Date: Saturday, November 2, 2024, 9 AM to 4:30 PM

Time: 7 hours, plus ½ hour for lunch

Cost: $125 per student

Registration: contact Ryan Jones at [email protected], 607-278-5744 x205

Each student will have a chance to learn the basics of operating a coal powered forge including how to start a fire. Before the students are allowed to forge, the instructor will go over basic safety procedures as well as talk about historical forging techniques, hardware, and tool making. The students will learn how to make a “J” hook which will go over basic forging techniques such as how to use blacksmithing tongs, how to forge a taper, how to forge a scroll, how to bend hot steel 90 degrees, and how to perform a twist. The students will then break for lunch. 

As a second project for the day, students will learn how to forge a traditional fire steel. Each student will pick a pattern based on finished examples provided by the instructor, but they are welcome to make their own variations to the piece. Once the fire steels are forged the class will go over the basics of hardening and tempering steel. The students will harden the edges of the steels so they can produce a spark and then will temper the handles of the steels. If time allows it the students will then learn how to start a fire using the steels they forged.