Blacksmithing Classes
TRK101 Blacksmithing Course
Blacksmithing is a blast and is incredibly popular. The rise of TV shows like Forged in Fire have shown everyone just how cool it can be beating a flaming hot piece in to something new. And don’t be fooled, it is an art! One that takes practice, but with instruction it can quickly become a fun pastime or activity that becomes a business. Whatever your goals, you are in for a good time.
Students in this 18 hour course will learn how to mold and shape hot metal into a variety of items, build skills to make your own set of tooling, and gain access to other tools in our metal shop that will help enhance your projects in the forge. The class track will start with blacksmithing basics, such as proper use of hammers, anvils, tongs, and punches, and culminate in a project of your own design.
Students who complete this course will be signed off to use the metal shop and Blacksmithing area whenever they like as a member. This course meets once a week for 6 weeks.
Attire: Pants, closed toe shoes, shirt that covers shoulders
Age: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above. Ages 14 to 17 with parent or guardian.
Price: Member: $1,043, Non- Member: $1,460
Prerequisites: None
TRK117 Blacksmithing Knife Making Course
The 18-hour knife making course is designed to impart fundamental concepts and skills in blacksmithing that will help you build the confidence you need to make a knife.
Students learn how to mold and shape 5160 steel into a knife shape by creating a divet and drawing out a point in order to match a template. You will become familiar with the process of annealing, quenching, hardening, and spring tempering using a kiln. Using a 72” knife belt sander, you will sand and bevel the edges. You will also create your own handle using wooden scales and set with pins and epoxy. The class will finish with final grinding and polishing.
The goal of this course is to provide the leadership and knowledge needed for someone to bring their creative vision to reality all while instilling the best safety practices and skill set needed to start your knife making journey.
This course meets once a week for a total of 6 individual 3-hour sessions.
Attire: Pants, closed toe shoes, shirt that covers shoulders
Age: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above. Ages 14 to 17 with parent or guardian.
Price: Member: $1,150, Non- Member: $1,610
Prerequisites: None
BLK101 Blacksmithing - Level 1
This class will cover common tools, materials, and techniques used in blacksmithing, as well as provide an overview of the best safety and ergonomic practices. Students will then learn how to taper, draw out, round, scroll, twist, and finish a workpiece using light stock. To gain experience, students will make a coat hook with a decorative design.
Attire: Pants, closed toe shoes, shirt that covers shoulders
Age: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above. Ages 14 to 17 with parent or guardian.
Price: Member: $188, Non- Member: $263
Prerequisites: None
BLK102 Blacksmithing - Level 2
In this class, students will learn the basics of heat treating to make a set of their own tools. They will learn about different grades of steel and how to control quenching to make functional tools of any kind. By the end of class they will have a cutting chisel, a slot punch, and two sizes of round drifts. They will then use these tools to make a decorative twist on a small project of their choice.
Attire: Pants, closed toe shoes, shirt that covers shouldersAge: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above.
Age: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above. Ages 14 to 17 with parent or guardian.
Price: Member: $190, Non- Member: $266
Prerequisites: Blacksmithing 101
BLK103 Blacksmithing - Level 3
Using the tools made in BLK102, students will create a multi part project using a simple joinery technique. Students will learn how to punch and drift holes in large stock, practice making repeated shapes, and will have plenty of room to make their own design choices using the decorative techniques they have learned in other classes. At the end of class, students will have made a piece of functional art in the form of a mounted three hook set that they can take home and use. Completion of this class permits students to sign up for BLK104 – Open Forge Sign-Off.
Attire: Pants, closed toe shoes, shirt that covers shoulders
Age: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above. Ages 14 to 17 with parent or guardian.
Price: Member: $190, Non- Member: $266
Prerequisites: Blacksmithing 102
BLK104 Blacksmithing - Open Forge Sign-off
Upon successful completion of all three blacksmithing levels, students become eligible to sign up for this sign off class which will allow them to use the forging area on their own. Students taking this class will be required to meet with a blacksmithing instructor to review opening/closing procedures for the forging area, operating the forge and setting up a propane tank, using the forklift to move equipment, how to make a reservation, equipment etiquette and clean up standards, safety and emergency protocols, and a general code of conduct while using the forging area.
Attire: Pants, closed toe shoes, shirt that covers shoulders
Age: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above. Ages 14 to 17 with parent or guardian.
Price: Member: $188, Non- Member: $263
Prerequisites: Blacksmithing 103
BLK105 Blacksmithing - Final Project
This project course requires students to bring the concepts and skills they have learned in the blacksmithing class track together to design and forge a project of their choice. Under the guidance of their instructor, students will be responsible for planning their project from start to finish using the resources and time provided to them.
Attire: Pants, closed toe shoes, shirt that covers shoulders
Age: Individual participants in this class need to be 18 years of age or above. Ages 14 to 17 with parent or guardian.
Price: Member: $188, Non- Member: $263
Prerequisites: Blacksmithing class track enrollment