Indonesian Machete Forging

[Charcold]

 

I always enjoy the more primitive smithies, always a good motivation to see how good we all have it with modern tools!

[RobS]

I'm not sure I classify this particular video as primitive.  They are using an electric blower, angle grinders, modern anvil, tongs and hammers.  Unless missing a power hammer and hydraulic press makes them primitive?  They have all the same tools as most of the shops I've seen as well as my own.  Still, its nice to see a working smithy with a team of smiths working together making tools that are still needed and used everyday by their community.  

[Frosty]

I HOPE you're not going to be offended and yell at me if I say we've seen and love this video are you?  It should be in everybody's blacksmithing video files, it's a terrific example of what can be done with minimalist tools and equipment. Only an idiot or hobbyist (NO I'm NOT going THERE!) wouldn't use electricity and tools if available. 

Please don't yell at me I'd rather not ignore you.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Charcold]

at Robs, primative was a poor choice of words. Maybe traditional is better? I see a lot of more modern equipment in their shop but the forging at the start is done with one man holding the flatbar on a post anvil of sorts with 2 strikers using hammers that look handmade and in a Japanese style (only way i know to describe it, seeing this makes me think perhaps its common to a lot of asia). Just a guess but i wonder if that large anvil is cast iron, as they dont seem to be using it very much for forging and it looks like it would be worth a fortune in that area. 

at Frost, not offended in the least. i did a few searches on google trying to see if there was already a thread and couldn't find any, likely my fail on the keywords. so i decided it was worth a post, i'm going to be checking out this channel in the future more if they post this type of content more. 

[JHCC]

It may seem primitive to eyes used to industrial processes and products (especially in European contexts of the last couple of centuries), but there is incredible sophistication of design and technique, and the product is stunning. These videos remind me of one definition of Fritz Schumacher's concept of "appropriate technology", namely, "the simplest level of technology that can achieve the intended purpose."

53 minutes ago, Frosty said:

It should be in everybody's blacksmithing video files, it's a terrific example of what can be done with minimalist tools and equipment.

The whole channel is worth bookmarking: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvyqu9MfTzno1tN8IbxoDIQ

9 minutes ago, Charcold said:

primative was a poor choice of words. Maybe traditional is better?

I prefer Frosty's "minimalist" -- "traditional" is very much a fraught term, since what is "traditional" in one time or place might be innovative and/or foreign in another. The advantage of "minimalist" is that (like the definition of AT I give above) it emphasizes that there is nothing extraneous and every tool and technique is used to maximum effect.

[SLAG]

JHCC,

Thank you for the reference. I have book marked it.

Primitive? No way. 

The smithy is not fashionable in the occidental sense. But their tools are very well suited to what those fellows are doing. The end product is superb. The technique displayed is excellent.

Many smiths could do a lot worse than using the videos to study and emulate their methods.

O.K.  

The safety standards are abominable but they are A-1 craftsmen.

SLAG.

Smoking Kreteks boggles the mind. HOO-Boy!