Hi all

I recently purchased a DVD on knife making without power tools. It is called Knifemaking Unplugged by Tim and Marian Lively. I am waiting for it to arrive in the mail. I would like to know if anyone here has this DVD and what they think of it. I chose it since I have very minimal resources with which to acquire tools and I think thier approach suits a first timer and newbie such as myself. Anyway let me know what you think, also to the admins I did not find a video/dvd section so if this is the incorrect place for this post please feel free to move it.

not seen it, but Tim is a good man, and a good knife maker.

Hi!

I bought it sometime ago. I guess it depends on what you wanted to learn. I think its very good and liked it a lot. And yes, it is really unplugged, he even lights the fire without matches. (he uses flint and a file) He teaches you how to make charcoal, the Lively washtub forge, how to choose the steel from a junk pile, making a bladesmithing anvil, basic forging, basic heat treating... up to finishing it without power tools. I think you will like it

Hope it helps

Rub

I've heard only good things about Tim and his educational materials.

Frosty

Thank you all.

I have the DVD and like it a lot. Of course I'm pretty new at all this, so everything is a learning experience for me. It shows how you can do quite a lot with not much. It changed what I think an anvil is or has to be.

i saw them on the net and used thier forge design instead of the 'brake drum forge' cause i wanted to be able to treat large blades and i live in suburbia so i went charcoal cause its cleaner than coal and safer than gas (for me) also liked the knife he made in the video ...

Tim sent me a copy of his DVD recently, though it's been on my list of things to get for a few years.

I have been forging unplugged at shows and for teaching for 4 years now, but I use archaeological origins for my set up (no modern materials or rotary blower for example). The processes that I work through are the same as Tim though, pretty much

The DVD is a great intro to how anyone can set up a functioning forge at home with very little equipment. If you have the sort of mind that will think around problems then you will be able to improvise anything that you can't get hold of. Tim's instructions are clear and there is a happy lack of BS in there

I was talking to Tim about the whole Neo-Tribal bladesmithing thing a while back and something we both love is the fact that people are in disbelief of what we can do with so little kit. It's nothing special, afterall if it were that hard then we probably wouldn't have got this far as a species.

I enjoyed the video as well. I wish I could get more like it.

I highly reccomend the video. It is very well done, and Tim knows his craft.

Just remember, there's several ways to skin this cat - Tim's is just one of them. Don't take it as the "only" or "right" way to do things, just one approach that works. Have fun and good luck!

I bought Tim's video couple of years ago, well done and good information, especially if your going unplugged. An economical way to get started or continue on in the neo tribal style. I still pull it out and watch it once in a while. I think you will like it.

Jerry Fisher

I have the Lively's video and think it is great. They are a class act and really do give the beginner a handle on low-cost knifemaking. Of course they are evil in a sense that they make you hungry by cooking a breakfast of bacon and eggs on the fire that they make their charcoal out of, so I have to run into the kitchen for a snack everytime I watch it! My DVD is out on a loaner right now for the fifth time this year! It gets you hooked! On the topic of videos/DVDS there is another one which I would like to recommend to you. Knifemaking with Willie White. It was put out by American Pioneer Video a few years back so I don't know if it is still in production. Wille uses more power tools than Tim but nothing that will break the bank to buy. He is the Cousin of Hershel House, a Gunmaker and Blacksmith.

Tim Lively's video is great--I've owned a copy (downloaded from amazon.com) for a little over a year now. I've made the forge, used the charcoal, and have nothing but good things to say about Tim and Marian and their video. There are TONS of little things they do in that video that they do not mention--very minor details, such as how he forges the choile (sp?) or finger relief, and lots more (I haven't watched it in a while). Everytime I watch it, I pick something up. I made a mini version of his knife and it works great--I could have gone a little easier on the tempering, but for what it is and does is fine. On the forge design, I just finished lining my second "Lively Forge" and have added more holes in the tweer (sp--I know it's wrong). I'll be firing it for the first time on Saturday. The thing that really, really helped was using appropriately sized charcoal--I bust up the lump charcoal (not briquettes) to about a 3/4 to 1 inch size and fabricated two "bricks" out of a refractory mix I found on line somewhere for placing over the top--sort of like making a small oven. I haven't tried welding with it yet, but I'd bet money that it'd go pretty good. Been using a "modified" hair dryer with excellent results for the air supply.

Anyhow, buy the DVD if you can--well worth the money and then some. Have fun!!

I had a copy of his video and thought it very good intro to the subject.

I once took it to watch while doing an apherisis donation at the Red Cross Blood Bank and my phlembotomist was from Haiti and saw the video and started talking to me about how a blacksmith used to live just down the road from them in Haiti...

Unfortunately my copy was on loan to another smith when his house burned down (arson!) and I have never had it replaced---he was out of work for a long time due to burns and with medical bills on top he was never able to replace it.