• December 16, 2023 - December 17, 2023

    Turk’s Head Marlinspike

    $325.00

    When:  December 16, 2023: 4:00pm-8:00pm

                    December 17, 2023: 10:00am-2:00pm

    Where: Adam’s Forge

    Prerequisite: Any Discovery workshop

    Note: This class takes place over two consecutive days.  Students must attend both days.

    A Marlinspike is a tapered iron pin that was used by sailors of old to do just about every manner of work on the ship’s rigging. Come to Adam’s Forge to learn how to make your own and learn some marlinspike seamanship as well!

    This class is perfect for anyone interested in learning how to forge a tool of their own the way they would have made it back during the age of sail! On day one we will forge our own marlinspikes with Lead instructor, Dossain Valencia of Adam’s Forge and prep them for day two with our guest instructor Marc Casebolt. With Marc you’ll learn how to put in a Turks head knot on your marlinspike to not only create the handle but also put in a decorative covering knot to show off your knotwork prowess.

    After your two days here you’ll be able to set foot on any sea vessel with your newly forged marlinspike worthy of its salt. Show your friends, show your crewmates!

    Marc has been tying decorative knots since he was about 12 years old. After finding the Ashley Book Of Knots on his father’s bookshelf, he was hooked on the beauty and symmetry of what is called Marlinspike seamanship, which is the term for all knot work developed and used by the old time sailors.  Marc is now a retired engineer and has the time to devote much more effort to the craft. Much of his recent work is now on display at the Channel Island Maritime Museum in Oxnard Ca, where he has been a volunteer for over 7 years. He now teaches knot tying to anyone who will sit still, listen, and give it a try!

    Please note: All classes 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!
  • December 10, 2023

    Steel Rose

    $190.00
    Prerequisite: Discovery Class Date: December 10, 2023 Time: 2 PM - 8 PM Location: Adam's Forge In this fun workshop students will forge a rose from steel sheet and attach it to a forged stem under the guidance of Adam's Forge instructor Amanda Kazarian.  Amanda will be teaching a whole set of new skills including sheet work, forging, forming and texturing the petals. Students will finish the day with a lovely rose that never wilts! Keep it for yourself or give it to a special person.  The prerequisite for this class is any Discovery class. A little more time with a hammer is useful but not required. This workshop will run from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, with a one hour break for lunch. The fee for this class includes 1 rose blank, additional blanks are available for purchase. Please note: All classes 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!    
  • November 18, 2023

    Spangenhelm with Tony Swatton

    $300.00
    Date: November 18, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 5 PM Location: Adam's Forge Instructor: Tony Swatton

    Tony Swatton has been the armorer to the stars for many years. From Captain Hook’s infamous hook, to Jack Sparrow’s blade or the Armorer’s tools and weapons in the Mandelorian, you’re looking ant Tony’s work.

    We are so fortunate to have Tony lead a workshop in making a Spangenhelm at Adam’s Forge.

    This ancient style of helmet was worn in Viking times and beyond. Made of a band that encircles the head with two more that cross, the resulting 4 open spaces are filled with 4 pieces of cut and formed sheet and everything is riveted together.

    With Tony’s expert help you will learn the basics of design, patternmaking, cutting & forming the metal, punching, drilling and riveting the elements together.  More experienced smiths should take home a wearable Spangenhelm to impress your friends and frighten your enemies.  And everyone will leave with the skills and pieces to be able to finish their piece at home or back in the forge at an Open Forge session.

    Prerequisites: Any Discovery Workshop.  Those with some sheet metal and smithing experience will have greater success.

    Note: we’ve scheduled an Open Forge to follow this workshop for those intrepid smiths who want to keep working.  Not yet a member? You can sign up here and have access to Open Forge sessions.

    This workshop runs from 9:00am – 5:00pm with an hour meal break.

    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 workshop to your cart, you can wait for general release or join our membership program at any time!
  • October 29, 2023

    Skeleton Bottle Opener

    $210.00
    Prerequisite: Any Discovery Class or Letter Opener class Date: October 29, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 3 PM Location: Adam's Forge

    Instructor: Dossain Valencia

    This class runs from 9 am-3 pm, with a one-hour break for lunch.

    Today we will make a ghoulish tool for the kitchen or any party. We’ll forge this from mild steel and apply a wax finish.

    The project starts by drawing out the steel as you did in the Discovery Day Class. This taper will be bent around and back to create a bottle opener.

    Then the fun begins as we form the skeleton. We start by using a guillotine tool (how appropriate) to form the neck and waist. Then we work on the face and chest.  You’ll have plenty of opportunity to make it your own.

    Once formed, a wax finish is applied to protect the steel from kitchen abuse.

    Much fun to be had by all and you will have a tool that you’ll definitely want to make again and again, as gifts for all your friends.

    Skills learned: Tapers, bending over the horn, using tooling for decoration, and finishing.

    Please note: All classes 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!

  • Prerequisite: None. This is an introductory workshop Date: September 25, 2023 Time: 12 PM - 4 PM Location: Adam's Forge The Letter Opener is a Discovery workshop as well as a prerequisite for all of our blade workshops. This project teaches techniques that are useful in a wide range of blacksmithing projects.  You'll learn how to work with slightly larger stock, and be introduced to the proper choice and use of tongs to hold the hot steel. You'll use the vise and a twisting wrench for the handle, and practice tapering and turning scrolls as well.  In forging the blade, you'll learn about full-face and half-face hammer blows.  Finally, you can apply a hot wax finish to protect your letter opener.    
  • December 23, 2023

    Penannular Pin

    $190.00
    Prerequisite: Any Discovery Class Date: December 23, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 3 PM Location: Adam's Forge Having trouble keeping your superhero cape fastened? This class is for you! The penannular has been made for millennia in many cultures to fasten clothing. The Vikings made them, the Celts popularized them. This workshop is a perfect next step after Discovery Class. We'll teach you how to make a basic pin and suggest some design variations. The techniques used in making penannulars can be applied to many advanced projects. Come learn in the fun class!  ps: Penannulars make great gifts! Skills learned: Tapers, twisting, bending over the horn, and finishing. This class runs from 9 AM- 3 PM with an hour meal break. 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 to your cart, you can wait for general release or join our membership program at any time!  
  • December 17, 2023

    Paring Knife

    $210.00
    Date: December 17, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 3 PM Location: Adam's Forge Instructor: Kent Lulewich Prerequisite: Letter Opener Discovery Workshop

    Join us to create a paring knife to use in the kitchen or take on your next picnic.   This is a high carbon steel knife made from 80CRV2 steel.

    We start by creating the handle section that you can size to fit your hand perfectly. Then the blade is forged and heat-treated. Lastly, we will grind it to the level of sharpness you desire.

    The handle will be cord wrapped for both comfort and durability. We will discuss other handle options you can try on your own.

    While we will not have time in this class to make a sheath, we will show you examples so you can do this on your own.

    You will leave with a complete knife, ready to use.

    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 have the opportunity to use your own!

    Coarse files (i.e. 12 inch Heavy Duty Set from Harbor Freight)

    Tongs for ¼” x ¾” stock

    Class runs from 9am - 3pm with a one hour meal break. 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!
  • October 01, 2023

    Kiridashi

    $220.00
    Date: October 1, 2023 Time: 2 PM - 9 PM Location: Adam's Forge Instructor: Dossain Valencia

    The Kiridashi is the original Japanese utility knife that has historically been used by Samurai and peasants alike.  It’s both light and strong, suitable for a variety of uses.  If you’ve taken the Letter Opener Discovery class, this is a perfect follow up project to build your bladesmithing skills.

    Here, you’ll practice precision forging, learn some of the important considerations in blade design and have a chance to try different texturing methods.  This blade is made from tool steel, so you’ll be heat treating, grinding, polishing and hand sharpening as well.

    Prerequisite: Letter Opener Discovery Class

    This class runs from 2:00pm – 9:00pm with an hour meal break.

    Please note: All classes 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!

  • December 29, 2023

    Kiridashi

    $200.00
    Date: December 29, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 4 PM Location: Adam's Forge Instructor: Dossain Valencia

    The Kiridashi is the original Japanese utility knife that has historically been used by Samurai and peasants alike.  It’s both light and strong, suitable for a variety of uses.  If you’ve taken the Letter Opener Discovery class, this is a perfect follow up project to build your bladesmithing skills.

    Here, you’ll practice precision forging, learn some of the important considerations in blade design and have a chance to try different texturing methods.  This blade is made from tool steel, so you’ll be heat treating, grinding, polishing and hand sharpening as well.

    Prerequisite: Letter Opener Discovery Class

    This class runs from 9:00am – 4:00pm with an hour meal break.

    Please note: All classes 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!

  • December 30, 2023

    Iron Age Knife

    $190.00
    Prerequisite: Any Discovery Class or Letter Opener class Date: December 30, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 3 PM Location: Adam's Forge In this workshop, Adam’s Forge instructor Kent Lulewich will help equip you for a Viking adventure by teaching you to make a small iron age knife.  Not only is this an attractive tool, it’s also a pleasure to make, especially for those with little blacksmithing experience.  One of the advantages of this design is that it’s a one-piece knife; you don’t have the extra work of creating and attaching a handle. This enables you to bring home a beautiful and functional finished product. In this workshop, you’ll practice moving metal to specific dimensions, tapering and turning the beautifully curved handle.  You’ll also gain experience in learning to hold awkward shapes while striking them.  Hint: using the right tongs helps! 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!
  • November 26, 2023

    Iron Age Knife

    $190.00
    Prerequisite: Any Discovery Class or Letter Opener class Date: November 26, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 3 PM Location: Adam's Forge In this workshop, Adam’s Forge instructor Kent Lulewich will help equip you for a Viking adventure by teaching you to make a small iron age knife.  Not only is this an attractive tool, it’s also a pleasure to make, especially for those with little blacksmithing experience.  One of the advantages of this design is that it’s a one-piece knife; you don’t have the extra work of creating and attaching a handle. This enables you to bring home a beautiful and functional finished product. In this workshop, you’ll practice moving metal to specific dimensions, tapering and turning the beautifully curved handle.  You’ll also gain experience in learning to hold awkward shapes while striking them.  Hint: using the right tongs helps! 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!
  • September 23, 2023

    Forge-welded Spoon

    $210.00
    Date: September 23, 2023 Time: 9 AM - 3 PM Location: Adam's Forge Instructor: Becky Schimpff Prerequisite: Any Discovery Class

    Do you need an extra-special spoon for measuring out your coffee in the morning? Have you taken a few classes and are eager to level-up your blacksmithing skill set? Are you interested in working towards your CBA or ABANA Level 1 blacksmithing certification? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this class is for you! Come join us to learn how to make forge-welded spoons!

    In blacksmithing, we are always trying to figure out how to get mass where we need it to get the shapes we want. In the case of a spoon, we need sufficient mass at the end of our bar. One option is to use larger stock and forge down what will become the handle, leaving material for the spoon. But that’s exhausting! An easier method is to forge-weld material at the end of the bar to add mass.

    In this class we’ll teach you the techniques for a folded forge-weld and then spend time practicing. Once you get the hang of it, we’ll move on to making spoons. You’ll learn how to use the peen of your hammer to spread material and techniques for dishing the metal into a spoon shape. We’ll also look at some different handle options and you can choose your own design. You’ll come home with one or more spoons to use and of course to show off to family and friends!

    The forge-welded spoon is one of the requirements for earning the CBA and ABANA Level 1 certification, we can sign you off with a successfully completed spoon.

    This class will be taught by instructor Becky Schimpff. Becky is passionate about blacksmithing education. She is currently on the CBA Education Committee and teaches all levels of the National Curriculum for both CBA and ABANA on Zoom and in-person at education events.

    Class runs from 9am - 3pm with a one hour meal break. Please note: All classes 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!

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