Can it bend 90° ? Matt Forges ABS Journeyman's [Test Knives] - Part 1
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Matt starts forging his American Bladesmith Society Journeyman test knife set. First by using the process that he also used and next by using the techniques that Ilya showed in the last your edge video. Matt also forged, heat treats and grinds his ABS performance knife and performs the 2x4 chop test and the 90° degree bend test. Matt has not forged a blade in almost a year, so lets see if he is up to the task! This is not a how to forge a knife video, but it will give you some ideas. Matt doesn't use 100 percent proper form during this forging, but perhaps after watching this video he will correct some things. Please watch the latest Your Edge video to learn how to better forge a knife by hand! • You Can Forge a Knife ...
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![Matt's ABS Test [Path to Journeyman] - Part 2](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6MyOH0M__qo/mqdefault.jpg)
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Thanks for watching the first part of Matt’s journey! Part 2 will be next week where Matt goes to test with Mastersmith E Jay Hendrickson. Stay tuned!!!
So has Ilya done his test then?
Make a LEAF BLADE. almost no one has done it on youtube.
Roronoa Zoro's katana "Enma"
Is Ilya an ABS certified smith? it seems like he would have the skill, seeing how he won blade show and all.
I always have a blast watching you guys I've never seen anyone bend a knife to 90 swords long blades etc pretty cool
Please don’t take this as at all a dig, but it’s really enlightening to see someone who’s far from a beginner, but who is also a bit earlier in their forging journey than Ilya’s apparently casual mastery! Best of luck with your journeyman assessment!
None taken! Exactly! Show it all! Hoping be the last knife I will progress a ton in my forging!
The difference between Matt and Ilya is wild, Ilya makes everything look so simple with efficient strikes and perfect control while Matt has much more hesitancy and erractic strikes. In comparison, when Matt is grinding it's like he barely has to focus at all, it's just instinct. I noticed that after the first blade, Matt was more controlled and smooth, so the improvements are showing already. Different skills, muscle memory and experience. I'll be teaching my boss basic smithing (as that's all I'm good for, lol) and have been recommending That Works videos to him because you and Ilya between you encompass everything smithing represents from grinding, engraving, forging, smelting. Awesome job so far, with a mentor/friend like Ilya, I have no doubt you'll crush the test!
you nailed it. I decided to share with you the very first knife blade I had forged in about a year. I knew it would be raw but I also knew I would get the hang of it more and more with each blade.
As a craftsman myself with over 25 years experience, I can tell you one thing. If you are always striving to get better, to outdo yourself, and satisfy a need to improve, regardless of how "good" the last product was, THAT is how you truly become great at it. Mastery is a title in the industry that I believe should be afforded to those who have proven that drive and passion, much more than a standardized set of "tests". A true craftsman strives to be better with each project. Over the last 15 years of watching your various channels I have seen that drive from both yourself and Ilya. Regardless how your test goes, I consider you both among the greatest craftsmen on the planet! Good luck, and keep making incredible things!
You are spot on! Always forward. Never back!
I agree whole hearted with have the true spirit of a master craftsman. Im partial to Ben Abbot being one of if not the best smiths on the planet but really, it all comes down to personal preference when you get to look at whos the best. They are all going to have roughly the same amount talent and produce similar quality products given a fair amount of time. Its all about what you like and each of the best smiths in the world world is likely to have a different design style and make different aesthetic choices.
I’ve always been a hobbyists blacksmith, everything I’ve ever learned was from a book but one thing I’ve always wanted was an apprenticeship under a proper master of the craft. Saying that Ilya is one of the best I’ve ever seen and must be one hell of a teacher.
I'd be super interested to see Ilya review your forging technique! Keep up the amazing work!
He has. I should stand up straight, hold the hammer back on the handle more, longer swings by raising my arm higher. More angle to the billet when I am beveling. Pretty sure that is what he would say.
Hey Matt. Don't wallow in the negative comments. Welcome to the internet. You have a huge advantage, or even more, opportunity: you have the video proof that you do all your work yourself while having the guidance of someone as achieved as Ilya. At the end what matters is not what the haters say, but what your fans, and even more, the people judging your work.
the blade bend was insane... I've never seen that before. All accolades aside you and Ilya are thee only forgers I really know of and I'm sure that goes for a LOT of people. So that in itself is the true accomplishment For you two to be the icons of forging on the entire planet is real success.
Everynody knows Matt can forge. He made a lot of incredible things like his sword Sebastian.
Its been awhile though!
@@ThatWorks because it is a masterpiece. Looks incredible,fantastic. I am jelous about skills like you and Illia have. Saw many times what did you do on grainding wheel with peace of metal they gave you. I am cnc programmer,most of my time. So i have experience with grainging,but you... brother,it is incredible what can you do. This kind of precission its a highest lvl. Best wishes to you. Keep up the good work.
Thoroughly enjoyable to watch, nice to see Matt behind a hand hammer.
Thanks Jed! I plan to set up my own power hammer and anvil station soon and try to do more and more of it!
They are looking good so far. Good luck on your journey Matt!
Thank you Stephen!
Lol, for your first blade I thought "that's... Not how Ilya told you to do it" and then you went for blade #2 and there it was. Also, well done on the clarification of the previous vid on the topic. I assumed it was Ilya being the teacher to you so you can, for multiple times and all the angles, see what he does and why he does that. The fact that you effectively have a couple of save-points to work and learn from is a definite bonus. Good job and good luck for the rest of the process.
Thanks taking us along for the ride and sharing the tips and insights.
You are welcome! There will be much much more!
The absolute anxiety I felt while you were bending that blade at the end was SO unreal. That's very impressive.
HAHA Sorry! Imagine doing it in front of a load of people !
I really hope this doesn't come across as condescending or demeaning, but if I was working side by side with a craftsman of Ilyas caliber daily, I wouldn't know how to avoid being harsh on myself. Kudos to Matt for staying focus on the priority of improving and it seems he understands the only person he's in competition with is who he was yesterday.
Good luck in your endeavor Matt. 🙂
Thank you Aldo!
That bend test had me at the edge of my seat more than any horror movie I've ever seen
Just enjoy yourself and do it for yourself, whether you document it or not smithing is awesome. Thanks for sharing the passions and love of metal working. Somewhere out there is the next bladesmith and your channel may have had an impact in some way. Take heart. Carey on smithbros.
Thanks for letting us go on this journey with you. Good luck!
Thats a pretty neat sanding stick! I always clean my plunge lines with a chainsaw round file before HT, gives a smooth blending transition to the blade, plus minimizing the chance of breaking in that area compared to a 90* plunge.
Ive moved to doing that since this video but sometimes a crisp 90 plunge is just sexy to me!
Good job Matt, you already were a great grinder, now you are in your way to become a great forger. Plus all your skills in video editing... Leave something for the rest of us ;)
Love watching this stuff! Nice to see some more Journeyman testers. I'm on my second prototype for my chop/bend test as well. Good luck at bladeshow.
appreciated your honesty today.
This is the way!
after watching a video showing someone make a like sized knife, using an angle grinder and a series of sanding belts, i'm really happy to see people still using the " old school approach."
Good luck on your test
Great job, Matt!
Thank you!
Good luck on your journeyman journey man. 👍
Great video for showing everyone the ropes of what is expected and how hard you need to work to even think about testing for your JS stamp
You are quite welcome! My hope is that sharing this will help some people and give them confidence to try it!
@@ThatWorks I most definitely want to try it once I feel more comfortable and confident in my work. I mainly make axes and hatchets but having my JS stamp would be awesome to be able to stamp my work with! Bragging rights are important
Matt, the fact that you have someone like Ilya in your corner that cares about you, cares about your growth, and sets you up for learning and success the way he has (literally rough forging out blades for you to practice your heat-cycling/-treating, grinding, beveling, all that jazz?) That, and the fact that you’re so humble and grateful to have a friend and mentor like Ilya? If anyone judges you for having this done for you to help you practice on the finer steps of smithing, then I think I speak for a lot of people when I say they can go suck a big FAT one and leave you alone. You’re doing a fantastic job, and I envy you for having a friend and mentor like Ilya with you. Keep doing what you do, and level up how YOU level up, Big Dawg.
Good luck on your journey Matt
Thank you Fup! I need it
Mate! I had mass anxiety for you when you did that bend! I’m ultra impressed at how far it bounced back! You’ll kill the JST I reckon. Well done in advance. Also, I’m not a ‘patron’, but, as a hobby smith, I’d love to see some of the destructive testing you do on that blade. Purely so I can milk you for tips, of course. I’ll take all the help I can get! Lol. Best of luck mate.
Its only 1 $ to become a Patreon.
My uncle was a sabresmith from Poland ,and know how hard is to be blacksmith. Believe me,those guys are freaking professional with incredible skills.
Good luck man!
Thanks for the details as well.... The more the merrier on the fit and finish! Should be a fun journey to watch :)
It's really cool to see you work on your journeyman test knife set, since I'm not a blacksmith at all I'd love to see more explanation about what it means to be "Journeyman" what are the "ranks" (is that the right word ?) and more explanation in general about what you're doing and why you're doing it that way (but I understand that it might be boring/repetitive for the more experienced part of the audience)
Kick ass Matt!!! Thanks for sharing in this journey!!! Can’t wait to see the next step!!! 💀🤘🏼💀
Thanks for joining me !
@@ThatWorks absolutely welcome Matt!!! 🤘🏼💀🤘🏼
Jaster Rogue: Desert Seeker (Rogue Galaxy)
Riku: Keyblade Way to Dawn (kingdom hearts 2)
Dai: Dai's Sword (Dragon Quest Dai no Daibouken)
if you can't make everyone on the list just do one or two on the list. I thank you and your team very much I wish you much success and great achievements
Can't believe I'm just finding you guys since the old AWE me show. At least I have a lot to watch now.
Well I am glad that you found us! Enjoy!
Not gonna lie, you had ALL my attention during that flex test
Watching that 90° bend is tense! Well done matt
It is! Esp when you are the one doing it.
Off to a good start! I'll see you in Atlanta. I'm also one of the 40+ JS applicants this year.
Nice work Matt!
Thank you Joe
Best of luck next week Matt :)
Best of luck to ya Matt!!
Thank you Goalie!
One day, i would really like to see you guys make a classical Norwegian bundad knife. I think you have the engraving and silverworking skills to make something amazing.
It will never not amuse me that the Swedes, Fins Russians and Norwegians all make what is essentially the same knife but call it different names
Spot on mate you know so much and you can do so much and you have whatever you want in front of you 💜👍
Thank you Phil! I believe !
Watching you bend that blade was super stressful for me, so i can't imagine how it was for you. anyway i love watching this series and i can't wait for more.
Wait until you see the real thing!
Good job!
Yes you can do it. I had 9 months and 2 weeks to prepare size blades for show to get my Master's certification. I built 28 knives. I sold 20 of them because they were not good enough to say this is the best work I can do. You only need to do the best work so far.
Thank you for the encouraging work!
Just like Will Stelter, 2 great smiths, 2 great videos, 2 great channels
Someone please animate a matt and Ilya lofi smithing loop.
WOW YES! 💜💜💜!
Oh geez ….
I don't have any files but I do have a grinder so I was wondering if it could be done. If anyone could do it you guys could. So that's why I asked. Good luck with your test! It's so amazing that a blade can bend like that and still have a nice hard edge. We need a your edge on heat treating and tempering correctly!
As a rule of thumb when you see a question on a UA-cam tittle the answer is "no". This breaks that rule, in the first few seconds, and he is indeed really good at it.
He's ok...getting better with each try
Best of luck my dude. Salut!
Thank you Swish!
Keep up the great work 👍🏻⚔️
I have no choice at this point!
@@ThatWorks😂 true
Here's to hoping you achieve your goals, I forged a couple hammers over the winter like the one you are using ,
Love his akcent,almost like cowboys from old movies 😉💪🔥✌
Perfeito! Esperando a parte 2
I actually like That Works more than Man at Arms. Not entirely sure exactly what, but I think its that there is a clear partnership here, and recognition and respect of the different skillsets.
Thank you Thom! We try to our best to properly represent the craft here!
Im not gonna lie, that 90 degree bend made me clench the entire way through. I was so nervous and I wasn't even performing the test.
I wonder if you could make a knife without using your belt grinder or any files only forging it to shape and then using an angle grinder to do the grinding and stones for sharpening
I mean…of course you can. But why is an angle grinder ok but not a file?
I'm sure you will pass your master Smith test... All the very best..!!!
Hi @That Works !Thank you for showing matt !😊👍Greeting #BulatsSchmiede from germany (Bulat the Blacksmith from germany)😊🤙
Thanks for watching bud!
The 90 degree test is one of the most extreme things I've seen from ABS testing.
Glad y’all wore proper respiration gear! It always made me sad when I saw y’all grind without it
on the daily we do! Sometimes for camera we are in a rush or need to talk right after. Lots of reasons, but yea.
looking forward to see Matt's name with a new title in a couple months!
I hope that you are right! We shall see!
One of the most iconic swords in the videogame history it's the Buster Sword of Cloud, you can get the idea and make it real.
Was anyone else wincing while watching him bend the blade?
Wow, people need to chill. We know you've got the skills Matt.
I wish people would reach out to me directly but I dont fault them for the misunderstanding.
Good luck Matt
Thank you William!
Your edge on heat treats and tempering?
im not gonna lie, that bend test had me shitting myself waiting for it to snap and fly off the handle lol
Matt, you should check out Will Stelter's UA-cam channel if you haven't already, he recently posted a video about his Journeyman test where he covered making and testing the performance knife. It might help give you some more information to see the test.
Yea we talk often!
Matt's JS review be like:
That's a beautiful set of knives... why is this one 6 feet tall and why does it have flames coming out of it?
I'm excited to see how your set comes out!
Honestly they will be pretty plain. Just right!
Your attention to detail is very impressive! I'm excited to hear of your success next week!
So in the bend test, it's ok if it deforms as long as it doesn't outright crack? That seems to encourage a weaker heat treat, no? Or is the idea to test that vs the heavy edge testing to make sure you can balance the two well?
Either way, great job and good luck in Atlanta!
If your heat treat is too weak, your edge will deflect during the 2x4 cut and thusly wouldn’t shave afterwards. Where you need both the bend, and the sharpness after 2x4 cut to pass.
So the differential heat treat tries to walk that line. Keeping a edge hard enough to stand up to the 2x4, and a spine flexible enough to bed to 90°.
@@brachistochrone_5206 I had thought the bend test required the blade to not take a set and go back to true. I was surprised that it's just "don't snap". (I know, "just".)
Goodluck mate
Thank you! I need some luck!
@@ThatWorks by the way, I've never seen you guys make an arabian two tipped scimitar( if im not mistaken) before. Quite a wicked weapon right there
У вас классный канал. У нас блокируют Ютуб. Буду скучать по вашей команде, парни. Благодарю вас за то, что благодаря вашим видео мне привита любовь к кузнечному делу и я могу делать что то посредством ручной ковки
I look at the title and thought this was a workout video.
Him forging his abs
Note 60° that would be 30° either direction is standard for a short sword. A 10 or 20° permanent Bend is expected. And yes they will force you to take it 10 degrees Beyond 90 as there is probably that much Flex between the pipe and the handle
The reason you go passed 90 with the pipe is that the 90 is measured on the spine of the blade portion not the handle.
Very best of luck for your JS test. I'm curious though, why would you HT using a forge when you have a temperature controlled kiln? Much better consistency with the kiln or is that part of the skill they're testing: HT with a forge? Look forward to part 2.
For the performance knives I did. I have gotten super used to HT in our forge and i know 80 crv inside and out. Im comfortable with the forge. I can see why some are not.
Bend test was originally devised as a means of ensuring that the metal used was uniform all the way through, with no inclusions or voids hidden in the material, wasn't it?
🔥🔥🔥
:D
The anxiety during the bend test - can't even begin to fathom how it must've felt for you.
And in the next series, ilya grinds a kris and matt forges it
hey I have been a fan of yours and ilya(hope I spelled the name right)since you were on your brother's channel. was just wondering if you and your brother were ever going to work with him ever again in the future?
You would think at some point it would happen. No invitation has been extended at this point.
That is somewhat depressing. :(
Sorry to hear no invitation has been extended but I hope you and Kerry are on good terms outside of UA-cam.
@@mattpugh8636 We are civil.
Hope u smash it bro... Just to clarify that means i hope u do really well
When heat treating you JS knives you really should utilize your kilns for every part of it. Every steel has its best temperature for normalizing, hardening and tempering, you can get close with a forge but not exact. A forge also has too much temperature variations throughout to precisely & evenly heat a blade.
As much as I agree, I also come from a sword making background where the traditions of doing things by feel are very important. The fingerprints left in a piece by the makers hand are what makes the vast history of blade making so special. I tend to do larger knives and swords all in the kiln and feel comfortable getting an even temp on smaller blades in the forge. So I agree with you of course. There is no debate there. Kiln produces better results for sure. Your eye is also capable of some pretty amazing results!
I should also mention one honest truth. Time…I need two full sized kilns. I don’t like leaving blades untempered after the quench for very long. So waiting for the kiln to cool down from 1650 to 400 sometimes takes hours. Sure I can do a safety temper with a torch and I do have smaller kilns. Just sometimes I rush when I shouldn’t.
hey Matt you might think about trying Forged In Fire sometime. Ilya did it and became Forged In Fire champion. I say you got a pretty good chance in doing the same.
I dont see what that would do for at this point in my career. I dont need a gimmick. I need real standards and skill sets.
I took an ABS bladesmithing course a few years ago taught by an ABS mastersmith. I can't find reference to it, but I seem to recall that the tip of test knives must be forged and may not be clipped. Not saying that is better or worse, just saying you may want to look into whether or not its kosher by their standards for your test knives. Good luck, I hope to find the time to do the same at some point.
These are still forged. I am sure they understand that.
Where do you get your metal from I'm new to forging been welding mild steal for a while making things. Now I want to learn how to forge but can not find the metal I need. I've been buying from Metals Depot in Kentucky but they don't have any metal I need. Like 1075 or 1095 or 80crv can you point me in the right direction?
Hi matt, just a quick question as relates to illya's method and thr k ife you forged using it. Would correcting the slight curve by grinding rather than forging it back straight not neglect the orientation of the grain that you gained from using that method for the final knife? I realise this may just be a practice version but just my idle curiosity
I just ground the spine side back straight.
@@ThatWorks OK, I understand now, thanks for the quick reply
I figured that it just meant that Ilya was forging you some practice blades, is all.
To me ot made sense to have some rough forgings on hand to practice with on the finishing rather than have to do it all start to finish each time. Because then you could get focus on the more intensive parts that need the most attention rather than get tired after forging then grinding, heat treat cycle and so on time after time after time, then rushing and making mistakes that just frustrate then cause more mistakes and self doubt. Once you get the finishing down then you can go back to the beginning with forging to finishing. Small steps before big ones.
Not only that but it should be gainfully obvious that these were all practice blades since most of them were Damascus and I cant even submit Damascus for my set.
any particular reason why you use wood to clamp the blade to? I use 2 pieces of angle iron, so just curious if there is a benefit to wood vs. metal for keeping it straight.
Wood conforms to the shape better so you aren’t just making sure the flat of the blade is straight but also the bevel and tapered tang are too
@@ThatWorks oooh...that makes sense. Thanks for the response!
A bending machine? Bender the robot!
Exactly! You are the first person to get that !
28:47 is when my butt puckered
Is it normal to heat up and then cool down multiple times before doing a quench? It seems like I normally just see a quench done. Does it change depending on the type of metal or something?
Yes it is normal. Steel is often normalized or annealed after working to reduce stress that is locked between the grain. In this case it is important so that when it is quenched and forms a martensitic phase, the blade does not crack or developed uneven stress. This process does change depending on material. For steel it is most dependent on the amount of carbon content and what grain structure is present. It is possible to skip this step but it’s risky. Some people either don’t do it or don’t show it in the video.
I thought he was just on the channel for his good looks
ha...
Quench in Pigskin. Bring the skin up to the temperature that the lard is almost liquid. There is a story that at the end of the hottest day of the year. The blade quenched in the skin of a boar will take an edge so fine it will make itself known to the Polisher.
uh no
Doesn't sound kosher...
Yes I believe you are allowed to one foot blades for that and that includes your handle unfortunately. However do not fret you are the only one who will do any damage to that blade. They will ask you to perform each of the tests. Then they will hand you a metal pipe and tell you to bend your blade in both directions. And don't worry about it most people end up with a ten degree Bend in their blade at the end of the test and they pass even if the hard steel breaks but the soft steel jacket Keeps The Edge from being separated from the knife. Or if you are supposed to go with a homogeneous piece of spring steel. 1 crack is considered acceptable on the hardened Edge as long as The Edge does not spit a chip.
One last note do not look for your Masters it will find you. Because you automatically do not qualify for your Masters if you are not of notable renown already. Both me and my father has been approached and asked if we wanted to test for our masters, I believe you test for your Masters wins they know that you're not in your best train of mind. One week after my grandfather died my father received a pair of ivory pistol grips and told he would receive his Master certificate one year from that day if he proved. He is a gunsmith with a fondness for pistol triggers and the ability to Unbreak a stock. Seriously I'm not joking on that one.
I have a knack for finding the Grain in steel and wrought iron, in the ability to use that knowledge to improve the tool that I am working with. You're in a good place to learn what I know. If you follow the cherry blossom hammer it will take you as far as you can reach. Maybe someday you will grab a wrought-iron ball peen hammer and make a straight razor. Afterall I plucked my eyebrows and shaved my neck with a wrought-iron ball-peen hammer. And you work with a better educated man than me. When I worked at buck cutlery Kershaw educated me on the way of ferrous material, but I had to learn how to use the hammer all by myself.
I don't get much wrought-iron to work with these days so to keep in practice I buy dowels of rattan and make dust brooms.
I don’t know if you are new to this channel or these guys but they definitely have the notability requirement down. Honestly both him an Illia could be master smiths already they just haven’t made it a priority because they have UA-cam channel but they are both incredibly good smiths. I honestly don’t think it will be that long until he has the master smith cert. Especially Illia who has already won abs blade of the year.
Its a 15" overall blade length and 10" edge.
I know nothing about forging steel but I have in the past seen welding being done on this show so I'm just wondering why he wouldn't rough-cut the knives to their shape and minimize all that shaping with a hammer?