Forge Welding Cable & Striped Damascus

Reviewer: Michael P.

I should preface this review by saying that I'm a traditional smith, and I rented this video with certain expectations about what I would learn (my bad).

This video is a one man production made by a smith who almost exclusively uses a mechanic's hydralic press and grinder to make his knives. But his forge IS rather ingenious, and I would have liked more information on its construction.

However, the information (while good) is mostly of little use to the traditional smith. The striped damascus patterns he makes are mostly - pretty basic twists of cable and other metals, wrapping nickel rod around cable and composite blades.

Overall, Mr. Osborn is a fine smith who has specialized in a method of making blades that requires much less effort than the hammer and anvil. But I felt that most of the information on the videos was of little use to traditional smiths, except for seeing the possibilities of using a press instead of a hammer and anvil.