WHAT IS MORE MIRACULOUS THAN THE HUMBLE HOLDFAST?

I MEAN, YOU PUT IT INTO AN OVERSIZED HOLE IN THE TOP OF YOUR WORK BENCH, GIVE IT A WHACK, AND IT HOLDS YOUR WORK SO TIGHT, YOU CAN LIFT YOUR ENTIRE WORK BENCH!

AND YET TO LOOSEN IT, ALL YOU DO IS GIVE IT A WHACK ON THE BACK.

SO WHAT MAKES IT WORK?

WELL, TO ANSWER SUCH A MYSTERY, WE MUST DARE TO DELVE INTO THE LAIR OF HE WHO PRACTICES THE ANCIENT BLACK ART OF BLACKSMITHING.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [WIND BLOWING] [BIRD SQUAWKS] [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

[CAR HORNS BEEPING] [BANJO TWANG] [UPBEAT OLD-TIME FIDDLE MUSIC] ♪ AND THAT BLACKSMITH, OF COURSE, IS OUR OLD FRIEND PETER ROSS, AND PETER, WE ARE AT YOUR FORGE.

WE ARE AT MY FORGE.

YEAH, THE FORGE IS THE FIRE.

AND MY FORGE.

AS THE BUILDING.

ALL RIGHT.

AND YOU HAVE MADE 3 THINGS FOR US, BUT THEY'RE ALL MADE DIFFERENTLY, AND TWO OF THEM ARE HOLDFASTS.

YEAH.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH.

SO WE'VE GOT TWO HOLDFASTS AND THEN...WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?

A STOP.

A DOG.

BENCH DOG, THE HOOK, THE BENCH DOG.

ALL FOR WOODWORKERS NOW.

SO WE HAVE GOT, OF COURSE, THIS HOLDFAST.

WE HIT IT DOWN, IT HOLDS THE WOOD.

OH, IT HELD IT DOWN PRETTY DARN GOOD.

IT WORKED ALREADY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS IS ALSO AN "L," AND THEN WE HAVE ALSO THIS...ROUBO.

OH, MY GOSH.

BECAUSE YOU CAN BREAK YOUR ROUBO JUST LIFTING IT OUT.

THIS IS ALSO A HOLDFAST, BUT IN THE FRENCH STYLE.

YES.

AND IT'S A HONKER.

SO THESE THINGS HAVE SORT OF AN INTERESTING SHAPE IN COMMON.

THEY'RE ALL ESSENTIALLY ONE PIECE BENT.

BUT THEIR PREP FOR EACH IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

SO THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT IN THE WAY YOU START OUT.

BUT THEY'RE KIND OF AN INTERESTING FAMILY OF PIECES.

SO THESE ARE ALL L's, BUT YOU CAN GET THERE IN YOUR OWN WAY?

RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WHICH SHOULD WE START WITH HERE?

WELL, I HAVE ONE OF THESE UNDERWAY IN THE FIRE.

SO YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT?

LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

STARTED WITH JUST A BLANK BAR.

THEN IT WAS BENT.

BUT IT'S GOT THAT ROUND-- SO THE SAME MATERIAL ON EACH SIDE OF THE BEND.

ALL RIGHT, BUT YOU'VE GOT A VERY ROUND BEND, AND HERE I SEE IT'S MUCH MORE ACUTE.

THE THIRD STEP IS TO SHARPEN THIS CORNER BY UPSETTING, WHICH WE'VE DONE ONCE.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAMMER HERE AND HERE, AND THAT'S THE STEP-- AND THAT HAS A CONTROVERSY ABOUT IT.

SO LET'S GO SEE THAT.

OK. AND YOU'VE GOT IT IN THE FIRE?

I HAVE ONE READY TO GO, RIGHT IN THE FIRE.

OK.

EXCELLENT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS IS YOUR COAL FIRE.

YOU'VE GOT AIR BLOWING UNDERNEATH.

WE HAVE A FAN BLOWING AIR INTO THE FIRE.

IT'S JUST COAL THAT'S BURNING.

YOU CAN SEE ONCE THE AIR STARTS COMING IN, THE FIRE GETS REALLY HOT.

IT GETS WAY HOT.

NOW, IT ACTUALLY GETS SO HOT, IT WILL BURN UP THE STEEL?

IT CAN.

FIRE IS SEVERAL HUNDRED DEGREES HIGHER THAN THE MELTING POINT OF THE STEEL.

GOOD GRIEF.

OK. YOU JUST HAVE TO WATCH AND MAKE SURE YOU GET IT OUT WHEN IT'S READY.

DON'T LEAVE IT IN TOO LONG.

WELL, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S READY?

BECAUSE, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST...

I SEE ONE BRIGHT GLOW.

YEAH.

I'M JUST WATCHING THE COLOR OF THE PIECE.

SO I'M JUST STARING INTO THE FIRE TO LOOK AT THE WORK, AND IT'S READY.

IT'S YELLOW?

OK.

I'VE DONE THIS...

I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.

HA HA HA!

OK.

SO I'M GETTING OUT OF THE WAY SO YOU CAN COME RIGHT TO THE ANVIL, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE THE HEAT.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT TO THE UPSETTING.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S A BRIGHT YELLOW.

EVEN SPARKING HEAT NOW.

YEAH.

JUST BELOW A SPARKING HEAT.

OH, AND YOU'VE GOT A, UM...WHAT?

A BOTTOM SWEDGE YOU CALL THAT?

YEP.

THAT THING SET IN THE ANVIL.

SEE HOW THAT...

IT SUPPORTS IT WHILE IT'S ROUND.

OK.

IT'LL KEEP FROM DEFORMING...

THE BACKSIDE OF THE BAR.

NOW, THAT'S BASIC UPSETTING YOU'RE DOING THERE, BUT IT'S ALSO UPSETTING IN THAT THERE IS A CONTROVERSY ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU'RE BEATING METAL INTO THE CORNER, BUT YOU SAY NO.

I SAY NO.

I AM...I AM...ALONE IN MY...MY RAILING AGAINST THE INJUSTICE.

HA HA HA.

BUT IF YOU DON'T PUT METAL INTO THE CORNER TO MAKE IT THAT SHAPE, WHAT DO YOU DO?

MY FEELING IS YOU'RE PUSHING EVERYTHING ELSE AWAY FROM THE CORNER.

SO IT'S JUST A RELATIVE MOTION.

SO THIS IRON IS GOING THAT WAY, THAT IRON... AND THE CORNER IS STAYING WHERE IT IS.

YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY MOVING ANYTHING TO THE CORNER.

YOU'RE JUST MOVING EVERYTHING ELSE AWAY FROM IT.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THERE'S NOT A SEMANTIC-- IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A SEMANTIC DIFFERENCE?

OH, NO, NO, NO.

DISTINCTION WITHOUT A DIFFERENCE.

I WOULD NOT WORRY A HOOT ABOUT THIS.

BUT IT DOES CHANGE THE WAY YOU WORK.

OK. WELL, THAT'S... THAT'S GOOD.

SO THAT'S COMING UP TO THAT "L" SHAPE.

AND YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'RE GONNA CARRY ON FROM THERE.

NOW, DOES THIS NEED ANOTHER HEAT, OR ARE YOU GONNA DO THIS AGAIN?

WELL, UM... LET'S GO LOOK AT THE ROUBO HOLDFAST ONCE MORE.

OK. BECAUSE THIS IS THE VERY SIMPLE ONE.

I'M GONNA SET THIS ASIDE.

YEAH.

THIS IS THE SIMPLE ONE.

SO WE'VE GOT THAT UPSETTING.

BUT THE ROUBO HAS-- AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

SHOULD WE LOOK FIRST AT WHY IT'S CALLED THE ROUBO?

SURE.

GOOD THINKING.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW HERE.

I'LL SHOW YOU THIS ONE.

I'VE GOT THE MOXON.

SO THIS IS THE ONE WE JUST WERE WORKING ON.

AND YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT THERE ON THE BENCH TOP THERE ALONG...ALONG WITH THE STOP, YEAH.

SO THAT LITTLE HOLDFAST THERE ON THAT TINY LITTLE WORK BENCH THERE, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

BUT WHEN YOU GET TO THE ROUBO, THE ANDRE ROUBO, THE FRENCH ONE, HERE IS A BIG OLD HOLDFAST, AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE RIGHT HERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE IT HAS THAT DIFFERENT SHAPE.

IT'S ROUND ON THE INSIDE AND SHARP IN THE CORNER.

AND YOU SAY THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT?

SHARP OUTSIDE, ROUND INSIDE.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY MUCH THICKER HERE THAN EITHER OF THE LEGS.

WOW.

OK.

SO A SHARP CORNER-- SO THAT TAKES A SPECIAL METHOD TO PRODUCE THAT.

AND WHAT IS THAT SPECIAL METHOD?

ARE YOU GONNA SHOW US?

WELL, I HAVE A-- YOU START WITH-- I HAVE A MINIATURE VERSION HERE.

OK.

I HOPE SO, BECAUSE THIS WEIGHS ABOUT 40 POUNDS.

YEAH, WE MIGHT NEED MORE THAN A HALF AN HOUR.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU START WITH A BIG BAR.

YOU DRAW OUT THE ENDS, LEAVING A LUMP IN THE MIDDLE.

MM-HMM.

I SEE THE LUMP.

THEN THAT SORT OF MOUNTAINTOP BECOMES THE OUTSIDE OF THE CORNER.

I GOT YOU.

OK.

SO THIS COMES DOWN THAT WAY, AND THE OTHER GOES DOWN THE OTHER WAY, AND THAT LEAVES YOU THAT GENTLE BEND ON THE INSIDE.

I'M GONNA GET ONE STARTED HERE.

JUST A SECOND.

OH, OK. ALL RIGHT.

SO AGAIN, IT'S TAKING-- YOU'VE BROUGHT UP THE LUMP.

YEAH.

SO LET ME GET THAT IN THE FIRE HEATING.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW I'VE GOT TO SHOW YOU THERE'S EVIDENCE, A LOT OF FOLKS SAY, SAY, "THIS IS...

THIS IS JUST THE BLACKSMITH..." DO BLACKSMITHS CHARGE BY THE POUND?

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE?

WELL, THEY DID.

THEY DID?

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THIS IS, UH... 40 DAYS' WORTH.

THIS IS THE SIZE THAT ROUBO CALLED FOR.

THAT'S ASTOUNDING, I JUST THINK.

THERE ARE SEVERAL OLD TREATIES LIKE ROUBO WHERE THEY CALLED OUT THE SIZE OF THE STOCK SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE IT UP TO THE BLACKSMITH TO DETERMINE HIMSELF.

WELL, I THINK I'VE GOT IT RIGHT HERE.

UH, WELL, HERE.

THIS IS ONE I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT-- A PLATE FROM THE NOVEL "EMILE," AND IT'S BY ROUSSEAU.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT ANYBODY'S EVER READ IT.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, SOPHIE HAS GONE INTO THE SHOP AND SHE HAS PICKED UP THE PLANE AND ASTOUNDED EMILE.

BUT DOWN ON THE FLOOR WHAT YOU SEE IS THE VALET, THE GIANT HOLDFAST, AND LOOK AT THAT.

IT'S HALF AS BIG AS EMILE OR SOPHIE THEMSELVES.

SO IT'S HUGE.

COULD HAVE BEEN JUST AN ACTUAL SIZE.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S IT.

AND AGAIN, WE LOOK AT THE ROUBO PLATE.

UH...IT IS...

RIGHT THERE, YOU SEE THAT VALET OR THE HOLDFAST IS HALF THE HEIGHT OF THE BENCH.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT A 30-INCH BENCH, YOU'VE GOT A HONKING HOLDFAST.

THE OTHER THING ABOUT THESE THAT'S SORT OF CONTROVERSIAL IN MODERN HOLDFAST USE IS THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO FLEX IN THIS CORNER.

NO.

IT'S NOT GONNA BEND RIGHT THERE.

NO, THEY ARE SO STRONG.

ANYTHING BUT BENDING.

SO IT REALLY IS.

IT COMES DOWN AND GETS COCKED AGAINST THE WOOD HERE AND HERE, AS WE'LL SEE.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M GONNA WATCH THE FIRE.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

AND AGAIN, YOU'RE WATCHING TO SEE THAT THE SPARKS DON'T COME UP AND LOOKING FOR THE HEAT THAT YOU WANT.

WE ARE JUST ABOUT READY HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M GONNA START BENDING THIS ONE.

THE FIRST THING I'M GONNA DO IS QUENCH THE TWO LEGS SO ONLY THE CORNER, OR WHAT'S GOING TO BECOME THE CORNER IS HOT.

OK.

SO ISOLATING THE HOT SPOT BECAUSE THIS IS HEATING A BIGGER AREA.

WELL, ALSO I WANT TO BEND IT WHERE IT'S THICKEST, WHERE IT'S LEAST LIKELY TO BEND.

I GOT YOU.

SO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE IT BEND AT ITS MOST RESISTANT SPOT.

AH.

ONE END.

THAT'S A BRIGHT YELLOW HEAT THERE.

[WATER SIZZLING] AND NOW THE SOFT SPOT.

NOW WE CAN BEND .

HOPEFULLY WE CAN BEND IT RIGHT THERE AT THE CORNER.

YOU'RE DOING IT OVER THE HORN OF THE ANVIL.

WELL, I WANT... WANT THE INSIDE OF THAT BEND TO END UP WITH THAT NICE RADIUS.

SO YOU'RE REFINING, KEEPING IT ALIGNED WHEN YOU GO UP TO THE TOP THERE.

ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN THIS USED ON, THIS TECHNIQUE TO GET THIS KIND OF SHAPE?

UH...A LOT OF ARCHITECTURAL WORK IS DONE THIS WAY-- RAILINGS, SPECIAL FORMS.

YOU START WITH A BULGE IN THE CORNER AND THEN BRING THAT AROUND.

AND SO YOU PUT A-- YOU PUT--I NOTICED, ALL THESE PIECES OF IRON HAVE A DOT IN THE CORNER.

YOU'VE MARKED THE BENDING POINT?

IT'S PROBABLY WATCHING THAT DOT AND SEEING THAT IT STAYS IN THE SAME PLACE THAT'S MADE YOU REALIZE THAT IT'S THE OTHER METAL THAT MOVES.

WELL, THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE REALIZATION.

IT IS.

IS IT REALLY?

TRUER WORDS WERE RARELY SPOKEN.

SO YOU'RE LOOKING AND SEE THAT DOT STAYS IN THE CORNER RATHER THAN MOVING OUT TO THE CORNERS.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S IT.

SO YOU'RE TRYING TO GET-- WHAT PETER DOES IS HE'S TRYING TO GET AMUCH WORK AS HE CAN OUT OF EACH AT.

SO YOU STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT.

SO WE DON'T LET IT EVEN COOL BY ADMIRING IT, BUT NEVERTHELESS... LET'S TAKE ONE MORE HEAT ON THIS.

WE'LL SHARPEN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

OK. AND THEN THAT'S GONNA COME AROUND.

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO GET THE CURVE IN THIS?

I AM BANKING ON A CURVE HERE.

YOU'RE ALSO BANKING THE FIRE, I SEE, TOO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HE'S TRYING TO GET-- AGAIN, KEEP, CONSERVE THE HEAT, GET IT BACK IN THE FIRE.

AND SOMETHING ELSE YOU'RE DOING-- YOU'RE MOVING THE SOFT COAL...

UH...SOMETHING IN FIRE MANAGEMENT IS A BIG DEAL HERE.

OH, YEAH.

THIS IS A-- THIS COULD BE A LONG CONVERSATION.

WELL, OK. BASICALLY, THE COAL IS COKING, AND ONLY THE COKE SHOULD BE IN THE CENTER OF THE FIRE.

THAT'S ALL THAT REALLY GETS HOT.

SO YOU DON'T MOVE THE COAL INTO THE FIRE UNTIL IT'S COKED.

ALL RIGHT.

AND COKE IS WHAT?

THE VOLATILES HAVE BURNED OFF?

RIGHT.

HERE'S A... COKE IS ESSENTIALLY THE COAL WITH ALL THE TARS AND GASES AND OTHER VOLATILES BURNED OUT.

WHY DON'T YOU WANT THEM IN THAT MIDDLE FIRE?

WELL, THEY SORT OF DRAG THE TEMPERATURE DOWN IN THE FIRE.

SO ONCE YOU'VE PURIFIED THE FUEL... OK. THEN IT BURNS HOTTER AND CLEANER.

SO THAT PURIFIED FUEL IS JUST CARBON.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO AGAIN, WORKING TO... YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT HEAT.

WE'RE READY, I THINK.

WE WON'T NEED TO QUENCH HERE.

WE'LL JUST GO RIGHT TO THE ANVIL.

I'LL BE READY TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

THAT'S MY JOB.

GET--WOW!

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T... SHARPEN THIS UP.

SEE, WE USE LOTS OF DIFFERENT-- POSITIONS.

I SEE.

WELL, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE WORKING WITH A GIANT SLEDGEHAMMER EITHER.

YOU'RE HITTING FAST AND HARD AND RAPIDLY.

LOTS OF HITS.

THAT'S GOOD WITH UPSETTING.

OH, THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT WITH UPSETTING?

THAT'S REALLY IDEAL FOR UPSETTING.

AND BY UPSETTING, AGAIN HE MEANS PUTTING METAL INTO THE CORNER-- OR MOVING METAL AWAY FROM THE CORNER.

I DID IT AGAIN.

I'M SORRY.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

MOVING METAL AWAY FROM THE CORNER.

HA HA!

AH... OK. AND THAT HAS...

THERE'S STUFF FLAKING OFF.

THAT'S OXIDIZING REAL FAST.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YEAH.

THAT'S JUST THE IRON OXIDE THAT FORMS ANY TIME THE IRON IS GLOWING OR HOTTER.

OK. NOW, I DON'T WANT TO SLOW YOU DOWN.

OK. LET'S DO ONE MORE.

WE'RE GONNA FLATTEN OUT THE END... ALL RIGHT.

TO SHOW YOU SORT OF THE FISH TAIL.

THE FISH TAIL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THAT CORNER DONE, GONNA GO FOR THIS PART RIGHT DOWN IN HERE, AND THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE GRACE.

YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THE FRENCH SOMETIMES WOULD BE HAPPY WITH IT JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS SO PERFECT.

IT REALLY WOULDN'T-- IT WOULD JUST HAVE TO LOOK RIGHT, NOT REALLY FUNCTION WELL, BUT THEY DO.

WE'RE GONNA TRY IT.

WELL, THERE ARE MANY WHO SAY IF IT LOOKS RIGHT, IT WORKS RIGHT.

OH, OK. WELL, THIS HAS GOT TO WORK.

IT'S GOT TO SPRING DOWN.

SO WE'LL GIVE THIS THING A TRY.

HOW MUCH HEAT DOES THAT NEED?

I HAVE TO FLATTEN THE END.

OK.

SO YOU'RE GONNA NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE.

HOW ARE WE DOING HERE?

DO YOU THINK WE CAN-- OH, YEAH.

KEEP AT IT THERE, BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE HOW THIS WORKS.

I'M GONNA TRY THIS IN THE BENCH, BECAUSE YOU CAN-- I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, PETER, THAT THEY JUST DROP THESE THINGS IN, AND THEY SET, RATHER THAN HAVING TO SET WITH A MALLET.

OK. WE'RE GONNA USE THE PEEN OF THE HAMMER.

OH, OK. THAT NARROW FACE OF THE HAMMER.

I GOT IT.

AND THAT'S SPREADING THE IRON...THAT WAY.

ALMOST LIKE A ROLLING PIN.

YOU'RE SPREADING IN ONE DIRECTION.

ONE DIRECTION.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT.

I WANT MORE WIDTH BUT NOT MORE LENGTH.

THIS IS CALLED A CROSS PEEN.

YEAH.

A CROSS PEEN HAMMER.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S SORT OF NOT INTUITIVE... IS THAT THE PEEN ON THIS HAMMER IS ALMOST FLAT.

IT IS.

I WAS SAYING IT'S NOT ROUNDED.

RIGHT.

HUH.

THE ROUNDER IT IS, THE MORE IT BEHAVES LIKE A CHISEL AND LESS LIKE A ROLLING PIN.

DIGS IN.

OH, OK.

I GOT YOU.

AGAIN I MISUNDERSTOOD.

BUT YOU WATCH THIS STUFF FOR 30 YEARS, I GUESS...HA HA HA.

WITH AN ACTIVE MIND.

I USUALLY GET ONE IMPORTANT DISCOVERY EVERY 2 OR 3 YEARS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S ROUGHED OUT.

AND THAT'S STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A...

WORKING DOWN TO ALMOST A BLACK HEAT TO SMOOTH IT OUT.

OK. AND THAT'S TO REFINE IT, SO EACH BLOW TAKES LESS OF A DENT.

NOW WE CAN BEND IT.

RIGHT NOW?

WELL...

I DON'T WANT... WELL, YOU'RE... TECHNICALLY... A LITTLE MORE FIRE.

TECHNICALLY, WE SHOULD HEAT IT.

OK. WELL, I THINK WE SHOULD DO WHAT'S RIGHT, NOT JUST WHAT LOOKS RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE THIS DOES HAVE AN INCREDIBLE GRACE TO IT.

LOOKING AT THE OTHER ONE...

HERE IT IS.

THIS IS THE ENGLISH ONE.

IT'S PRETTY WORKMANLIKE BY COMPARISON.

BUT THIS IS SMALL ENOUGH THAT IT WILL FLEX THERE IN THE MIDDLE.

NOW, WE... ARE WE PURSUING A EUROPEAN OR... OR AN ENGLISH VERSION?

I THINK LET'S GO... EUROPEAN HERE.

OK. OK.

THEY LOOK PRETTY CLOSE, BUT YOU HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL S-CURVE.

I DO WANT TO SEE HOW THAT GOES.

SO LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT AN ORANGE HEAT.

YEAH.

AGAIN OVER THE HORN OF THE ANVIL.

AT THE END.

THINKING ABOUT THE THICKEST PARTS FIRST.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE-- WHILE IT'S HOT.

WHILE IT'S HOT.

OK. STRIKE THE...

YOUR BIGGEST PROBLEM WHILE THE IRON IS HOT.

AND THEN I CAN JUST CURL IT A LITTLE BIT AT THE VERY END.

SO THAT'S SO IT GOES FLAT ON THE WOOD.

AND THAT'S IT.

THERE IT IS.

SO THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL CURVE OF THE HOLDFAST IN THE ROUBO STYLE, AND HERE'S THE ENGLISH ONE.

I DON'T WANT TO PICK UP THAT THIRD ONE TO COMPARE IT THERE, BUT THAT'S GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, ALL IN THE PREP.

THE BENDING-- IF YOU DO THE PREP CORRECTLY, THE BENDING GOES NICELY.

AND IT ALL STARTED WITH HAVING THAT EXTRA METAL HUMP IN THAT CORNER, AS OPPOSED TO HERE, WHERE YOU JUST BENT IT.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU'VE GOT THAT.

I WANT TO SHOW-- IN FACT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE WAY YOU USE THESE HOLDFASTS.

I'VE GOT THAT, UM...PLATE 11.

OH, YEAH.

YOU KNOW PLATE 11.

ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS THE FAMOUS PLATE.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST HOW BIG THIS DARN THING IS.

IN FACT, LET'S TRY IT HERE.

HERE WE GO.

I WANT TO SEE IF I CAN DROP IT AND GET IT TO HOLD.

NO, IT DIDN'T.

IT DIDN'T HOLD.

I DON'T THINK SO.

BUT IT HOLDS THERE, AND IT WILL LIFT THE WHOLE BENCH.

YEAH.

SO THAT'S THE WAY THE HOLDFAST WORKS-- IT GRABS, AND THEN YOU HIT IT RIGHT HERE, AND IT RELEASES.

SO, DOWN.

HA HA HA!

LIFTS THE BENCH UP OFF THE...

IT'S A GOOD THING THAT BENCH ISN'T BOLTED TO THE FLOOR, OR YOU'D LIFT THE WHOLE BUILDING.

HA HA!

THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

HERE'S--OK.

PLATE 11.

I JUST WANT TO SEE, BECAUSE WE CAN GO THROUGH THE OLD-- THIS IS GREAT.

ROUBO'S PLATE OF THE SHOP OF A JOINER.

AND ALL THE WORK BENCHES HERE HAVE THEIR STOP DOGS ON THEM.

THEY'VE GOT A FELLA HERE PLANING AGAINST THE DOG, OR THE HOOK AS IT'S CALLED.

HERE'S, AGAIN, THE HOLDFAST ON THIS LITTLE BENCH RIGHT HERE.

THIS FELLOW NEXT TO HIM IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON IT.

HE'S GOT THE HOLDFAST HOLDING THE WOOD DIAGONALLY ON A SUPPORT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T MUCH DO.

BUT HE'S USING IT TO CROSSCUT THAT PIECE RIGHT THERE.

OH, YEAH.

LOOK AT THAT.

YES.

HE GOT, AGAIN, THE VALET IN ACTION, HEAVY, HEAVY IRON VALET.

HERE THIS FELLOW HAS HIS HOLDFAST WITH THE WOOD DIAGONALLY OFF.

SO HE'S USING IT FOR RIPPING.

SO PRETTY NEAT.

SAME TOOL.

THIS GUY IS OUT ON STRIKE RIGHT HERE.

BUT THEN THE THIRD GUY HERE, FINALLY USING THE HOLDFAST, HE HAS GOT IT ON THE BENCH, AND HE'S USING IT FOR MORTISING.

AND THIS IS WHERE MOST PEOPLE USE IT-- HOLDING DOWN THE WOOD WHILE THEY MORTISE IT.

AND YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO EVERYTHING ON THE BENCH.

SO WHAT A GREAT TOOL-- THE VALET, THE HOLDFAST.

WHAT ABOUT PLANING?

UH...DON'T USE IT SO MUCH FOR PLAN-- WELL, WITH PLANING, THE DOG.

THE DOG.

ARE YOU INTRODUCING THE HOOK?

OK. YOU'D THINK I WAS.

OK. NO HOOK.

SO THIS IS THE GUY THAT HOLDS THE WOOD ON THE END OF THE BENCH.

SO IT'S A STOP OR A HOOK.

AND LET'S SEE.

WHERE SHOULD WE TRY IT?

LET'S TRY IT RIGHT HERE IN THIS HOLE.

AND IF I WAS LEFT-HANDED, LIKE SOME BLACKSMITHS I KNOW, WE WOULD WORK FROM THIS END AND SET IT IN THERE.

THE HOLE IS A LITTLE SLOPPY.

ALL RIGHT.

LET ME DO IT THAT WAY.

PERFECT.

THIS WOULD GO INTO A BLOCK OF WOOD THAT'S CAREFULLY SET TO MOVE IN THE BENCH.

BUT THEN WE'D BE ABLE TO PLANE ON THIS PIECE WITH THE STOP.

AND PETER, IT'S SO NEAT.

I'VE SEEN OLD THINGS MADE, AND THEY HAD THE LITTLE TOOTH MARKS-- OH, REALLY?

FROM?

YEAH.

AND I'VE ALSO SEEN A LITTLE MORE SADLY PLANES THAT ALSO HAVE THE TOOTH MARK BECAUSE THEY'VE HIT THIS IRON THING.

STOPPED SHORT BY THE HOOK.

THIS IS BASED ON AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PIECE?

THIS ONE IS BASED ON AN EXCAVATED EXAMPLE FROM TIDEWATER VIRGINIA, AND IT WAS, THEY THINK, THROWN IN THE GROUND ABOUT 1700 OR 1720.

WELL, GOOD PEDIGREE.

EARLY AMERICAN OR BRITISH.

NOW, THIS LOOKS LIKE THE BLANK.

YEAH, IT IS.

NOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER TWO HOLDFASTS EITHER BEING JUST BENT AND UPSET OR A THICKER PORTION BENT.

UH-HUH.

THIS ONE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SIDE OF THIS STOP, YOU'LL SEE THE TABLE IS THINNER THAN THE STEM.

AH, OK.

SO I'M GONNA DO THAT FIRST, GONNA MAKE THE TABLE THINNER WITH WHAT I CALL A STEP IN THICKNESS AND THEN BEND IT RIGHT AT THE STEM.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S DO IT.

HAVE YOU GOT SOME METAL FOR THAT?

UM...LET'S SEE.

I NEED TO HEAT ONE UP.

WE HAVE ONE THAT'S READY TO BEND.

OK.

THIS WON'T TAKE LONG.

OK. AND AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH THAT THIN END, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROBLEM-- THE THIN STUFF WILL HEAT UP FIRST AND START SPARKING.

SO YOU CAN...HA HA.

YOU CAN HAVE IT GONE AWAY REAL FAST.

I'M GONNA GET ANOTHER PAIR OF TONGS.

OH, OK. DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH TONGS?

EVERY TIME YOU MAKE ANOTHER 3 OR 4 PAIR, YOU THINK, "OH, NOW I HAVE ALL I'LL EVER NEED."

YOU'VE GOT EVERY POSSIBLE SHAPE.

AND THEN THE NEXT DAY COMES.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS?

WELL, YOU CAN-- ARE TONGS MUTABLE?

DO YOU EVER RESHAPE THEM FOR A SPECIFIC JOB?

YOU CAN.

YEAH, YOU CAN.

USUALLY, THEY ARE MORE USEFUL TO STAY... OFTEN THEY'RE USEFUL.

LIKE THIS PAIR IS DESIGNED TO GRIP SOMETHING THAT'S JUST THAT THICKNESS.

JUST LIKE THAT.

SO THIS WOULD GO RIGHT IN THERE.

SO IT'S BETTER TO LEAVE THEM AS THEY ARE.

WOW.

AND YOU'VE GOT TREMENDOUS LEVERAGE OVER THE LENGTH OF THESE TONGS.

I LEARNED SOMETHING-- OH, ARE YOU ABOUT READY?

GETTING CLOSE.

THAT IRON IS NOT A GREAT CONDUCTOR OF HEAT.

IS THAT RIGHT?

WELL, IT'S NOT AS GOOD AS MOST OTHER METALS.

SO NOT LIKE COPPER?

COPPER, ALUMINUM, OR BRASS.

SO IRON, IT'S BETTER THAN WOOD, BUT IT'S NOT... HA HA HA!

OK.

SO, WHICH IS GOOD.

I MEAN, YOU DON'T WANT YOUR TONGS TO CONDUCT HEAT.

YOU KNOW, IF COPPER TONGS WERE STRONG ENOUGH AND THAT CONDUCTIVITY, THAT WOULD BE AN UNFORTUNATE THING TO HAVE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU'RE READY.

AGAIN I'M GOING TO QUENCH THE THIN BLADE, AND THEN WE'LL-- IN FACT, TAKE THE SWEDGE OUT OF THE ANVIL.

WE WON'T NEED THAT.

HERE'S THE SWEDGE.

I'LL HOLD THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M GONNA QUENCH THIS THIN BLADE.

[WATER SIZZLING] I'LL LEAVE IT HOT WHERE IT HAS TO BEND.

UH-HUH.

AH.

HA HA.

ALL THE WORK WAS DONE IN GETTING THAT STEP DOWN THERE.

WELL, THAT'S THE SECRET PART.

HA.

NOW LET'S TAKE ONE MORE HEAT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE'LL DO A LITTLE UPSETTING... ALL RIGHT.

AND SHARPEN THAT UP.

AND AGAIN, IF YOU GET IT BACK IN THE FIRE, THE HEATS DON'T TAKE BUT A FEW SECONDS THERE.

AND I SEE YOU'VE GOT THE POINT SITTING UP.

THE BLADE IS UP SO IT'S NOT AT RISK OF OVERHEATING.

JUST SITTING IN THE FIRE LIKE THAT.

YEAH.

THE CORNER IS WHAT I WANT TO HEAT.

AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S DOWN IN THE FIRE.

ALL RIGHT.

THE FLAME DOESN'T HEAT THE WORK.

IT'S THE EMBERS.

SO BURIED IN THE EMBERS IS WHAT HEATS.

OK. MAN, YOU'VE BEEN STARING INTO THAT BRIGHT FIRE FOR SO MANY... ALL 3 WAYS DOWN THERE-- CONDUCTION, CONVECTION... WHAT'S THE THIRD?

RADIATION.

AND RADIATION.

I FORGET THE THIRD.

AND HERE IT GOES.

QUENCH AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT.

[WATER SIZZLING] AND THEN RIGHT TO THE ANVIL.

AND NOW...THAT'S...

STIFF ENOUGH, ALMOST STIFF ENOUGH... TO HAMMER AGAINST.

THAT THIN BLADE, IF IT WERE HOT, WOULD BUCKLE.

OH, OK.

BUT THAT'S WHY YOU DO THE QUENCHING.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AS THAT COMES AROUND.

NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE GOT THE MOST EXCITING JOB IN WOODWORKING, WHICH IS NOT WOODWORKING-- MAKING ALL THE STUFF THAT US WOODWORKERS NEED, AND SO ONCE PETER IS DONE WITH THIS, I HAVE TO GO ON TO THE BORING PART.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?

WHAT COULD THAT BE?

IT'S BORING ALL THE HOLES IN THE BENCH TOPS TO PUT THESE GIANT THINGS IN HERE.

AND THERE IS OUR HOOK READY TO GO.?

PETER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I SURE APPRECIATE YOU SHOWING US, AND WE'LL BE BACK FOR MORE.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE IN THE "WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT pbs.org.

[UPBEAT OLD-TIME FIDDLE MUSIC] ♪ MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [WIND BLOWING] [BIRD SQUAWKS] [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S GUIDE: WORKING WOOD WITH WEDGE AND EDGE," AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS ON TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, ALL PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.