07/09/2026
Forging a Journeyman | Preparing for the American Bladesmith Society performance test
Welcome to Sword Wolf Forge. After three and a half years as an apprentice in the American Bladesmith Society, I am finally preparing to take my Journeyman test. Earning this rank is a huge deal, and the ABS requires applicants to pass a grueling performance test before they can even submit their final five knives to the judges for inspection. To make sure I am completely prepared for the official test coming up in two weeks, I forged two identical blades from the exact same batch of 5160 steel.
In this video, I take one of those blades and push it to the absolute limit to ensure the second blade will survive the real gauntlet. I walk you through the entire testing process, starting with chopping a one-inch free-hanging rope to prove the edge geometry is perfect. Next, I test the blade's toughness and edge retention by chopping through a 2x4 twice, followed immediately by shaving arm hair to prove it is still razor sharp.
The final and most stressful challenge is locking the knife in a vise and bending it 90 degrees. The steel is allowed to crack up to one-third of its width, but if it snaps, it is an automatic failure. Thankfully, this test blade passed every single phase with flying colors and even came back to true after the bend, giving me the confidence I need for the official evaluation. Stay tuned, because the next time you see me, we will be on-site for the real test!
