Basic blacksmithing course

What a great day! I booked this as a Christmas present for my Dad and I as a father / son day out. Gary was helpful with all booking details and great with advice on ideas for items to forge. We really enjoyed what came across as an authentic experience with Gary and Jos. These are 2 guys who have an obvious passion for sharing their expertise whilst letting you get really hands on in learning new skills. Dad and I both have amazing blacksmiths knives and the satisfaction of the work that went into making them. Whether you are a fan of the tv 'forged' shows or just fancy learning new skills, we would highly recommend Friargate Forge for a great experience.

Can't praise Gary enough, the day was fantastic, felt at ease straight away and he's a great teacher. Got finished the two projects i wanted to make, cooking tripod and fire steel, still had time left over to make a toasting fork. I will certainly be back to do the knife making course in the future and hopefully more.

Gary was incredibly understanding with autism in the forge. After I told him, he told me that he also had Asperger's syndrome, so he's able to relate to people who struggle with loud noises/sensory issues, both of which are large things in a forgery. Before we started, he explained a ton of stuff on what to/not to do, which kept me from getting burned multiple times. He even let us take a small block of metal of the same material as the axe we built home, so we could show what the axe came from. On top of that, we finished with a couple hours to spare, so he let us make a marshmallow-toasting fork, free of charge. The person I went with burnt her hand, because she grabbed the wrong end of a bar, and he immediately got the burns kit and made sure it was fine. Overall, a great experience, and highly recommended.

What can we say? Absolutely exceeded our expectations in every single way!
Gary is one of the most awesome guys I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Passionate about his work, loads of stories to tell, a genuinely great guy, and obviously very talented. Ben came away with a gorgeous axe, even with zero forge experience (watching forged in fire definitely doesn't count!) we were gutted when the course came to an end, as we loved every minute.
So cheers Gary, keep up the good work fella!! Hopefully we'll be back again soon now we've had a taste of it 👍

Fantastic fun days with Gary in the forge. Learnt so much and bought home 2 wonderful pieces. Already booked next course. Cannot recommend highly enough.

My fiancé and I turned up for our extended course with a great deal of trepidation, as my fiancé is scared of fire and has never lifted a hammer in her life. After 2 days with Gary, she’s immune to fire and has joined the hammer club, ready for her next project! We had an amazing time with Gary who is one of the most honest, nicest and happiest people you could ever meet, as soon as you enter the forge he makes you feel at home.

I made 2 stunning knives, so beautiful they’re on display. My fiancé contacted Gary beforehand with project ideas, Gary was so helpful and ingenious, he helped her make a bell stand and a gorgeous patterned tortoise. He is very talented and his work is just magical, and forging with him is so much fun. I would and have recommended this course to many people.