Please Note before booking, Due to Covid Restrictions, all attendees of courses must supply their own PPE. This should cost around £20 per person. Details of what to buy and where to buy can be given on request.
Bladesmithing for Beginners to book click the images with the dates above, click right or left for alternative dates
£220 per Person per Weekend, £100 per Day Class
First Day Class, The first knife you will make is a Full tang Blade which you can then place a paracord wrap on or put handle(scales) on it at a later date, Alternatively you can make a Japanese hidden tang and purchase a premade handle for £30. It'll be your taster and your opportunity to get to grips with the colours/heat you need to work your tool steel at, some basic Blacksmithing hammer techniques and most importantly how to shape with fire your knife into the blade of your dreams. Importantly you can take the knife you've on the day class and turn it into full tang knife, with wooden scale handles with brass piens if you take it to your next day at Hot Milk Forge. If you are on your first day of a weekend course we typically forge a hidden tang knife.
Day 2 This will be your first step into creating a wooden handle(what type of knife is your choice we could make a kitchen knife or a survival drop point, it'll be your call). You will learn how to attach it securely choose your wood and shape it to your taste.
If we've time we'll also make a viking style knife
The 2nd weekend we'll be be making full tang knives with brass pinned wooden handle. By this stage shaping the knife into whatever type of knife you desire won't be such an issue, heat treating will be wee buns, it'll be refining your handle design so we will be peening in brass pins into your handle etc. It will also be your first fireweld you will set 3 layers (San Mai) at the end of the class.
On your 3rd weekend we'll be doing Damascus/pattern welding. I know what your thinking 'I want to do that on my first weekend.' But to be honest sure I could take your money and show you how to fireweld and fold your steel and you could watch me do it, however if you did without the grounding in steel and fire understanding you got on the other two weekends you'd be going home with a metal splodge. Trust me on that I've been teaching this Craic for over 15 years. Let's do this properly let's learn these techniques so you can do it on your own away from Hot Milk Forge.
Valerian steel Pah! Wait til you see what you'll be making
Cost of Course £220 for the weekend, Lunch not included.