This is a six-hour course designed to expose students to basic blacksmithing techniques. Students will begin the day by making nails. Nails are a great exercise as they require several different forging techniques: drawing a taper, using a hot cut hardy, and upsetting. In making the nails students will also gain confidence in swinging a hammer, hitting accurately and with vigor, managing hot steel in the forge and comfortably working at the anvil.
The second exercise will be to make decorative leaves. Leaves are a great next step as they use several of the techniques learned in making the nails plus a few new techniques are introduced, such as the use of a chisel on hot steel, spreading metal to make the lobes of the leaf and sinking the leaf form into a stump. The piece of steel with a leaf on one end can then become many different things, a simple hook, a fire poker, a BBQ fork, or whatever else the student comes up with. The last portion of the day is set aside to simply practice skills learned. Students can make a bottle opener, coat hook, more nails, more leaves, etc. The primary goals of the class are for students to have a fun time in a relaxed environment and learn basic blacksmithing skills.
Durable, close-toed shoes, and long pants are required. Please tie back long hair. All tools and equipment will be provided. Please note this class is held at the instructor's blacksmithing studio. A few days before class, the instructor will send an email to all students with the address for his shop.
