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The Editors Mailbox

From Raw Steel to Righteous Tool

Matthew Kenney, senior editor

60 users recommend

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Last week, I posted an enjoyable video of a gentleman turning a lampshade from a big piece of firewood. Here's another short video for your viewing pleasure. It's toolmaker John Neeman of Latvia forging a big timber slick. The part I found most interesting was how he makes the handle socket. Very cool. By the way, this is a gorgeous video.

Also, check out Neeman's website. Very cool. And, evidently, the response to this video and a few others has been so overwhelming that they've gotten order a plenty. In fact, so many that they've stopped taking in new orders for now. 

The Birth Of A Tool. Part II. Chisel Making (by John Neeman) from John Neeman Tools on Vimeo.

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Watch someone turn a lamp shade (it's better than that sounds, really)

Comments (11)

MacGregorWoodWorks writes: I totally agree with kslinksoutlet .... I'm speechless! Awesome video, please keep these coming!
Posted: 12:03 am on October 17th

jowersjc writes: I love the chronological effect of going from the stove to the anvil to the (digital) oven then to the laser engraving.
Posted: 11:04 am on September 29th

dhasterok writes: Very cool!!! Now I want to learn to hand forge my own tools.

But I just have to comment on the amusing dichotomy between the hand forged slick and the handle made with power tools. The icing on the cake for me was the laser engraving on the handle. Oh the irony.

Doesn't make it any less cool though.
Posted: 11:39 am on September 28th

MacGregorWoodWorks writes: I really enjoyed watching the video on the hand forged tool. Please keep videos like this coming!!
Posted: 10:19 am on September 28th

caarapet1rug writes: A fine video on making a steel barn slick using a forge and a lathe. There is a better way though to find the taper to turn for a socket chisel handle…measure the top of the socket and then slide a dowel down into the socket until it bottoms out against the socket wall down inside somewhere, and measure how far down into the socket it went. Put the top measurement on the wood that you are turning, and then measure down how far the dowel went and mark for the diameter of the dowel used. No need to whittle the taper to a slop fit and add glue. The dowel measuring method will get you spot on first try. Years went by in my life before this simple solution dawned on me. Part of being Irish I guess.


Posted: 12:34 pm on September 24th

deblacksmith writes: Very good video. He moves rather fast through 2 critical steps. One the forge welding of the chisel socket. Harder than it looks. The other is the heat-treatment. First, he heats the working end of the chisel to above the critical temperature (about 1575 F) then he quenches the working end of the tool in oil. He then lets the retained heat it the upper part of the body reheat (temper) the working area to around 400 F. He then quenches it a second time in water.

Great job of tool making.

deblacksmith
Posted: 12:43 pm on September 22nd

NikonD80 writes: What a beautifully shot video. FWW has got to do a proper article on these guys.
Posted: 5:32 am on September 19th

scrabtree46 writes: Have done lots of blacksmithing in my past, but hurt my shoulder so probably wont be able to do anymore...but it is fun!

Posted: 10:33 am on September 18th

dsny71755 writes: that was amazing to watch. Such skill.
brought tears to my eyes.
Posted: 7:56 am on September 18th

LumberjacksSon writes: Awesome, great video, great craftsman.
Posted: 10:03 pm on September 17th

RalphBarker writes: Pretty slick slick. (Sorry, I just had to say that.)
Posted: 7:28 pm on September 17th

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