Description
This course will take you through the experience of forging your own knife, from fire to handle. We have a few simple 'beginner' blades that you can follow along with, though many people often enjoy letting the steel flow and the hammer guide your blade shape. This class focuses on the historical experience of making a blade, covering the forging, grinding, heat treatment and how to make a simple handle! If you would like to create a more complex type of blade, please contact us directly, as we can offer 'Modern knifemaking' as a standalone class.
What's included in the price?
We begin the day with a safety briefing and a demonstration of our first techniques, Bladesmiths will spend the morning forging their knife blank. We have a few "recipes" of blade that are easy for beginners to forge, for kitchen knives, historical blades and bushcraft/gardening/sloyd use. After a short lunchbreak, we will grind your blade to shape and refine the bevels, harden and temper your blade, then polish and carve a handle. Each participant will need to bring a packed lunch and wear sturdy footwear and sensible clothing. We always recommend long sleeves and steel toe cap boots.
Duration
1 day
Cancellation policy
Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts
Maker
Alex, Hammer and Hound Forge at Hammer and Hound Forge
with Craft Courses since 2023
Message the tutorHammer and Hound Forge is a traditional blacksmith's workshop in Blyth, Northumberland, Uk owned by award winning blacksmith Alex Sowden, who you might have seen before on Sky Arts' "The Prince's Master Crafters", or BBC1's "Make It At Market". We offer a variety of experiences in metalwork for all skill levels, including tuition in welding and fabrication, forging damascus steel, jewellery techniques and much more! We produce kits of hand forged woodworking supplies, as well as tools for other crafts, though our stock is often forged on commission. We also take on larger work, such as forging gates and railings, overthrows, staircases and all variety of ironwork. If you have any questions for us, please get in touch!
Suitable for
- Adults
- Seniors
- Teenagers
- Children
- Hen dos
- Mother's Day
- Romantic
- Corporate days out & team building
- Pet lovers
- Parking provided
- Christmas
- School holiday workshops & activities
- UK Holiday
- Father's Day
- Engagement, birthdays & anniversaries
- Easter
- Suitable for beginners
- Fairs, festivals & exhibitions
- Stag dos
- Spooky
FAQs
All of our courses are beginner accessible.
However, if you are looking for an experience in forging, or are looking to dip your toes into blacksmithing, then we recommend you take our Beginner's Blacksmithing day, or Beginners Bladesmithing. These days are set to take you through the basic steps of forging at an easily digestible pace.
Axe, hammer and tool forging days are a little bit more 'product focussed', there is more metal to forge so we will make use of power tools more. For people with less forging experience we have some recipe projects you can follow that make good tools and aren't massively complex.
Damascus steel is our most complex class- plenty of beginners have joined and had an excellent time, but it is a little faster paced. We focus mostly on the folding of the steel to create the pattern, then the polishing and etching of the steel, as this is the essence of the class. it is recommended to have taken a beginners class or two beforehand as this will help you get more out of this course.
At Hammer and Hound Forge we try to cater to all needs.
Please send us an email to hammerandhoundforge@gmail.com before booking in to discuss what needs you have and how we can best accommodate them.
Currently, our blacksmithing classes are not wheelchair friendly. this is something we are working on changing.
However, our Repoussé classes, silversmithing and modern knifemaking classes are wheelchair friendly. Please get in touch to discuss the availability of these courses, as they are listed in the summer usually.
our minimum age for participation is 11 years old.
Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
Parents and guardians don't have to take part but must wear workshop-sensible clothing and footwear just the same. You can learn more about this in out FAQ: "What Should I Wear?"
All of our courses are open to beginners to join.
We do recommend that beginners start forging with our beginners day classes.
This covers the basics of working at an anvil, and the essential techniques in forging.
We have found that people with a bit of history with a forge will get more out of more product oriented courses like axe forging or Damascus steel making.
Having forging experience isn't a hard requirement for our courses, but you will get more out of the more advanced classes if you have a bit of prior experience to build on.
Forging is immense fun, and very satisfying, but does involve lots of sparks and fire.
To this end, you will want to wear "workshop chic". You will need sturdy footwear. Walking boots, Steel toe caps and anything hardy is encourages. Flip flops and heels are unwise. Trainers are discouraged.
Clothing wants to be natural fibres, jeans and cotton T shirts/jumpers are brilliant. You dont want to wear anything with lots of tassels or frays as they can get caught in machines. The biggest thing to avoid are fully plastic clothing EG tracksuit wear, or superdry coats.
Long hair or long beards will need to be tied back or tucked out the way.
Long sleeves are strongly recommended.
During the summer it can get very warm, but we still recommend long sleeves.
During winter, please bring lots of layers! Better to get warm and take a jumper off!
if your clothing is deemed dangerous we will have to ask you to change. If you have any questions please get in touch
You will need to bring a packed lunch, and sensible footwear.
There is a McDonalds and Greggs 2 minutes walk away, an Asda, Aldi, Lidl and KFC within 5 minutes drive should you wish to nip out or order food in.
We have lots of tea, Coffee, Squash and biscuits for all participants to enjoy.
You are welcome to bring your own PPE, such as gloves, eye protection, ear protection and overalls if you prefer using your own.
Likewise, you are welcome to bring your own tools such as hammers, tongs etc, but we will need to check them over to make sure they are safe to use.
