Classes

Our goal in this intensive 8 session (3 hours each) course will be to learn the basic as well as some intermediate techniques employed by the artist/decorative blacksmith. Our classes will take place in a quality forge with three large forges with 8 stations, 5 anvils, and all of the hand tools necessary to do quality work. The shop is well equipped with power tools such as hammers, band saws, fly press, iron worker, etc. These will be available as needed under careful guidance by your instructor. At the end of this course, each student will have completed several projects which will be his/hers to take home, such as a complete fireplace set with tools. This set would sell for approximately $350. Learning to forge safely, as well as expertly will be our primary goal. It is expected that some students may take a bit more or less time to accomplish each set of objectives, but that all will succeed. The laboratory fee is for expendables such as coal, oxygen, acetylene and steel.

Session 1. We will begin by familiarizing ourselves with the forge (shop and actual forge) and beginning our dialogue about the history of blacksmithing, the kinds of heat sources used, and the quality of mild and hardened steel. We will also begin by dissecting a spent fire in the fire box of the forge and looking at the coal (stoker or metallurgical) and at its byproducts which occur with heating. We then will build a coal fire and learn about the nature of heating steel to appropriate working temperatures. All students will take part and, for the first time, forge steel - that is, change its shape by heating and hammering. We will examine some kinds of products and techniques which will be involved in the course.

Session 2. Drawing out steel. During this session, all will work with flat, round, and square stock and practice drawing out steel making it longer and bringing it to a point. We will begin to experiment with different ways and tools which can be used to draw out steel. We will also begin to discuss design and how to plan out a product using these techniques along with others to be learned in future sessions.

The following images demonstrate how to heat and draw out a piece of mild steel square stock