Knifemaking Foundations

Want to get a solid start in knifemaking? Be comfortable in forging and grinding blades. Learn and practice heat treating carbon steels. This week long intensive helps you build your skills and confidence as a knifemaker. It has a maximum of four students only.

The week will start with a two day knifemaking course to get you to make two completed knives. It covers

• forging the blades
• normalising and annealing the steel
• descaling
• surface grinding
• profiling
• bevel grinding
• squaring shoulders of the ricasso
• heat treatment - hardening and tempering
• post heat treat grind
• hand sanding
• guard construction
• handle assembly and glue up
• handle shaping 
• sharpening

We then make a gas forge that you will use for the rest of the course and take back to your workshop.

The fourth day is all about forging blades

• forge half a dozen blades of different styles.
• hidden tangs vs full tang
• kitchen knives
• clip points
• hammering in the plunge lines
• moving steel and creating the shape you want
• speed forging

The last day will be about grinding blades 

• looking at edge geometry
• thinness
• different grind styles - flat, convex, hollow, scandi and chisel
• heat treating the blades

These blades you will take home to finish along with your two completed knives and gas forge.

By the end of of the week you should have the solid foundations of bladesmithing.

Cost includes: Tuition, insurance, materials, use of tools, gas forge components, workshop consumables, safety gear, morning and afternoon tea.

Need to bring: Lunch, appropriate clothing and covered footwear

Booking in advance is essential - very limited places