Nick Wheeler Prototype Fighter. "Oh YEA "......

NickWheeler said:
Hey Guys :)
May have even hammered out one of those funny blades with the layers and stuff. ;) :)
Click to expand...

Oh goodness, those funny layers again? What is with those anyway? It's like the steel got all messed up and confused, the grain can't be in good shape with all those swirls and stuff ;)


Nick, I just want to say thank you for the wip's you keep doing. Wheelers Steel, that was an amazing wip that gave me so many hints, tips, ideas, and probably doubled my skill level just by reading it (at my skill level, doubling it isn't all that hard, but is still pretty good to me at least)

Stephen
 
Well I'm not any good at video editing, so I'll assume you can just use the fast forward button when you get bored. ;) :)

[video=youtube;ze5XA2Azovo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze5XA2Azovo[/video]
 
I like to learn about the process so I enjoyed the video very much. There so much involved in the process that I think many people may take for granted how much work, time and effort is put into every knife.

Thanks for posting nick!

Jeff
 
I thought it's about time I come up for air and enjoy some of the other work going on here :D

That's a mighty sweet piece of steel there Nick :thumbup: Very nicely done !!

I'd love to get together with you some time, the sooner the better :)

I betcha I could learn a thing or 2 from you ;)

Got room for a cot on your shop floor for a couple days ?? :D



:thumbup: :thumbup:
 
Oops.... this one was supposed to go ahead of the last one I posted. :o :foot:

[video=youtube;6LDsBYMFFxU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LDsBYMFFxU[/video]
 
Another way to skin a cat... ;) :)

[video=youtube;xwd8LtEXlUc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwd8LtEXlUc[/video]
 
Beautiful tutorial, Nick. :thumbup: Obviously, not everyone can do what you do, but anyone who watches these vids would have to at least appreciate your talent and your art. The only thing I had to shake my head about was the "those who are better at this than me...and there are a lot of 'em..." remark. :D
 
[video=youtube;nKQl-tJ4VkU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKQl-tJ4VkU[/video]

[video=youtube;DAOIwbcr34k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAOIwbcr34k[/video]

[video=youtube;ZIzfl5Fg8No]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIzfl5Fg8No[/video]

[video=youtube;9PZ9Iy_1Kxs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PZ9Iy_1Kxs[/video]
 
[video=youtube;FZvAd1urV14]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZvAd1urV14[/video]

[video=youtube;_M7enQFTdkw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M7enQFTdkw[/video]

[video=youtube;G2YDdAi6d8k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2YDdAi6d8k[/video]

[video=youtube;ivGNSQiHKK8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivGNSQiHKK8[/video]

[video=youtube;WgEfwoqiIhY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgEfwoqiIhY[/video]
 
Thanks for all the videos and pics man! I love seeing your process when you work and seeing it done so well in these pictures/videos is like being right there only without all the work. :) Thanks!
 
damn, I wish I had the time to sit down and watch these vids. Well, this thread isn't going anywhere, so I'll get around to receiving this free education from one of the very best bladesmiths on the planet. We are SO lucky and fortunate to have Nick Wheeler amongst us. I mean that.
 
You guys are far too kind, I'm just a hack! I appreciate the kind words, but there are guys out there that could do a better job with their eyes closed. There is a blacksmith who makes what he calls "one heat tongs" and he hammers one of the sides for a pair of tongs in one heat---EVERY hammer blow he makes has huge impact, meaning, and results. Brian Brazeal.... I don't think hammering hot steel gets more fluent than this!!!!

Again, just to be clear, this next video is blacksmith Brian Brazeal, NOT me. Watching him hammer tongs out is like watching a really good dancer move.... it just seems so smooth and effortless.

[video=youtube;5BoFD-qv2OM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BoFD-qv2OM[/video]

I just video'd this stuff because I thought some of you might be interested, and it's actually REALLY good for me. I can watch it and see a whole bunch of things that I could do better, faster, more efficiently. Especially things like thinking the billet is completely square to the anvil, only to watch a video and see it was tweaked up or down, or side to side. It's a whole lot different watching it like this than when I'm actually doing it.

Thanks folks! :)
 
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Brian Brazeal certainly has the skills. One of these days I would like to take one of his hammer making classes.
 
Nick, ol' buddy, you said, in your video of drawing out the tang with the press, that people might call it cheating?
Come now. We've got thousands of dollars of equipment - use it!
Why beat your brains out when you've got a press and a power hammer?
That steel doesn't care what's hitting or pressing it.
 
Oh I sure don't think it is either Karl, but I get those type of comments a lot so that was my preemptive strike! LOL ;) :D
 
Karl and Nick

If I can chime in here with an orthopedic surgeon's perspective -

ANYTHING you can do to minimize the repetitive "trauma" that you get from hammering will prolong your career and minimize your medical costs :D

So, not only is this practice (using power equipment when feasible) more fiscally responsible in terms of time, it is more "personally responsible" when doing large volumes of work - replacing the odd hydraulic line or bearing is WAY cheaper than rotator cuff surgery or knee replacements !!!
(Both of which I enjoy doing quite a bit, BTW :p)

Bill
 
Okay fellas, this is going to be the last one for a good while now. If I don't keep my head down in the shop and off the forum and off the phone (heh hem Joe! ;) :p :foot: :))..... then you guys will be kicking me for taking too long to finish these.

Just thought some of you might be interested in a little snippet of one of THE MOST IMPORTANT pieces of the puzzle that is one of my knives. :)

Thanks! :)

[video=youtube;MR-GKBVel54]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR-GKBVel54[/video]
 
Holy Moly... ain't that somethin'! And to think one of them is mine... Lordy lord!

Thanks Nick!
 
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