inspired me on my off-season to do more blacksmithing I thank you for that

Your videos make me want to light a forge and start making something. Now I just need to get a forge...and a hammer...anvil...tongs...billet...you get the idea :) Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

I should have know you would make your own hinges lol, it is your area of expertise. Your enthusiasm is contagious.

I really think those hinges are going to look INCREDIBLE!

Greetings from Ireland. I've been looking forward to this set of video's. I personally would make long strap hinges, I would also add a long strap underneath the lid to prevent the lid from warping as it is made from one piece of timber. We live in a very damp climate and it is very possible for it to warp over time. Also, it would be nice to see some sort of damascus lock.

2:25 "And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore."

What about a Damascus piano hinge? Really slim and elegant I think it'd compliment the simplicity of the box and it would show off the character of the metal on the flats. Just an idea. Keep it up!

You could put the hinges on the small edge, possibly even integrate the hinges, lock, and handles.

Alec, great idea on the hinge design. I believe I see where you're going with it. As far as finishing with the damascus, I know you're going to etch to bring out the pattern, but if I may give you a suggestion on the finish of the material of the hinges, have you considered a "Hammered" finish? I have no idea how it would work with the damascus, but old school smiths used this technique on trunk hinges in the past. Adding a bit of art to the craft so to speak. Great work as always. Looking forward to your hardware choices.

my humble opinion/suggestion, go ahead and do a full length hinge over the top of the box maybe about an inch wide strap, on one side is the hinge, on the other is a clasp to keep the box closed. I'm thinking medieval box style, maybe a rough hammered look in addition to the Damascus? not sure if it's possible, but would be fun to see.

you should make the hinges wrap over the top and integrate locking mechanisms on the front. this way the front is connected to the back via a strap over the top.

Alec I think I have a long term project for you that you would greatly enjoy. The kind of project that you would upload a video of once a week to keep everyone in suspense. Make a bunch of damascus sheets and begin creating a full suit of plate armor from it. I don't think anyone has ever done it before, but even if it has been done , it would still be a truly unique piece, and a stimulating challenge for you.

Can't wait to see the finish, and how you get there

Excellent! Love your smithing, and love that magnificent woodwork.

It looks like a good start. Can't wait to see more.

Alec, it was a real pleasure hearing you talking to Lars Larson yesterday on his radio program, and I wanted to say thank you for the videos, myself and my two sons (Ages 15 and 11) have constructed our forge and have haphazardly created some tongs (that really don't hold much) for our upcoming projects. I look forward to working toward using more of the skills you have vlogged about to create our own set of tools that we can use to forge "stuff"! I love your enthusiasm and applaud your hard work doing the things you love to do! Later...

Place and attach the hinge tops UNDERNEATH the chest top - strap hinges. Keeps the top clear but gives the hinges it needs. Bottom of the strap hinge could be attached on outside of the lower part of the box.

Alec your makers mark would be great handles with stand offs to be attached from inside. As for the hinges a three piece with a longer center tongue for the sides two bolsters to capture the pin. Use your mill and lathe to make the pins and holes when assembled you won't see the pin. "Note" you will need to take into account for the edge thickness of the lid so your pin center line is centered in the joint

Hello Alec! Hard telling what type of hinge you began to form, but it looks promising. Are you thinking about going with a T-hinge? You could make the long part of the T your signature S mark, and the top of the T would be the hinge part on the box itself. You could then avoid the roll over on the pin like you were initially talking about in the video. Just a thought :D Can't wait to see what you come up with!

god I love the sound of the power hammer turning on

that pilkington sounds like a really happy dog

I can't wait to see the finished Damascus hinges

Alec, when you find the time please consider a foot-powered mechanism to open and close a door on the forge, using the weight of the fire brick. You seem to lose efficiency using tongs on the broken brick.

I would love to see you make a chain !!! Like half a inch steel chain to hang some of your tools on or something!!!!

Interesting this. A large part of a Blacksmiths trade would have been in making fixtures like hinges and door mechanisms, good to see.

Your framing and edit is a piece of fine art in itself, all things you show have both a flow and a rythm to it, it's heavily addicting and I love it!

Nice looking idea for the prototype I think one piece hinge etched then milled out to accept the pin to the opposite hinge would work marvellously. and means you get the consistency you were chasing. I'm guessing that's your idea but I could be way off. looking forward to the finished proto... Nice job.

Great video! You should make a set of Damascus glasses rims and wear them during your videos, as well as a damascus Sherlock Holmes style tobacco pipe!

If maintaining a smooth functioning hinge is an issue, don't forget that you can roll/weld the eyes (or whatever method that produces something that is close to round) and then finish the I.D. on the milling machine to make them perfectly round and aligned. Insteadmy of completely ignoring the grain of the Damascus by drilling (like the abrupt bored holes in the fidget spinner), I was wondering if it might be possible to drift the hinges to maintain at least some of the flow of the pattern around the hinge pins. It is those minute types of details that the average person might not even notice (but a skilled craftsman would upon close inspection) that set amazing pieces apart from master works, especially on a multi-generational heirloom such as this. As always, a blast to watch your enthusiastic and energetic workflow. Keep up the amazing work! 😊👍👌

Congrats on 254k subscribers!!! Keep it up Alec you Rock!!

I love the sound of that big power hammer.

Who would dislike this. Thanks for another great video

Thanks for keeping us in the design loop, Alec...can't wait for the update! .2% in Cali

Do scrolled flat hinges. Ladder pattern billet cut into strips after forge welding like an M and scrolled like an octopus. The arms could follow the grain of the wood. It would make for a badass seachest. The handles could be raindrop pattern welded octopus arms with the raindrop pattern or jelly roll damascus pattern for the suckers.

ideal: drift a hole through those large blobs on the ends that is the size of your pin (possibly with the actual pin?), then machine the two blobs so that they are equal width. next machine two slots in each blob that are 1/4 the width of the blob; one starting on the edge and the other starting halfway across, this way, when you turn one of them around to fit them together, the remaining tabs fit into the corresponding grooves.

Setting the box down with the Canadian flag in the shot. That was great!

If you are not much of a "thinking on paper" kind of guy and prefer a more tactile process then perhaps you should try prototyping forms by hand using modelling wax? You can even explore damascus patterns using different coloured waxes.

Loved watching the BHS Twitch feed earlier and now seeing the full edit👍🏼 awesome bro!!😎💥💥

Mokume-gane strap hinges mounted internally with twisted Damascus dragons tails for handles...just a thought. I like the simplicity of the top making your mark stand out as the focal point. External strap hinges would take away the focus from your handcrafted mark. A small hasp on the from matching the handles (whatever design you decide on) would be a nice touch as well. The samurai clued me into your channel and now I'm stuck. Your work and enthusiasm is inspiring...

Alec, you need two different patterns in the Damascus hinges. One hinge needs your touch-mark in the pattern. The other needs a Samurai Sword in the pattern. I am already impressed with your skill at your age. I will bow down shouting "We're Not Worthy" if you can pull it off.

2, 2" Damascus straps wrapping the circumference with hinges and locks built in would look awesome. Maybe it would take away from all the wood work but it would look like a treasure chest

Reallyally interested to see how these work out!

I do find myself wanting to see more now

If you are worried about detracting from the top, perhaps your top hinge should be mortised into the underside of the lid.

Your videos inspire me to be creative!! Thank you for your dedication & creativity!

I own a 300 year old oak chest that has forged hardware. The handles are made of a twisted square bar.

what about samurai sword clasp that would slide into a scabbard to lock the box? I like the idea of the hinges encapsulating the top. just go for it and do the box justice. love your work and your enthusiasm. came here from the samurai carpenter's channel. awesome channels both.

Haircut is looking smart Alec!

@Alec did you look at any iron loop hinges, you could make them out of Damascus?

Long hinges secured to cross grain of lid could have been a splitting nightmare. FYI I am in awe of your work ethic.

I agree with you that too much hinge would detract from the beauty of this box. More so, I think that a concealed hinge, something that is visible only when the box is open could be considered. Typical hinges are made from sheet metal. This clearly isn't a typical hinge. As a mental experiment let's think about what a hinge consists of. A hinge has a barrel, pin and mounting ears. The pin shouldn't be too difficult to machine but instead of using damascus may I suggest bronze or brass? Either would complement the damascus without being distracting. I think that the barrel should be made the way a gunsmith would make a barrel but obviously on a smaller scale where the OD would be around 8mm with a bore of about 4mm. It just means that you would spend a bit of time on the lathe. The barrels should have a flat machined into the face such as they mate and prevent the hinge from extending past a certain point. Otherwise there is a risk that if the lid is dropped, the hinges could rip the wood. I don't think you would want the lid to open with an obtuse angle more than 100-120 degrees. Here is the part that I think you will dislike because it involves brazing. I think that you could braze the mounting ears to the barrels easily enough and if you think it through it could be done such that the braze fillet would be concealed. You could weld if you thought you could keep it clean and tidy but I'd prefer brazing for this. I'd be happy to CAD up something for you if you like and I'd 3d print a prototype that I'd send. Indeed I intend to do this just as a mental exercise for myself.

Rather than taking away from the simple beauty of the lid, why not put the hinge on the underside, which is traditional? You can still reveal the straps to the body of the box on the outside down a few inches perhaps. That way your hinges are visible from the outside with the box closed while not interfering with the curved solid lid. Just a thought. Call Jesse for input on the mechanics of how to mount. Yes, must pre-drill holes. As for screws, why not forge pyramid shaped heads similar to 18th century nails? Dip in expoxy and tap into predrilled holes.

I really like your videos, just wish they was longer. Seems like about the time I start really getting into it it's over with. :)

0:33 Intended reveal of maple leaf? Nice touch!

It's so difficult trying to design something elegant for this that isn't going to detract from the overall aesthetic. I know you'll do it justice.

Some twisted Damascus handles would look awesome!

Alec i have never seen hinges forge welded together around the pin unless they were either sweated in or bored afterwards cheers dude

Great videos. Beautiful work.

So sick! Your work is pure joy to watch. Good luck to you my man. How about Damascus handlebars for a Harley motorcycle? I would lose it!

Alex, I've found my hair brother! never have I found a guy with such vegita hair as mine (I've crafted mine for 17 years). we should meet and discuss forging a metal representation of our hair.

put them inside de box, like a surprise, so you won't hurt the craftmanship from outside

hey Alec! i have a suggestion for you to make your life a bit easier with moving the box around. i think you might want to put a handle on one end and 2 wheels on the other. and put the wheels in a way that they are a bit above the ground so when u lift the handle the wheels will touch the floor and you will be able to roll the box on them. a bit like how you use a wheelbarrow. if it's sound interesting but you still didn't understand i will be glade to make a sketch for you.

Sharpie drawer shot ftw!

Amazing work.

you should make a large billet of Damascus steel and then machine the hinges. this was you have a very uniform design and you could drill out the holes where the pins go and have a smooth open and close.

Very much looking forward to these!

how did you get so freaking good filming and editing on your own? really cool to see some creative angles and shots from a blacksmith ;) great work!

I think you should make 3 hinges, because that's not very often done. Plus your symmetry is looks better. 2 on the sides and 1 in the middle, opposing the lock

I can't see why this box is SO beautiful

Hey Alec you could drill the pivot hole and then cut what you don't need. just an idea