The Blacksmith's Workshop Portland, Oregon
Learn the ancient art of working hot metal on the anvil! We taper, split, twist and punch steel to create art, jewelry, and functional tools. Come have fun and try your hand at the time-honored craft of blacksmithing. Learn all you need to begin manipulating and moving iron in true Maker fashion.
Class size Limited to 6 students, register soon.
The Workshop
Our small class size of 6 students allows instructors to work as a blacksmithing lab, fostering individual attention to each participant. We offer several course levels: Basics and Specialty. Blacksmithing Basics is a prerequisite for our specialty courses. Youth students 14 years and older can take our specialty courses with an equivalent blacksmithing camp—contact us for more information.
Basics Blacksmithing Basics
1-day, prerequisite: none—We train specific techniques of working metal: taper, drawing, scrolling, twisting, splitting and more. Projects begin with with the classic S-hook and move on from there. Proper hammer strokes, stance, forge etiquette, and safety are emphasized.
Specialty Knifemaking
2-days, prerequisite: Blacksmithing Basics, or for 14 & up, equivalent youth camp—This 2-day workshop guides you through the knife making process resulting in a knife worth carrying. We address blade forming, you forge yours while we also cover the stock removal method. From there, we move onto edging, tempering, forming a tang, and crafting a handle. We also address knife maintenance and care (staying sharp). If time allows, students are encouraged to bring a piece of leather to craft a sheath. All materials are included with the exception of the sheath leather.
Specialty The Hori-hori ホリ - A traditional Japanese soil knife
2-days, prerequisite: Blacksmithing Basics, or for 14 & up, equivalent youth camp—This 2-day workshop guides you through forging and crafting your own Wilder's Hori-Hori, the traditional Japanese soil knife and the ultimate weeding, rooting, transplanting, and wildcrafting tool. As in knife making we address edging, tempering, forming a tang, and crafting a handle. We also cover tool maintenance and care. If time allows, students are encouraged to bring a piece of leather to craft a sheath. All materials are included with the exception of the sheath leather.
Specialty Coal Forging & Welding
2-days, prerequisite: Blacksmithing Basics, or for 14 & up, equivalent youth camp—In this course you learn the ancient ways of coal forging. We focus on temperature control, air intake, and coal tending. We also cover how to use the greater heat from coal to weld metal together. Methods for crafting your own tools for home use are taught.
Blacksmithing Basics
Time
6 hours 10am-4pm each day
Class size is limited to 6 students, register soon.
Location
5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, OR Map It
Register
Program Full |
Ages Adult Basics June 1, 2013 Tuition $49 |
Program Full |
Ages Adult Basics June 2, 2013 Tuition $67 |
Program Full |
Ages Adult Knifemaking June 22-23, 2013 Tuition $95 |
Ages Adult Hori-hori, ホリ July 6-7, 2013 Tuition $95 |
