Blacksmith Twist Handles (AKA Basket handle)

[jlpservicesinc]

I was talking with a fellow smith friend and he recently took a weekend course and basket handle making was one of the stations.. 

We were talking and he said he like the looks of higher count handles better..  I told him not to dismiss low count handles and there is the series on them.. 

I am going to compile them in this 1 thread as it will cover several different designs.. 

[1forgeur]

 I like them all, but the last two really caught my eye. The one on the keyboard and the one below it. Video?

[George N. M.]

I second the motion for a video or series of still photos on the process.  I'm particularly interested in the rod up the middle and the finial process.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[jlpservicesinc]

14 hours ago, 1forgeur said:

 I like them all, but the last two really caught my eye. The one on the keyboard and the one below it. Video?

There are 3 videos out now.  The 4 rod fancy twist,  the "How to forge a basket twist handle for those that dont have a consistent weld, and the split basket reverse twist which has the spacer in the middle..

The one inverted twist on the computer is in edit now.. and is slightly harder than 

13 hours ago, George N. M. said:

I second the motion for a video or series of still photos on the process.  I'm particularly interested in the rod up the middle and the finial process.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

I am particularly proud of all the finials especially the ones in the flat basket, and the last or double inverted twist...

These are tough  simply because there is no great way to support the finial while working on it..

 

With special tooling it would be easier but I really want these to be possible for others to do with simplest of tools..

The 2x inverted twist and the flat twist were the most difficult of the handles..

 

The flat twist was the most challenging and while I know how to do it.. I doubt it would transfer over to a useable "How to" ..  

 

 

[Shainarue]

Hi Jennifer! I know this is an old post but I'm wondering, were you able to get a video done on the inverted twists? I really love it and if I work at it, I think it would make a lovely feature on things I make for my wife's fiber room. 

If no video, can you try to give an explanation? 

And in case I haven't said so lately, thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into these videos. The search bar on your channel is one of the first places I go to look for something I'm struggling with! In fact, just yesterday I was watching your video on the collar weld because I remembered you had a different method for measuring which was WAY easier than trying to math it all out! And now that I've done a few, I need to re-watch your video to see if I can glean any other pointers. Sometimes I miss stuff when I don't know what to watch for yet!

[Frosty]

I think we'll forgive you Shaina, 5-6 months is long enough for Jennifer to finish editing the how to on that wonky inverted twist. 

Maybe we should start a chant. Gang?

Frosty The Lucky.

[1forgeur]

We want a video, we want a video, we want a video. Please

[LarryFahnoe]

3 hours ago, Shainarue said:

Sometimes I miss stuff when I don't know what to watch for yet!

An excellent reflection! We don't know what we don't know (yet) & then that's often followed up with "if only i'd known..." The joys of learning by the seat of our pants...

--Larry

[Daswulf]

Learning is fun. The more you learn and practice, the more you learn to watch for the next time to practice. Learning with out practicing is just getting an idea of it. You learn way more in practicing what you learned then go back and learn again. If you don't get good results you learn some more and take That to the forge until you get that Ah-Hah moment ("I get it now."). 

[Frosty]

After  point it dawns on you the more you know the more you realize you don't know. First you see, hear, wonder a thing do a little learning, get a handle on it and start doing, discover some of what you don't know and figure out or learn that bit, rinse, repeat for the rest of your life. One of my favorite things about blacksmithing is the learning curve never ends.

Frosty The Lucky.

[jlpservicesinc]

 

The single inverted twist is easy..  Just run the bars along the finial and weld them.. Then pull them back gracefully back over and reweld.  Then twist..   It's good for people to use their forging brain power to help establish complex thought processes..   I highly recommend taking a drawing class or just doodling..  

There is a great tablet app called Concepts.. Has lessons and everything. 

The double inverted twist I did as a joke or complex puzzle for other smiths to oogle over and speculate on how it was done.  NO one has figured it out. 

So, that one will go to my grave unless someone does figure it out..  That and the hard way flat basket twist..  

Of course, if the demand is high enough once the school is open I'll show it.  But that's a ways off. 


All the videos I've produced have been designed to be watched 3-5 times..    Watch it Once or twice then go and try it a time or 2 or until one gets stuck..  Then watch it again. 

By the 3rd watching more or less the skills should be on the way to being understood and the little nuances should be seen.  Then the videos will make more sense as does the process. 

All the footage from those early examples are missing.  I believe it was on my NAS that crashed. 

Put the finial on first. 

 

[Shainarue]

hahaha - challenge accepted on figuring out those other two! I'll text you if I figure it out, lol

I'll check out the app. I love to sketch, so maybe it'll actually get used. I just went through a purged a bunch of apps I haven't used in the past year. 

[ACME Anvil]

Think I can see how the double inverted handle is done, but, seems like its a bugger to weld...

[jlpservicesinc]

Give it your best guess..  Love to see some sample pieces..  Figuring out the process while forging would be the best way.. But drawings work too. 

I won't offer any assistance..  If you get it right I'll let you know via PM..  

[Shainarue]

I'm excited. I have a pretty good idea but I'll need a few days to play with a piece. I don't have any 1/8" rods, but I do have 1/4" so mine will have to have fewer pieces in the basket but the concept should still play out okay.

[jlpservicesinc]

If you use 1/4" you will have a terrible time bending them once welded.  

On projects of this magnitude it's best to follow the recipe as closely as possible.. Once you get comfortable making additions to a recipe changes can add flavor and depth.. 

If all you have is 1/4" you could forge the bars to size.. You can use square vs round.. 

The same principles apply for any multi bar twisted handle..    the count is based on shaft material circumference.   If you flatten the ends you can change the bar count but will also increase the difficulty in holding them. 

Since the weld is on the inside you have to scarft the ends of the rods before welding if you want it to be finished nicely..  

I left the ends less tapered so people could see what was being done..   

Ideally everything should be smoothed and blended well. 

Scarf both ends to the rods before welding.. 

[bluerooster]

I can see inverted on one end, but inverted on both ends? How to weld the other end inside the basket without ruining the piece.   Now I could probably cheat, and weld one end, then bend the "pencils" over, and weld, then heat, and drive that end inverted. But bending over, and under, then welding inside the basket is way above my head.   But looks way cool!

  Mabe this: bend them over and under, then weld one at a time, keeping them all laid over to one side until all are welded, then spread them out straight, then heat and twist. Mabe.  But I gotta get the forge fixed first.