# Blacksmiths, what's your opininion of Alec Steele **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 7, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430 "2019-10-07T17:43:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/1 "2019-10-07T17:43:46Z")
I’ve been watching Youtube blacksmith Alec Steele and bear in mind I have zero experience blacksmithing. At first I was entertained but there’s something off. I think part of it is that he continually calls layered metals “Damascus”. I know laypeople call it Damascus but I would think a professional would call it pattern welding since it is not wootz steel. Also, he says I don’t know a lot which I thought was self-depricating but now think he really doesn’t know. So is he a good blacksmith? Not so good but a good youtuber? Inexperienced blacksmith? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/2 "2019-10-07T22:36:26Z")
I can make some basic things I need for the colonial events and I make fairly good knives and tomahawks. He isn’t bad but I don’t consider him one of the ones to study and mimic except for getting started. I’ll forgive the terms he uses sometimes; he is doing it for a YouTube audience after all. But his basic technique is solid. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/3 "2019-10-07T22:48:09Z")
I find it intriguing that he’s not selling iron things on his website, but [t-shirts.](https://alecsteeleshop.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2019, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/4 "2019-10-08T02:13:16Z")
I’m not a blacksmith. He is entertaining and charismatic and making a killing as a youtuber. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2019, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/5 "2019-10-08T03:03:17Z")
I’ve done a tiny bit of blacksmithing myself, but I’ve hung around with several professional and semi-professional blacksmiths for many years, and I worked at a blacksmith shop at a Renaissance Faire for eight years. I think the guy knows what he’s doing, but from what I saw of his videos (I watched portions of several of them), his videos seem to be more about the cool imagery than explaining, in any real level of detail, _what_ he’s doing. He clearly has an awful lot of high-end equipment – most working blacksmiths that I’ve known do have some of the tools that he has (like gas-fired forges and power hammers), but he seems to have a lot of expensive grinding and milling equipment, as well. Also, FWIW, I’ve heard a lot of blacksmiths talk about pattern welding / Damascus steel, and I’ve heard many of them use the terms interchangeably (even if inaccurately). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2019, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/6 "2019-10-08T06:59:59Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’ve been watching Youtube blacksmith Alec Steele and bear in mind I have zero experience blacksmithing. At first I was entertained but there’s something off. I think part of it is that he continually calls layered metals “Damascus”. I know laypeople call it Damascus but I would think a professional would call it pattern welding since it is not wootz steel. Only re-enactors and archaeologists really care about the difference. Most blacksmiths, knifemakers and allied trades, as well as their suppliers, call it Damascus regardless or mix the terms. Just check any random\* Forged in Fire\* episode, as well, or [most](https://www.knifemaking.com/damascus-steel-blades-s/2568.htm) [any](https://usaknifemaker.com/shop-categories/metals/damascus-steel-c-93-110.html) [site](https://www.texasknife.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=119_786) [selling](https://www.english-handmade-knives.co.uk/acatalog/AE_Damascus-p1.html) knifemaking blanks. That last one even sells “Nordic Damascus” blanks :smack: . > [@](#): > > Also, he says I don’t know a lot which I thought was self-depricating but now think he really doesn’t know. So is he a good blacksmith? Not so good but a good youtuber? Inexperienced blacksmith? IMO as a non-blacksmith fan of blacksmithing - He’s technically good, and creative, but inexperienced, is what I always think (the fact that he still looks 14 probably doesn’t help). It’s good that he also shows his failures in addition to successes. He certainly knows the basics well. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2019, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/7 "2019-10-08T07:22:41Z")
IANAB, but I followed him for a while. In the end, I found the charisma a bit overwhelming - it was like: Michael McIntyre; The Blacksmith Years ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2019, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/8 "2019-10-08T09:12:01Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > In the end, I found the charisma a bit overwhelming - it was like: Michael McIntyre; The Blacksmith Years That’s a perfect description! ---
**Author:** ![ZurBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@ZurBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZurBob)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacksmiths-whats-your-opininion-of-alec-steele/841430/9 "2019-10-08T23:06:51Z")
This young man has accomplished more than most in a lifetime of effort. Is he the da Vinci of smithys at this time? No, but impressive nonetheless.