One thing I think a lot of folks might miss, is that when he's putting the tapers on the area to become a scroll, his hammer control is preventing the rectangular shape of the metal from twisting. I've done some basic taper into a scroll and I found that my hammer control wasn't what I want it to be yet, as the metal started to twist! John, you make this look super easy, and I'm sure with more practice it is, but it's nice to see a master at their craft.
Looking forward to seeing the door build and the hinge designs you incorperate into it. First thing I said to one of my buddies when I saw that hook was " Three words: Blacksmith Christmas Tree".
You know, I dont care for the design, but I remain impressed by the individual and collective smithing skills used to create it. Thats the shine for me. Thank you for teaching me several techniques here; I will be putting these into action tonight at my local BSmith club.
It may not be perfect or symmetrical, but, those imperfections is what gives it character. I'll have to try some more scroll work too. Definitely gave me some ideas. Thanks John!
Beautiful scroll hook John. I can't wait to see the hinges made similarly.... Your hammer work is poetry in motion. I've been blacksmithing for about 4 years now and have done many scrolls but my hammer work is not nearly as precise. It's not just hitting where you aim but hitting with the correct amount of force to match the metal thickness and heat level. Really impressive to watch. Thanks for all the videos you post. I've learned so much watching you.
6:53 I was really impressed with your challenge. Those scrolls were fun to watch you make. I was tired from just watching you. And then I realized you were only halfway done with it. I tip my hat off to you John for doing such a challenge
You do such wonderful work. Be day I’ll set aside some time to focus more on artsy blacksmithing projects. It’s such a rewarding project to have finished. It has that “wow I made that” factor that I love so much. ❤ thank you again for sharing your wisdom and time John.
I'm not a blacksmith, but I admire the outcome of your scroll work and the final piece as a whole. Blacksmithing is not machining. You really should not elaborate on all the moles and blemishes of your work. All fabricators have those things we didn't do as well as we would like. But can we fix them to look right?? If it' looks right, it is right" and yours looks right to me. I enjoyed the video. Thanks.
This is a GREAT inspiration, John!!! Now I wanna go forge Lol I really need to finish a knife, but I enjoy a good challenge and scroll work is ALWAYS a challenge!! Haha Thanks John!!
Love the hinge idea. Not to crazy about the chiseled lines, someone might think that it is individual scrolls welded together. I did when I saw the thumbnail for the video.
Thanks for the great video John. That took some tender loving care to come up with that finished hook you shared with us. Turned out really good. Fred.
I would love to see that design made into a strap hinge, like you mentioned. I think horizontally, it could also look good made into a coat rack, with three hooks riveted into the center portion. Nice project idea, John.
Great job as always, John! If you haven’t already, check out Roy’s French baroque door knocker, for the knocker, he forge welded the pieces and added a collar. I really like your idea to make it a door hinge, that will look amazing!
Thats a really cool design, I am aware of where the design originates but it also looks like a tree of life too, Its also given me an idea for a double hook where the top hook rolls up over the outside of the lower hook, using the same sort of lines and scrolls for the top half. No idea if that makes sense but I can see it in my head. Thanks for sharing, I really like this idea
Truly unique hook, I could tell that the metal was cooling rapidly, doesn't give much work time. You say that the scrolls aren't even and you need to practice, they look good to me, my wife really likes it. I can see ways to modify it to have more hooks on the bottom and even on the top or alter it into a very ornate hinge. Great project, thanks for sharing.
I agree, sometime the coal forge is not worth using for alot of jobs..but, I still have mine..but I use the gas forge more.. nice project.. thanks.. ..Black Art Forge..
This is a beautiful piece! I love the spanish colonial style (I am from California, and it reminds me of home). As someone who forges too many forks, I wonder how different the hook would come out if you tapered the whole bar and then cut the lines for the scrolls. Maybe I'll try it myself if I have the time!
Super sweet hook this Sunday. I forgot to hit the like button before closing out so I came back to hit the button and leave a comment. Just wondering if it still counts for you John with this RU-vid algorithm stuff? Enjoy your day. Thanks for the video.
Awesome! An old pair of snap ring pliers for scroll work. That was what l did for my first pair. Although l have since switched to a pair with a 90 degree bend since they put less strain on my wrists. Amazing video, again. Cheers.
I like the scrollwork, but I think it would look better as a hinge finial as you suggested. Another thought is to make it layered by using different widths of steel for the scrolls, then welding or rivetting them together for the three D effect.
You must have excellent spatial perception, in order to roll each stage of those to their own size and angle without measuring, or using some type of guide. Great work.
Thanks for sharing the link. Enjoyed this and will no doubt try making onen of my own. Maybe a demo for my forge group (ATHENS FORGE has a utubge page- part of the Alabama Forge Council, we post demos from our demo meetings.). I'm always looking for new ideas to try. This will be a good one. John Guentheer Athens AL
Great video and great design. I've been watching it in the airport. After leaving my friends in Ohio. Troy and Eli of barr run forge. At the Gathering. Go check them out.
This project could likely be sped up by using your torch and gas saver, working in the vice with mainly scrolling tongs and forks? On an unrelated subject, on the woodworking channel Pask Makes, in his most recent video on building a coffee table, he tried out a little smithing, and showed a technique for what amounts to an upset 90° corner that I had never seen before. It seemed to be easier and quicker than all the upset 90 corner techniques i’ve seen, and I’m wondering if I’m missing something that would make it a poor choice. To explain what he did; he bent the piece over double on itself, then hammered back the fold to a symmetrical v point, which upset material into the fold, then opened the fold back up and tidied up the now square corner. This seems a lot easier and cleaner than hammering on the ends of the legs to upset material into the corner, which is what I’ve seen before. So my question is: is there a mechanical reason not to do it this easier way? It *looks* the same, but I wondered if I’m overlooking a cold shut or other weakness adding element.
That is great - it was interesting to see how you managed the multiple scrolls without getting yourself in a tangle. Are those green handled tools scrolling pliers or have you re-purposed a circlip tool.
Hi John, I have an Anvil Mandrel that a Late Fring Ota's made me on His Metal Lathe. Looking at this is giving me a bug, wondering how this might Work on my Anvil Mandrel,
For building tongs and pliers what stock would you recommend found your channel today after building some plant hangers for my wife’s greenhouse i am enjoying watching your channel thanks.
That one is a beauty! Inspired to give it a go on a project myself. I think the induction forge with the taco coil would make that a bit easier when I try. Thanks as always, big guy.
What's that stand and table you have for your portaband? Is that something you made? I want something similar for my portaband and I've been struggling a bit with designing exactly what I want and then figuring out how to actually make it.
I just looked...... Holy shit John!! I won't throw ya under the bus in the comments with the price, but doesn't that seem WAY high for this?? I'm dead serious!! Is that actually a fair price for this small, decorative hook?? I love it but I think I'd ask $125-$150 myself and even that seems alittle high to me. Am I wrong?? Again, I'm asking a serious question, not trying to be cute, or funny, or disrespectful?? Just one not very experienced blacksmith to a highly experienced blacksmith.
It does seem high, but I don't really think that it is. It is pretty common for a professional shops to charge $150 an hour for shop time (not to be confused with an hourly wage). This one took about 6 hours which would be way more than I'm asking. I really don't expect it to sell, at least not soon. But I have always made work that appeals to a low budget customer base, which is very limiting and will never allow for doing my best work. So by putting the extra time and effort in and pricing my work accordingly, I hope to start moving toward a customer base that has a considerably higher discretionary income. As an example, my most expensive fire poker sold for around $150. I have talked to higher end smiths that won't make a poker for less than $1,000. With more and more smiths appealing to the market for simple work, I see this as the time to up my game as a blacksmith
Oh John!! I wanted to ask, and not sure how to do that directly, so im hitting up the comments. Do you have any projects we could do in time for mother's day??
I think any of the hooks and most of the candle holder would be doable in time. But a rose might be a great gift. - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DAOx1sv9VLE.htmlsi=-Nxra0dvyWNSsbJu
