Bladesmithing

Course fee: £195.00 Tutor: Iain Jones & David Southgate

This one day course will introduce you the skills required to make a blade. It is useful, but not essential, if you have had some basic blacksmithing experience as you will be able to progress at s slightly more advanced level.

You will learn practical tips & techniques on:

• selecting metal
• heat treating metal
• basic forging techniques
• basic finishing techniques
• grinding
• forming twists, curls & scrolls
• drawing out metal
• use of the anvil & hammers
• annealing
• shaping hot metal
• health & safety in the  forge area/related to bladesmithing

You will use those tips & techniques to make a blade working from a tutor design.

At Ecclesall Woods we pride ourselves on the high quality teaching from our tutors & our low class numbers (max 5 for most classes) & a number of our courses also have an assistant.

We have found that smaller class sizes are more productive, un-rushed & allow students to learn more.

You will need to wear suitable clothing and footwear for working outdoors in this season. Steel toe cap boots would be advantageous if you have them, but are not essential. Please note this course will require a high level of manual dexterity on your fingers and is physically demanding on the shoulders and back.