Hammer Forging alternatives for punching the eye. 

It's funny to go back and rewatch these older videos and notice differences, like how much your anvil rang back then.

Preach safety all you want. It helps remind us of things that can go wrong.

it's kinda funny how i watched videos 2 years ago and didn't pay much attention because i was not progressed far enough to put the information into my work. now i go back and watch videos previously viewed with, now, a new perspective or degree of appreciation.

I take good information from all your vids.

I enjoy each of your classes. The safety ones are a must for any new to the art.

Your videos are great! I'm just starting out, and each video has been a wealth of knowledge! Keep it up, you're inspiring..

I built a coal burning forge, I've just finished building an 2 " X 72 " Belt grinder. Only got a shed to finish then mount my second handed 5 in vise and my 22 lb homemade anvil is going ontop of my 4 ft railroad track as my post.I'll first temper my vice as my first job as a blacksmith in training. Lots of thanks to people on you tube like you John.

Didn't realize how much weight you've lost until I go back and rewatch some of these oldie but goody vids again! Good job man!

That’s so badass I’m here just getting to the point where I’m gonna try my first hammer and axe and he just made 2 hammers in one video 😅

And for the record, I appreciated your "Blacksmith's Challenge" video. I appreciate all I've seen, so far. I like absorbing some of your knowledge. Thank you!

2 hammers at once is definitely smart to get rid of the damn cold shut on the peen. Thank you sir

I like safety videos and free stuff!

Hey I just found you with this video. I can’t speak for everyone but I’m trying to get into blacksmithing and I always find information helpful I don’t care if I hear it a million times that helps it stick and I like free stuff so if you do giveaways in the future I’ll be watching out

Definitely mix safety as you go, this is how I'm learning anyway :D, but I'm watching all your videos also, so I'll get to the full safety videos soon I'd imagine.

I love you man ,I really learn from you much respect from Algeria )

I forgot to comment on safety and challenge video’s. Maybe mark those beginners lesson. I know so little about this I love to hear all of it.

I’m still watching some olde videos haven’t seen them all yet and I have too say the quality has improved vastly. The new microphone and camera are so much better now. You’re still very informative . I could see you as a shop teacher in a high school either metal or a wood shop teacher I do believe . Hanks for all the great videos and information John

I love your videos, anyone who unsubscribed because of blacksmith challenge videos isn’t worth your attention. Once I get my new shop setup (just relocated) I’ll do the challenge and send you the results!

Well at 52 Im only 3 classes into my level 1 training at the Orange County Blacksmith Guild but i know that I will be forging my own hammer as soon as possible. Thanks for the knowledge that you post on your channel.

I made a round punch very similar to that one by cutting the handle off a REALLY cheap spud wrench I got from Harbor Freight. I broke the wrench, but the handle made an amazing drift. As a bonus, there was a 3/16 hole in the opposite end that I've used as a rivet set.

Two Birds with One Stone. Nice one John

What a clever idea. Forging two hammers at once and ending up with a matched set, a cross peen and a straight peen. So you got me thinking, if you were to fuller them on diagonal, then you would end up with a matched set of diagonal peen hammers, a left and right. I got to try this. Thanks for sharing this idea.

Hi John, I'm enjoying this video immensely. I heard your skit about safety, and how very few people responded to your safety videos. I have absolutely no problems with anybody addressing safety whatsoever. I am constantly preaching "Safety First, Foremost and Always," and I do so without reservations and no hesitation. Thank you for always keeping safety in mind. As for your freebies... I am subscribed to your channel, but don't have much time to be visiting RU-vid a lot with life being life n'all. I received your email inquiring about what kind of hammer I am interested in. I'm glad I found this video because now I can watch, study and learn some of the steps that goes into hammer making. Thank you for your always well done videos. James, Anchorage Alaska

Interesting process and can see the benefits in making two at once. Thanks John.

I enjoy watching your videos based on your craftmanship mastery, I learn a lot thank you. Just a quick comment, I cannot wrap my mind around why people feel the need to hit the dislike button, if I dislike something there are a lot of other videos to watch. I've seen this before and it's been silently nagging me somewhat...the psychology of it really.

I'm always up for learning a new technique of hammer making

I love the way your showing me how to make my hammer when i get started on mine Great job ! I'm just Curious How many time's you ever hit your hand with you Whaling your hammer at that punch Lol You have Great aim with your hits bud I love your videos Your a great teacher keep up your great work buddy

Love your videos very informative great to see you working with a coal forge in the UK is almost impossible to get a good gas forge so most work with coal Keep up the great work 👍

Great videos true craftsmanship thank you from across the pond

John, after discovering your channel just a few weeks back, I have been watching your videos in order as best as possible. I did watch the safety videos all the way through because it’s always interesting listening to someone talk about a subject they are passionate about. I also have watched the giveaway and blacksmith challenge videos. I think you hit the nail on the head with the safety videos. Some of us can sit through safety lectures after a lifetime of doing it. Most can’t though. Smaller snippets of safety “pointers” and “reminders” throughout your videos will be better received. For the BS Challenge video. I think that is all in the name of the video. Maybe, “How to always be learning as a blacksmith” or “A tip to improve your blacksmith skills.” It’s all in the name. By the way, loved that video and have just purchased four bars of 1/2” to start on this weekend. I look forward to watching the rest of your videos and seeing your videography skills improve.

So far, working with charcoal, only klinkers I've had were from the nails I left in the pallet wood I make into the charcoal, if I don't use pallet wood, then I don't get klinkers,.

I just found you vids, I love them!!!

Sorry to hear about the people who didn't like safety and the challenge. I enjoy your videos. I've watched Mark asberry for a few years. I don't know how your giveaway works. Mostly I watch to see if you have a better way than I know how to do. I also like df in the shop channel. Right now your my favorite Smith. Thanks for all the videos every one .

Thank you

Really enjoy all your videos learn a lot from them. Steve, Nottingham England.

Great video. I just found your channel and I subscribed. I am looking forward to more videos. Bill from Seattle

thank you for this video John, I may try this 2 hammer at once method with my first try. i have a air/hydraulic press so i think i'll try to make "drawing" dies for it to do the piens

Gracias por compartir, saludos desde Uruguay

My subscribers list just keeps growing, I don’t know a lot of reasons why people would unsubscribe a channel. Maybe just to clean out channels they are not interested in at all anymore.

Dear sir, I love your videos. I think you are one of the best blacksmiths online. Thank you so much for sharing what you do and know. But!!! I have a suggestion, try to make shorter videos, most people don't have such long attention spans. I think you could get more views that way. Thank you again for sharing with all of us what you do best!

John I love all your videos

Hello John, I enjoyed this video very much. I also like that you offer folks your safety observations that stem from your long experience in the craft. I didn't watch the safety video all the way through; I was in the mining industry for many years and was familiar with the cautions that you present. It's useful information though, for those who may be just getting started, and really don't know their way around a workshop environment. I'm looking forward to your video or videos about making charcoal. I have been using local coal for fuel and like you, find a lot of clinkers in the fire. Also, I like seeing you use the "Little Giant" and I wonder where you get the dies for it? Thanks!

Hey, John, its been a few years, and I know I would love to see challenges. Is there a way to poll your viewers and see if maybe more folks would be interested in participating in challenges now? Enjoy your instructive content, and as a new member (joined last year, but havent been able to participate yet due to distances of events) of the RMS hopefully I'll get to meet you some day.

Hope you find the center mark quick. Your glove is smoking. LOL Easy to understand the need for a long punch or drift.

John, great video as always. I do have a suggestion, i would love to see you punching eyes and making hammers and axes, all on the hydraulic press. From making the punches, drifts and any other dies it takes. You would be the only one on you tube with such a video. There are a few vids on this subject but no one goes into any detail at all. And since a lot of us are getting presses and not power hammers these days i think it would be some great untapped content. Either way thanks for all the great vids.

Man you people are something. I can hear grunts and groans.. the audio is blah blah blah. Who cares the man is working.. that's what it sounds like. If that deterred you from learning anything then that is a shame. John don't apologize for anything. No need to be catering to these cry babies. Great video. Just what I have needed to see tonight to get me on track for tomorrow. Thank you sir.

Wish I was you next door neighbor.. And could help you out in exchange for knowledge

Nice video..

Just shows how impatient people are nowadays. Safety is so important when working with hot metal, sparks, flying chips, and hot parts all are hazardous.

Biscuits are the bane of barefoot boys!

I liked the challenge, I thought the drawing out of tapers was really good.

John I am just thinking to try my first hammer, this is great idea. I need both Cross Pein Hammers. Thank you. I have quite a few cut offs of W1. Can I use that for hammers or maybe handled punches and chisel?

I'm not sure it "cancels" the error so much as it makes the error symmetrical

Sei que fazer os furos desta forma faz parte da arte em forjar metais. Mas não seria mais efetivo furar com uma furadeira e depois sim realizar o forjamento necessário?

I am enjoying your videos John. I would like to make a small axe and my propane forge does not get hot enough for forge welding and would like to try punching the eye and would like your input on the best way to go about this. I punched a hammer eye with the two holes as on your previous hammer video and it worked well but the axe eye has a such a long eye the Brian Brazil style punch may be better. I made a axe swage from 1" stock but it came out two small and will not fit through the 1" hardy hole so I may need to make some sort of swage block with a rectangle hole. Thanks for sharing your craft.

Instead of turning the workpiece, could you just turn the punch?

If a hammer has to be forged with a hammer, where did the first hammer come from?

Great video, i must say there is an issue with the audio... you have the mike too close to your mouth, or the mike level is too high. Please, set your mike to a non-distorting level, it can ruin a whole video. Thanks, take care.

I've noticed that you don't generally wear hearing protection while hammering. Any particular reason?

Hey John, Your gloves are smoking! (at about the 18 minute mark).

You mention lack of multi tasking leading to burning (over heating?) the stock. Question: I left an axe bit in my wood stove to burn out the remnant plastic/wood and totally forgot until the lady pulled it out glowing. Now it is easy to dent the bit on it, can I attempt to re-treat or temper this piece or have I ruined it?

If all you had was a piece of pipe and a bunch of different welding rods, what rod would you recommend using to fill the pipe for a hammer blank?

Did you ever get around to a charcoal manufacturing video?

John: Do you taper your hammer head hole one way or both from top and bottom?Thanks...Nice demo.....

Curious, what kind of gloves do you use? I notice it starting to steam or smoke when you were enlarging the center punch mark? Like your videos a lot, setting up my own blacksmithing shop. Gathering tools and really looking forward to making my own tools and projects..

Which technique do you prefer after trying the Brian Brazil method ? Which one is easier on the user to do? I am fixing to embark on making my own hammers and find this information very useful

You could use two punches and let one cool while you use the other. Faster work and fewer heats. Just saying...

The audio in this is worse. It was better befor. It's probably diferant on diferant divises

I have an other question for you. How can you make a bigger hammer from scratch when you only have a small/medium hammer ? Because my hammer is too small and I can't beat the Steel easily when it comes to make a bigger hammer with a larger piece. It's way harder to compress the steel. Is there a better way than juste making a little bigger hammer and scale up ? Also Thank you for your video very, very helpful ! And Congrats on your 20k Subs

You said the hammer you used in this video was a 1.5 lb. I asked you about a hammer before. Think we got mixed up... I like the design of the 1.5 lb. Itd be cool as a 2.5 lb. The peen is a slimmer design and the face is a large flat square. Line those..

what is sucker rod?

John, I know you advocate using a drill press for beginners. Would you recommend drilling a true center hole and then using a round center punch; similar to when you drilled two holes for the oblong punch? Almost a Center pilot hole?

I have been looking at it closer and it looks like what I though was a welded on face is just the weld used to square the edges. still something vibrates with every hammer strike. Is that normal? I have a 18x18" oak log square hewn to hold my anvil up. Anyways safety tips are cool and necessary.

What is the difference between coke and coal?

A curiosity John, what is that large tapered mass beside your little giant 25lb power hammer? What do you use it for? Cheers , Michael McDonald

If I could recommend one thing it would be to pull your mic a little further from your mouth other than that I love it and other videos made by you.

Thats sad that the safety and other videos lost you subscribers. I would bet money many people on here aren't blacksmiths and just like watching you make stuff.

Why not trun the punch and not the work peace

your videos are really enjoyable and informative however the face of your anvil drives me crazy! looking forward to more videos

Had to have my earphones on, could not deal with the audio. Bummed!

Microphone sounds over modulated.

oh john redo audio fuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Tried again, just too many little grunts and groans and clicks. Darn it! So informative yet too annoying. "Info-noyance"

I apologize for the unsolicited comment, and realize this video is from a year ago, but I believe your sub loss had less to do with your content and more with presentation. The audio on this video is so awful. I can hear WAY too many noises I shouldn't, and what I most want to hear (your explanation) is horribly muffled and distorted. Content is great though. It's like an online blacksmith class