Prerequisite: Letter Opener Discovery – see comments for more advisory information

Date: November 24, 2023 & November 25, 2023

Time: 9 AM – 3 PM

Location: Adam’s Forge

Please note: This workshop takes place over two consecutive days.  

This class is scheduled as two consecutive sessions starting at 9 am.  Students must attend both sessions. Each session will run approximately 6 hours with an hour meal break.

The Bowie knife is the stuff of American legend – join us to create this historic knife that was carried by soldiers and frontier explorers throughout the West!

Adam’s Forge instructor Gary Standke will lead this workshop. We will provide all the blade steel, guard metal, and wood handle materials as well as the grinding belts and finishing materials.

On day one, the students will learn to forge the knife blade and tang using one fourth of a farrier’s rasp. Traditionally, high carbon steel was difficult to find on the frontier and these knives would have been made from whatever was available. Farrier’s rasps were often available and repurposed into blades. After forging the blade, students will learn to forge and fit the blade guard. Then, they’ll learn to rough grind the blade.

On day two, students will continue rough grinding and will then learn to harden and temper the blade. After this we will move onto the final grinding to get to a razor edge if desired. Then comes the final assembly of the blade, guard and handle to complete the knife. Students will leave class with a completed knife. You’ll find this is an excellent all-purpose knife!

Prerequisites: This workshop is for the experienced student. Students should be confident in hammer control and basic forging skills. This is not a workshop for beginners. The ideal student has experience working with high carbon steel and/or heat treatment either by taking tooling classes with us and/or the equivalent in Open Forge. Precise forging and close monitoring of steel temperatures will be required for success. All students must also have completed Letter Opener Discovery with us.

Tools: Students do not need to bring tools; we have everything that you will need. However, if you happen to have the following, please bring them so that you’ll have the opportunity to use your own!

Coarse files (i.e., 12-inch File Set, 4 Pc. from Harbor Freight)

Tongs for ¼ inch x 5/8 inch stock

This workshop is scheduled for the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, and will run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, with a one-hour break for lunch, each day. Students need to attend both dates.

Please note: All workshops are released for member-only early registration for one week before they’re available for general registration.  If you’re unable to add this class to your cart, you can wait for general release or join our membership program at any time!