Nah, next up should be a copy of a Petzl Progress. The progress requires a bit more complex machining. Or go for a grigri which has some moving parts, could be a bit of an educational experience. Or go all the way and go for something like an ID or ASAP, which aren't really products made for sports climbing but are used in rope access around the world every day. Especially the ASAP would be next level as it has multiple springs, gears and what not built in.
@@NickyHendriksThings like grigris and other personal safety products would be really cool but have major safety concerns. If a grigris fails you will probably die, if an ice-axe fails in a controlled environment like this, you will not. But still fun ideas and a really fun video.
@@hajocave2389 I know about the safety concern but that could be mitigated using something like a back-up line and for example an ASAP. I never really understood why in sports climbing a single point of attachment is fine and personally I don't really like it. In professional climbing hanging just in my Grillon or ID would be not allowed as they are for positioning only, a backup in the form of an ASAP, Söll or Latchways safety line, fall arrest or whatever is always mandatory.
That was fun to be part of guys! Jamie great edit. Alec, your enthusiasm and energy got me through feeling like I was about to die (I was recovering from a lung infection) thanks again!
Nothing says 'recovery' like getting right back into something you love doing. I always like to see TH-camrs helping out other TH-camrs. Hopefully Alec sees this and pins it
Ice climbing as absolutely one of the most physical winter activities I've done. I do it every year up here in Alaska and I'll never forget the first time I barfed halfway up a waterfall from exhaustion. I was hooked! Exhilarating!!
Alec, the axe looks absolutely brilliant! (The axe is what I commented that I wanted to see after the Damascus carabiner video.) You know what this means - Damascus crampons next👍! Keep doing what you do 👍‼
Thanks for taking us on the climb with you. It's been years since I've been climbing, but watching you, my ankles started hurting, having flashbacks to trying to stand up on a vertical wall of ice with nothing more than a couple of spikes from my crampons stuck in, and a couple of axes daring gravity to do its thing. Man, I do miss that.
Alec, the ‘Traditional’ axe you are referencing is still in use today. Used for glacier travel and steep snow fall arresting. The axe you are building is indeed an ice climbing axe, commonly referred to as a technical ice axe. Super cool!
I love when you make literally any tool out of Damascus. One of my favorite being the razor blade for a utility knife. But imagine making a car key or house key out off Damascus.
When I started watching your channel ages ago I thought there was a nice affect about you as you learned on each project, using what you knew to expand. You produced beautiful work as the Artisan. Your heart and spirit are strong!
man it must be satisfying as hell for someone to compliment your ice pick and you can go "thanks, I forged it myself." Wonderful craftsmanship and amazing content, keep up the great work!
Hey Alex! 👋 Just wanted to say thank you for making a new video I always look forward to your content and it never fails to brighten my day. Keep up the amazing work and keep those awesome videos coming! 🎉🎥🌟
There aren't many components of a parachute or rig made of metal, but there is a very crucial component called the three ring circus. You could absolutely make a Damascus set of those and do a skydive. (They are not crucial to the reserve parachute FYI should yours accidentally break!) Anyway, loved this vid. Keep up the great work!
Alec Steele's goal for the future "make EVERYTHING I'm ever going to use..... preferably in Damascus steel!" This is so cool seeing you naking these amazing pieces of kit. I really wouldn't mind if you could add some more video of the making process as it's starting to feel a bit rushed at times. Thanks for the video, guys 👍👍👍👍👍👍
@@seanandrews5375 You're on an Alec Steele video, of course he just cut and ground demascus I love when he does proper smithing, but until the demascus craze goes to the hell it belongs in, he's gonna grind instead of forge because it makes better patterns
@@skilletborne i love Damascus, and I love forging; I don't love forging a Damascus billet and cutting it, then calling the finished product "forged" because it isn't
@@seanandrews5375 You can love damascus, but you can't expect traditional or technical forging and it to appear in the same context because they're not compatible. I legitimately love learning and doing smithing, and I liked damascus when it was used sparingly and deliberately. After 10 to 15 years of seeing it take over, it's tired. It's used to the detriment of pieces in visuals, process and function, and made it harder to find both information and materials. It's driven up steel cost, buried domestic suppliers, and redirected smithing channels and blogs to repetitive content with bad habits.
I'd personally really be interested in seeing you make something insane out of all the spare hacked off ends and bits from other projects. Like not a weapon per-se, but maybe like a structural build like monkey bars or an art piece that can also function as a tool. Idk, I'm here for pretty much any video but seeing you revamp material from the last project got me wondering how crazy far you could run that idea.
To not only build something, but then decide to test it out... I am impressed. Though I am still waiting for the day, where Alec is making a saxophone out of damascus...
I was expecting the entire body being made too. Cheater!!! Haha! Short videos like this are helpful for quick projects. Looking forward to another long build like the Viking sword. Something that requires creativity, originality, trial and error, new techniques, inspiration… copying things that already exist feels like all the Disney remakes. Go do the Spear of Longinus (Spear of Destiny - requiring a hollow spear, nails, silver smithing, gold smithing, and engraving), or a German Wall Clock, or make some blacksmith puzzles, a sword and shield, or something else. As always, I’m forever appreciative of the great videography, editing, and music.
Something I've always wondered about Damascus steel, is the complexity of the pattern at all tied to its structural integrity/strength? Like, if you wanted a simpler, less complex pattern, would you have been sacrificing something by not cutting, stacking, and rewelding the billet at the beginning like you did? Or is that a purely aesthetic choice?
I'd be really interested in seeing you do stuff with steel tubes. Like you probably can't make tubes, but can you work with them? Forge and bend them into some useful shape?
Impressively good swinging technique! This can’t have been you guy’s first time ice climbing! Tackling 55m of WI4 is no joke even on top rope! If you come back to Montana anytime, you gotta hit Bozeman!
Excellent video! Film never seems to fully capture just how precarious ice climbing feels. You are never quite able to rest, and the "structure" that you are climbing is actively disintegrating.
Good to see youve also discovered the tax ride off of doing holidays in videos.
@Ididathing shhhhh! 🤫
Mrs Steele: Take me to France.
Alec: Say no more.
ha 69th like
You mean a tax write-off right? I mean, I can't blame him, what an opportunity.
Dude you are way more amazing than Alec. I like to watch your content many times more than what Alec comes up with nowadays.
Am i here before people say, "why didnt you just get ten ice axes and make one slightly larger ice axe?"
😂😂😂
Savage 😂
Still time
😂😂😂
Lmao I about spit out my burger but of course I’m too fat to do that
Making a dive knife and going diving would be SICK! I love this series where you make expeditionary tools!
Nah, next up should be a copy of a Petzl Progress. The progress requires a bit more complex machining. Or go for a grigri which has some moving parts, could be a bit of an educational experience. Or go all the way and go for something like an ID or ASAP, which aren't really products made for sports climbing but are used in rope access around the world every day. Especially the ASAP would be next level as it has multiple springs, gears and what not built in.
So dive knives totally ok where i live. But did you know they actually have alot of weird regulation
@@NickyHendriksThings like grigris and other personal safety products would be really cool but have major safety concerns. If a grigris fails you will probably die, if an ice-axe fails in a controlled environment like this, you will not. But still fun ideas and a really fun video.
@@hajocave2389 I know about the safety concern but that could be mitigated using something like a back-up line and for example an ASAP. I never really understood why in sports climbing a single point of attachment is fine and personally I don't really like it. In professional climbing hanging just in my Grillon or ID would be not allowed as they are for positioning only, a backup in the form of an ASAP, Söll or Latchways safety line, fall arrest or whatever is always mandatory.
Make a diving knife and go diving with Ididathing :)
I very much enjoy seeing you make something and then use it. Next up a Damascus steel frying pan and then cook a meal.
Hi Mrs Steele 😂
When your videographer is your "ride or die". Props to Jamie!
When you have a sentence or word in quotes the punctuation goes before the quotation mark. “For example.”
That was fun to be part of guys! Jamie great edit. Alec, your enthusiasm and energy got me through feeling like I was about to die (I was recovering from a lung infection) thanks again!
Nothing says 'recovery' like getting right back into something you love doing. I always like to see TH-camrs helping out other TH-camrs. Hopefully Alec sees this and pins it
The traditional forged mountain axe would be a fantastic build to see!
This was so good. It's great that you are back spending time with Jamie.
Such a gentleman, taking his glove off before shaking the man's hand, even on a frozen mountain.
I was curious if anyone else noticed this.
That's actually one of the best videos you've done, well done you two!!! looked amazing.
Yay, thank you!
Ice climbing as absolutely one of the most physical winter activities I've done. I do it every year up here in Alaska and I'll never forget the first time I barfed halfway up a waterfall from exhaustion. I was hooked! Exhilarating!!
Way to go Jamie! Gotta love a guy who doubles down for his bro.
Alec, the axe looks absolutely brilliant! (The axe is what I commented that I wanted to see after the Damascus carabiner video.)
You know what this means - Damascus crampons next👍! Keep doing what you do 👍‼
I noticed you were using your own carabiner too..
Must be a special kind of satisfaction in knowing you make everything u did this with
Thanks for taking us on the climb with you. It's been years since I've been climbing, but watching you, my ankles started hurting, having flashbacks to trying to stand up on a vertical wall of ice with nothing more than a couple of spikes from my crampons stuck in, and a couple of axes daring gravity to do its thing. Man, I do miss that.
Jamie - your music choices were outstanding! 👌
My wife used to work for Petzl and I love these videos (biner and pick)! Such a great company to model your gear after
Very nice job Mr. Steele. Hope you and Jami have a safe and wonderful time. A little blood never hurt anybody. Stay safe.
Arguably no blood is really bad for you aswell
Alec, the ‘Traditional’ axe you are referencing is still in use today. Used for glacier travel and steep snow fall arresting.
The axe you are building is indeed an ice climbing axe, commonly referred to as a technical ice axe.
Super cool!
A TH-cam creater and his cameraman that get on so well they even holiday together, is a beautiful thing
Rab makes fantastic gear! Bought my first Rab jacket at a local consignment shop and it's my absolute favorite! 👍
Alec Steele posting the tax-deductible vacation video.
I love when you make literally any tool out of Damascus. One of my favorite being the razor blade for a utility knife. But imagine making a car key or house key out off Damascus.
This was honestly a frkn blast guys!!! Well done!
When I started watching your channel ages ago I thought there was a nice affect about you as you learned on each project, using what you knew to expand. You produced beautiful work as the Artisan. Your heart and spirit are strong!
man it must be satisfying as hell for someone to compliment your ice pick and you can go "thanks, I forged it myself." Wonderful craftsmanship and amazing content, keep up the great work!
Hey Alex! 👋 Just wanted to say thank you for making a new video I always look forward to your content and it never fails to brighten my day. Keep up the amazing work and keep those awesome videos coming! 🎉🎥🌟
alec's giggle at 09:39 cracked me up! i love this B side of the channel, taking us into your adventures and shenanigans!
There aren't many components of a parachute or rig made of metal, but there is a very crucial component called the three ring circus. You could absolutely make a Damascus set of those and do a skydive. (They are not crucial to the reserve parachute FYI should yours accidentally break!)
Anyway, loved this vid. Keep up the great work!
I LOVE THE ADVENTURE. Maybe more episodes with more content building anticipation of a great adventure.
Thank you! 🙏🏻 Glad you enjoyed it it was so much fun to make and have the adventure!
0:39 these come really handy if you go out on early ice and you break through
It's so funny the recreationnal activities that used to be fully for survival/exploration lol.
Now we just have fun risking our lives!
That's certainly a pimped pair of Nomics!
Crazy awesome adventure project Alex and Jamie! I climbed the table mountain, but this on ice is even further out, well done! Glad you made it!
Alec Steele's goal for the future "make EVERYTHING I'm ever going to use..... preferably in Damascus steel!" This is so cool seeing you naking these amazing pieces of kit. I really wouldn't mind if you could add some more video of the making process as it's starting to feel a bit rushed at times. Thanks for the video, guys 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Oh I am keen as hell, I’ve NEVER seen someone forge an ice axe! What a great idea!
You still haven't. He forged a Damascus billet, then cut an ice axe head out of it. He did not forge an ice axe head.
@@seanandrews5375 You're on an Alec Steele video, of course he just cut and ground demascus
I love when he does proper smithing, but until the demascus craze goes to the hell it belongs in, he's gonna grind instead of forge because it makes better patterns
@@skilletborne i love Damascus, and I love forging; I don't love forging a Damascus billet and cutting it, then calling the finished product "forged" because it isn't
@@seanandrews5375 You can love damascus, but you can't expect traditional or technical forging and it to appear in the same context because they're not compatible.
I legitimately love learning and doing smithing, and I liked damascus when it was used sparingly and deliberately.
After 10 to 15 years of seeing it take over, it's tired. It's used to the detriment of pieces in visuals, process and function, and made it harder to find both information and materials.
It's driven up steel cost, buried domestic suppliers, and redirected smithing channels and blogs to repetitive content with bad habits.
Alec, you missed a bad language word at 13:14, I think it is a historical moment as a first for the channel!
Crap! :')
Looks good. Really hope you make the more traditional one. Much more of a handy tool for more all-round needs in winter.
I'd personally really be interested in seeing you make something insane out of all the spare hacked off ends and bits from other projects. Like not a weapon per-se, but maybe like a structural build like monkey bars or an art piece that can also function as a tool. Idk, I'm here for pretty much any video but seeing you revamp material from the last project got me wondering how crazy far you could run that idea.
I love the cutting/ grinding/ forging - montages at the beginning of your projects 🫶
Free Rab clothing is an elite partnership. They're gear is great!
The axe is also cool 😉
I love Jaime's editing. Also, that looks ridiculously fun!
I was just waiting for Alec to slice through the rope with his damascus ice axe...luckily I was wrong...awesome video guys...
Two of the coolest dudes on TH-cam
Congratulations to both of you. Way to put skill to the test.
The production on this video was beautiful!!
Love the climbing related content, use a lot of this stuff quite often and it's fun to see your renditions.
Alec : "I want to go oh holiday and do something fun. Let see how i can turn that into a business expense" 😂
I love seeing the adventures on your channel. It's cool to see you use the things you make.
To not only build something, but then decide to test it out... I am impressed.
Though I am still waiting for the day, where Alec is making a saxophone out of damascus...
Yo i just want the soundtrack to this video! Jamie killing it with these beats. Oh and Alec was good too.. lol. Best TH-cam duo!!
Awesome content, I’m proud of you for taking the risk to do something usual content adjacent but relevant. It worked out amazing in my opinion 🎉
Love it when you get back to forging.
Absolutely love the videos where you create and use on an adventure!
This looked AWESOME!!!! I had completely forgotten about the axe until the end Haha
Taking your hand out your glove …. Touch of class Alec.
If your concern is structural integrity, maybe a San Mai of some spring steel or some super tough alloy in the middle, clad with thin Damascus
Loved it. Let's see you make your own ice screw next!
everything about this video is so high quality
I was expecting the entire body being made too. Cheater!!! Haha! Short videos like this are helpful for quick projects.
Looking forward to another long build like the Viking sword. Something that requires creativity, originality, trial and error, new techniques, inspiration… copying things that already exist feels like all the Disney remakes.
Go do the Spear of Longinus (Spear of Destiny - requiring a hollow spear, nails, silver smithing, gold smithing, and engraving), or a German Wall Clock, or make some blacksmith puzzles, a sword and shield, or something else.
As always, I’m forever appreciative of the great videography, editing, and music.
An amazing adventure guys!!!
Very cool. Big "Yes" to the ice axe, "hell no" to that ice climbing though. Lol
Insane stuff, love it!
13:12 WE GOT ALEC UNCENSORED LETS GOOOO (before GTA VI too)
Cool song during the restacking portion in the beginning.
Trusting your life to a tool you made yourself. Hats off to you, sir!
Where did he do that?
Nothing makes it more real than a little blood! Cool adventure!
I love these videos, keep making beautiful equipment and show us the adventours og using them👍
Love a practical build
100% Need to see an old school ice axe build!
I would love to see a Damascus collab between Alec Steele and Kyle Royer at some point!
If you are taking votes on musical styles, I loved that sitar bit!
Starts mountian biking, builds a bike
Starts cave diving, makes a biner
Starts ice climbing, makes a ice pick ,cant wait to see whats next !
the music was so cool this episode! thanks for the video :)
Truly fantastic ice axe and awesome climbing.
Wow what an amazing awesome show of the ice axe it had your life in your hands.
This makes me want an uncensored Alec Steele vlog channel
That's a serious pitch for a beginner, well done!
i hope jamie gets paid well. i wouldn't have been able to do that. well done lads!
Something I've always wondered about Damascus steel, is the complexity of the pattern at all tied to its structural integrity/strength? Like, if you wanted a simpler, less complex pattern, would you have been sacrificing something by not cutting, stacking, and rewelding the billet at the beginning like you did? Or is that a purely aesthetic choice?
Love how he usually bleebs the curses but he said screw it for when the ice hit him
I'd be really interested in seeing you do stuff with steel tubes. Like you probably can't make tubes, but can you work with them? Forge and bend them into some useful shape?
I lived long enough to hear Alec say the F word!
My life is complete!!! 🤣
I'd seen your Instagram pics before watching this and had to immediately come and watch it.👍
4:53 I did not have "full on dance party to an Alex Steele video while doing my makeup" on my bingo card today
That looked like fun!
DAVE SEARLE AND ALEC STEELE what a combo!
damascus mountain bike frame when?!
I knew I recognized Chamonix in the first seconds of the video, as I am from there! Great job Alec, wish I would have met you there!
Aw man I would love to fly out to Montana, make an ice axe and do some ice climbing or mountaineering that would be ideal right now.
Good to see you making a gorgeous bladeish thing again
Camera visual on point
you can hear that Alec really loved this :)
Impressively good swinging technique! This can’t have been you guy’s first time ice climbing! Tackling 55m of WI4 is no joke even on top rope! If you come back to Montana anytime, you gotta hit Bozeman!
This was Jamie's first ever ice climb! I've done a few multipitch mixed routes but this was my longest ever ice pitch by a long way!
I wish I was still in Bozeman so I could be in Hyalite in 30 minutes. Hopefully next winter I can get some time on Ice there during a short trip.
Song at 6:00 was absolutely BUMPIN
Next up: cams and trad climbing?
Interesting background music 👍🏽
Excellent video! Film never seems to fully capture just how precarious ice climbing feels. You are never quite able to rest, and the "structure" that you are climbing is actively disintegrating.
The more I watch Damascus videos the more I see a resemblance to hard candy making. Stretching the pattern out and what not
WOW you can do a one part video!!!
no I Forged An Ice Axe part 12??
Crazy. That had to be exhausting
I'd love to see you do a series of Batman apparatus .. Baterang, Ascenders, etc.