Japanese sorta weeder video

[jlpservicesinc]

 

[Shainarue]

I watched this earlier today. I really liked how it was real time. I'm not saying I would want all the videos that way but sometimes it's nice to be reminded of the reheat time when watching these projects. 

I have a lot of lawnmower blades and I've already pulled one aside to give this a go. A few other projects in line ahead of it but it's on the list. Thank you for sharing!

[jlpservicesinc]

Shaina,  I get different messages from everyone..  Some people like to see what is going on behind the scenes some don't.   Some like seeing the heat cycles and fire management, some don't. 

It's becoming increasingly difficult to find content I'd even want to share, as there are now so many blacksmithing videos that are just a copy of another copy, often 4 or more copies deep. 

What is the ideal video to you?  Length, depth, etc. 

[Shainarue]

Oh, that's tough to answer. It really depends on the project and what I'm after. As a total beginner, I watched your video on starting the coal fire and I probably wouldn't have watched this one, thinking it would have been too difficult - that was just my mindset back then. Now though, I realize nothing is out of reach - just need to learn the technique - and I tend to skip forward a lot of the heat-beat-repeat sections regardless of who's doing the video. Trouble is, sometimes people will share helpful nuggets during those spans so I take the risk of missing out on that. 

Sometimes I'm watching just to watch - not with intention of immediately doing the project - just because I find it relaxing to watch someone else make something. When that's the case, I appreciate the longer videos but I don't usually watch when they're over 30 minutes unless I'm not feeling well (which was the case yesterday). 

So - I guess in summary - if intended just for show then edit out the reheats and possibly speed up the repetitive parts (like drawing out the shank). If intended as tutorial, just edit out the reheats like you've always done. I liked the real-time but I wouldn't want it all the time. Kind of a rare thing.

 

I hear you on finding content to even bother sharing. There's SO much out there. But on the same flip of the coin, since there's so much out there then it's easy for stuff to get missed. So I say if you enjoy doing it and you like what you've created, then share it regardless of how many others are out there. Your work is nothing like most creators anyway.

[Frosty]

I believe I even had suggestions about what I'd like to see in your videos Jennifer but I have my own interests, I'm more into your process and gain from different views and such. A static camera angle is almost impossible to show what's really going on but who wants to trip over a cameraman? 

I got sick of saying no to people wanting me to video how tos and have only posted a couple in years past. The German gals I was giving anvil time wanted videos for themselves so I posted them here so they could link them to themselves at home.

I got a raft of members telling me what and how I should've done them and a few got argumentative about it. I stopped responding and added their comments in my, "Don't feed the trolls" file.

One modern "technique" that actually angers me is the speeded up footage. You can't see what's going on just a blur of motion and truly tooth grating noise. If a person doesn't want to present a video that conveys information why bother. Edit out any footage you're temped to speed up. 

Slow motion is rarely of value however there are some processes where slow mo will show details normal speed doesn't. For example how I control a scroll without using horn, mandrel, etc. Just by keeping the angle of the scroll positioned between hammer and anvil fact so it bends where I wish. The problem with that is I'd need a cameraman who knew what and why I was doing a thing and how to get the shot.

If that makes any sense.

Frosty The Lucky. 

[Shainarue]

Oh, Frosty's comment on the different angles reminded me - I really love that follow-cam you've got set up! I've always appreciated the multiple views you give. It's quite helpful to see both from 1st-person (or close to it) and from the side.

[Frosty]

It's been a while so I watched part of your video Jennifer and agree with Shaina your camera angle have improved since the early days. Good coverage wide angle and closeup. Good lighting, color, levels, angles, etc. The sound of the forge blower isn't overwhelmingly loud, you can be heard clearly, the sound of your blows is clear but not overwhelming. Someone with experience at the anvil can hear the condition of the stock, heat, thickness, contact with the anvil, and so on. 

All in all you have excellent production values and I spent six semesters studying photography and one studying wet film movie photography. It's long ago far away but the basics remain.  

I bestow upon you the coveted  Frosty's Well done award! 

Frosty The Lucky. 

[jlpservicesinc]

It is interesting that both of you (shaina, frosty) are after different aspects of the videos..    Frosty, I fully understand having clear sound of the anvil (type of blow, sound of blow, etc).. I think this is a " mastery" state of wanting..   I love to hear the difference in hammer blows and also love to see the body motion of the person.  I dont' have nearly the power I did even 5 years ago with all the injuries..  So I have had to change my hammer swing a lot as well as how I hold a hammer..  In this video one can clearly see and hear the difference, not only in aka power, but also in rhythm. 

Shaina, Its interesting that your video requirements are quite broad..   I like this when this is going on, etc, etc..  Sadly catering to this kind of video youtubing isn't possible and then it becomes simply producing videos I would want to watch.. 

Youtube has so much possibility..    There is a certain video existence that seems to run for the main percentage of viewers, Roy Adams, Blackbear forge, the Swedish guy who's name I can ever say nor spell..    

Nice thing is, all of their skills have improved substantially over the last 5 years.

Youtube cut my Monetization so will see where this all goes..  I was only getting 200 a year for all the videos if that.  So money was not my driving force..  I was hopeful, but that fell away pretty quickly the 2nd year.. 

I don't have  any insight into what makes a winning channel other than being an underdog..    ???????  

[Frosty]

I call the difference between Shaina and my "wants" (not the term I'd use but appropriate enough) The beginner's observations in a new craft recognize forms and observe a method of forming them. Everything is new so everything is interesting and to be experimented with. It's the thing I love about students, especially youngsters. 

For me, I can think of or already have a set of methods and techniques to make many if not most items so my interest is in comparing how others achieve them. I'm expanding my mental library and sorting as I go. 

When I'm teaching my students tend learn more from my analysis of the student at the anvil. I only mentor the man at the anvil if necessary, often telling them to figure it out in answer to questions. Usually lack of confidence based questions, not genuine ones. If that makes sense.

I quickly draw "conclusions" about things like posture, stance, addressing the anvil, grip, blow type, tool types, etc. Most are personal preference and unless asked I have little to say. What I am paying attention to is how the smith's actions / "style" effect the project though It's largely subconscious.

The real secret of smithing is Control. We MUST control every aspect of the craft, from planning, material selection, prep, etc. Tool and equipment selection, Heat control and appliance. There is the logistics of the operation, where you stand, how and where you arrange your tools, heat, including fuel, etc. If logistics of the site and project isn't part of the plan then you are operating with an idea and hope.  You wouldn't build a house by dumping the materials on the ground and grabbing whatever is close would you?

Typically, if I know what the end product is, I know what the next step should be. If it's different I may pick up a new trick. If I'm right I know what where and how a blow should be and I can hear that. I can track power, placement and most importantly the condition of the steel. Sure, I can tell low from high carbon by degree, real wrought has it's own sound, again in degrees of refinement. 

It's just paying attention, making connections and observing predictions. A LITTLE knowledge and a lot of practice. Just like any craft.

Rambling on. 

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[CrazyGoatLady]

I'm a little late to this party but wanted to say I liked the video. I like the tracking camera and that you have the close up camera. It's a long video, BUT, I think it helps to give a more realistic expectation. When I first started smithing and watching videos, I had the idea that I had to be super fast and if I wasn't, I must have been doing something wrong. Over time, I started thinking differently thankfully and that was because of real world experience and videos like yours that show the process.  I'm with Frosty on the sped up parts of videos. Those are annoying to me. Just edit the whole thing out and dump that high speed tink-tink-tink and the chipmunk voices. Your videos are very instructive and I think you're doing a good job sharing your knowledge

 

Oh and the Swedish guy you're talking about: Just remember "Thunderbear". He says that's what his name means 

[BillyBones]

Jennifer, i have been waiting to watch this video. It is a bit long and i usually "watch" at work but the jobs i have been running lately have kept my attention focused on those. Usually i get a little chair time between stock ups and part checks. 

Anyway a live stream i watch on Thursdays, Barrrun forge check them out, give a little love some really great guys, there was a question posed that if we could create a mount Rushmore type monument for smiths who would be on it? Now there are usually only about 20 of us viewing on any given Thursday, but your name was mentioned by several people.   

If any of you want to check out that live, that is not a type-o 3 "R"s. 6:30pm on Thursdays. Not really tutorial just a bunch of guys hanging out shooting the breeze. 

[Shainarue]

I happen to like the sped up bits, lol - dunno if I'm in the minority overall or just with CGL & Frosty

Why I like them:

1. If not sped up, then I'm using the skip forward button or changing the video speed to 2x anyway
2. If that part was just chopped out with editing, then you are watching a video where someone (for example) starts to draw something out and then all of a sudden, it's just done. Even at double speed, you can see the piece lengthening and changing. I also often see the double speed on repeated processes. Like when forging tongs - you're redoing the same 3 steps over and over, but it's becoming further defined/refined at each repeat. You'll see that in the sped up part rather than just chopping it out and jumping straight to 'ta da!'. 

I use 2-4 time speed in a lot of my videos but I produce primarily for tiktok or youtube shorts - both of which cater to short form and even shorter attention spans. It's not to teach, it's just to keep the channel active and get more followers which in time will (theoretically) increase the rate of visitors to my other channels and put me higher in the algorithm. I'm not selling yet but when I decide to do that, I want to have a good running start!

[CrazyGoatLady]

Maybe it is a difference in age. I find myself getting impatient watching videos these days and I decided to rein that in. If it's something important to learn, I should be able to take the time for it. We are raising our 12 year old nephew and I have become very aware of how kids are used to getting a quick fix on just about everything and we are working on teaching him that not everything in life is instant gratification. Sometimes I come across a video that I think will be super informative to find out it's only 1 or 2 minutes long lol. But you have a point that you can still see what's happening even if it's going a 100 miles an hour. I personally like hearing the rhythm of the hammer in real time and I feel like that in itself is a teaching aide if that makes sense. 

[Frosty]

Valid points all Shaina and I agree to a point. I have rather limited play speeds available and not one slow mo. Posting videos at 2x+ speed eliminates the option to watch closely. High speed only shows gross effect, the faster the lower the detail.

If I posted myself forging a ring at 2x or faster all the viewer would see is a ring form like magic with a staccato of sound. The sound of the blows pitch is raised by being sped up just like dialogue's Mickey Mouse voices. 

Were the viewer to want to know HOW I forged and trued a ring, they need the details of where and why each blow was applied and the result. 

Sure high speed video has it's uses but it's mostly entertainment though there are good examples of educational fast takes. Say teaching a farm hand how to plow or harvest a field. You can show the gross pattern of each plow type, which are efficient or effective patterns and why.

I know most large farms use (share) GPS guided equipment, the operator is a monitor and back up. 

Once a person has learned the basic processes, draw, upset, cut, split, punch, bend, etc. They stop getting much if anything from high speed videos. Of course, they have to click like and thumbs up or they poster won't like theirs. It's a social media thing and valid as such.

Standing at the anvil and social media are two very different things.

Ahhh, this seems to be a common theme today and I don't wish to come off curmudgeonly again. . . . 

Frosty The Lucky.

[CrazyGoatLady]

Reading back through your posts Jennifer. About hearing and seeing the hammer blows and seeing body movements. Watching fire management. Being able to see and hear it all gives me a much better sense of what its actually like in a real working smithy. Another great example of being able to hear and see hammer blows to get a sense of how it's being done are Brian Brazael's videos. Softer, harder and the sound it makes making contact with the material and through to the anvil. When his hammer is making that heavy womp and the anvil tone is engaged,  I know he's really moving whatever it is he's hitting. You can hear that in your videos too and have the visuals to go along with it. 

 

 

[Shainarue]

1000% agree with Brian Brazeal's videos. If I really wanna know the close up detail of how a certain forging works - his more recent videos are #1. Not to say there aren't other channels that sometimes have that good stuff in their content but it's not as regular as Brian's. Not bad for a guy who claims to not be good at the whole camera thing, lol

[CrazyGoatLady]

Brazaels videos are straight teaching and they are wonderful. I can't do his style though. I lean toward Mark Aspery kind of forging. Sorry, I'm not very eloquent with words 

[Frosty]

Brian Brazeal is a natural teacher, he and Ed traded a couple class sessions to our club in exchange for lodging and fishing trips. You're absolutely right he swings a HEAVY hammer and to great effect. I have the horse head bottle opener I made in his clinic.  Heck, at the time his finish hammer was 3-4lbs and his working hammer was 8lbs. Yeah, a 8lb. single jack forging hammer. He swung it one handed all day, not fast but hard and moved metal like it was putty. 

My wrists have never been up to that kind of thing and after 20 years twisting drill rod and casing, I'm doing good to swing a 3lb. when I must. Normally I swing a 2lb. drill hammer at the anvil. 

Take care of your wrists and elbows at the anvil! It's too easy to do serious soft tissue damage.

Frosty The Lucky.

[CrazyGoatLady]

He makes it look so easy too. Speaking of wrists and elbows, I can across a you tube channel called Black Metal Studio and he had an excellent video on hammers and hammer technique. He was explaining the Hofi method ands I actually understood it better than I ever have with the relationship between wrist, elbow and shoulder. Which apparently I need. I was so out of practice that I found myself death gripping the hammer and my elbow was not feeling very happy. It's better now and after viewing that video I may be able to do it better than before

[Frosty]

Ooooh, excellent find! I'll have to check his channel out. Have you seen the post where I describe how I make hammer handles, hold and swing them and why? I hold my hammers between my thumb and second knuckle of my index finger and let it pivot when I swing.

Frosty The Lucky.

[CrazyGoatLady]

Ah yes, I do remember your post about hammers. Thanks for the reminder and I'll have to go check it out again. 

[Frosty]

 The technique saves your joints from impact damage. Better still it lets you hit harder with less strength invested per blow. 

If you give it a try let us know what you think.

Frosty The Lucky.

[CrazyGoatLady]

Frosty, I went through hand hammer threads last night. Found yours and a bunch of others and even replied to that I had forgotten lol. Good rabbit hole

[Frosty]

Did I mention copying Hoffi's handle and improving it to suit my method? Uri got a real kick out of that one but gave my method a try. It wasn't for him but we got some good PMs going for a while. 

RIP Uri. Absent companions.

Frosty The Lucky.

[jlpservicesinc]

Since dislocating my right elbow and nearly cutting off my right hand, I have had to learn to swing the hammer differently.  

I have no hand strength nor any elbow strength..  The thing I have really noticed is I used to put a lot of force behind the hammer..   Once I could no longer do that it changed the whole thing, and just being able to swing the hammer is the important part. 

I am no longer accurate nor can I swing a hammer as hard..  To hit harder I have to accelerate the hammer from up high and then relax the arm.  The next blow has to be timed to use the bounce sorta to help it get back up. 

Here is a post of when I was at the Nol Putnam memorial this past year.  You can see I'm not hitting as hard as I used to. 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/4158198671173563