Welcome back for Part 5.
In this epsiode, we will start making the wolf tooth pattern you may have been waiting
for.
I already have a block of reasonably high layer steel we will be using for the cutting
edge.
Before it can be used I need to forge it to the right dimensions; it needs to be about
3/8 on inch thick; that's 9mm and much wider.
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I want the bar to be at least 2 inches wide; that's about 5 cm.
The spear core I have created in the last few episodes will fit right into the center
of this bar.
As before, I am using my trusty sword fuller to help with widening the steel on the power
hammer.
As with all the work involved in creating the spearhead, even simple steps take time
and there is no sense in rushing them.
Working on the fuller can bend the steel and sometimes corrections on the anvil are useful
to get everything back in shape.
Before I can use this bar, it needs to be of even width and even thickness.
I am getting closer though and may just need a couple more heats.
As you may have noticed the episodes for Spear Born of Fire are a little bit longer and I
am showing you more of the actual work that is happening.
Many videos that go from start to finish in just ten minutes remove a lot of the work
that is happening.
My videos are heavily edited as well but I am trying to stay faithful to the process.
I am finally happy with the bar.
While it may be hard to see, this is what will form the outer layer of the spearhead.
The next step is to cut it open in the middle for almost its entire length and start forging
in the teeth.
We could have done this hot with a chisel as well but that would require extra work
to square things back up.
You will see why in just a few minutes.
One of the nice things when working with steel is that when hot it can be moved around.
For example, when a part of it is in the way, we can move it somewhere else.
Before I continue, I need to clean up the cut from the bandsaw with a fuller.
Now comes the step that many of you may have been waiting for.
The creation of the wolf tooth pattern.
I made a double chisel that I am slowly moving down each arm of the spearhead.
The double chisel gives me very even spacing for the teeth but also has its own drawbacks.
For example, when starting a new tooth, the chisel needs to be well aligned and it is
easy to double cut a tooth.
As the chisel is hardened, it also needs to be cooled down regularly.
While I am not showing it on the video, I conduct two passes over the arm to even out
the teeth.
As I cut a new tooth, the previous one tends to move back a little bit.
Alright, this is how it looks after we are done with one side and now let's quickly finish
up the other side as well.
This is the second pass I just said I would not show on video.
Well, here is it anyway and it helps with making the teeth even.
Here is a close up on the teeth and you can also see some that I cut twice.
Some of this will be cleaned up with files and some will disappear when forge welding.
One final adjustment is to cut out the last tooth so that there is space for the wrought
iron to be supported.
What you see now is my method that allows me to do all the operations by myself.
For this spearhead, I fortunately had Tony's help so could have tried to do this differently.
However, this is the way I found that works for me.
By welding the arms to a plate I know that everything is well supported.
The basic idea is to take wrought iron which is very soft when hot and use the cold high-carbon
steel as the form into which to fit the wrought iron.
Even when using a hydraulic press this is still a little bit of a struggle and Tony
is helping to hold one side of the wrought iron strip with a hammer.
I believe this technique would be possible without a press by just hammering but would
definitely require an assistant.
Here is how it looks like after the wrought iron has been formed.
For the press to work the wrought iron bar I use needs to be square.
Here, I noticed that it was on the diamond and needed to quickly square it back up.
Once the wrought iron is hot, I have enough time to press 2 to 3 times before the heat
is lost and I need to go back to the forge.
Alignment is important here and you may notice that the bar is bending away at the end.
I somewhat corrected for that and fortunately there is enough material so that it should
not become a problem.
Before I can forge weld the wrought iron teeth to the outer part of the spearhead, everything
needs to be cleaned back up again so that any scale that built up has been removed.
A couple quick tack welds hold the wrought iron in place but will not form inclusions
in the finished product.
Now, it's back into the forge where I bring everything up to welding heat.
The power hammer makes this an easy exercise and let's me hit precisely where I need to.
Without the power hammer assist, an assistant would have to hold a set hammer.
Having both arms out of each other's way, also means that I can forge weld both sides
without needing to make any adjustments.
That's it.
Our spearhead has a wolf tooth pattern now and the mystery of how to create it has almost
been explained.
This concludes the episode and I hope you stay with me on my journey and see the spear
in use once it has been completed.
As always, I hope you enjoyed what you saw.
If you have not subscribed to my channel yet, you can do it now.
Also, don't forget to share this video on your social network to spread the joy of making
this amazing spear.
See you next time.
As the moment I am trying to get access to both inside surfaces of the edge steel.
I will move them away into separate directions so that I can work on both of them at the
same time.