VIDEO: How to Forge a Parang from a Lawnmower Blade

averageiowaguy

averageiowaguy

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Mar 22, 2011
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I'm headed to the Amazon in 10 days. I decided to forge my machete from a lawnmower blade. It was a pretty fun project and it wasn't hard.

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

I wasn't sure exactly where to post this, because it doesn't fit perfectly in any particular subforum.
 
One of the best vids I have seen in a while. Thanks a ton. I might give that a try one day. I tlooks fun. However, I am a COMPLETE noob at forging. As in I have never done anything. So thanks for inspiring me.
 
Tasselhoff said:
One of the best vids I have seen in a while. Thanks a ton. I might give that a try one day. I tlooks fun. However, I am a COMPLETE noob at forging. As in I have never done anything. So thanks for inspiring me.
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That was only the third thing I'd ever forged. I did 2 spoons first. Seriously give it a shot. It's fun!
 
I know what you mean. One of the few youtube vids that doesn't make me want to claw my eyes out. Very nicely done video. I liked the night shots a lot. Have fun on your trip though I think the fun already started. :D
 
Excellent video! I know this fine blade will work well for you in the jungle. Watching this makes me want to set up a little forge of my own and make a parang like yours!

Congratulations!
Ron
 
Regardless if it's the correct technique or not (that's not the point I think), It's a great videos as others said before.

The most important thing, by far, is that you try and you share what you learn.

Thanks a lot!
 
Awesome work man, I will second or third that I enjoy your how to vids. More youtube people need to edit and abbreviate steps(and verbage) and redundancy like you do.
Looking forward to your review of it when you are back.
 
I really want to do this.. i have an old lawn mower blade that i decided not to throw out. Whatd you make your Kiln or whatever it is out of? I need a way to heat treat my knives... because i have the capability to make them, but i dont have the capability to heat treat my knives....... I live in a suburban neighborhood so i dont know how this is going to work, i guess ill find out! :D
 
sisk61 said:
I really want to do this.. i have an old lawn mower blade that i decided not to throw out. Whatd you make your Kiln or whatever it is out of? I need a way to heat treat my knives... because i have the capability to make them, but i dont have the capability to heat treat my knives....... I live in a suburban neighborhood so i dont know how this is going to work, i guess ill find out! :D
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Can you build recreational fires in your neighborhood? A forge does not have to be very big. There are some videos of blade smiths working a parang in Sulawesi, Indonesia and they had a 2 or 3 foot long trench with hardwood charcoal and two pipes rigged up with some sort of plunger arrangement for bellows. You can search for "small forges" or "rustic forge" and probably find something you could copy. Whatever you come up with don't set up something with galvanized pipe or fire pans, the lead fumes from hot galvanized metal are really bad to breathe. The video I watched was one of the ones that pop into the box after you watch AIG's video above. He used a propane forge but you could burn down some oak into coals and go to town. The guys in Indonesia had a setup that was very rustic but my guess is parangs have been made that way for more than a few years. The job took two people.
 
Great video. Seems like a good project to give a try. :thumbup:

Now, do let us know how it goes in the Jungles of Peru.
 
willseeyalater said:
Can you build recreational fires in your neighborhood? A forge does not have to be very big. There are some videos of blade smiths working a parang in Sulawesi, Indonesia and they had a 2 or 3 foot long trench with hardwood charcoal and two pipes rigged up with some sort of plunger arrangement for bellows. You can search for "small forges" or "rustic forge" and probably find something you could copy. Whatever you come up with don't set up something with galvanized pipe or fire pans, the lead fumes from hot galvanized metal are really bad to breathe. The video I watched was one of the ones that pop into the box after you watch AIG's video above. He used a propane forge but you could burn down some oak into coals and go to town. The guys in Indonesia had a setup that was very rustic but my guess is parangs have been made that way for more than a few years. The job took two people.
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Wow thanks!!! Yeah, they allow recreational fires. or at least i hope they do! because ive made more than a couple of backyard fires! Thanks so much for the info! I saw that video about the propane tank forge. I was considering a similar setup with a propane tank and a torch that lead into a paint can or something filled with insulation. I also considered buying an old grill and making a forge out of it. dont know how that would work though.
 
half way through watching and i love it already. i thought i had subscribed to your channel after the spoons, but i am not seeing this in my feed. thanks for sharing.
 
This was epic. Best thing I've seen all day. The Conan music just got me right in the mood to watch some hardcore forging action. Great work man. Have fun killing the rainforest down there! lol :p
 
medicevans said:
What steel is that lawnmower blade?
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Mystery steel. I had to guess on the quenching and heat treat. That is why I am a little reserved about calling this a good knife until I put it through a week of real use in the Amazon. I researched it as much as I could by talking to experienced blacksmiths and this was my best guess. I've done some initial testing of the HT and there were no issues, but I haven't put it out into the real world yet.

The main thing I was going for here was to see if I could come up with a blade shape and balance that would make a good jungle knife for me. If the design works for me I'll forge a few more out of known steel and either duplicate a known heat treating protocol or send it to a professional.
 
How are you going to know if the knife works if the heat treat is off?

Seems like a lot of work to possibly have a piece of worthless banged up knife shaped steel. 1075-1080-1084 is cheap man. Why use mystery steel?
 
medicevans said:
How are you going to know if the knife works if the heat treat is off?

Seems like a lot of work to possibly have a piece of worthless banged up knife shaped steel. 1075-1080-1084 is cheap man. Why use mystery steel?
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Mainly what I am looking for here is whether or not I like the shape/length/balance of the knife. I'll know if the heat treat is off by whether or not the edge chips or rolls or if there are other problems with the steel on the knife. I beat it against walnut for about 10 minutes with no problems, but that doesn't mean it will work in the real world.

I made it out of a lawnmower blade because I had one laying around and a friend of mine challenged me to do it.

This is a prototype. I'll modify the design based on my testing in the jungle. I'll also have the other members of the RAT team play around with it for input. I'm not looking to sell these, but I would like to be able to make something to give to friends etc. I want to be sure that what I am giving them really is a good design. Once I have the design the way I like it I'll make them out of known steel with an established heat treat protocol.
 
Wow mate, absolutely impressive. Thanks for that great documentation and the result looks great!!

ll.
 
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